Running in A Marathon

r
10
Reports
SUPPLEMENT TO RUNNERS WORLD
Project editor: Diane Gilroy
Consulting editor: Amby Burfoot
Copy editor: David Caruso
Book designers: Erica Flickinger, Jacob Eastham
Revised 2007 by Rodale Inc. The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper
exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. The editors and publisher advise readers
to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Do not take risks beyond your level of
experience, aptitude, training, and fitness.
Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement
by the publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they
endorse this book.
Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.
Contents
4) Sharing the Road
10) Shoe Business
16) Making Time to Run
20) 30 Best Foods for Runners
27) Easy Treatment & Prevention of Injuries
34) Super Training Program Tips
42) Effective Weight Loss
48) Special Report for Women
54) Going the Distance
60) Why Runners Love to Run
R U N N E Rs WO R L D. C O M 4 R U N N E R s WO R L D 1 0 R E p O R T s 5
YOU MAY NOT REALIzE
IT, BUT YOU INFLUENCE
NON-RUNNERs ALL ThE TIME.
Im willing to bet there are a dozen non-
runners close to you who admire what
you doand probably wish they ran
themselves. Who are these people? Maybe
a coworker. Maybe a friend. Maybe your
spouse.
Its possible that with just a little extra
encouragement from you, one of these
people could be brought into the sport.
Time to give it a try. (See The Dos and
Donts of Mentoring on page 7.)
Ive put together a step-by-step begin-
ners program for your beginner to follow.
Go ahead and copy it for that person. But
first, some basic tenets of mentoring:
Keep it fun. Many non-runners and
beginning runners have the mis-
taken impression that running must
be painful, and that to improve in
running, you need to hurt. You
and I know that isnt true. A big part
of your job will be to convince your
beginner of this right from the start.
Easy running can be one of the
most pleasurable activities in life.
Theres a storehouse of endorphins
inside us, eager to be released by
even gentle activity. Increased
mental energy and an improved
attitude can be realized from the
very first run.
Unfortunately, many beginners
soon drop out of running because
they become overeager. They want
all the benefits right away. The thing
is, almost every novice is capable of
going faster or farther than he should
at first. Doing so brings exhilaration
initially, but soreness, fatigue, injury,
and burnout often follow.
Therefore, to keep a novice runner
on track and to keep it fun, hold her
back. Keep runs shorter and slower
than shes capable of, especially early
on. Suggest running in different areas
(parks, trails, other parts of town), or
you might hook her up with a run-
ning club. If shes up for it, put a race
on the calendar as a goal to train for.
(Remember to assure her that races
are fun, social events, not hard-core,
pain-inducing tests.)
By holding new runners back,
youll ensure that they experience
a series of successes. Also, youll
be setting up an internal reward
system that is motivating and self-
perpetuating.
sharing
the
road
theBeginnerProgram
Welcome, new runner! Let me say
right away that if you give running
a chance, youre going to love it.
Becoming a runner is simpleand
it does not have to be painful. Heres
how to do it.
1
SET aSIDE 30 MInuTES
a Day FoR ExERCISE.
Most non-runners who work a full
day say they dont have time to run.
And theyre right. Thats why you
have to create the time. In other
words, dont look for vacant pockets
of downtime to appear. You should
schedule your exercise appoint-
ment as if it were with your boss
or your most important client. (Its
both!) Losing 30 minutes to exer-
cise a few times a week is nothing
compared to the increased energy,
concentration, and productivity
youll gain in the process.
What if your exercise appointment
arrives, and you only have 10 min-
utes to spare? Go anyway, then try to
work in another short run later that
day, or go a little longer the next day.
Recent research suggests that several
sessions of short-duration exercise
offer roughly the same benefit as one
session of longer-duration exercise.
In any case, 10 minutes of exercise
is better than none at all.
by Jeff Galloway
2
WaLK SLoW,
ThEn WaLK FaST.
Most people, on starting an exercise
program, are able to walk slowly for
30 minutes without much trouble.
Aim for this initially. As soon as you
are able, start adding periods of brisk
walking. Within 2 or 3 weeks, begin
alternating 2 to 5 minutes of brisk
walking with 1 to 3 minutes of easy
walking.
3
InSERT
RunnInG BREaKS.
Most walkers who become runners
find that slow running provides better
stress relief and a bigger mental boost
than walking. Its also a better calorie-
burner (including fat calories). Once
youve become accustomed to a brisk,
30-minute walk, start mixing in
1- to 3-minute segments of very
easy running.
Progress at a rate that feels comfort-
able. Gradually increase the length of
your running segments while keeping
them slow and manageable. Hint: At
no time should you be so winded that
you cannot carry on a conversation.
4
Go WITh
WhaTEvER WoRKS.
Many runners run every day of the
week. Others run just twice a week.
Somewhere in the middle might be a
good spot to aim for at first. Figure on
running twice during the workweek
with a longer run on the weekend.
But again, whatever schedule works
for you is fine.
5
KEEP ThE
WaLKInG BREaKS.
Regular readers of my column know
that Im a big fan of walking breaks,
even for experienced runners. As Ive
witnessed thousands of times with my
marathon-training classes, judicious
use of walking breaks allows novice
runners to complete a marathon after
just 6 months of training.
As I say, everyone can benefit from
walking breaks, though heavier run-
ners and those over 40 may benefit
( shari ng the road)
most of all. These breaks allow you to
increase mileage more quickly, and
they lower your injury risk. I try to
convince all new runners that con-
tinuous running is not necessarily the
ultimate goal.
What is the goal? Heres one for
you: to become a runner for life.
If youre moderate but consistent
in your training, if you take rest days
when theyre called for, and if youre
open to all the joys that running has
to offer, you can become that lifelong
runner.
The Dos and Donts of Mentoring
The chance to introduce someone to running is a wonderful opportunity that needs to be
handled responsibly. It may be helpful to keep the following in mind:
do mention the known benefits of
regular running, such as stress
relief, more energy, and more
self-esteem.
do treat him as an individual.
Allow him to progress at his
own rate (not yours).
do congratulate her on her
achievements.
do make sure to approach the
appropriate person.
do watch or run a race together.

(she will see lots of people who
look like her.)
do keep reinforcing the positive
changes he is experiencing.
dont promise that running will
deliver on everything from
better sex to hair growth.
dont impose a preconceived
schedule on your runner.
dont talk for an hour about
your own.
dont pester every person
you think would enjoy
running.
dont drag her to a race and
leave her to fend for herself.
dont harp on the things
he is doing wrong.
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
monday
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat five times.
Run 30 minutes.
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times.
Run 9 minutes, walk 2
minutes. Repeat twice,
then run 8 minutes.
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.
tuesday
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
wednesday
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat five times.
Run 30 minutes.
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times.
then run 8 minutes.
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.
thursday
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
friday
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat five times.
Run 30 minutes.
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times.
then run 8 minutes.
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.
saturday
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat five times.
Run 30 minutes.
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times.
then run 8 minutes.
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.
sunday
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
REsT DAY
( shari ng the road)
Note: After completing week 9, if you feel tired, repeat this week of training
Before you start with this schedule, get your legs ready with 8 days of walking: Walk for
20 minutes a day for the first 4 days, then increase to 30 minutes a day for 4 more days.
Now youre ready to begin with week 1. Each week of the program, do your run/walk workouts
on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and saturday, and take Tuesday, Thursday, and sunday off.
samPLe10-WeeKtrainingPLan
before moving on to week 10.
week
shoe
business
The days of the canvas running shoe are
dead and gone. And thats good news in
many ways. Todays running shoes are a
whole lot bettermore durable, more pro-
tective, and more comfortable. The only
bad thing: Theyre also much more com-
plicated. Why? Because running, while
its a simple sport that almost everyone
can do, forces your feet and legs through
a fairly complex series of movements.
With all the high-tech running shoes
available today and all the special features
each shoe claims to have, picking the
right pair can be a daunting task. Thats
why weve written this guide. Weve
streamlined the process. Just follow the
steps outlined in this report, and youll
be able to figure out which shoes are
best for you.
stePone
deCidetoBUYagoodPairoFrUnningshoes
RIGhT FOOT MOTION
Most runners land on the outside of the
heel (A). Then the foot rolls in slightly to a
neutral position as it makes full contact
with the ground before pushing off from the
ball and toes. This is normal pronation (B).
The feet of some runners roll inward too far.
This is overpronation (C). Runners whose
feet do not roll in or roll in only slightly after
heel contact are underpronators.
This is the single most important
piece of shoe advice we can give any
runner, and, believe it or not, its as
important for a beginner as for an
experienced runner. As a beginner,
you need the best protection a shoe
can provide. Only a good running
shoe can give you enough shock
absorption, motion control, flexibility,
and durability.
Sure, youre only going to be run-
ning a few miles at first. Yes, you
could do it in tennis shoes or cross-
training shoes or even your Hush
Puppies. But the risk of injury would
be great, and so would the chance of
muscle and joint aches that could be
prevented with proper footwear. You
want to succeed with your training
program. Next to good old-fashioned
determination, a decent pair of run-
ning shoes will help you more than
anything else.
How much should you pay? Good
question. We believe that any shoe
costing $70 or more, no matter who
manufactures it, should provide the
primary features and protection you
need. Step up to $80 and youll get
more durability, more features, and
more quality. Spend the money. A
good pair of running shoes should last
for 400 to 500 miles and is the only
critical purchase you have to make.
stePtWo
UnderstandPronation
Running is a complex biomechanical
process in which, generally speaking,
you strike the ground first on the out-
side of your heel. Next, your foot rolls
downward and inward slightly as it
meets the ground. And lastly, the heel
lifts from the ground, and you push
off from the ball of the foot to move
forward.
The rotation of the foot inward
and downward when you land on
the ground is called pronation, and
its a completely natural and normal
process. Everyone should pronate
to some degree. Pronation is a good
thing in that it helps the foot absorb
the shock of impact.
However, some runners over-
pronate. That is, their feet roll too far
inward. This is a common problem
that can lead to injuries, particularly
of the lower leg and knee. Some
runners underpronate; their feet roll
inward only a little after contact.
These runners are said to have rigid
feet that dont absorb shock very well.
This, too, can lead to injury over
time. (See the illustration below.)
stePthree
FigUreoUtYoUrFoottYPe
Most runners can determine whether
they are underpronators, overprona-
tors, or normal pronators by checking
their arch height. The arch deter-
mines how your feet and legs will
function when you run.
If you have a flat foot, you prob-
ably overpronate. A high-arched foot
means you may have a tendency to
underpronate. And if you have nor-
mal arches, you probably pronate just
right. Studies we have conducted
show that 50 percent of runners have
normal arches, while 25 percent have
high arches, and the remaining 25
percent have low arches, says John
W. Pagliano, D.P.M., a podiatrist from
Long Beach, California.
But how do you figure out your
arch height? The easiest way is with
the wet test.
The Wet Test. Wet the bottom of your
bare foot, and then make a footprint
on a flat, dry surfacea piece of
white paper laid on a hard floor works
well to show the shape of your foot.
The Results. If your footprint is very
full and wide and shows no arch, you
have a low arch and a flat foot. If the
print shows your entire foot with a
moderate curve where the arch rises
off the ground, you have a normal
arch. And if the footprint is very slight
and curved, showing mostly the ball
and heel of your foot but very little of
the middle of your foot, you have a
( shoe BUsi ness)
ThE WET TEsT Wet your foot, and make a footprint on a flat, dry surface.
Normal foot.
You pronate
normally.
Flat foot.
You probably
overpronate.
High-arched foot.
You probably
underpronate.
stePFoUr
matChFoottoshoe
Your foot type and degree of prona-
tion determine the characteristics
youll need in a running shoe. One
of the most important is shape, which
you can see most clearly by looking at
the bottom of the shoe.
In general, running shoes come in
three shapesstraight, semicurved,
and curvedwhich correspond to
the three types of footprints revealed
by the wet test. Most experts believe
that:
overpronators should wear a shoe
with a straight shape.
underpronators, a curved shape.
normal pronators should wear a
shoe with a semicurved shape.
Heres what to look for:
If you have flat feet and overpronate:
You need a shoe that will prevent your
foot from rolling in too far; that is, a
motion-control shoe. Many motion-
control shoes have a straight shape
that gives maximum support to your
foot. Other characteristics to look for:
a firm rather than a soft midsole; a
dual-density midsole with the denser
material along the inner edge of the
shoe to prevent excessive pronation;
and a firm heel counter to minimize
rearfoot motion.
ANATOMY OF
A RUNNING shOE
upper: The part of the shoe that wraps
around and over the top of the foot.
heel counter: A firm cup that is encased in
the upper and surrounds the heel. It con-
trols rearfoot motion.
Midsole: The cushioning layer between the
upper and the outsole. It is usually made of
ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyurethane
(a synthetic rubber), or a combination of the
two. Dual-density midsoles have a firmer
material on the inside of the shoe. This
helps limit pronation. Many shoe companies
also put proprietary technologies in their
midsoles, such as air, gel, and plastics.
Footbridge or post: A firm material or device
along the inner side of the shoe, designed to
limit pronation.
outsole: The undersurface of the shoe,
usually made from carbon rubber.
high arch. (See illustration, page 12.)
The Interpretation. Heres what your
footprint tells you about your degree
of pronation:
A flat foot means you may have
a tendency to overpronate.
A normal foot means you probably
are a normal pronator.
A high-arched foot means you
may be an underpronator.
Now go to the next step to find out
what kinds of shoes are best for your
foot type.
stePFiVe
gotoasPeCiaLtYrUnningstore
FoR hELP FInDInG
ThE BEST RunnInG
ShoES FoR you
oR ThE LoCaL SToRES
ThaT SELL RunnInG
ShoES, LoG on To
RunnERSWoRLD.CoM
anD CLICK on
ShoES & GEaR.
( shoe BUsi ness)
Even if youve followed all the steps
weve outlined, it pays to go to a spe-
cialty running store. The knowledge-
able people who work in these stores
will be able to tell you if youre a
special case who needs extra attention
when it comes to shoe selection. To
find a specialty running store, check
the phone book or ask a runner you
know.
5 qUEsTIONs ThE
sALEspERsON shOULD Ask:
1. How long have you been running?
2. How much mileage are you doing?
3. Where do you do most of your running?
4. How much do you weigh?
5. Are you aware of any foot problems,
such as flat feet or over- or
underpronation?
Based on your answers, the salesperson
will show you the various models in the
store and select some for you to try.
stePsix
maKesUreYoUrshoeFits
This is the most important step in
finding the right shoe. Dont worry
about the technology. Worry about
the fit and the comfort.
A running shoe that fits will be
snug but not tight. Your running
shoes may need to be a half to a full
size larger than your street shoes.
Use the following guidelines to
determine whether a running shoe
fits you properly:
Check for adequate room at the
front by pressing your thumb into
the shoe just above your longest
toe. Your thumb should fit between
the end of your toe and the front
of the shoe.
Check for adequate room at the
widest part of your foot. The shoe
shouldnt be tight, but your foot
shouldnt slide around, either.
Your heel should fit snugly into
the rear of the shoe and should
not slide up and down as you
walk or run.
The upper should fit snugly and
hold your foot securely, but it
should not irritate or press too
tightly on any area of your foot.
Take the shoes for a test run. Most
specialty running stores allow
even encourageyou to run down
the street or around the block so
you can feel the shoes in action.
Use these guidelines in trying out
a few different models. Then decide
on the pair that fits the best and feels
the most comfortable. And if you get
them home and find some problems
with them as you begin your running
program, take them back.
And a word for the future: If your
shoes fit well and feel good, and you
dont have any problems with injuries,
stick to a sure thing.
If you have high-arched feet and
underpronate: Your feet dont absorb
shock very well, so you need a cush-
ioned shoe. Also, you want a shoe that
allows your feet to roll inward, since
this helps absorb shock. Cushioned
shoes tend to be less supportive and
work with the foot rather than try to
control it. You want a shoe with a soft,
cushioned midsole and a curved or
semicurved shape that permits foot
motion as you run.
If you have normal arches and pronate
normally: Youre lucky. You dont need
to search out a shoe with special fea-
tures. Focus on fit and comfort. You
might want to begin by considering
shoes that lie somewhere between the
motion-control and cushioned types.
Manufacturers often refer to such
shoes as stability shoes. These shoes,
which often have a slightly curved
shape, dont control foot motion as
well as motion-control shoes.
Here are some tips for a successful
shopping trip:
Shop in the late afternoon when
your feet are at their largest,
because your feet will expand
during running.
Wear the socks youll wear when
you run. If you dont have any, buy
some before trying on shoes.
Make sure the salesperson mea-
sures both of your feet. Most of us
have one foot slightly larger than
the other, and you should be fitted
for the larger foot.
NOT ENOUGh TIME.
ITs ThE NUMBER ONE
REAsON pEOpLE GIvE FOR
NOT RUNNING.
Or not running as much as theyd like.
After years of hearing how important
regular exercise is to our health, we all
know we should run (it packs in more
fitness and calorie-burning than any
other exercise). Thats no longer the
issue. The issue is finding the time.
Life can get really busy sometimes.
Things get in the way. Like working. And
eating. And sleeping. And hanging out
with family and friends. After all that, how
many minutes are left for a run?
On too many days, the answer is zero.
making
time
to run
And thats precisely why we wrote this
report. To make sure you never utter
the not enough time excuse again,
we have solicited time-management
tips and strategies from busy runners
throughout the country.
So take a break, have a seat, and
read this report. It could be one of
the best things youll ever do for your
running.
Make running a priority.
This one is key. All other fitting-it-in
strategies are secondary in compari-
son. Some people simply make run-
ning an important priority. Since its
important to them, running always
shows up on their daily to-do list.
Once its there, they cant ignore
it, says University of Georgia exercise
scientist Patrick J. OConnor, Ph.D.
Schedule workouts in advance.
Try not to make training decisions
on a day-to-day basis. Rick Nelson, a
consultant with a transportation firm
in Toronto, sits down on Sunday eve-
ning or Monday morning and plans
his weekly workouts based on work
and family schedules. If youre taking
the kids to the zoo, for example, that
might not be the best day for your
long run, Nelson advises. You can
always modify your weekly schedule
as things come up, but its important
to set the initial framework. Be sure
to involve your spouse or significant
other in these planning sessions.
Remember why you run.
Scheduling 30 to 60 minutes a
day for exercise is not a selfish act.
Committing some personal time
to exercise will keep you healthier,
happier, and more able to perform
effectively during the day. As a result,
youll have more energy for work and
nonwork activities, which means
everyone around you will benefit.
Keep your gear nearby.
You cant train if you dont have your
running shoes. For example, Bill
Wenmark, a health consultant from
Deephaven, Minnesota, keeps a
bag packed with running clothes
in the trunk of his car. If the roads
are congested, says Wenmark, some-
times Ill pull over and go for a short
run while the traffic clears. He also
keeps a cooler of water in the car for
such occasions. For morning runners,
getting your gear ready the night
before is a good strategy.
Create a survival workout.
For those days when you simply dont
have time to train, Eugene, Oregon,
orthopedist Stan James recommends
by hal higdon
devising a survival workout of just
15 minutes duration. This com-
pressed workout allows you to main-
tain momentum with your program.
Its the workout you can fall back on
during too-busy days. It could be 15
minutes of jogging, cycling, or walk-
ing. The particular activity doesnt
matter too much. Just keep it simple
and at the ready for when its needed.
And it will be needed.
Commute to or from work.
Among all its other benefits, running
to or from work can also save the time
thats lost sitting in traffic. Elizabeth
Lower-Basch lives in Alexandria,
Virginia, 9 miles from her job as a
government policy analyst in Wash-
ington, D.C. It takes 45 minutes
to get home by subway anyway, so I
figure thats free time I can devote to
running, says Lower-Basch.
use free time wisely.
Melanie Jobes, a paralegal in Colum-
bus, Ohio, fits running into pockets of
her life that otherwise might be wasted.
When I take clothes to the laundromat,
I run for the 30 or 40 minutes that the
clothes are in the washer, she says.
When Chicago security supervisor Bill
Fitzgerald needs his car worked on, he
drops it off, runs home, then runs back
to retrieve it the next day.
Park cheap, then run.
When he attends an event such as a
ball game in Chicago, math teacher
Steve Kearney often parks far away in
an inexpensive lot, then runs to and
from the event. This way he saves
money, stays fit, and bypasses the
hassle and anxiety of trying to get a
parking spot next to the stadium.
Run in the morning.
This is the solution for many
time-pressed runners. Sean Walsh, a
teacher from Loxahatchee, Florida,
thought he would hate getting up
early when he first started running.
I still dont like getting out of bed at
4:30 a.m., Walsh admits, but once
Im up for it, I find I have so much
more energy than at other times of the
day. For some reason, I can still go to
bed at the same time without needing
more sleep. Plus, I avoid the heat and
humidity that comes later in the day.
Run at night.
Bob Lennon of Methuen, Massachu-
setts, has a wife and two children.
His wife runs in the morning, and he
runs at 9 p.m., after the children go to
bed. One things for sure, its always
quiet at that time, says Lennon. I
used to run at lunch but found that,
with getting changed, cooling down,
and showering, I couldnt fit in a qual-
ity run. My employers consider it nice
that I run, but that sympathy doesnt
include extended lunch hours. If you
choose to run at night, remember to
wear reflective clothing.
Buy a running stroller.
For those who dont mind pushing
some extra weight around, a perfect
solution for busy parents is to bring
the kids with you. If theyre very
young and its near nap time, theyll
often fall asleep in a running stroller.
Other options: If theyre older, locate
a track that has a playground next to
it, or have them play on the infield as
you circle the track.
Find a friend.
One way to make certain you fit run-
ning into your busy schedule is to find
one or more training partners wholl
depend on you to show up. Cheri
Bayer from Peoria, Illinois, not only
works full-time with an engineering
firm, but also attends night school
and has a 7-year-old daughter. The
only time I have to run is in the
morning, she says, but I have two
friends who run with me without fail.
Knowing theyll be there, I always get
up. Id feel pretty guilty if I didnt.
Balance work and workouts.
Dont overload one without
underloading the other. The Boston
Athletic Associations press liaison,
Jack Fleming, uses a work/run index
of 100 in determining how to balance
work and workouts. If he works
60 hours one week, he knows his
mileage total should therefore be
around 40 (i.e., 60 + 40 = 100). If he
works 40 hours, his mileage can go
up to 60 for the week. If one goes
up, the other must come down, says
Fleming. Otherwise youre setting
yourself up for failure. For many of
us, the work/run index may be quite
a bit less than 100. But once you
settle on the index that makes sense
for you, keep it in mind as you go
through the week.
( maKi ng ti me to rUn)
30
best
foods
for
runners
hoWtoFUeLYoUrrUn
The following 30 foods will give you
all the nutrients you need to run faster,
recover quicker, and feel more energized
all day long. Most are low-fat, so theyre
good for your waistline, too. Whats more,
many studies show that these tasty treats
will reduce your risk of heart disease and
cancer. Since theyre easy to prepare,
youll have plenty of time for your work-
outs as well as healthful meals.
benefits serving
suggestions
food nutrients
Carb: 5.5 g
pro: 5.9 g
Fat: 14.4 g
Cal: 172
Loaded with the antioxidant vitamin E,
which may help reduce muscle dam-
age as well as fend off age-related
diseases. Also contain important
minerals such as magnesium, iron,
calcium, and potassium plus heart-
healthy monounsaturated fat.
Make a trail mix of almonds,
cereals, and assorted dried
fruits and seeds.
almonds
1 ounce
(about 24
almonds)
Carb: 37.6 g
pro: 7.5 g
Fat: 1.5 g
Cal: 197
packed with muscle-fueling
carbohydrate.
If you have a bagel before
running, eat it either plain
or with jelly. Avoid adding
fat such as cream cheese,
which slows digestion.
Bagels
One plain
bagel
Carb: 26.7 g
pro: 1.2 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Cal: 105
Chock-full of carbohydrate, a nice
dose of potassium, and vitamin B
6
.
Combine with peanut
butter, another runner-
friendly food.
Bananas
One
medium
banana
Carb: 40.8 g
pro: 15.2 g
Fat: 0.9 g
Cal: 227
Best source of protein, iron, and
soluble fiber for vegetarians. high in
carbohydrate and folate (folic acid),
which may prevent birth defects
during pregnancy and fight heart
disease.
Add canned black beans,
chickpeas, or kidney beans
to soups and salads.
Beans
(legumes)
1 cup
Carb: 23 g*
pro: 3.9 g*
Fat: 1.1 g*
Cal: 81*
packed with carbohydrate and fiber,
fortified with vitamins and minerals.
*Amounts vary by type of cereal
Eat with 1% milk or mix with
low-fat yogurt and fruit.
Breakfast
cereal
1
2 cup
Carb: 2.3 g
pro: 1.3 g
Fat: 0.2 g
Cal: 22
Great source of vitamin C (may
reduce exercise-induced muscle
damage). Also a good source of
folate, calcium, and vitamin k
(bone-builders) and cancer-fighting
phytochemicals.
steam broccoli, and
squeeze some lemon
over it.
Broccoli
1
2 cup
Carb: 45 g
pro: 5 g
Fat: 1.8 g
Cal: 216
powerful carbohydrate punch plus a
wealth of antioxidants.
Cook up a bunch and
freeze it. That way, you only
need to add 2 tablespoons
of liquid per cup, thaw, and
cook it in the microwave.
Brown
rice
1 cup
by Alisa Bauman
benefits serving
suggestions
food nutrients
Carb: 17 g
pro: 2 g
Fat: 9 g
Cal: 160
Contains the same phytochemicals
found in red wine that are known to
fight heart disease.
stick with dark chocolate,
since it contains more
phytochemicals than milk
chocolate. (White choco-
late doesnt contain any.)
Chocolate
1 ounce
Carb: 4.4 g
pro: 21.7 g
Fat: 1.7 g
Cal: 126
An excellent source of low-fat
protein, iron, and zinc, an immunity-
boosting mineral thats notoriously
low in many runners diets. Be sure
youre consuming the 15 mg of zinc
you need each day.
Drain and rinse canned
clams, which actually have
less fat and cholesterol
than the steamed version.
Add them to spaghetti
sauce.
Clams
3 ounces,
chopped
Carb: 20 g
pro: 1 g
Fat: 2.5 g
Cal: 110
Great high-carbohydrate snack that
satisfies your sweet tooth without
packing fat into your arteries.
Eat em as is, right out of
the package.
Fig bars
Two small
fig bars
Carb: 4.1 g
pro: 2.3 g
Fat: 4 g
Cal: 59
high in alpha-linolenic acid, a type
of fat that can boost immunity,
bloodflow, and possibly even
endurance. Flax also keeps your
platelets (flat cells in your blood)
from clumping together and forming
dangerous clots.
Use ground flaxseeds when
baking muffins, or mix
flaxseed oil into your salad
dressings. (store flaxseeds
in your refrigerator to keep
them from turning rancid.)
Flax
1 table-
spoon
Carb: 1.4 g
pro: 0.2 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Cal: 7
Besides settling your stomach, this
spice may act as a natural anti-
inflammatory, reducing joint and
muscle pain. It also may prevent
heart attacks by thinning your blood.
Look for dense roots. Grate
the root for stir-fry dishes,
cold salads, and smoothies.
Ginger
root
1 teaspoon
Carb: 27.3 g
pro: 5.5 g
Fat: 3 g
Cal: 148
A great breakfast food for those try-
ing to lose weight. Oatmeals high
amount of water-soluble fiber makes
you feel full and lowers your blood
cholesterol. Also high in carbohy-
drate and iron.
Oatmeal is perfect before
a long run, as it provides
slow-release carbohydrates
to your bloodstream. Make
it more nutritious by adding
dried or fresh fruit.
oatmeal
1
2 cup
(30 best foods foR RunneRs)
benefits serving
suggestions
food nutrients
Carb: 11.7 g
pro: 8 g
Fat: 2.6 g
Cal: 102
The easiest way to get high amounts
of calciumcrucial for bone-mineral
formation, muscle contraction, and
nerve conduction. Also helps prevent
stress fractures, shinsplints, and
possibly muscle cramps.
Drink it straight or pour it
over your favorite high-fiber
cereal. If youre lactose-
intolerant, use reduced-
lactose milk or milk with
live cultures. (Avoid milk
just before running because
it can cause side stitches.)
1% milk
8 ounces
Carb: 15.2 g
pro: 1.3 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Cal: 60
Excellent source of antioxidant
vitamin C (may help speed muscle
recovery after exercise), folate (helps
maintain optimal levels of hemo-
globin in red blood cells), and pectin
(helps control blood sugar levels and
helps keep LDL cholesterol from
turning into plaque).
Gulp down a large glass
of orange juice after a
run. Youll replenish your
muscles with carbohydrate,
boost your immune system
with vitamin C, and rehy-
drate your body with fluid.
oranges
One
orange
Carb: 42 g
pro: 7.6 g
Fat: 1.1 g
Cal: 210
Famous as the quintessential
carbo-loader, pasta is low in fat and
is a great source of folate, which
decreases your risk of heart disease.
Also a great vehicle for other good-
for-you foods like tomato sauce,
tofu, and clams.
Enjoy pasta with a low-fat
marinara sauce for the
perfect prerace entre.
Pasta
2 ounces
Carb: 0 g
pro: 0 g
Fat: 14 g
Cal: 124
Great source of monounsaturated
fat and omega-3 fatty acids, both
of which lower your risk of heart
disease. For optimal performance,
runners need to obtain 30% of their
calories from fat.
Use canola oil instead of
other fats, such as butter
and margarine, when cook-
ing or baking.
Canola oil
1 table-
spoon
Carb: 11.3 g
pro: 0.8 g
Fat: 0.3 g
Cal: 46
Excellent source of vitamin C, high in
potassium.
A peeled kiwi makes a great
snack after a run on a hot
day.
Kiwifruit
1 medium
kiwi
benefits serving
suggestions
food nutrients
Carb: 0 g
pro: 22 g
Fat: 3.8 g
Cal: 127
Outstanding source of omega-3
fatty acids, which boost the immune
system and cut the risk of heart
disease. provides lots of protein and
vitamin B
12
.
Grill salmon and top it with
a fruit salsa of sliced kiwi,
papaya, cilantro, and a
jalapeo pepper. The salsa
provides important antioxi-
dants as well as fiber.
Salmon
3 ounces

Carb: 1 g
pro: 0.8 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Cal: 6
high in carotenes, calcium, and
irona true power food. The
carotenes help ward off age-related
diseases as well as protect your
muscles from damage. The calcium
keeps your bones strong. The iron
keeps your energy high.
sneak cooked spinach into
lasagna and other cas-
seroles. Make sure to eat
something acidic or high in
vitamin C, such as toma-
toes or oranges, along with
your spinach to increase
iron absorption.
Spinach
1
2 cup
Carb: 0 g
pro: 27 g
Fat: 16.4 g
Cal: 263
Lean red meat is your best source
of absorbable iron. skimping on red
meat can lead to iron deficiency,
low energy levels, and poor running
performance.
Make fajitas by marinating
flank or round steak, which
tend to be lower in fat than
other cuts. Chop the steak
up with some tomatoes,
onions, and peppers, and
toss them on the grill. Once
its cooked and cooled,
wrap it all in a tortilla.
Steak
3.5
ounces
Carb: 27.7 g
pro: 2 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Cal: 117
packed with carbohydrate, fiber, and
carotenes, a family of antioxidants
that prevents cancer.
Microwave until its soft to
the touch (about 4 min-
utes), split it open, and
add a pinch of brown sugar
and cinnamon plus a touch
of butter or low-fat yogurt.
Sweet
potatoes
One baked
sweet
potato
Carb: 3.2 g
pro: 0.4 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Cal: 14
supply more immunity-boosting
vitamin C than oranges. Also loaded
with carotenes, a family of plant pig-
ments known to fight heart disease
and cancer.
Use them as a colorful
addition to any pasta dish
or salad. Or cut them up
and take them to work for
a snack.
Sweet red
peppers
1
2 cup,
chopped
benefits serving
suggestions
food nutrients
Carb: 5.4 g
pro: 19.9 g
Fat: 11 g
Cal: 183
One of the best non-meat protein
sources, tofu also supplies a decent
dose of bone-building calcium and
B vitamins.
Try tofu in pasta sauces
and stir-fry dishes. Its
refrigerated in the produce
department of your grocery
store.
Tofu
1
2 cup
Carb: 12.9 g
pro: 2.7 g
Fat: 1.2 g
Cal: 69
high in carbohydrate, whole grain
bread contains many of the same
healthy phytochemicals found in
fruits and vegetables. Most whole
grains contain B vitamins, and some
come with iron added.
Use whole grain bread for
sandwiches.
Whole
grain
bread
One slice
Carb: 17.4 g
pro: 13 g
Fat: 0.4 g
Cal: 127
Terrific source of muscle-fueling
carbohydrate, protein, and calcium.
Look for yogurts that list live and
active cultures on the label, as they
may boost immunity.
Add your own fresh fruit
and granola to plain, nonfat
yogurt to create a snack
loaded with vitamin C, fiber,
and other nutrients.
yogurt
8 ounces
Carb: 79 g
pro: 3.4 g
Fat: 0.5 g
Cal: 302
high in carbohydrate and low in
fat, this convenient snack supplies
plenty of potassium as well as some
iron. Like grapes, raisins also contain
an abundance of heart-healthy
phytochemicals.
sprinkle them on your
cereal, add them to yogurt,
or simply snack on them
throughout the day.
Raisins
2
3 cup
Carb: 22.5 g
pro: 2.6 g
Fat: 1 g
Cal: 108
hard or soft, theyre high in carbo-
hydrate and low in fat. Even salted
pretzels are fine for those who dont
have high blood pressure, as the
sodium helps you retain the fluid you
drink before and after running.
keep a bag of pretzels at
work and on the kitchen
counter at home. And
make sure you drink plenty
of water or fruit juice with
them.
Pretzels
1 ounce
Carb: 10.5 g
pro: 0.9 g
Fat: 0.6 g
Cal: 45
high in vitamins, especially beta-
carotene, vitamin C, and folate.
Loaded with ellagic acid, a powerful
antioxidant that can inhibit tumor
growth.
Mix strawberries and other
berries into a fruit salad,
or blend them with milk
or yogurt for a nutritious
postrun shake.
Strawberries
1 cup
Carb: 6.9 g
pro: 7.7 g
Fat: 16 g
Cal: 188
Good source of vitamin E, probably
the most powerful antioxidant. The
fats in peanut butter are mostly
monounsaturated and polyunsatu-
rated, which are the heart-healthy
kinds.
Try peanut butter on fresh
apples, bananas, and
canned pears.
Peanut
butter
2 table-
spoons
JEFF GALLOWAY hAsNT BEEN
INJURED IN 1O YEARs. NOT
ONCE. AND hEs pROUD OF IT.
Twenty years ago, Galloway was injured a lot.
But since he depends on running to boost his
mood, give him energy, and melt away stress,
he worked hard over the years to become
injury-free.
rUnninginjUrY-Free
Galloway is living proof that you dont
have to accept aches and pains as you age.
You, too, can be injury-free. Heres what
has worked for him.
Watch your mileage.
Most runners keep their weekly mileage
within a safe range most of the time. Two
pERFORMANCE MENUs
When should you eat these best foods to guarantee optimum performance? That depends
on when you run. If you run after work, for instance, you want to eat most of your calories
midday to fuel your run. On the other hand, if you run at lunch, you want to fuel up with a big
breakfast. And if you run in the morning, a big dinner the night before works best.
Heres how you can fit these foods into your daily regimen:
MORNING RUN
6:00 a.m. Sports drink
6:20 a.m. RUN
7:00 a.m. Cereal with 1% milk and fruit
10:00 a.m. Fig bar and a glass of water
Noon Cold tofu salad and fruit salad from your local deli
6:00 p.m. Pasta with clam sauce, a whole grain roll, and a side of
steamed broccoliplus some chocolate for dessert
LUNCh RUN
7:00 a.m. Oatmeal with fruit, a side of yogurt with almonds sprinkled on top,
and a glass of 1% milk
10:00 a.m. Fig bar and a glass of water
NOON RUN
1:00 p.m. Sandwich with turkey breast, cranberry sauce, lettuce, and tomato on
whole grain bread, served with a side of mixed fruit and some pretzels
7:00 p.m. Grilled fish and a side salad
EvENING RUN
7:00 a.m. Whole grain toast with peanut butter and a sliced banana on
top of a bowl of cereal with 1% milk
Noon Vegetarian chili with corn bread
3:00 p.m. Pretzels
5:30 p.m. RUN
7:00 p.m. Tofu, broccoli, and brown rice stir-fry with a sweet potato

&
easy
treatment
prevention
of injuries
by Jeff Galloway
(easY treatment & PreVenti on oF i njUri es)
or three times a year, however, many
of us get too fired up and increase
the total too quickly. This usually
happens when we come back after a
layoff.
Any sudden mileage increase
exceeding 10 percent per week will
increase your injury risk. To avoid
injuries as you add on the miles, take
an extra day off from running each
week. Then add those miles to a long-
run day. By making each run longer
and resting more between runs, you
receive a better training effect, as well
as quicker healing.
Rest every 3 weeks.
Even if you safely stick to no more
than a 10 percent weekly mileage
buildup, your body could use a break
every 3 weeks. You dont have to stop
running. But for 1 week, cut back
your mileage by 30 to 50 percent to
reduce the risk of fatigue and damage.
always warm up. always!
After a 5-minute walk, walk and jog
for 5 minutes, then jog slowly for
5 minutes more, so youre basically
warming up for the very slow first
mile of your run. Transition into a
faster pace with four to eight short
accelerations, walking or jogging for
1 to 2 minutes after each one. As your
legs warm up, you can increase the
pace slightly on each acceleration. By
the last one, you should be running
your goal speed for the day.
Do hills before speed work.
If you havent been doing speed
drills, dont suddenly run 10 hard laps
around the high school track. In fact,
dont even run one lap. Instead, find
a 100- to 200-meter hill, and run up
it three or four times once a week for
3 to 4 weeks. During this period, start
mixing four to eight one-block accel-
erations into your regular runs. Both
techniques will build the strength
needed to safely complete speed
sessions.
Consistently run fast.
When youre ready to start track
work, commit yourself to it. If you
only do sporadic speed sessions,
your body will never adapt to faster
running. On the other hand, doing
too much speed work can also leave
you prone to injuries. Heres the
magic injury-free formula: one speed
session every week.
When you do a speed session,
warm up thoroughly first. Never
run all-out. Be sure to slow down
or stop the session at the first sign
of extreme pain. Begin with three to
five 400-meter surges. Run no more
than 5 to 7 seconds per quarter-mile
faster than your 5-K race pace, and
walk half the distance of your speed
segment to recover.
Stretch at night.
Many runners make the mistake
of vigorously trying to stretch out
the tightness brought on by exertion
and fatigue. Problem is, stretching
a tired muscle too much can tear
muscle fibers and increase recovery
time. So its best to avoid extreme
stretching immediately before and
immediately after running. (One
exception: Gently stretching your
iliotibial band on the outside of
each leg can help prevent knee
problems.) If you do stretch after
running, do so very gently, and
do the majority of your stretching
before you go to bed.
Keep your stride steady.
Avoid the temptation to increase
stride length at the end of long
runs, races, or speed sessions. This
puts more pressure on already tired
muscles and doesnt accomplish your
goals. Quicker turnover of feet and
legs is the key to faster running.
6Common
rUnninginjUries
1
RunnERS
KnEE
Runners knee occurs when the knee-
cap becomes misaligned and rubs
underlying cartilage. Usually the pain
is described as a soreness around the
kneecap; it is aggravated by running
or by climbing stairs.
In most cases, you can relieve
runners knee with rest, proper shoes,
and a good training regimen. When
the pain is gone, you can resume
running, but alternate it with walk-
ing. Stay on level surfaces, and avoid
hills and stairs. Dont do deep knee
bends. To forestall further injury and
strengthen your quadriceps muscles,
which give muscular balance and
support to your kneecap, do some pro-
gressive resistance exercises (with your
knee extended).
After exercising, ice your knee for
8 to 10 minutes. In the evenings,
apply moist heat.
2
ILIoTIBIaL BanD
SynDRoME
The iliotibial band is a sheet of con-
nective tissue that runs down the out-
side of your thigh from your hip
to the side of your knee; it acts as an
important stabilizer for your knee.
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a
friction injury caused by the iliotibial
band rubbing over the outside of the
knee, a normal motion that becomes
a problem under the pressures of hard
running. The initial treatment is rest.
ITBS can result from a number of
causes: bowed legs, excessive prona-
tion (turning in of your foot), and
leg-length differences. Hard downhill
running or excessive speedwork can
precipitate the condition. So can a
single hard race of 10 kilometers or
longer. Running exclusively on the
same side of the road can bring on
ITBS in the curbside knee.
The best course for recovery is to
stop running immediately. Rest for
2 weeks. Meanwhile, reduce inflam-
mation by icing three times a day.
Begin a stretching program to loosen
the band.
Before you try running again,
check your shoes to see if theres
excessive wear on the outside of the
heels. If there is, buy new ones with
ample heel support and rearfoot
cushioning. At first, run only on soft
surfaces. Avoid hills and speed work.
If your knee hurts at any point in the
run, stop immediately and stretch.
Ice the knee and try running again
the next day, after more iliotibial
band stretches.
3
MuSCLE
STRaInS
hamstring. An acute strain of
the hamstring muscle is a classic
example of a muscle tear. It is often
dramatica sudden, searing pain and
tightness at the back of your thigh
accompanied by the inability to bear
full weight on the affected limb or to
bring it through the normal range of
motion.
Two factors usually lead to this
injury: (1) strong quadriceps muscles
but weak hamstrings, and (2) lack
of flexibility in the hamstrings. To
prevent hamstring strains, use weight
training to strengthen your quadri-
ceps and hamstrings equally. And
with each run, include a warmup and
cooldown with stretches for the ham-
strings.
If you do strain a hamstring, check
with your doctor before running.
Once he gives the okay, start with
short jogs; then very slowly and cau-
tiously increase the number of jogs
and the distances you cover each day.
Before doing high-speed running, be
sure that the injured leg is equal to
the other leg in power, strength, and
endurance.
Quadriceps. The quadriceps muscles
are on the front of the thigh and are
the principal stabilizers of the knee
joint. These four muscles are more
powerful than the hamstrings and are
less frequently strained, but may be
torn by an explosive sprint. Use the
same methods as for preventing and
treating hamstring strains.
Calf. A strain of the calf muscles can
strike at any time, especially if youre
older than 35. Occasionally your calf
will signal trouble by cramping a few
times, but most often the strain will
occur without warning.
The standard treatment for a calf
strain is to apply ice and a compress
and to elevate the injured leg. Use
crutches to rest the muscle. Within
the limits of comfort, very gently
stretch your calf and point your toes.
For a first-degree or a mild second-
degree strain, start walking normally
no limping allowedwith heel lifts
in both shoes. A third-degree tear will
most likely require physical therapy.
4
aChILLES
InJuRIES
The Achilles tendon is a tough, elas-
tic cable through which the muscles
of your calf transmit force to your
foot. Injuries to it come from sudden
tearing or microtearing (tendinitis).
Sudden tearing that leads to partial or
even total rupture is triggered by an
isolated incident, and it often requires
surgical attention.
Microtearing, signaled by gradually
building pain, can progress to partial
and even total rupture if there is no
healing. Symptoms include pain and
stiffness that are at their worst when
you awaken.
The pain diminishes as you warm
up, and it may even disappear when
you run. When you cool off, though,
the pain returns. The next day, youre
even stiffer.
Most injuries to the Achilles ten-
don come from improper footwear,
gout, inadequate flexibility, or severe,
uncorrected pronation. The key to
recovery from microtearing is rest and
modified exercise with gentle stretch-
ing. Follow this procedure for a week
to 10 days. When you resume run-
ning, build up your mileage gradu-
ally, train on alternating days, avoid
hill running, and make sure you have
proper shoes.
If your injury has led to partial or
total rupture, cease running and see
your physician. Follow his or her ad-
vice for recovery and rehabilitation.
5 ShInSPLInTS
This term can refer to any of three
types of pain in the lower leg: anterior
shinsplints, stress fractures of the
tibia, and posterior shinsplints.
Anterior shinsplints, characterized
by pain on the outside of your lower
leg along the shin, usually result
from injury to your shin muscles. A
frequent cause is the extreme differ-
ence in strength between shin and
calf muscles. You can help prevent
this injury by strengthening your shin
muscles. Heres one way to do it: Fill
a bucket with water, and wrap a hand
towel around the handle. Then sit
on a tabletop, and dangle your legs
over the side. Next, place the bucket
handle over the tongue of your shoe,
and slowly bend your ankle to raise
and lower the bucket 10 times. Rest,
then do two more sets of 10.
If you are injured, stop running;
switch temporarily to a different
activity. When you return to running,
build your mileage gradually.
A stress fracture of the tibia is the
probable injury if touching the inner
side of your shinbone causes pain.
Usually these fractures occur when
you suddenly place repeated jarring
demands on your legs. The treatment
for a stress fracture is the same as that
for anterior shinsplints. It will take from
6 weeks to several months to heal.
Posterior shinsplints, damage to the
muscles on the inside (medial) por-
tion of the lower leg, cause pain in the
soft tissue behind the bone. Most of
these injuries come from overprona-
tion. Should you feel this kind of pain
while running, stop. Resume running
only when you can do so without
pain. Switch to bicycling or swim-
ming, and strengthen your muscles
with exercises. Consider using arch
supports to keep from overpronating.
6
anKLE
SPRaInS
Ordinary sprainsstretching or par-
tial or complete tears of the ligaments
surrounding the ankleoften occur
in runners who run on soft or uneven
surfaces.
The first thing to do if you sprain
an ankle, however slight the sprain, is
to stop running. If the pain disappears
completely after several hundred
yards of walking, its usually safe to
resume running. If the pain does
not subside, forget the rest of your
workout.
Apply ice to the affected area as
soon as possible, and elevate your
ankle. Place ice packs on the swollen
area for 20 to 30 minutes every 4 to
6 hours. If the pain persists, continue
the ice treatments for 2 or 3 days.
When the ankle is not wrapped in
ice, use an elastic bandage to give the
weakened ligaments some support.
A serious sprain may require the
use of crutches or a cane to aid in
walking. If swelling persists longer
than 2 to 3 days, have an x-ray taken
to rule out the possibility of a fracture.
PUtonYoUr
shoesandrUn!
Presenting the greatest training tips
of all timefor beginners, veterans,
marathoners, and everyone in between.
Starting out
aCCEPT ThE ChaLLEnGE
Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are
training, and some of us are not.Dr. George
sheehan, runner/writer/philosopher
ShooT FoR ThIS (aT LEaST)
Running 8 to 15 miles per week significantly
increases your aerobic capacity and positively
affects many of the coronary risk factors.
Dr. kenneth Cooper, aerobics pioneer
BE a MInuTEMan
The biggest mistake that new runners
make is that they tend to think in mile in-
crements1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles.
Beginning runners need to think in min-
utes, not miles.Budd Coates, four-time
U.S. Olympic marathon trials qualifier/
coach
WEaR GooD RunnInG ShoES
spend at least $60. A good pair of
running shoes should last you 400 to
500 miles and is one of the most critical
purchases you will make.John Hanc,
author of The Essential Runner
ThInK BIG (anD WIDE)
Buy all shoes, both street and running,
slightly longer and wider than your bigger
foot. Also, avoid pointed shoes. Youll save
yourself needless foot pain. Ted Corbitt,
ultrarunner and 1952 Olympic marathoner
TaKE ThE TaLK TEST
The talk test means running at a pace
comfortable enough to converse with a
training partnerbut not so easy that
you could hit the high notes in an Italian
opera.Runners World editors
LISTEn To ThE RuMBLInG
If you feel like eating, eat. Let your body
tell you what it wants.Joan Samuelson,
1984 Olympic marathon champion
RELax To ThE Max
When running, let your jaw hang loose,
dont bunch up your shoulders close to
your ears, and occasionally shake out your
hands and arms to stay relaxed.
Dave Martin, Ph.D., exercise physiologist
DonT CRuSh ThE EGG
Dont clench your fists in a white-knuckle
grip. Instead, run with a cupped hand,
thumbs resting on the fingers, as if you
were protecting an egg in each palm.
Runners World editors
MaKE TIME FoR a QuICKIE
If 15 minutes is all the time I have, I still
run. Fifteen minutes of running is better
than not running at all.
Dr. Duncan MacDonald, former U.S.
record holder at 5000 meters (set when
he was in medical school)
FoLLoW RoaD RuLE nuMBER onE
Running against traffic allows the runner
to be in command. Anyone who is alert
and agile should be able to stay alive.
Dr. George Sheehan
LISTEn uP!
You must listen to your body. Run through
annoyance, but not through pain.
Dr. George Sheehan
TRy a noonER
Noontime running provides a triple ben-
efit: daylight, a break from the workday,
and a chance to avoid eating a heavy
lunch.Joe Henderson, runner/writer
LOOk FOR ThEsE
sYMBOLs FOR TIps
OF spECIAL INTEREsT:
Inspiration
Mental Trick
Shoes/Gear
Stretching
Nutrition
training
super
tips
program
WaRM uP, ThEn STRETCh
Try some light jogging or walking before
you stretch, or stretch after you run.
stretching cold muscles can cause more
harm than good.Runners World editors
STay LIQuID...
hydrate. hydrate. hydrate! In cold weather
and warm. We use water to sweat, lubricate
joints, tendons, and ligaments, and to carry
blood efficiently to major organs. I work all
day at hydrating.Dr. Alex Ratelle, former
masters running great
...BuT BE MoDERaTE
Is beer good for runners? sure...if its the
other guy drinking it. Jim Fixx, author of
the running bestseller, The Complete Book
of Running
CREaTE youR oWn CREED
My whole teaching in one sentence is:
Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and
dont eat like a pig.Dr. Ernst van Aaken,
renowned German coach
Basic Training
TaKE WhaT you Can GET
so-called junk milesthose slow miles
done on easy days or during warmupsdo
count. They burn calories as effectively as
fast miles; it just takes longer. Regardless
of pace, each mile you run burns about 100
calories.Hal Higdon, runner/writer/coach
LEaRn FRoM youR MISTaKES
You find out by trial and error what the
optimum level of training is. If I found I was
training too hard, I would drop back for a
day or so. I didnt run for 5 days before the
sub-4.Sir Roger Bannister, first man to
break 4 minutes for the mile in 1954
DaRE To BE DIFFEREnT (noT DuMB)
In training, dont be afraid to be an odd-
ball, eccentric, or extremist. Only by daring
to go against tradition can new ways of
training be learned. The trick is recogniz-
ing quickly when a new approach is coun-
terproductive.Benji Durden, 1980 U.S.
Olympic marathoner
REaCh FoR FaST, LoW-FaT FuEL
Energy bars are good portable food for
runners. Look for bars with 4 grams of fat
or fewer per 230 calories. Fat slows down
digestion.Liz Applegate, Ph.D., sports
nutritionist
ThInK BIG...BuT CaRRy
a SMaLL ERaSER
Brainstorm your training goals first, then
write them down. Do this in pencil, so you
can change some specifics when reality
sets in.Jeff Galloway, Olympic runner/
author/coach
ShoW SoME hoRSE SEnSE
During long, slow distance training, you
should think of yourself as a thoroughbred
disguised as a plow horse. No need to give
yourself away by running fast.Marty
Liquori, running commentator and former
world-class miler
LISTEn To youR BoDy (yES, aGaIn!)
Your body is always trying to tell you
where you are. Beware when you become
tired and listless, when you lose inter-
est in workouts and approach them as a
chore rather than a pleasure.Dr. George
Sheehan
Go STEaDy
Day-to-day consistency is more impor-
tant than big mileage. Then youre never
shot the next day.John Campbell, former
masters running star from New Zealand
BuILD WITh CaRE
If you put down a good solid foundation,
you can then build one room after another,
and pretty soon you have a house. After
your base mileage, add hills, pace work,
speed work, and finally race strategy.
Rod Dixon, New Zealand Olympian and
1983 New York City Marathon champ
FInD ThE RIGhT PRoPoRTIon
If you run 30 miles a week, then
about 7 of thoseor approximately
one-quartershould be quality miles.
quality miles will boost your aerobic
capacity.Owen Anderson, Ph.D.,
running writer
STay aBovE BoRED
A 40-minute run punctuated with a half-
dozen 30-second pace pickups (not all-
out sprints) can really jazz up an
otherwise boring training run.Amby
Burfoot, Runners World editor and 1968
Boston Marathon champ
BE a CRoSS-EaTER
Like cross-training, cross-eating
adds needed variety to your dietand life.
Expand your nutritional repertoire by
trying one new food each week.
Liz Applegate, Ph.D.
DonT FoRCE ThE TISSuE
Overly aggressive stretching can actually
increase your injury risk.Tim Noakes,
M.D., author of Lore of Running
(sUPer trai ni ng Program ti Ps)
advanced Training
Go WITh MInD ovER GRInD
Any idiot can train himself into the
ground; the trick is doing the training that
makes you gradually stronger.
Keith Brantly, U.S. Olympic marathoner
havE Fun on youR EaSy RunS
I make sure I have some really enjoyable
training runs, remembering to smell the
roses along the way. That way I dont
become caught up in the training-is-
everything syndrome.Sue Stricklin,
top masters runner from the 1970s
STay oPEn-MInDED
When you try a new type of training, think
like a beginner. Just because you can run
20 miles every sunday doesnt mean you
can survive 10 x 400 meters on the track
at a fast pace.Jack Daniels, Ph.D.,
exercise physiologist, coach, and former
world-class pentathlete
BE a SMaRT CaMEL
Before you do your long run, place con-
tainers of sports drink out on your course,
even if you have to bury them.
REST aSSuRED
Back off at the first sign of injury. Three
to five days off is better than missing a
month or two. Take regular rest days.
Pattisue Plumer, two-time U.S. Olympian
DonT aLWayS WaTCh ThE WaTCh
I dont wear a watch during my long runs.
That way Im not tempted to compare my
time from week to week.Lynn Jennings,
three-time World Cross-Country champion
RaMP IT uP
If you live in the flatlands, youll have to
be creative about hill training. Deserted
highway ramps or parking garages are
possibilities, though they pose obvious
safety problems.Bob Glover, runner/
author/coach
GRaB hoLD oF ThE RoPE
If youre laboring up a steep hill, imagine
that a towrope is attached to the center of
your chest, pulling you steadily toward the
top.Jeff Galloway
LEan InTo IT
When going down, I lean with the hill.
I know Im doing it right if I feel like Im
going to fall on my face.Ed Eyestone,
RW columnist, coach, and two-time U.S.
Olympic marathoner
Speed Training
MaKE ThE SWITCh
The difference between a jogger and
a runner is a race-entry blank.
Dr. George Sheehan
WaRM uP, DonT WEaR DoWn
At most, jog easily for 15 minutes before a
race. Then stretch your hamstrings, quad-
riceps, calves, and lower back. With about
15 minutes to go, maybe do a few strides.
But no moreyoull warm up plenty in the
early going.Mark Plaatjes, 1993 World
Championships marathon winner
GET uP To SPEED
Three half-mile repeats on the track at
5-k race pace with a short recovery jog in
between shouldnt scare anyone away
and it will improve your speed.
Frank Shorter
JuST Q IT
quality counts, if you want to stay fast.
Dont do all your workouts in the comfort
zone.Ken Sparks, Ph.D., top masters
marathoner
DIvIDE anD ConQuER
pick one thing each year that you need
to improve, and work on that. It might be
improving your diet, getting more sleep, or
increasing your mileage. You cant work on
everything at once.Bob Kennedy, U.S.
record holder for 5000 meters

hill Running
ChIP aWay aT IT
Think chest/hips/push, or Chp, when its
time for uphill running. Chest up, hips for-
ward, push strongly off each foot.
Jeff Galloway
aDaPT...oR WEaKEn
Running hills breaks up your rhythm
and forces your muscles to adapt to new
stresses. The result? You become stron-
ger. Eamonn Coghlan, Irish Olympian
and only 40-year-old to break 4 minutes in
the mile
JoIn ThE RESISTanCE
hills are the only beneficial type of
resistance training for a runner.Arthur
Lydiard, Olympic coach from New Zealand
uP ThE anTE
Move into a hill session gradually, running
the first few repeats moderately and
increasing the effort as you go along.
Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon
champion
avoID ThE DoWnSIDE
The advantage of running hills on a
treadmill is you can go up without pound-
ing down the other side.Ken Sparks,
Ph.D.
BE PaTIEnT
Expect to put in 6 to 10 successful track
workouts before you begin to see some
payoff in your races.Marc Bloom,
runner/writer/coach
KEEP youR FInGER on ThE PuLSE
If your morning pulse rate is up 10 or
more beats above your average, then you
havent recovered from the previous days
training. Take time off or back off until it
returns to normal.Dr. George Sheehan
MIx IT uP
Fartlek training can help you build
strength and endurance, learn race pace,
and practice race tactics all in a single
workout.Bill Dellinger, former University
of Oregon coach and 1964 Olympic 5000
bronze medal winner
oBSERvE CERTaIn RITuaLS
Once you find a warmup routine that
works, repeat it as habitually as possible.
Ted Corbitt
WEaR ThE RIGhT PaIR
Feather-light racing flats might help you
run a faster 5-k, but lightweight perfor-
mance trainers (with better protection and
cushioning) are a better choice for most
runners, especially in longer races.
FInISh IT oFF
To develop your kick, finish each repeti-
tion faster than you begin it. For example,
if youre running 6 x 400 meters on the
track, start off at a steady, controlled pace,
then subtly shift gears in the last 100 or
200 meters.Robert Vaughan, Ph.D.,
coach and exercise physiologist
STay on PaCE
Its better to run too slow at the start than
too fast and get into oxygen debt, which is
what 99.9 percent of runners do. You have
to learn pace.Bill Bowerman, renowned
University of Oregon coach
DonT DoDGE ThE DRaFT
slip in behind someone running a similar
pace and, yes, draft. Its not illegal. Its
not even poor form. On the contrary, its
just plain smart.Priscilla Welch, former
British Olympian and 1987 New York City
Marathon champ
GET ovER IT
If you have a bad workout or run a bad
race, allow yourself exactly 1 hour to stew
about itthen move on.Steve Scott,
coach and U.S. record holder in the mile
Marathon Training
Go MInIMaLIST
Marathon training doesnt have to be a
grind. By running for about 30 minutes
two times a week, and by gradually
increasing the length of a third weekly
runthe long runanyone can finish a
marathon.Jeff Galloway
DonT PuSh IT...
In marathon training, 3 hours slow is
better than 2 hours fast.Pete Gavuzzi,
coach of four-time Boston Marathon
champ Gerard Cote
...anD EnouGh IS EnouGh
Never run more than 3 hours straight in
training, whether your marathon best is
2:42 or 4:24.Ed Eyestone
STEP BaCK a BIT
Build up your mileage in gradual incre-
ments, but every third or fourth week, drop
back in mileage to recover. This will help
you avoid your breaking point.
Lee Fidler, coach and two-time U.S.
Olympic marathon qualifier
BE vIGILanT
During the hard training phase, never
be afraid to take a day off. If your legs
are feeling unduly stiff and sore, rest.
If youre at all sluggish, rest. Whenever
youre in doubt, rest.Bruce Fordyce,
nine-time Comrades Marathon champion
from South Africa
PaMPER youR MuSCLES
When Im training for a marathon, I soak
in a hot tub every day and get a weekly
massage.Anne Marie Lauck, two-time
Olympian
TRy WInnInG CoMBInaTIonS
I include iron with vitamin C in my diet to
prevent anemia. Without it, I wouldnt have
the energy I need to train.
Joy Smith, 2:34 marathoner
KnoW WhEn ITS ShoW TIME
Just remember this: Nobody ever won the
olive wreath with an impressive training
diary.Marty Liquori
TaPER on TIME
The key step between a great training
program and a great race is a great taper.
Your last long training run before a mara-
thon should come 3 weeks before the
racenot 2.Pete Pfitzinger, two-time
U.S. Olympic marathoner
WaIT FoR ThE WEIGhTS
If you strength train, shelve your routine
about a month before your marathon, to
help you feel fresh on the big day.
Steve Spence, 1991 World Champion-
ships Marathon bronze medalist
FUEL YOUR pAssION
FEEL ThE MaGIC...
For me, running is a lifestyle and an art.
Im far more interested in the magic of it
than the mechanics.Lorraine Moller,
1992 Olympic marathon bronze medalist
...BuT Do WhaT you MuST Do
If one can stick to training throughout
many long years, then willpower is no
longer a problem. Its raining? That
doesnt matter. Im tired? Thats beside
the point. Its simply that I have to.
Emil Zatopek, 1948 10,000 meters
Olympic gold medalist
effective
weght
loss
EvERY DAY, FROM ThE
TIME YOUR CLOCk RADIO
ROUsEs YOU TO ThE
MOMENT YOU sNAp OFF
YOUR BEDsIDE LIGhT, YOU
FACE A hUNDRED TINY WEIGhT
LOss ChOICEs.
Some are more significant than others,
but all of them add up. Over time, your
choices shape you. Literally.
Nobody expects you to make perfect
choices all the time. But if you did, just for
1 day, it might look something like this...
aM
6:45 a.m. Wake up. . . slowly.
Frazzled is no way to start your day.
Many people overeat in response to
stress, says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.,
professor of nutrition at Penn State
University and author of Volumetrics:
Feel Full on Fewer Calories. Give
yourself a 30-minute buffer in the
morning to relax and ease into your
day. Spend 15 minutes doing yoga or
meditation, or kicking back with the
newspaper and a cup of tea. A stress-
free morning will help set the tone for
the rest of your day.
7:00 a.m. Get milk.
In a study of 54 people, those who
consumed at least 1,000 mg a day of
calcium (about 3 cups of fat-free milk)
gained 6 to 7 fewer pounds over
2 years than did those on low-calcium
diets.
7:20 a.m. Walk the dog.
Anybody who cant get motivated to
walk obviously doesnt have a dog.
Poochie will motivate you plenty
when he parks himself beside your
bed every morning, yipping and star-
ing at you with those...well...puppy-
dog eyes.
7:45 a.m. Get flaky.
Skip breakfast? Dont even think about
it. Overweight people skip breakfast
more than any other meal, says Rolls.
Have raisin bran or oatmeal; both are
high in fiber. Studies show that when
you eat a high-fiber breakfast, youll
eat 100 to 150 fewer calories over
breakfast and lunch, she says.
8:20 a.m. Walk to work.
Even if you drive to work, park several
blocks away, then hoof it. Walk
10 minutes to the office every morn-
ing (and 10 minutes back to your car
every evening), and youll burn an
extra 20,000 calories per year. Thats
more than 5 pounds of flab!
8:30 a.m. step right up.
Elevators are for freight and not for
you. Walking up two flights per day
will burn 1,100 calories per year
another

pound of fat. Besides,
when you take the stairs, its impos-
sible to get stuck between floors with
your boss.
8:35 a.m. Arrange a still life.
Place apples, oranges, bananas, or
whatever fruit you like on your desk,
and vow to eat them all before you
leave work. The single easiest thing
people can do every day to lose weight
is to eat more fruits and vegetables,
says Kelly Brownell, Ph.D., director
of the Yale Center for Eating and
Weight Disorders at Yale University.
9:00 a.m. Leave the grounds.
Instead of coffee, go for green tea
it has compounds called polyphenols
that may increase calorie burn,
according to the International Journal
of Obesity.
9:20 a.m. Log off.
Close your e-mail program, at least
for a couple of hours. Have to talk
to coworkers? Then go talk to them.
Were growing fatter, as a society,
partly because our everyday activity
has declined due to modern technol-
ogy, says James Hill, Ph.D., director
of the Center for Human Nutrition
at the University of Colorado Health
Sciences Center.
10:15 a.m. Break potty ranks.
When nature calls, instinct tells you
to make a beeline for the nearest rest
room. Ignore instinct for once, and
use a more distant rest roomeven if
its on another floor. Youll burn a few
more calories.
10:20 a.m. stay stoked.
Snack time is key for runners, says
Dan Benardot, Ph.D., R.D., author of
Nutrition for Serious Athletes. Never
let yourself grow hungry, says
Benardot. Athletes who put them-
selves in an energy deficiteven
a subtle onewill have lower
metabolisms and wont perform as
well. Have a whole wheat English
muffin with a pat of butter.
In an Ohio State study, men who
ate a little fat in the morning had
fewer fat cravings later in the day.
10:30 a.m. have an ice day.
Follow that snack with some ice
water, and dont be stingy with the
cubes. Your body will burn 31 calo-
ries warming a quart of icy water to
98.6F.
11:50 a.m. Break a sweat.
Researchers have found that people
who lose weight and manage to keep
it off burn an average of 400 calories
per day exercisingequal to about
4 miles of running. However, how
you reach that number isnt as impor-
tant as simply reaching it, says John
Jakicic, Ph.D., assistant professor at
Brown University School of Medicine
in Providence, Rhode Island. The key
is to develop the habit of being active
every day, whether that means run-
ning, walking, biking, or simply chas-
ing your kids around the yard.
PM
1:00 p.m. pack it in.
It pays to bring your lunch from
home. A recent study found that peo-
ple who eat in restaurants six times
a week consume 300 more calories
a day, on average, than those who
prepare their own grub. Start off with
chunky soup (youll eat 20 percent
less at lunch when you eat chunky
soup first, researchers say), then have
a small sandwich made with lean
meat. (Use mustard instead of mayo,
and youll save 80 calories a day. Over
a year, thats about 5 pounds of fat.)
2:30 p.m. Nose around.
Take a sniff of that banana on your
desk. Because taste and smell are
closely linked, it actually will dampen
your appetite, says Alan Hirsch, M.D.,
of the Smell & Taste Research and
Treatment Foundation in Chicago.
Green apple and peppermint are also
particularly effective scents. We
found that the more frequently you
sniff, the more weight youll lose,
says Dr. Hirsch.
3:00 p.m. skip the soda.
Heading to a long staff meeting?
Grab a bottle of water. A 20-oz bottle
of soda can pack 250 calories. And
if you think that bottle of fruit juice
is a lower-cal option, think again: A
17.5-oz bottle of Nantucket Nectars
Orange-Mango weighs in at 260 calo-
ries. Suck down one of these every
workday, and youll rack up 1,300
calories a week. Youd have to run a
half-marathon to burn that off!
4:30 p.m. zap your snack.
Its been about 3 hours since lunch;
time for a bite. Try a veggie-laden
slice of leftover pizzaand take the
extra 60 seconds to microwave it.
About 90 percent of what we call
taste is really smell, says Dr. Hirsch.
And heating food intensifies its
smell. This is a good thing, because
as we noted earlier, smelling your
food before you eat it will dampen
your appetite. By the way: Blot your
hot pizza with a napkin, and youll
soak up 20 calories worth of grease.
5:30 p.m. scan your desk.
Did you eat all your fruit today?
Good!
6:00 p.m. Go for the grape.
Janet from Payroll is retiring, and you
want to toast her at the local tavern
after work. Thats fine. But watch
(eFFeCti Ve Wei ght Loss)
out for sneaky calories: A 4-oz glass
of wine has just 85 of them, whereas
birdbath-size drinks like daiquiris may
have 400 calories or more.
6:20 p.m. skip the smorgasbord.
If you must munch at the bar, have
some hard pretzels or popcornboth
crunchy, low-calorie foods that sat-
isfy. Anything to keep you away from
the happy-hour buffet table. When
you have more food choices, you eat
more, says Megan McCrory, Ph.D.,
a nutrition researcher at Tufts
University.
6:35 p.m. Walk down the aisle.
On your way home, swing by the
Food Mart and whip out your list (you
do have a list, dont you?). Tip: Buy as
much as you can in small packages.
Youll eat more from a huge package
than a smaller package of the same
foodup to 44 percent more,
according to one study.
6:45 p.m. stare at the Enquirer
...not the Snickers. Some supermar-
kets, in a nod to parents, have candy-
free checkout aisles. Find one and
use it. Even if it means waiting in line
behind a cranky 2-year-old.
7:05 p.m. Use counter intelligence.
When you put away your groceries,
leave your fruit out on a table or coun-
tertop. Youre more likely to eat food
when it catches your eye.
7:15 p.m. have the surf, hold the turf.
A study in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition found that over-
weight people who ate fish every day
lost about 20 percent more weight
than a fish-free group. Go for varieties
rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as
salmon and tuna. Dont dig into a
restaurant-size portion, though. A
serving of fish should be about the
size of a computer mouse. (Same
goes for meat and poultry.)
7:30 p.m. Go for sax and violins.
Pop in a jazz or classical CD. Studies
show that people listening to relaxing
music at mealtime chew more slowly
and eat less than people who crank
up more frantic tunes. (Save those for
your treadmill workouts.)
7:35 p.m. savor the flavor.
Youll enjoy each bite more and
eat less, because theres a lag time
between being full and feeling full.
Eating slowly gives your body the
hEREs WhAT TO
TOss IN YOUR CART:
Fruits and vegetables. Theyre high in
water and fiber, so they fill you up without
a lot of calories, says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.
Broth-based soups. Another filling choice.
Lean meats. Calorie for calorie, protein is
more filling than carbohydrates or fat.
nonfat yogurt. I spoon some on my
breakfast cereal, says Rolls. That way
the cereal seems more substantial.
Yogurt is also great for making smoothies,
another way to fill your belly with relatively
few calories.
vegetable juice. Unlike soda or fruit juice,
vegetable juice (such as V-8) makes
you feel full. In one study, men who drank
14 ounces (88 calories) of vegetable juice
before lunch ate 136 fewer calories during
the meal.
opportunity to signal the brain that
youve eaten enough, says Brownell.
8:00 p.m. Fill the sink with suds.
Wash your dishes by hand, and youll
burn about 25 calories.
8:10 p.m. Bag it.
Pack your lunch for the following
day. Dont feel guilty about including
a few cookies or a small chocolate
barindulgences are not only allow-
able, theyre advisable. Without the
occasional treat, your cravings will
only intensify until you snap in a
moment of weakness.
9:40 p.m. Brush up.
Brush your teeth early, even if youre
not ready to turn in. Youll be less
likely to eat again before bed.
10:15 p.m. hit the sack.
A chronic lack of sleep may contrib-
ute to weight gain, says Pat Kendall,
Ph.D., R.D., a food science and
human nutrition specialist at Colo-
rado State University Cooperative
Extension in Fort Collins. When
people stay up later, they tend to eat
more, says Kendall. Also, when
youre rested, youre less likely to rely
on food to give you energy. And
besides, you have to wake up early
tomorrow morningto do your yoga.
(eFFeCti Ve Wei ght Loss)
Women runners have different challenges
and desires than men. And over time, as a
womans body changes, so do her needs.
Heres how to run your best, from adoles-
cence through your golden years.
adolescence
Running is good for teenage girls. Stud-
ies show that fit girls tend to do better in
school and are less likely to experiment
with drugs or sex. One study, done by
Cedarhurst, New York, high school stu-
dent Karen Lerner, found that girls who
run are less likely to feel depressed.
Teenagers have a tough time develop-
ing a positive self-image, explains Mona
Shangold, M.D., director of the Center for
Womens Health and Sports Gynecology
in Philadelphia. But runners tend to cope
better than sedentary teens.
Running also encourages a teen-
agers bones to absorb calcium, mag-
nesium, and other minerals. You can
only build bone mass until age 35,
when bones reach their peak density.
Building dense bones in your youth
helps prevent osteoporosis and frac-
tures in your senior years.
This only works if you pair running
with a healthful eating plan that
includes adequate calories and cal-
cium. If you diet excessively, levels of
the hormone estrogen may plummet
and stop menstruation, a condition
called amenorrhea. If a woman is
deprived of estrogen for 3 or more
years, Dr. Shangold says, shell lose
some bone shell never regain.
Physicians typically treat amenor-
rhea by immediately restoring estro-
gen, often with oral contraceptives.
This helps reduce bone loss, but its
no substitute for a healthful diet.
Of course, when youre menstruat-
ing regularly, you then have to deal
with that other problem: cramping.
Once again, running helps by keep-
ing estrogen levels steady. If your
cramps are so severe that you cant
run, take an over-the-counter medi-
cation such as Midol, Pamprin, or
Motrin just before and during your
period. Follow package directions.
Studies show that supplemental
calcium and magnesium may also
reduce menstrual cramps. Take
supplements of 500 mg of calcium
and 250 mg of magnesium per day for
a week before menstruation. And look
for herbal products that combine
valerian and either black haw or
cramp bark. (Check with your doctor
first if youre taking any type of pre-
scription medication.)
Other helpful strategies include
sipping chamomile or comfrey tea,
practicing yoga or other relaxation
techniques, using a heating pad, and
taking hot baths. Avoid consuming
excess salt, which causes water reten-
tion, and eat whole grains, fruits, and
vegetables to promote regularity.
Motherhood
Is running during pregnancy wise?
Definitely. Research shows that
exerciseincluding runningcan be
extremely beneficial for both mom
and baby. The only questions are how
much and how vigorous.
Studies show that moderate
exercise reduces the risk of serious
pregnancy complications such as
gestational diabetes and preeclamp-
sia, and eases back pain, constipation,
and hemorrhoids. Running may also
TO pREvENT AMENORRhEA,
FOLLOW ThEsE GUIDELINEs:
Never cut more than 500 calories from
your daily diet. Even a slight drop in calorie
consumption can affect estrogen levels.
No teenage runner should be eating fewer
than 1,500 calories a day.
If your monthly cycle has become
irregular, or if you stop menstruating, see
a doctor. If you have a friend who has an
eating disorder, encourage her to seek
counseling.
Consume at least 1,000 mg of calcium
in your daily diet, the amount in three
glasses of low-fat milk. Other calcium-
rich foods include sardines, salmon,
fortified orange juice, and dark green
leafy vegetables.
women
special
report for
ease your delivery.
Still, some experts recommend no
more than 30 minutes of aerobic exer-
cise a day.
James Clapp III, M.D., author of
Exercising Through Your Pregnancy,
says fit women can safely exercise for
an hour. Women who run beyond
that are blazing their own trails.
Researchers have no evidence that a
woman accustomed to taking 2-hour
runs cant safely continue during her
pregnancy. But they also have no
proof that its harmless.
How intensely you train depends
on your prepregnancy condition. The
American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists several years ago
recommended pregnant women keep
their heart rate under 140 beats per
minute. Obstetricians now realize
that a better measure is simply how
hard a workout feels. Exert yourself
only to the point you consider some-
what hard. That might be a 7-minute-
per-mile pace for a veteran runner or
a 10-minute pace for a novice. A good
clue: If you feel lightheaded or cant
catch your breath, your brain and
body arent receiving enough oxy-
gena sure signal that your baby isnt
either.
Masters Running
Just when youve broken into the
masters division, and youre ready to
fill up your trophy shelf, your times
slow down and you gain a couple
of pounds. Could it be menopause?
At 40?
Technically its perimenopause, the
3 to 5 years before their final periods
when most women experience such
symptoms as hot flashes and irregular,
sometimes heavy, menstrual flow.
According to one survey, runners tend
to face perimenopause sooner than
nonathletes, at around age 46 instead
of 51.
RUNNING ThROUGh
pREGNANCY AND LACTATION
Interview your doctor. Make sure he or
she supports your desire to continue
running and is well informed about the
effects of exercise on pregnancy.
Eat often. During pregnancy, youll
need at least 300 calories more per
day. (During lactation, youll need 400
to 500 extra calories a day.) Snack
frequently to maintain sugar levels and
prevent morning sickness. If you run
in the morning, have a protein snack
before bedtime, and leave crackers or
other snacks by your bedside to eat as
soon as you wake up. Throughout the
day, snack frequently on bland foods
such as crackers. Antacids and vitamin
B
6
supplements help some women with
morning sickness, but check first with
your doctor before trying either remedy.
Cross-train. Improve posture and
prevent back pain by doing shoulder
shrugs, shoulder-blade pinches, and
abdominal tightening. Improve muscle
support for your breasts with shoulder
rotations and pushups against a wall.
Help your legs bear the weight of your
growing abdomen by doing standing leg
lifts, heel raises, and buttock squeezes.
Combat bladder problems. If you lose
bladder control on runs, strengthen
your pelvic muscles with Kegel
exercises. The next time you urinate,
(sPeCi aL rePort For Women)
stop the flow for a few seconds, then
release it again. Once you get used to
this stop-and-start sensation, you can
practice Kegels anywhere, anytime.
Sports gynecologist Patty Kulpa, M.D.,
of Gig Harbor, Washington, recom-
mends two sets of 10 a day.
hydrate copiously. Drink about 2 quarts
of water per day during pregnancy and
lactation. Down a cup of water before
hitting the road, and take water breaks
during long runs.
Wear supportive exercise clothing. Over
the course of your pregnancy, youll
need to buy comfortable running shoes
that are a half to a full size bigger than
your regular shoe size. To hold your
bulging abdomen in place, you may
want to try an elastic maternity belt. Or,
for the early stages, buy a pair of com-
pression shorts or tights a size or two
larger than your regular ones. You can
use them after delivery until your body
returns to its pre-pregnancy size. (Dont
wear them when youre not running.)
Also, switch to a more supportive sports
bra. For maternity exercise wear, try one
of the following Web sites:
mothers-in-motion.com
prenatalcradle.com
fitmaternity.com
roadrunnersports.com
Listen to your body. Stop exercising
immediately if you experience dizzi-
ness, fatigue, nausea, pain, bleeding,
or contractions. Avoid running in hot
weather, especially during the first tri-
mester, when neural development can
be impeded by excessive heat. Learn
the signs of overheatingconfusion,
dizziness, nauseaand stop running
immediately if they appear.
Recover slowly. If youve had an uncom-
plicated delivery, you can start taking
short, easy walks a week afterward.
Wait until postpartum bleeding stops
before resuming running. Most women
can start running within 4 to 6 weeks
of a vaginal delivery and 12 weeks of a
C-section.
It isnt clear if running helps allevi-
ate the effects of menopause. Less
than a quarter of the women surveyed
felt that running relieved their symp-
toms, though many said it helped
them emotionally.
Menopause alone might not slow
your pace, but aging usually begins to
take its toll around age 40. However,
if your times are beginning to slip,
you dont have to sit back and watch.
Its easy to say, Im growing older, I
cant run as fast, says Joan Ellis, 51,
who won the 2000 Boston Marathon
veterans division in 3:05:46. I just
had to tell myself that I could do it.
Things you can do:
Find help. Hire a coach, or train with
younger runners.
Pump iron. Hit the weight room two
or three times a week. This will
improve your muscle strength and
bone density.
alternate hard and easy days. This
rule applies to all runners but espe-
cially to masters, who take longer to
recover. Limit yourself to one speed
session and one tempo run per
week, and dont run more than
50 to 60 miles a week.
Consider hormone therapy.
Prescription hormone therapy (HT)
was once thought of as a panacea
for all things that ail women during
menopause. However, a recent study
found that postmenopausal women
may actually increase their heart dis-
ease risk by taking HT. So, should you
take HT?
The answer for most women run-
ners is yes, says Lorraine Fitzpatrick,
M.D., professor of medicine at the
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minne-
sota. HT shows promise in reducing
cholesterol, building bones, and eas-
ing menopausal symptoms, says Dr.
Fitzpatrick. Ongoing preliminary
research shows that the therapy may
also benefit brain health, prevent
some cancers, and possibly reduce
risk of osteoarthritis.
Doctors have now learned how to
customize the dose and type of hor-
mone for patients. That means fewer
side effects such as spotting.
If you dont have heart disease, its
TIps FOR RUNNING
AT AGE 60 AND BEYOND:
If youre new to running, start off by
walking, then add short jogging intervals.
Eventually work up to continuous run-
ning. Or simply find the right walking and
running mix that works for you.
Lift weights to slow bone and muscle
loss and improve balance. If youve
never lifted weights before, seek help
from a personal trainer who works regu-
larly with seniors. Choose a weight you
can lift 8 to 10 times without stopping.
Wear comfortable, supportive running
shoes.
Stop immediately if you experience
dizziness, chest pain, nausea, shortness
of breath, heart palpitations, or a sharp
headache.
probably safe to start HT to counter-
act menopausal symptoms, says Dr.
Fitzpatrick. Just be sure to assess your
personal risks and rewards with your
doctor before making a decision.
Mature years
Running is truly a fountain of youth.
I always feel good, says 71-year-old
runner Diane Goulett of Minneapo-
lis. I have a few wrinkles, but people
are very surprised when I tell them
my age.
As you age, your muscles shrink and
your bones weaken. That increases
the likelihood of falls, fractures,
and frailty. And thats why Goulett
strengthens her bones and muscles
by working out with weights 3 days a
week.
Running also lowers your risk of
adult-onset diabetes and heart disease,
the number one killer of women over
60. And contrary to popular belief,
running wont ruin your knees. Some
studies suggest that it might actually
help prevent arthritis by pumping
nutrients into knee joints.
ALTERNATIvEs TO
hORMONE ThERApY
To cool hot flashes
Quit smoking, exercise daily, prac-
tice relaxation and deep breathing
techniques, and avoid spicy fare,
alcohol, and caffeine.
Get one or two daily servings of
foods rich in isoflavones (roasted
soy nuts, soy milk, tofu, lima beans,
lentils, and kidney beans). Keep
isoflavone intake in the 30- to
50-mg-a-day range, and dont
exceed 100 mg.
Try black cohosh; use a product
thats standardized, such as
Remifemin Menopause.
Antidepressants known as selec-
tive serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) are helpful and can also
ease anxiety.
To ease vaginal symptoms
Vaginal lubricants, moisturizers, or
an estrogen cream, tablet, or ring.
(Not all of their estrogen may be
absorbed systemically.)
To curb mood swings
Regular exercise.
Relaxation techniques
(meditation, yoga).
To get to sleep
Yoga and tai chi help you relax.
Prescription sedatives and sleep
aids (use only on an occasional
basis).
(sPeCi aL rePort For Women)
Eric zorn, a marathoner and columnist
for the Chicago Tribune, says, having
endurance means you wont quit when
your body or your own laziness tells
you to quit. We can quibble over the
exact definition of endurance, but one
thing remains clear:
ENDURANCE Is ThE ABILITY TO
RUN FARThER. NOT FAsTER.
JUsT FARThER.
doUBLeYoUrendUranCe
Sound improbable? It isntthanks to our
customized, day-by-day training schedule.
Come on, lets get started!
We all know what speed is. Its what
every runner hasevery runner, it
seems, but you.
The truth is, youre either born fast
or slow, and its pretty tough to make
a dent in that genetic hardware, no
matter how many sets of 400s you do.
(Of course, this doesnt stop us from
trying!)
Endurance is another matter.
Regardless of our fitness level or run-
ning ability, all of us can increase our
endurance. And the great thing is,
you can do this in a relatively short
amount of time. How short? Eight
weeks. Find out how.
Why Is Endurance Important?
Your long runwhether its a 3-, 6-, or
10-milermight be fine for you right
now. But nearly everyone would like to
be able to run farther. If you can dou-
ble the length of your long run, youll
gain all sorts of benefits. Heres what
greater endurance can do for you:
Improve race times. Plenty of stud-
ies have shown that runners who
have greater endurance not only
can run fartherduhbut they
also can race faster. As your aerobic
threshold increases, it simultane-
ously bumps up your anaerobic
threshold. Your anaerobic thresh-
old, which is the pace at which your
running becomes uncomfortable,
dictates your race performance.
Build muscular strength. Endur-
ance training builds just about
every important muscle associated
with running. Running longer will
strengthen your heart as well as
all your leg muscles. Once youve
increased your strength, going lon-
ger will become easier and easier.
Strengthen your mind. At first,
pushing your boundaries of endur-
ance wont be easy. Its not supposed
to be. But forcing your mind and
body to run longer will result in
greater confidence and tenacity. It
will teach you to finish a tough task
despite your own protests.
Burn more calories. Running far-
ther means that youll burn fat lon-
ger, lose more weight, and maintain
your ideal weight better. You burn
approximately 100 calories for each
mile you run. So if you double your
long run from 6 to 12 miles, you
burn an additional 600 calories.
Boost aerobic efficiency. Slow
endurance runs actually build more
capillaries in your muscles. Because
youll have more pathways to trans-
port oxygen to your muscles, they
can work longer without becoming
fatigued. Increased oxygen delivery
helps you recover from hard work-
outs. Soon, a run that used to take
several days to recover from might
only take a day or two.
Make you more productive. On
the job, you might be pleasantly
surprised to find that youll handle
stress better and maybe even start
a project that you once thought
impossible. A long run teaches you
how to complete a task despite men-
tal or physical fatigue. The lessons
learned from endurance training
can definitely be translated to your
life beyond running, says Eric
Zorn, a marathoner and Chicago
Tribune columnist.
distance
going
the
by Dave kuehls
Building Endurance
Okay, now you know the benefits of
increasing your endurance. So how
can you do it?
This is where patience comes in.
There are no shortcuts to running lon-
ger. You cant go from a 3-mile run to
a 20-miler in a week. The key word to
think about is build. Youre building
endurance, and that takes a little time.
We recommend that you take at
least 8 weeks to double your current
endurance threshold, whether it be
3 miles, 6 miles, or 10 miles.
The Keys to Endurance Runs
Keep the following in mind when
youre increasing your endurance.
Just do it. The best way to build endur-
ance for running is to run, says Gayle
Barron, 1978 Boston Marathon winner.
Cross-trainingcycling, swimming,
cross-country skiing, vigorous hiking, or
even a long walkcan help when your
legs need a break. But to build endur-
ance for running, you must run.
Run slowly. Many runners who want
to run longer make the mistake of
running too fast, says top masters
runner Cheryl Sheremeta. That can
lead to injury, fatigue, and slow recov-
ery from long runs. It also can make
long runs too darned tough.
So whats the right pace? Try run-
ning at a pace at which you can easily
carry on a conversation without gasp-
ing for breath. If youre having trouble
talking, slow down. Your endurance-
run pace should be 30 to 60 seconds
per mile slower than your normal
weekday pace. If thats too fast, ease up
even more.
Run with someone. The mental part
of the long run is tougher than the
physical part, says former top mara-
thoner Dan Held. Having a partner
makes it much easier mentally. If you
cant find a compatible friend to run
the entire distance, ask someone to
run the last half with youthe tough-
est part of the long run. Your running
partner can also help gauge conver-
sation pace.
Run relaxed. It helps to run in a pleas-
ant and traffic-free place, such as in
a park or on a trail. If you must run
on the pavement, try to find a lightly
traveled road with few traffic lights
so you dont have to stop often. Never
attempt an endurance run on a track
(way too boring) or anywhere you
have to run numerous short loops.
Eat well. You need to fuel your body
for those endurance runs, and not
with candy bars, chips, and sodas.
Healthful carbohydrates, protein, and
a little bit of fat will not only help you
increase your endurance; theyll help
you recover from your long run.
Drink up. A dehydrated body wont be
motivated to run, wont run well, and
wont recover well. We recommend
at least eight 8-oz glasses of water
per day, and probably double that if
youre running long on a hot day. On
these longer runs, youll also need to
hydrate with a sports drink. Choose
routes with water fountains along the
way, carry your own sports drink, or
cache water bottles on all runs longer
than 6 miles. Youll also need cool
water or a sports drink when you fin-
ish your run.
Be consistent. Consistency is the key
to any endurance-building program,
says Held. The best way to boost
your endurance is to have a schedule
and stick with it. Count on doing an
endurance run every weekend. If you
make the long run habitual, it wont
seem as daunting.
Be confident. Youll be running far-
ther than ever before, so its natural
to question whether you can finish
or not. But success will breed confi-
dence. Your mileage increases will
be gradual every step of the way.
Your body will adapt. As the days and
weeks pass, you will, in turn, become
stronger. You can do it. Believe!
ITs ThE ABILITY TO hANG
IN ThERE, says Gayle Barron
of Atlanta, who had enough
endurance to win the Boston
Marathon in 1978. These days,
shes the founder and director of
the Georgia pacific/Team spirit
training program and coaches
plenty of recreational runners.
ENDURANCE MEANs YOU
CAN GO ThE DIsTANCE.
(goi ng the di stance)
>>goingfrom3to6miles
This endurance program is for runners who can run 3 miles at a time and want to increase
their long runs to 6 miles. (note: Long runs are on Saturdays in order to reserve Sundays
for brisk walks. These will speed recovery, yet also condition your body.)
WEEK MonDay TuESDay WEDnESDay ThuRSDay FRIDay SaTuRDay SunDay
1 Rest 3 miles 2 miles 3 miles Rest 3 miles Walk 3060 minutes
>>
From6to12miles
This program is for runners who can run 6 miles and want to double their long runs
to 12 miles. (note: Cross-training can be 20 to 30 minutes of cycling, swimming, or
exercise on a stationary bike, elliptical trainer, or stairclimber.)
1 3 miles or cross-train 4 miles 3 miles 4 miles Rest 3 miles or cross-train 6 miles
>>
From10to20miles
This program is for runners who can run 10 miles and want to be able to run 20-milers.
1 Rest 5 to 6 miles 3 to 5 hill repeats 3 to 4 miles Rest 5 to 6 miles 10 miles
3doUBLeYoUrendUranCePrograms
(goi ng the di stance)
R U N N E R s WO R L D 1 0 R E p O R T s R U N N E R s WO R L D 1 0 R E p O R T s 59 58
Surrounded by giant, autographed photos
of the great onesRoger Bannister to Carl
Lewis, Grete Waitz to Joan Samuelson
the editors of Runners World gathered to
brainstorm the reasons they love to run.
Here, we share some of the list in the
hopes that you will be as inspired and
motivated by these thoughts as they are.
Theres never been a better time to let
running help you affirm the key values in
your life.
WeLoVerUnningBeCaUse:
1
IT MaKES you FEEL
BETTER EvERy Day.
Were not talking about beating depres-
sion here. Or heart disease. Or diabetes.
Or any of the other illnesses that running
can stave off. (See Good Health on
page 62.) Were talking about the fact
that you always feel better after a run.
And thats powerful medicine.
2
you DonT nEED an
InSTRuCTIon ManuaL.
If you can walk, you can run. If you
run a little bit more, you can enter a
5-K. A little more, and youre headed
for a half-marathon. Easy as that.
Sure, we publish hundreds of articles
and books about running. All use-
ful stuff. But you know what we like
best about running? Its so blessedly
simple.
3
ITS ThE WoRLDS BEST
WEIGhT LoSS ExERCISE.
Period. End of discussion. Every
single weight loss expert advises two
things: exercise and sound nutrition.
Running is the king of the calorie-
burning exercises, and its easy to
do, any time, any place, any season.
Bonus: When you begin to exercise
regularly, you eat fewer harmful
fats and more of the recommended
nutrients, according to a recent
7-year, 10,000-person study.
4
you Can Run ERRanDS
WhILE youRE RunnInG
(anD ExERCISE ThE DoG, Too).
We know someone who returns vid-
eos to Blockbuster and books to the
library on an every-other-day jaunt
that also takes her to the post office
for pickups and deliveries. And every
dog owner we know takes Bruiser to
the park for frequent romps.
5
RunnInG GIvES you
MoRE EnERGy.
This is one of our favorites and one of
the more difficult to explain. We call
it the energy paradox, because most
people assume that running tires you
out. Which seems a logical assump-
tion. But its wrong. In fact, runners
report having more energy than non-
exercisers.
6
RunnInG GIvES you a QuIET,
REFLECTIvE TIME To Say youR
PRayERS anD GIvE ThanKS.
We hear this all the time from
Runners World readers. For every
proponent of social running, theres
someone else who favors time out to
be alone with his or her thoughts. We
see no reason to pick sides. We think
that both solo running and group run-
ning are great activities.
7
RunnInG hELPS you REaCh
CREaTIvE BREaKThRouGhS.
Writers, musicians, artists, CEOs,
software engineers, and many others
use running to solve mental blocks
and make must-do-it-today decisions.
Wrote prolific author Joyce Carol
Oates in the New York Times: Run-
ning! If theres any activity happier,
more exhilarating, more nourishing
to the imagination, I cant think what
it might be.
8
RunnInG IS a
FaMILy aFFaIR.
Many races have events for everyone
in the family, ranging from a Diaper
Dash to a 5-K race to a walk event. Its
easy to plan an exercise activity for the
why
run
runners
love to
whole family. The smallest tyke can
clamber into his baby stroller, fit par-
ents and grandparents can take turns
pushing, and Junior can follow along
on his new two-wheeler.
9
RunnInG InCREaSES youR
aPPRECIaTIon FoR ThE
EnvIRonMEnT.
You crave fresh, clean air when you
run. You long for soft trails, towering
trees, pure water. You have plenty of
time to ponder the big questions. You
resolve: Save the Earth. Its a lovely
place.
10
ITS a GREaT Way To
ExPLoRE nEW PLaCES
CITIES oR WILDERnESS.
We know lots of runners who go out
for a run as soon as they arrive in a
distant city. This energizes you after
a long drive or flight, helps reset your
biological clock to the new time zone,
and gives you a great way to get ori-
ented to the citys basic layout. Same
goes for a country trail.
GOOD hEALTh
We love running because regular exercise
such as running has been proven to lower
the risk of:
1. Anxiety attacks
2. Arthritis disability
3. Blood clots
4. Breast cancer
5. Cognitive disabilities from aging
6. Colon cancer
7. Daily-life disabilities
8. Depression
9. Diabetes
10. Erectile dysfunction
11. Gallstones
12. Heart disease
13. High blood pressure
14. Hospital visits
15. Immunity impairment
16. Mortality
17. Obesity
18. Osteoporosis
19. Ovarian cancer
20. Pancreatic cancer
21. Prostate cancer and
stomach cancer in men
22. Sleep disorders
23. Stroke
24. Testosterone impairment in men
Let us know your thoughts on this booklet.
Please write to:
Premiums Editor
Runners World 10 Reports
c/o Rodale Inc.
33 East Minor Street
Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
(WhY rUnners LoVe to rUn)
r
200843401
Revised 4/07
Printed in USA
00DZ
welcome
to
e printed on Recyclable paper
r
your satisfaction is important to all of us at RunneRs WoRld. our customer
service staff takes pride in making sure youre completely satisfied with
your subscription. So, if you experience a problem, please write to us at:
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CUstomerserViCedePartment
P.o. Box 7307
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