Challenge yourself this New Year with some specific, audacious goals. Overly general New Year's resolutions can result in failure. Be sure to get specific and work backwards to determine how you will actually achieve your goals. Making yourself uncomfortable will lead to growth and success.

“Cross Country: No half times, no time outs, no substitutions. It must be the only true sport.” –– Chuck Norris (I don’t know if he actually said this, but I’m not going to question Chuck Norris.) It’s that time of year again. If you are a high school runner, formal cross-country workouts are coming up fast and, hopefully, you’ve been putting in the miles this summer to get ready. If you haven’t been to school for awhile, you can still get excited. The annual XC series at Tawasentha Park (188, Route 146, Altamont) starts up on Monday, August 6, and...

Hot weather and high humidity means one thing: it’s time for my annual blog about hydration. Please make sure that you get enough fluids to prepare you for running and to help you to recover. If you only take away one idea, it’s this: Have a hydration plan. A hydration plan is more than maybe thinking about drinking some water. Instead, you need to think about the length and intensity of your upcoming workout, consider your personal sweat rate, know the heat and humidity conditions, and then figure out how you are going to keep yourself hydrated. Why do I...

It looks like spring is finally here. After a particularly brutal winter, you’re probably going a bit overboard on the mileage. Like always, I’ll counsel you to rein in your wild enthusiasm to avoid injury. The 10% rule is still a good one to follow: don’t add more than ten percent of your previous week’s mileage each week. If you ran 20 miles last week, then your goal for the current week should be 22 miles. If you simply missed some miles during the past week due to work or family stuff, you’re probably ok to do a little more...

Do you run to clear your mind? Do you feel distracted if you don’t get your morning running “fix”? Do you joke that you are “addicted” to running? You might be right. Research (as well as personal experience) suggests that running is good for your head.                        This                     can keep                           this               fit The clarity that you experience while running, as well as that feeling of “flow,” has a physiological basis. Running helps to quiet the mind by reducing activity at the front of the brain. This dampening effect reduces mind clutter and increases focus, putting you in...