Any runner who wants to improve (however you define improvement) can benefit from coaching. Perhaps you are fit but can’t seem to get faster –– a coach can get you off that plateau. Are you are repeating the same stale workouts but hoping for different results? A coach can help you mix it up and move forward. Do you need more structure (and perhaps a cheer or a boot to the rear) to do your best? Get a coach. There’s no magic here. A well-trained coach makes it his or her job to help you achieve your goals. Coaches are...

Should you run when you are sick? With a virulent flu season underway, this age-old question merits new examination. The quick answer is “no.” Runners, however, can be a stubborn lot and we need to have some guidelines. Here are the guidelines: If your symptoms are below the neck, take some time off to get well. If you have a chest cold, bronchial infection, sore throat, body aches, chills, vomiting, or diarrhea, don’t go for a run. (No, you can’t cross-train or hit the elliptical either.) Many of the above symptoms are part of a flu diagnosis. Your best shot...

Are you a runner? Of course you are. According to Brooks CEO Jim Weber, however, you might not be. By now, you probably have seen Weber’s infamous interview in Bloomberg Businessweek (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-03/why-brooks-needs-runners-who-hate-to-run) in which he claimed, “Running’s not really a sport,” and implied that unless you’re a professional runner who stands a reasonable chance of breaking the tape at a major event, you’re not a “real” runner. Around ten days later, realizing that he may have alienated his core customer base, Weber walked that back: “If you run, you’re a runner.” (http://talk.brooksrunning.com/blog/2018/01/13/run-youre-runnerself-defined-not/). He didn’t explain, however, how he concluded that...

It’s turning into one of “those” winters in Upstate New York. The weather conditions often make one question the wisdom of running outside. The alternatives to running outside can be depressing, however. Did you know that the treadmill was originally designed to punish convicts? Of course you suspected that this was the case (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treadmill). If you, like me, will do just about anything to avoid the treadmill –– here’s some good news: It turns out that it’s good for you to brave the elements and go outside for a run even when the conditions are marginal (OK, extreme). As long...

It’s that time of year when everyone makes their New Year’s running resolutions. These often revolve around trying to go longer, get faster, race a new distance, or avoid injury. There is one consideration that will help you meet your resolutions regardless of what they entail: being consistent.