Father-son duo has competed in more than 1,000 events, from 5Ks to Ironman triathlons.

The starting gun of the Boston Marathon might not be going off until next Monday morning, but Beantown festivities kicked off yesterday with the unveiling of a brass statue of inspirational father and son running duo Dick and Rick Hoyt at the starting line in Hopkinton.

Well known in the running community, Dick and Rick Hoyt have been running for charity since Rick, a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy since birth, asked his father 34 years ago if they could run a five-mile charity race for a local lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident. Never having been a runner in his life, Dick agreed to push his son in the race. Since then, they have participated in every Boston Marathon for the past 31 years and more than 1,000 other events from the 5K to the 140.6-mile Ironman triathlon.

“When Rick asked me to run in that first race 34 years ago, we never even thought we’d be running marathons or doing triathlons or biking across the United States,” Dick said. “It’s just unbelievable and now to get a bronze statue of yourself, it’s just awesome. “We feel like we won the World Series, the World Cup or the Super Bowl.”

RELATED: When Push Comes To Love

The life-sized statue commissioned by John Hancock reveals the commitment, emotion and sacrifices the two have made for each other to the sport of running as well as the unyielding bond between the father and son. Through their running, the duo has created a charity, Team Hoyt, whose message is, “Yes, You Can.”

“There’s no such things as ‘can’t’ in the Hoyt vocabulary,” Dick said. “When Rick was born we were told he would be nothing but a vegetable for the rest of life. Now here he is; he has graduated from high school, he’s graduated from Boston University and lives in an apartment all by himself. Our message is ‘Yes You Can.’ You might have to do it a little bit different, but you can do it.”

And there is even more for Team Hoyt to accomplish. Dick, 73, and Rick, 51, have signed on with Timex Sports to spread their message across the globe.

“We’ve got a program out there with the Timex, ‘I am A Runner,’” Dick said. “We’re getting stories from people all over the world that have different types of disabilities and skills in running, and we hope to motivate and inspire people all over the world.”

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The moral of this story is to always fuel before a run … and carry some cash.

This past weekend, I learned a huge lesson about running and it ended with me stealing from Starbucks and eating a Sugar in the Raw packet — emphasis on the raw.

We’ve all heard to respect the distance and fuel properly to prepare for long runs, and until Saturday morning, err afternoon, I thought I knew these simple rules of running like the back of my hand.

My plan was to run 14 miles, and I was particularly excited because it would be the longest I’d be on my feet at once in almost two years. Injuries are a pain. I woke up around 8:30 a.m. and then had my coffee and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich like I always do when getting ready for a long run. Around 10 a.m., after I’d had time to digest my breakfast, I started getting ready and realized my Garmin was dead, so I plugged it in and moseyed around the house for an hour or so waiting for it to charge up. Knowing my peanut butter and jelly might not make me through all 14 miles after waiting so long, I grabbed some Chex cereal and munched on that until I left the house.

Out-and-back along the beach for six miles went great. I stopped at my car, ate a gel, drank some water and headed out in the other direction for the remaining eight miles. After a mile or so I started to wonder when my gel would kick in and I’d feel the energy surge I usually get from it. At 8.5 miles it still wasn’t there. At nine miles it was clear there would be no energy surge. I was three long miles from my car and my body was completely out of gas. Not wanting to admit that I waited too long after eating my peanut butter and jelly sandwich to run, I slowed from a run, to a jog to a walk — still away from my car, determined to get in the 14 miles I had set out for.

RELATED: Nutrient Timing Is Everything

Finally after a brutally slow one-mile walk, where I was sure everyone was judging me for being the girl who has to walk during her run, I turned around to head back to my car and realized I was a complete dingbat for not turning around at nine miles. I might not even have enough energy to walk the four miles back to my car, I thought.

Without money or a phone, I had few options. Slowly walk the rest of the way? That would take forever and it’s pretty cold out here when I’m not running. Beg one of the restaurants to give me a couple sips of Coke and promise to write a positive Yelp and UrbanSpoon review? I just don’t have the guts to do it. Then it dawned on me — Starbucks was only a few blocks away, and Starbucks has sugar packets out in the open just waiting for fuel-desperate runners.

Walking in, I felt like a desperate thief. My starved mind was going crazy with ridiculous thoughts. “It’s OK. It’s like when Aladdin stole bread because he was starving … I’m not a street rat … stealing is against the law and it’s wrong! It’s just a sugar packet … I buy coffee here all the time. I deserve this sugar packet …”

Grabbing the packet, I kept my eye on the prize and ran out like I had taken the Hope Diamond.

Pouring the sugar into my mouth was utterly disturbing and downright satisfying at the same time. Chewing it definitely sided on the gross side of the yummy to disgusting scale, but desperate times calls for desperate measures.

Thankful for the little brown crystals I shuffled the rest of the way back to my car, sat down in the driver’s seat warmed by the sun and though about how I have never been so happy in my life to keep an “emergency” Clif bar in my glove box, and how I would never do anything like that ever again.

The post Staff Blog: Lessons Learned From A Long Run appeared first on Competitor.com.

An all-male sport at the inception of the first running boom, recreational running is now dominated by women. 

While we know it looms large, only the tower tips of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge are visible through the thick fog as we run up through the Marina to the hills of the Presidio. When we hit the first big hill we all slow our pace, but the energy and determination of the 25,000 women surrounding me never waivers. I run next to two women running to celebrate the life of a friend who recently died of cancer at the age of 25. Three girls wearing matching, bright pink tutus stop together to chat and wait for the port-a-potty. And both sides of the hill are filled with friends, husbands, parents and other supporters there to cheer all of us up and over San Francisco’s infamously hilly terrain.

It’s when I hit the bra exchange just after mile six, where runners can exchange their bra for a new Nike sports bra, that I realize what I am doing—I’m not just running another half- marathon. I’m in the middle of the second running boom; and this time women are leading the charge.

The original running boom sprouted in the U.S. in the early 1970s after Frank Shorter ran to Olympic marathon victory, inspiring more than 25 million dads, brothers, men and boys to lace up their Nikes and pull up their tube socks. Steve Prefontaine and Bill Rodgers became household names, running shoe and apparel manufacturers grew exponentially and road races began popping up all over the U.S. The marathon, and other road running distances, were becoming an attainable feat for nearly everyone. That is, as long as you were a man.

Women weren’t just outnumbered at races back then, they simply weren’t allowed.

“Women of that era were raised believing that if you were going to do anything arduous or athletic, you would lose your femininity, never have kids and your uterus would fall out,” explains Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon wearing an official bib. “There was this myth that a female athlete was going to turn into a guy, that we were fragile and needed to be looked after and it was somehow inappropriate [to run].”

Switzer had no idea what kind of race she was in for when she toed the line at Boston in the spring of 1967. As she headed into the fourth mile of the race, race director Jock Semple jumped off the press truck and tried to grab Switzer after hearing a woman had “infiltrated” his race.

“He jumped off the bus and came after me from behind,” Switzer recalls. “He screamed at me ‘get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers.’ The guys were yelling, the people on the press truck were screaming and Semple grabbed the bib on my back. As my boyfriend hit him hard with a cross body block, I heard my coach yell, ‘run like hell,’ so I did.”

Looking at the runners all around me, it’s clear the tables have turned. Out of the nearly 25,000 runners at the ninth annual San Francisco Nike Women’s Marathon and Half- Marathon on Oct. 14, fewer than 700 of them are men. This race is for the girls. As I walked through the “expotique” (a refreshing blend of race expo and high-end fashion boutique) to pick up my race bib, I noticed the tent wasn’t filled with the typical road race vendors and testosterone. To my right women were sitting in salon chairs getting their hair styled, and, in the center of the gigantic tent covering San Francisco’s Union Square, there were several changing rooms with fashion styl- ists outfitting runners for both on and off the course.

But how did this happen? How did road racing in the U.S. transition from a male-dominated sport to one where nearly just as many women are winning Olympic medals than men? Why are more than half the runners toeing the line at 5Ks and half-marathons across the country women?

The post Inside The Women’s Running Explosion appeared first on Competitor.com.

Coach Jenny Hadfield, author of “Marathoning For Mortals”, gives her expert advice.

Signing up for your first marathon is easy. Actually training and running the race can be the difficult and terrifying part, but it doesn’t have to be.

Competitor.com spoke with running coach and author of “Marathoning for Mortals,” Jenny Hadfield, about her five basic principals for first time marathoners to ensure your first marathon is as fulfilling, successful and enjoyable as it should be.

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After nearly two years of an injury-induced running hiatus, I’ve decided that I’m never going back to the way I used to train. Running 50 miles a week with a weight-lifting session or maybe the occasional spin class was a recipe for PR after PR — that is, until I broke into pieces and sat on the sidelines for longer than I could have ever imagined.

My new motto is to cross-train like a King, strength train like a Prince and run like a Pauper — OK, the analogy isn’t as spot-on as it is in regard to eating, but you get the picture. Even though my next running goal is to finish a marathon in a few months, running needs to be nearly last on my list of training priorities behind strength training and cross training, or else I’ll once again be standing on the side of the finisher’s chute rather than running through it.

Last weekend, on a trip to the mountains, the snow became my training ground — cross-training ground, that is — and I tried something new: cross-country skiing. I loved it! Finding new ways to cross-train is crucial for cross-training success. There are only so many minutes a runner can spend on the elliptical before throwing in the towel.

The sun was out, the snow was perfectly crunchy, and maneuvering on skis was challenging, but not too challenging (I definitely fell a few times, but who’s counting?) and the snack shack was never too far out of reach. And the best part? I was sore the next day — my new favorite cross-training activity gave me the same euphoria as an 8-mile run along the coast and made me wonder if I had ever worked my calves in my life. I think it’s a win-win. Now, if only it snowed in San Diego every once in a while, I could go more than once a year!

How about you? What’s your favorite way to cross-train?

The post Staff Blog: Don’t Strain, Cross-Train appeared first on Competitor.com.

Tone the legs, strengthen the core, engage the whole body and get faster with these five moves.

We all know the distance runner’s body: lanky and lean. But lean doesn’t mean weak, in fact, the most effective running machines are powerhouses packed with solid muscle, because the stronger the runner the faster, more efficient and more injury resistant the runner becomes. And this doesn’t just hold true for the legs. “I really believe in training your whole body,” says Jenny Schatzle, a runner and personal trainer in Santa Barbara, Calif., “because running is a full-body activity.”

RELATED: Strength-Training Circuit For Runners

Performing exercises that smartly strengthen your core and upper body are just as important as strengthening your principal running muscles such as the glutes and hamstrings. With a lean but strong physique, a runner can hold off muscle fatigue and maintain optimally efficient form longer. “Your body is a connective chain,” Schatzle says. “You can’t just work one muscle.”

Try these exercises two or three times a week and in no time you’ll be stronger, more efficient and less prone to injury. You just might cross your next finish line with a new PR.

RELATED: The 4 Best Strength-Training Exercises For Runners

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SOAS is in the business of smart fashion for female runners and triathletes. 

Shrink it and pink it. It’s the phrase those in the athletic apparel industry use when describing women’s running and athletic clothes. Simply take a man’s tank or short, shrink it down to fit a women’s body and dye it pink.

But Kebby Holden and Stephanie Swanson of San Diego knew this was all wrong from the first time they tried on a triathlon outfit. The big pink flowers all over the run tank and the fit of the shorts were all wrong.

Looking back, Holden remembers Swanson telling her, “These clothes suck. I don’t know why I have to decide between black and pink.”

Instead of choosing black or pink they decided to put their design and business backgrounds together and create their own women’s apparel line.

Just a few months later SOAS, a clothing line for women in triathlon and endurance sports, was born. “SOAS is named after the iliopsoas flexor muscle,” Holden says. “The shape of the wing over the ‘O’ in Soas is the shape of the muscle and we thought it worked really well with triathletes because of the three parts of triathlon and two transitions. Steph was having issues with her hip flexor and was getting her psoas adjusted and was like, ‘that might be a fun name.’ We dropped the P and it has been a fun name.”

Unlike any triathlon clothing line before, SOAS apparel is tailored to fit a woman’s body and in designs fit for a woman’s taste—not what male designers thought women wanted.

“We wanted to get away from shrink in and pink it,” Holden says. “We wanted to be cute and also take the racing very seriously.”

Expanding the hem of the shorts to avoid cinching the leg, taking out the muffin-top creating elastic waist band, extending the length of the bike top to avoid a peek-a-boo lower back, Holden and Swanson created the perfect fit for a woman’s body.

But it wasn’t just fit Holden and Swanson were worried about. The outfits needed to be functional and fashionable as well. They made sure the pockets were deep enough for a water bottle and a phone, yet still aerodynamic, and put flattering and fashionable (non floral) prints on the shorts and shirts.

“It’s smart fashion,” Holden says. “The kits are cute but they also work really well. Steph always says, ‘It’s so dorky running around in spandex anyway. You might as well look cute in it.’”

Recently SOAS expanded their reach from exclusively triathletes to cyclists as well as runners, offering run shorts, singlets and arm warmers that fit, are functional and fashionable with features such as a pockets connected to the bikini liner in the shorts so keys don’t jangle, strategically placed seams so there is no worry about chaffing and cleverly positioned patterns to create a sliming silhouette.

“Each piece really fits a women’s body specifically,” Holden says.

Enthusiastic that women have become the fastest growing segment of running and triathlon, Holden and Swanson are excited for what Soas can offer women in the future.

“Next up,” says Holden, “are sports bras, swimsuits, cold weather jackets and maybe even running pants,” Holden says. “And all of the pieces will always mix and match with all of Soas’ designs.”

This piece first appeared in the December issue of Competitor magazine. 

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A new, easy-to-use tool gives specific pace recommendations from the popular running coach. 

The weather has taken a turn recently in San Diego and cold, wet, windy conditions have made training interesting to say the least. Not wanting to take any chances in re-injuring my knee, I’ve been using the Jack Daniels’ Running Calculator to determine my training paces for various workouts and have been careful to stay within Jack’s recommended pace ranges. Plugging in my half-marathon time from last month, and factoring in the 15 mph headwinds we were dealing with here last weekend, I was surprised to find out that for my most recent long run I should be running nearly two minutes per mile slower than my usual long run pace in perfect conditions! Looking back, the recommendation worked out perfectly, and prevented me from falling victim to running too fast in the windy conditions.

The online version of Daniels’ popular running calculator was revealed recently by the Run S.M.A.R.T. Project, an organization which provides coaching services and customized training plans written by Daniels, the legendary coach who guided Cortland State runners to eight NCAA Division III National Championships, 31 individual national titles, and more than 130 All-America awards. He has also coached numerous elite athletes to the Olympic Trials and is famous for writing Daniels’ Running Formula, a 1998 book outlining his unique training philosophies which are based on a variety of different training intensities.

By inputting a recent race time into the calculator, you are given paces appropriate to your current fitness level, allowing your body to handle just the right amount of stress while facilitating improvement.

“It’s a great tool to prevent overtraining and help people train at the right intensity each day,” says Brian Rosetti, founder of the Run S.M.A.R.T. Project.

Not just taking in consideration recent race times, the calculator also uses factors such as temperature, wind speed and altitude to determine training paces, such as it did for me last weekend. For example, if a runner is planning on running at 6,000 feet of elevation in the summer where it is typically 85 degrees and dry, the calculator can determine threshold, easy and interval paces for those conditions.

RELATED REVIEW: McRun iPhone App

“The key is that the calculator tells you what your appropriate training paces should be because most runners we encounter train too hard—they think that running faster more often is better,” says Rosetti. “But everyone has an individual pace.”

Rosetti also says it’s a great tool for new runners who aren’t sure what reasonable goals are for distances that have raced yet. By plugging in a recent 5K time they can calculate a realistic half-marathon or 10K goal time. Play around with your own paces at www.runsmartproject.com/calculator.

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Two weekends ago, steeplechaser Ben Bruce, 30, of Flagstaff, Ariz., hit the trails of Oahu, Hawaii for the XTERRA Trail Running World Championships, a challenging 21K off-road adventure. After coming in second in both 2009 and 2011, Bruce was ready to make 2012 his year. Coming into the final stretch toward the finish line, Joseph Gray, who finished in third place at last year’s XTERRA Championships, had the same idea. The result? The two crossed the finish line shoulder to shoulder in an unprecedented first-place tie.

RELATED: Bruce, Gray Tie At XTERRA World Championships

We sat down with the track-minded Bruce after the race to get his thoughts on trail racing and what’s in store for him in the coming years.

After running on the track for years what made you want to try out the trails?

It [The XTERRA Trail Running World Championships] really is the only one [trail race] I ever do. I think it’s mainly just timing of the year. Usually my racing revolves around the track season. Usually this time of year I’m doing a lot of training and doing a race like this gives me a chance to do something a little different. But it’s still training-based but gives me a break and a chance to go to Hawaii.

How has your track and road-racing career translated to the trails?

Out on a trail is a completely different scenario in comparison to the track or a road race. Last year Max King and I came around a turn and there was a cow just right on the road. You never know what to expect. But being in shape is going to be the ultimate factor in the race. I might not be the best trail runner, but I also believe I’m in really good shape. So I try to make up for any lack I might have in some technical sections by running the open sections as hard as I can.

What was going through your mind as you [and Joe] came through the finish shoot neck in neck?

I know Joe runs a lot of trail races so I was glad I was that close with a little left to go. I was trying to rely on my track speed, but Joe has some good track speed himself so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy — it wasn’t going to be like running down Grandma. He was holding off a good fight and it ended up being a fantastic finish. I think I broke the cameraman’s microphone and I think we both ended up on the ground.

What is the future of trail running for you?

I might go to nationals in South Lake because I have some family that lives there, so that’d be nice to go there. But for me I’m a track and road racer. Trail running beats me up pretty bad so I have to limit the amount of it I do.

You recently turned 30. Some people might say you have hit your peak and you’re too old to run [fast] now. What do you say to them?

I think that anyone can have a number that they say is the peak for athletes but I think it depends on the distance you’re racing. To say one age for a peak is kind of ridiculous. If you’re talking about a sprinter maybe 30 is up there, but for a long distance runner like myself who didn’t do a lot of running in high school, because I didn’t run track in high school, so I have a lot more left in my legs than the average 30-year-old as far as miles accumulated in my career. I don’t see [turning 30] as hitting my peak. If anything I’m coming into my peak and the hopefully the next three or four years of my career will be the best I’ve ever had.

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Stephanie Rothstein hasn’t raced a marathon since dropping out at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston last January, but this Sunday she will toe the line at the Honolulu Marathon, where she hopes to become the first American woman to win the race since Cyndie Welte last did so in 1988.

The last week in Hawaii has already been a memorable one for Rothstein and her husband, Ben Bruce. At last weekend’s XTERRA Trail Run Championships, Bruce tied Joseph Gray for first place in an exciting photo finish after 21 kilometers of neck-and-neck racing.

Rothstein sat down with Competitor.com a few days before her race in Honolulu to discuss her goals for her first marathon in nearly a year, as well as what the future holds.

RELATED: Rothstein Bruce Ready For Honolulu Marathon

What is your plan for the Honolulu Marathon?

Run as hard as I can for 26.2 miles. It’s a really good field this year but I feel like I prepared really well in training. But I really think I’m going to go in to win the race.

What have you been up to since the Trials?

I took a good break after the Trials and I got back on the track this season. I just wanted to run the track Trials and just sharpen up [Rothstein finished 8th in 32:24]. It’s been long time since I had done any short distances so I was getting my speed back under me. I ran a couple 5Ks, 10Ks and was eighth at the trials. I ran a PR there so that was a good sign. I took a mini break and ran a little road circuit series from August to October, which went pretty well. It was all geared toward Honolulu.

You’ve been able to drop your marathon time significantly in the last few years. How have you been able to do that?

The first one I ran was right out of college and my coach at the time wanted me to just run in control and get used to the distance. I ran 2:40 feeling smooth and then two and half years later when I found out I had Celiac disease everything improved and I ran what felt like a debut marathon in 2:29. So, it looked like a huge improvement, but I knew it was in there all along.

You’ve been through your fair share of injuries. What have you learned from going through them?

There is always an answer or a solution. Never give up looking for it. I always believed I was a lot better than what I was running or showing at the time. So I was always looking for different avenues to figure out what was going wrong: Why I wasn’t recovering?  Why did I feel bad? Lucky enough I found out I have Celiac disease. If you always keep thinking you’re not going to get better you’re not going to. You almost have to repeat, “I will figure it out. I will get healthy.” Then have the patience to take time off and get the therapy you need.

Do you have any plans for Rio?

Oh yeah! I mean I’m going to try and make that marathon team that I was trying to make this year. The team was so strong this year that I don’t think I could have made it, [even if things went perfect for me.] All eyes will be trying to make that marathon team.

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Unprecedented photo finish is declared a draw. 

OAHU, Hawaii — The battle for victory at Sunday’s XTERRA Trail Run World Championship came down to an incredible photo finish — and even the photo couldn’t determine a winner.

Ben Bruce, 30, of Flagstaff, Ariz., and Joseph Gray, 27, of Renton, Wash., crossed the finish line shoulder to shoulder after leapfrogging and staying within 30 seconds of each other throughout the 21K (half-marathon) race. Initially named the winner, Bruce walked away wearing the laurel wreath, but after nearly an hour of deliberation and reviewing film and photos from both race photographers and spectators, race directors deemed the race a tie, with both Bruce and Gray splitting the $3,000 first-place prize, and sharing a finishing time of 1:21:58.

PHOTOS: 2012 XTERRA World Championships

“They came around the corner so fast and I thought to myself, ‘it can’t come down to a photo finish. That doesn’t happen in a 21K race,’” race director Dave Nicholas said. “After the finish I talked to the guys and they didn’t even know who [had won] for sure. I looked at the TV cameras and talked to people on the line—there was no way of knowing for sure. So we decided the best thing for everyone was to just declare a tie.”

In the woman’s division, pre-race favorite Lucy Smith, one of Canada’s top masters runners, took home first place in 1:41:39, two minutes ahead of second-place finisher, Amber Moran, of Asheville, N.C., who finished in 1:43:41. Polina Babkina of Honolulu and Will Christian of Norfolk, Va., took third place in 1:45:34 and 1:25:54, respectively, in the women’s and men’s races.

“The biggest challenge with these races is just pacing yourself, because it’s unlike any other half marathon,” Smith said of the unforgiving hills and undulating terrain of the singletrack off-road course. “But it went great. I think I’ll bring my whole family back next year.”

Noticeably absent from this year’s race was Max King, the only winner of the men’s title at the XTERRA Trail Running World Championship since its inception in 2008. He stayed at home in Oregon as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their second child any day. Bruce, who came in second to King last year, was determined to make 2012 his XTERRA year.

“It opens the door and I think it’ll make for a lot of people go for the win,” Bruce said about King’s absence the night before the race. “My number one goal will be to win the race. Second or third doesn’t do a lot for me since I have gotten that taken care of before.”

Also noticeably absent from this year’s race was last year’s women’s champion, Morgan Arritola, who sat out due to injury.

More than 2,000 other runners took on the 21K, 10K and 5K courses through Kualoa Ranch, a 4,000-acre cattle ranch on the northeast side of Oahu. Not only the annual backdrop to the XTERRA Trail Running World Championship course, but it has also served as the set for the ABC hit TV series, “LOST” and numerous films, including “Pearl Harbor” and “Jurassic Park.”

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It’s one of the most overlooked–but important–elements of a successful race.

The warmup is one of the most important elements of a successful race and also one of the most overlooked aspects of pre-race preparation. With the adrenaline pumping and the pre-race jitters in place, a warmup is often the last thing runners worry about before the gun goes off. However, even just a short jog before lining up at the starting line can be one of the most valuable parts of your race-day routine.

We spoke with Washington, DC-based running coach Mike Hamberger, as well as San Diego-based running coach Dr. Jason Karp, about the importance of the warmup and why every runner should make it part of their pre-race routine.

“The warmup serves two primary purposes—to prepare you for the physical demands of the race and to improve your muscles’ dynamics so that you are less prone to injury,” Karp explains.

MORE: The Perfect Warmup For Running Workouts

Hamberger concurred with Karp, and also added that “most people aren’t warming up at all.” He suggests warming up with dynamic stretches. “Go back to your old track and field days of a dynamic workout to get the tension out and the blood flowing.”

Doing exercises such as high knees, skipping, karaokes, neck rolls and shoulder rolls prepares your body to run. In addition to dynamic exercises, some running is also necessary; however, the amount and intensity of the running warmup depends on the distance of the race and your fitness level. A warmup needs to be more intense for shorter races such as a 5K and less intense for longer races such as a half marathon or marathon. It should be very similar to the warmup routine you perform in training.

“The brain loves routine and consistency so look at race day like just another run,” Hamberger said. “Do the same warmup you do before your speed or track workouts you’ve been doing in training.”

More specifically, Karp suggests runners start a warmup slowly and increase the pace toward the end of the run.

“For races 10K and shorter, run one to two miles very easy. Then do two or three 30- to 60-second runs at lactate threshold pace (comfortably hard), followed by two or three 20- to 30-second runs at the pace of your race,” Karp explained. “For races longer than 10K (in particular half marathon and marathon), it’s not necessary and may even be detrimental to include much, if any, fast running.”

Also, be weary of warming up too long and too intensely before the race, as it can be counterproductive. “A long, vigorous warmup in a less fit runner will add fatigue, which will be detrimental to race performance,” Karp explained.

Ideally, the warmup should be completed five minutes prior to race start. However, this is often not possible due to crowds, corrals, bathroom waits and wave starts, so be mindful of this and ready with a backup plan. If there is no room close to the start to warmup, find space away the crowds. If you are stuck in a bathroom line, do high knees and butt kicks in line. People may turn their heads and take notice, but being prepared for the race is worth the odd looks.

The post Running 101: Don’t Skimp On The Warmup appeared first on Competitor.com.

November is Running Safety Month and in the November issue of Competitor I list a few ways for all of us to stay safe on the roads and trails. After a safety breech last weekend, which resulted in me eating sidewalk, I thought it timely to offer a few more tips for staying safe while running.

Run a familiar loop (or take directions): On Saturday morning, after getting convinced that it was warm enough for me to run outside instead of on the treadmill, two of my friends and I headed out for a run. We were in an unfamiliar area since we were out of town for a wedding, so we looked up an 8.5-mile loop and took the precaution to write down the directions so we wouldn’t get lost. After diligently following the first direction to turn right just 1.4 miles into the run I ate it and supermanned onto the sidewalk. A little crack in the sidewalk poked up just enough for my toe to catch it and I went down hard. My two friends were in front of me and both turned around because they heard my knee hit the pavement. We didn’t end up needing the remainder of those directions, but at least we didn’t get lost.

Be in close proximity to police stations, hospitals and most importantly, fire stations: Just as I was flying across the pavement on Saturday a firefighter was driving past us. He climbed out and walked across the street just as a mother ran over to offer baby wipes and see if I was OK. Thankfully there was very little blood from the fall. I used the wipes to dust off dirt (and my pride) and sat there fighting tears (unsuccessfully) as the firefighter asked which hurt more: my knee or my pride. “Definitely my pride,” I responded.

After making sure nothing was broken, the firefighter pointed across the street to the fire station and convinced me to head over and get checked out.

“There are a lot of good looking firemen over there that would gladly like to help you out,” he said.

I politely declined his generous and completely humiliating offer until I realized my knee was swelling up and hurting really bad. There was no way I was running the rest of our loop and, worse yet, had ripped a hole in my friend’s Lululemon running capris. An icepack wouldn’t hurt.

All four of us walked up the drive (I hobbled) to find at least 20 firemen and at least 20 more high school kids waiting for us outside the station. I don’t think I’ve ever been more humiliated in my life. Well, that was short-lived, as one of the firemen came over and asked me to sit on a stretcher in an ambulance so he could check out my injuries. I had fallen and hurt my knee! There was no concussion, I didn’t break any bones! I really didn’t think all of this was necessary, but at this point I thought I’d get in trouble if I tried to high-tail it out of there. Plus, with my knee hurting so much I wasn’t getting anywhere fast.

Nonetheless, he was a very nice fireman. I did the safe thing, got checked out and iced my knee immediately, which helped the swelling and made it so I could dance at the wedding that night.

Bring a cell phone: Carrying a cell phone, especially when running in an unfamiliar place, is very important; when running with others, however, it isn’t a necessary item unless you fall in front of a fire station, there are tons of firemen and you need to get “checked out” on a stretcher in an ambulance. Kodak moment if there ever was one and we missed it. Lesson learned: always carry your cell phone.

Wear proper clothing: If you’re running in the dark it’s important to wear reflective clothing. If you’re running in the heat, it is important to wear breathable clothing and sunscreen. If you’re prone to falling, however, don’t wear your friend’s $90 running capris.

Run with buddies: This is the most important safety tip for runners, so I will reiterate it here. After getting my icepack, one of my friends headed back to the hotel to get the car while my other friend sat with me and waited. If I had been alone this would have been a much scarier situation. I can only imagine me laid out on the sidewalk, crying and alone. It was really nice to have my friends there with me, give me a ride and now laugh about that time I fell running in a city called Fallbrook. I knew I should have just stuck to the treadmill.

The post Staff Blog: Safety First! appeared first on Competitor.com.

Usually my inspiration comes from my own ups and downs in running. When a run goes great, I want to push it even more on the next run. Or when a run doesn’t go so well, I let myself know the next run will make up for it. Most recently, however, my inspiration came from four other runners.

This past weekend I was in San Francisco for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon, along with one of my friends. The day before the race we headed over to the expo across the street from our hotel — along with thousands of other women all running the race — for a Q&A with Olympians Allyson Felix, Kara Goucher, Shalane Flanagan and Joan Benoit Samuelson.

Standing below the stage I looked up at the four Olympians and couldn’t help but be inspired. I wanted to get out there and run two hours as Kara and Shalane had done that morning. I wanted to be the mom and runner Joanie is when I am 55. And I felt the urge to head to the track as Allyson does every day so I can finally drop my half-marathon time the minute and a half I’ve been battling with for the past year.

But listening to these four women tell their stories about how they got where they are and how they stay motivated to keep running really left a mark. Later in the day I had the opportunity to chat with Joanie, which only inspired me further.

Everyone has his or her own source of inspiration. Mine is now these women, and whenever I need a little boost in my training I’ll think about how much they have sacrificed and worked for where they are now.

What is your source of inspiration?

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Oh, the things a girl will do to get a piece of jewelry from a tuxedo-clad firefighter! 

There are lots of reasons why we run: to kill stress, stay in shape, lose weight, etc. And there are also lots of reasons why we run races. For me, location is key. I love races with a view or that start near my home. You can’t beat rolling out of bed on race morning, walking to the start, not having to worry about traffic or parking and then get to run along the beach. Yeah, living and racing in San Diego isn’t bad — well, minus the crowded running paths, of course.

But the main reason I put my next race on the schedule was for a different reason. I want the medal.

Now, I have tons of medals and most of them just end up in a junk drawer and I will probably never look at them again. But this race’s medal is different. It’s a Tiffany & Co., necklace! Call me shallow, but having a tuxedo-clad firefighter hand me a little blue box with a sterling silver necklace emblazoned with “T&Co” sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

The race is the San Francisco Nike Women’s Marathon and Half Marathon and the Tiffany necklace is no joke. Every runner who crosses the finish line is handed her (or his) very own little blue box with a necklace to wear and boast about.

This year’s race is in less than two weeks away on Oct. 14 and I’m looking forward to wearing my necklace around — that is, if I can survive 13.1 miles over San Francisco’s infamous hills!

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Have you done your squats today?

It’s my favorite strength-training exercise of all time. It strengthens the hamstrings, protects the knees and tightens the tush. No, there is nothing better than the all-mighty squat for runners.

I’ve been a longtime proponent of the squat. In college, I remember washing dishes with my roommate while listening to Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back,” sitting back into a squat position while soapy-handed. It was part of our very regimented fitness routine that included hundreds of squats, which did their job despite the late-night eating and adult-beverage drinking that often goes hand in hand with college life. And this was all before I started running! Now, as a runner with several marathons and half marathons under my belt, I take my squats very seriously and owe my dropping PRs to this glorious exercise.

When I tore my hamstring last year it was during a time I had been neglecting my squats, and oh did it remind me that I needed them in my life! After months of physical therapy and doing more squats than you can shake a stick at, I rebuilt that torn hamstring and will never not include squats into my daily routine again. Whether I do a set at the gym, while waiting in line at the grocery store or for the two minutes I brush my teeth every morning and evening, I’ll never again forget about my trusty friend — and you shouldn’t either.

Doing squats can be tricky. Form is of the utmost importance, as doing them wrong can lead to devastating results. Follow these cues and try to get in a set or two of 20 squats a day. Your knees, hamstrings, glutes (and jeans) will thank you!

RELATED VIDEO: The Front Squat

* Stand with your feet hip-distance apart (or slightly wider )with toes pointed straight forward.

* Tighten up your abs as if someone is about to punch you and lift your chest up tall and proud, while pulling the shoulder blades back and down.

* Keeping the chest up, sit back as far as you can —  as if you are going to sit in a chair. Note: you need to sit back VERY far. Pretend there is a chair one to two feet behind you and, keeping your feet planted, you have to get your butt back far enough to sit in the chair or you’ll land on the ground. You may feel like you will fall backward, but trust me you won’t. The knees should stay over the ankles and should not push forward over the toes at all when sitting back. Check yourself out in a mirror to ensure you have perfect form.

* Once you’re “sitting,” work toward getting your quads parallel with the ground, continue holding the abs in, shoulders back, and stand up.

Ta-da! Now go do one hundred more.

The post Staff Blog: All Hail The Glorious Squat appeared first on Competitor.com.

Can reducing your mileage and relying on short and fast intervals put you on a path to better running?

Is it possible to become a better distance runner by running fewer miles and putting more reliance on short bursts of fast-paced running?

Running traditionalists who follow the Arthur Lydiard concept of high-mileage training may scoff at the rising trend of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that emphasizes less is more, but recent studies and many coaches say it’s one of the most effective training techniques for recreational runners.

Calling for relatively short, intermit- tent bursts of running at very hard efforts, followed by short periods of recovery, proponents say HIIT knocks down training time while significantly increasing gains in maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 Max) and your ability to deal with the discomfort of racing.

In recent years, studies have shown HIIT can be as effective as traditional high-volume training based on steady-state running. By replacing moderate-paced and traditional speed work with one or two HIIT workouts per week, supporters say it can be a great training tool for time-crunched runners and those who can’t endure the rigors of high-mileage programs. But they believe it can also help lower PRs, make a runner stronger and potentially less injury-prone while also burning fat more efficiently.

RELATED: 7 Ways To Improve Speed Without Increasing Mileage

In some ways, HIIT goes completely outside the box of how distance training is viewed, which is one of the reasons there is so much debate about it within the running community. But it also shares similarities to traditional interval training in that it engages the aerobic system at a more intense level than the slow- to moderate-paced distance running that is the staple of most recreational runners’ weekly regimens.

In that way, it’s especially beneficial to newer or undertrained runners who find themselves typically doing most of their running at the same, relatively slow pace.

“A lot of my runners have done traditional high-mileage plans and then after adding in HIIT, 90 percent of them PR’ed or did better than they projected,” says Thad McLaurin a certified personal trainer and RRCA- and USATF-certified running coach based in Greensboro, N.C.

Contrary to popular misconception, HIIT workouts do not entail all-out sprinting efforts. Instead, they’re meant to be hard but controlled efforts that can be consistently sustained for the duration of a workout.

“What bothers me more than anything else is the term ‘high-intensity interval training,’” says legendary American distance running coach Jack Daniels. “It sounds like you have to work as hard as you can, and that’s not right.”

Although Daniels believes in high-mileage training and tempo running, he prescribes various HIIT workouts to some of the runners he guides in the Run SMART Project, an online coaching program offering personalized training plans handwritten by Daniels and other high-level coaches around the U.S.

Related — The Balancing Act: Speed vs. Endurance

Daniels is quick to point out that the impacts of HIIT are different for every runner and must be implemented into a well-rounded training plan with a specific intent and purpose in order to achieve success.

“Training is a very individual thing and each person has to be treated as an individual person,” Daniels says. More so, he says, HIIT is just one building block of many in creating a stronger, faster and more injury-resistant runner. “There must be some other types of training.”

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So what is it that makes many people oooh and ahh at triathletes more than runners? 

After competing in my second triathlon on Sunday I have but one question: why is it that runners are thought to be merely “crazy” by much of the non-runner/non-triathlete population, but triathletes are considered off-your-rocker amazing athletes and incomparably dedicated by the same crowd?

Note: This post isn’t intended to get runners and triathletes fired up (or fighting!) over who is the superior athlete or if running races are more challenging than triathlons or vice versa. I’m wondering why when non-runners find out I’m a runner they tend to think I’m insane for running mile after mile and actually liking it, but why the same people think triathletes are just insanely dedicated athletes?

Recently, a woman asked me with a look of shock on her face if I was doing a whole triathlon. Another guy proudly told me that his sister is a triathlon. I wasn’t sure what the woman meant by a whole triathlon (possibly an Ironman?), but I doubt she knew what she meant, either. And clearly, the guy with the triathlon for a sister isn’t entirely familiar with the event itself because, well, I’d bet my bottom dollar that your sister is probably a triathlete who competes in triathlons.

Now, clearly these two weren’t entirely sure about the triathlon world (N.B. I don’t want to make the claim that I am, either…transition areas, open water swims, feed zones, color-coded swim caps, oh my!), but is it the unfamiliarity most people have in regard to triathlon that makes them think that all triathletes are crazy-good athletes and seemingly more committed to their training and racing than mere runners?

Triathlon is a relatively new sport in comparison to running and I’m guessing that a majority of the general population isn’t even entirely sure what a triathlon is, with even less of the population actually having competed in an event. Heck, with two triathlons under my race belt I’ve gotten the swim, bike, run order memorized, but ask me how long the bike course is at an Olympic tri and I’ll stare at you quizzically embarrassed!

There is just so much to know about triathlon. The sport is still so new that it’s yet to be implemented in high school gym classes; while, on the other hand, many people are well versed in running even if their only experience with the sport was the dreaded timed mile in high school gym class. (N.B. I hated the mile and it still irks me that my mile time was the only thing holding me back from a Presidential Fitness award.) Non-runners might ask, “How far is this marathon?,” but at some point in their life they’ve probably gone out for a run or two and can understand how challenging running a few miles can be.

Personally, I love being both a runner and a triathlete. Running races and triathons are equally challenging and fun in different ways. I can’t wait to do another tri soon (which one should I do?!), and I am counting down the days until the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco next month.

So what is it that makes many people oooh and ahh at triathletes more than runners? My hypothesis: the outfits. How can you not look hardcore while wearing a bright, all-spandex onesie and a visor with numbers and logos tattooed on your arms and legs?

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When I’m out running I tend to take in everything around me. I notice every flower. I examine every runner’s stride, while also taking note of his or her running shoes and whether or not they’re listening to music. It might be borderline creepy at how much I notice about people, but on the other hand it helps me stay safe because I’m constantly aware of everything that’s going on around me.

I try to run in high-pedestrian, low car traffic areas so I can keep my imagination occupied without worrying about getting run over by a car. About a year ago, however, I was running with one of my friends on a rural road where cars would come flying around corners. Coincidentally, almost no other runners would dare run there. Not realizing that this stretch of road was so dangerous until we started running on it, I was on heightened alert. We both ran without headphones so we could hear the cars, and we ran in the opposite direction of traffic so we could see the cars coming our way.

About 90 minutes into our run, and after we had already hurdled several road kills, a truck coming right toward us blew out a tire. My heart flew out of my chest as we both jumped into the roadside ditch, holding onto each other for dear life. Luckily, the car was still about one hundred feet away from us and when the tire blew out and the hubcap shot across the road away from us, but we both were in shock about how close we had come to getting hit.

Not wanting to take any more chances we called for a ride home and counted our lucky stars that we were paying attention in the midst of a scary situation.

Sound familiar? Have you had any close calls while running? Share your stories and safety tips in the comments section below!

The post Staff Blog: Close Calls appeared first on Competitor.com.

Check out these four sites that offer unique training advice, tracking and feedback. 

MapMyFitness
www.mapmyfitness.com

Early this summer the training app MapMyFitness underwent a complete redesign, and along with a sleek new look, the app now makes working out a lot more fun. The new version has popular running routes integrated into the program, allowing runners to compete with 9 million other MapMyFitness users for awards such as King or Queen of the Mountain. “We’ve been working on the gameification of the entire site to make it more fun for people to work out,” says co-founder Robin Thurston. “And it engages you with the community.”  The redesign also offers a new training plan function, allowing runners to upload goals such as running a half marathon, and then track their progress.

RELATED: MapMyFitness Undergoes Redesign, Launches New Features

Compatible with most smart phones and GPS devices, users can link the app with just about any training device. The app is free, or upgrade for $100 to the Pro version for unlimited access and discounts.

Nike Training Club
www.nike.com/nikewomen/features/ntc

This free cross-training app offers an endless variety of workouts that can be personalized—you choose the amount of time you work out, which strength-based or cardio-based exercises you want and which body parts to work. Each exercise is demonstrated by pro-athletes so you can perfect your form. Earn new workouts and get training advice by building up your training time.

Daily Mile
www.dailymile.com

Daily Mile is the ultimate social media running community. With more than 12 million workouts logged, equaling enough calories to burn more than 78 million doughnuts, Daily Mile allows users to share their workouts, motivate their friends and show off all their hard training. Search for friends and find other motivating Daily Mile users on this free app, and become virtual training partners.

Find Your Zone

www.findyourzone.tv

Zone Sports offers how-to technical running instructional videos with top athletes, coaches and industry experts. The videos, which cost $1 apiece, range from four to six minutes and cover everything from standard workouts like 5 x 1,000m, 12 x 400m and track-based threshold runs, to dynamic warm-ups, strength and flexibility drills and pedestal routines for building general strength. As of June, Find Your Zone had more than 75 videos with Jay Johnson, Michael Wardian, Sara Vaughn, Phil Warton and Dave Mackey, to name a few.

RELATED: Top-3 Health & Fitness Apps

This piece first appeared in the July 2012 issue of Competitor magazine. 

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