In principle, tapering should be simple – run less so you’re rested for race day. In practice, many athletes find two to three weeks of cutting back on mileage and intensity makes their legs feel heavy and lifeless. But Spanish coach
Yet too often disaster strikes on race day – we’re hobbled by cramp, gutted by stomach distress or hampered by unforeseen demons. To help you dodge all this, runners have shared their tales of race days gone bad. For the common horror stories, our
Marathon preparation means months of meticulous planning and diligent training to get you in peak condition. But if you don’t also have a precise plan for the race itself, you won’t get the best results from all that hard work. How should you warm
and temperatures are mild.2. Warm upDo your normal pre-race warm-up, including some strides, so you’re ready to run hard from the beginning of the test.3. Start the testStart your test in lane one. Don’t go out too fast; you want to find the fastest pace you can
Half a century ago, American marathoner Buddy Edelen snuck out for a 40-minute run on his rest day. Edelen was the first man to break 2:15 for 26.2 miles, yet he suffered the same crisis of confidence about taking days off that plague most competitive runners...Subscribers can vi...
up and one down. Resume mileage where you left off after the cut-back week.Macrocycle length: between four to six monthsRunners often race throughout the year without taking any significant breaks, which then leaves them vulnerable to injuries
