Training Tips

Leo Manzano, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist is a fearsome kicker. Put Leo within the fight at the end of a mile or 1,500 meters, and you have a battle royale. We asked Leo to give RunBlogRun some tips for our high school readers on how to be better milers.  On April 19, Leo took third in the Boston Mile, and, then on Tuesday, April 22, he won the road mile at the Drake Relays.
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Anyone who has run a race with a lot of downhill (hello, Boston marathon) knows that running downhill can actually be more taxing than the grind up the hill. The inner quad (i.e. the vastus medialis, the muscle that is HUGE in cyclists) takes the brunt of downhill running, but the hips, ankles and low back are also affected. The eccentric contractions when running downhill are fighting the stretch from gravity; force on the legs is coming from two directions. Downhill running, whether it is extended amounts or just a quick burst down a steep hill, can cause lasting muscle damage.
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When the weather gets bad, some runners consider treadmills. Caitlin Chock pitched us on this piece regarding Brad Hudson, one of my favorite coaches, and his suggestions on training on the treadmill. 
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Fartlek is a training technique that was developed by the Swedish coach, Gosta Holmer, during the 1930s and 1940s. Fartlek is the Swedish word for speed play. Holmer developed the training to utilize the walking paths across Sweden and give his runners something more than intervals, the way most trained at the time.
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I believe I said once you got that first 5km under the belt…you’d be itching to run a 10km. There is something magical about the 10km distance. On one hand, running 6.2 miles demands your respect and attention, but on the other, it isn't that far…so you could train for and run many of them in a year. It’s a step beyond the 5km and a great segway to the half or full marathon distance.
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Easier said than done…for a seasoned runner, doing a 5km is like waking in the morning and pouring that first cup of coffee, but to someone coming off the couch or attempting to run for the first time…it may seem like climbing Everest.
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Some athletes do not particularly enjoy training on the treadmill as it mitigates the stimulus, the fresh air and even the social aspects of running outdoors. However, it is a valuable tool that can be used in a variety ways to improve your running.
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The onset of winter needn't bring a seasonal halt to a runner's enthusiasm or routines. Outdoor exercise in the winter can be a pleasurable experience. The major risk posed by running in subfreezing air is frostbite and minor irritations to the respiratory tract. With some minor precautions these risks can be eliminated.
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