Selecting the correct pair of running shoes can be a crucial factor in improving performance and preventing injury. Here are my top recommendations for athletes looking to enhance their overall running experience:

• Beginners: Comfort, support, and durability are the three most important factors for beginners. Choose shoes with good cushioning and shock absorption to reduce impact on your joints. It is best to visit a running specialty store where they can recommend shoes based on your specific needs. Shoes that may work well for beginners include the Brooks Ghost or Asics Gel-Nimbus.
• Overpronators: If you have flat feet or tend to overpronate, look for shoes with good arch support and motion control. Choose shoes with a firm midsole and supportive structure to prevent excessive inward rolling of the feet. Shoes that may work well for overpronators include the Brooks Adrenaline, Asics Kayano, and Saucony Guide.
• Supinators: If you have high arches or tend to supinate, choose shoes with good cushioning and flexibility. Look for shoes with a soft midsole and a wide toe box to allow for natural foot movement. Shoes that may work well for supinators include the Nike Zoom Vomero, Asics Gel-Cumulus, and New Balance Fresh Foam 1080.
• Trail Runners: If you plan to run on rugged terrain, choose shoes with good traction and stability. Look for shoes with a durable outsole, protective toe cap, and good grip. Shoes that may work well for trail runners include the Salomon Speedcross, Altra Lone Peak, and Brooks Cascadia.
• Racers (Road): If you're looking to improve race day performance, choose shoes that are lightweight and responsive. Look for shoes with a minimal design and good traction for quick starts and explosive movements. Shoes that may work well for racing include the Nike Vaporfly, Newton Distance+, or the Brooks Hyperion Elite.
• Minimalists: Minimalist running can be risky, but if you want to try it out, choose shoes that provide a natural and lightweight feel. Look for shoes with a minimal design and a low heel-to-toe drop to encourage a forefoot or midfoot strike. Shoes that may work well for minimalist runners include the Newton Distance or the New Balance Minimus.

When choosing running shoes, it is important to consider your individual needs and preferences. Take the time to try on different shoes, while also considering your running style and foot shape. By choosing the right pair of shoes, you can ensure a comfortable and successful running experience. Happy (Shoe) Hunting!

You have done all the hard work, sacrificed precious time and energy along the way and now race week is here.  Your nerves run wild exacerbated by the taper and fewer miles.  Don’t worry, here’s how to push through and keep your eyes are on the prize!

As race week inches nearer, let's take a deep breath and keep these considerations top of mind:

1) Remind yourself that the hardest work is done and you've already won! You've been consistent, remained disciplined with the "small things" and completed the workouts and miles, despite hectic schedules and every day life challenges. Congratulations - you took the journey and won! Throughout the week prior to your goal race, go through your training log and remember the hard workouts, long runs, the grit and tenacity you've shown again and again! You have built the strength inside of you that will help you push you through race weekend to the finish!

2) Relax - you deserve it! It's okay to back off your total volume. You’ve begun your tapering for this event, and you can trust our recommendations to back off your total weekly mileage while keeping some intensity on any strides/tune up workouts you have on the schedule.

3) Study up! As you approach race weekend, it can be helpful to study up on the course. If you've already done this - awesome! If you haven't - no worries! For an endurance race, you're bound to run into some changes in the course (hills, twists and turns, surface changes with sidewalks, roads, dirt, etc.). Breaking down your race into chunks and mentally preparing yourself to know when you can dig a little more on a hill or relax on some downhills can not only help with your race strategy and energy conservation, but also break up the race into chunks so it's not so daunting.

For those almost there, we're so excited for you! You're going to prove to yourself just how limitless you are.

See you at the finish line!

NYRR athlete, Frank Carter, joins us to talk about his recent accomplishments and learnings.

Sport Running Major milestone: I was able to run a marathon 33 minutes faster than my personal best. And it’s all because of the coaching app.
What is the secret to your success? I am terrible at planning and sticking to a strict run schedule. This year I trusted the coach and made sure to follow what he said and just that alone made all the difference.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? My biggest obstacle was scheduling runs and not knowing what distances my long runs should be. The coach app helped me know what I would need to run and that I should take rest days. I didn’t want to over do it, so I made sure to never go over the mileage too much.

What is the most rewarding part of training? Honestly, the rewarding part was getting all new personal records at almost every run. The most rewarding part was when I was running my marathon and I realized I was much better prepared this time. And, when I realized I was so close to getting a sub 4 hour marathon (I was over by 33 seconds and I know exactly where those seconds were). Nothing felt better than crossing the finish line knowing I trained for this and it was all worth it.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Trust the coaches. They absolutely know what they are doing and it shows. I used the Runcoach app twice now. The first time I didn’t fully listen to it. The second time I did and it helped more than I could have hoped for.

Anything else you would like to share? I registered for the app at the middle of training for a marathon. I realized that I was a month behind in my training and I needed guidance. I registered and explained to coach Tom all the different runs I had, and my concern that I was behind in my long run distances. Coach Tom immediately adjusted my runs. It was intimidating that I had to start my long runs at 12 miles that weekend, but I knew I could do it. With each long run and each daily run, I felt more and more confident in my running abilities. I will definitely be using the coach app again next year!

Let’s break some bad habits and work to create new positive routines. We often start the New Year off with the best intentions, but sometimes our priorities shift and our resolutions fade away. If this sounds like you, our hope is to help make this year different. Here are 7 quick tricks to hold yourself accountable:

1. Find a workout buddy – Knowing there are people waiting for you will act as a reminder to show up, and it will make the run more enjoyable.

2. Hire a Runcoach – A coach will provide the structure necessary to accomplish your goals (Coaches like myself = Cally, Rosie, Alex & Tom are here to support you).

3. Put a race on the calendar – Selecting a race gives you something to look forward to and something to work towards!

4. Look at your fitness journey as a lifestyle change – Be flexible, there’s no reason this journey shouldn’t be fun!

5. Less can be more – For those days you’re struggling, don’t force your workouts and risk burnout. Instead stretch or foam roll. We all need some down time.

6. Journal your progress – Have a written record of all of the hard work you put in! The Runcoach ‘notes’ section attached to each workout is an excellent way to journal your journey.

7. Treat a run like a priority - like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. Build your run into your calendar, just as you would a work meeting.

Vicente Ferre placed 2nd in his Age Group at the Bryce Canyon 60k, and completed the 100k distance in 12h 40m.

What is his secret to success? Enjoy every day of training and believe in yourself. Always be positive in the face of any adversity.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? There are times when we are training alone, with no company to motivate you. I get through it by going out to run and knowing that even though I'm alone in this country, I have my mom up there who is always with me. So... it's time to train.

What is the most rewarding part of training? When you have that feeling of having done your homework. To feel free while running, where you know that, at least for me, it is my therapy and at the end to smile and give thanks for a good workout. Because every run is great. We are so lucky.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? I do not consider myself a person to give advice, the only thing I do share are my experiences and always under my opinion. And my opinion about these last months training with you guys, has been very positive.

Anything else you would like to share? Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to the whole team, for helping me, advising me, and making my training and time worthwhile. I will always be grateful to you.

Patricia recently ran her 6th NYC Marathon! She speaks to her journey to this point, both successes and obstacles.

Major milestone: This will be my 12th marathon! I ran my first marathon in Los Angeles in 1996 and ran San Diego in 1998 (the 1st Rock n Roll marathon) and a few others until I ran a Rock n Roll marathon in 2004 in Arizona on limited training and “suffered” the last 13 miles! I didn’t run a marathon again until the 2017 NYC marathon which I got into via lottery and only then started training. This Sunday will be my 6th NYC marathon.

What is the secret to your success? I have always been a disciplined person and have enjoyed running for over 30 years! Every year, I have run at least a 1/2 marathon and in the early years I raced 5ks and 10ks almost every weekend!

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? I feel I do not recover as quickly now and have had little issues as my training progressed. Last year my back hurt quite a bit after about 13 miles…this year, I struggled w/right bunion pain and pain in my left foot after attempting 19 miles two weeks in a row! 

What is the most rewarding part of training? I love the feeling when I’ve completed my session successfully even if oftentimes slower than was designated in the plan!

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? I have reached out to my coach and she always responds quickly w/advice on how to proceed when I feel pain. For example, I have been aqua jogging the last few weeks at her suggestion and my left foot feels much better!

Anything else you would like to share? I love running the NYC marathon! The crowds are amazing and it’s just a positive, wonderful experience to finish!!!!!

What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience? Take it a day at a time and reach out to your coach for advice and positive motivation.

Darrel has had an inspiring journey since heart surgery in 2021. He shares the importance of consistency and quality coaching guidance.

Major milestone: Beginning after heart surgery in November 2021, my first milestone was 60 yards. I'm now up to eight miles. Actually, each time that I went farther was a milestone!

What is the secret to your success? Consistency. I know that mornings are best for me. Vigorous activity is essential to keeping my heart healthy.

What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Sometimes it’s the time requirement to finish beneficial workouts. Sometimes it’s impatience and the need to go at a pace that is neither too slow nor too fast. I remind myself that results depend on spending time on quality workouts to achieve worthwhile goals. What is the most rewarding part of training? Finishing the exercise. Feeling the burn or the fatigue when it’s time to relax.

What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Talk with the coaches. Trust the program. As long as you’re working on fitness goals, give yourself grace on missed days or more difficult sessions.

Anything else you would like to share? Always before I trained for marathons or ultras (10 total) on my own. Training methods have changed these past 20 years. I needed sound guidance to rebuild from ground zero. My coach, Hiruni, encouraged me. She always replied to my messages. The Runcoach program is an effective training system. 

What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience? Runcoach offers so much to inform and encourage runners to meet their goals. The personal contact is real. The resources are extensive. You are doing well. Please don’t stop.

A Guest Blog Post from Heather Tanner

Heather Tanner is a 3-time Olympic Trial marathon qualifier, 2004 USA World Half Marathon Team Member and decorated NCAA Cross Country and Track & Field Athlete during her time at the University of North Carolina and Stanford University. Tanner offers her advice on fueling for the marathon to runcoach trainees.

There are many things to worry about in the final days leading up to a marathon. Like mapping out a race strategy in line with your fitness so that you don’t end up becoming intimately acquainted with the “wall”. Like taking care of the not so little things such as sleep, nutrition and stress management to ensure that you can get to the starting line healthy. Point is, fueling strategy really shouldn’t be one of those worrisome things. As long as you practice your fueling method in the long runs leading up to the race and have figured out a way to ensure regular carbohydrate replenishment during the race, you will be ok on this front.

During my first marathon experience (Columbus Marathon, 2003), I was a novice on many fronts and broke some major cardinal marathon rules (most importantly: don’t start a marathon injured, ever!). I had no idea what I was doing on the fueling front either and recall being alone at the expo the day before, trying to decide what type of fluids to try (water or maybe that new, strange-tasting Accelerade?) and how many gels I might need (is 1 or 2 enough?). As was inevitable, my hip injury helped me avoid hitting the wall, by slowing me down in the form of 8 stretching breaks. Not pleasant, for the record. Let’s just say fueling probably would have gotten the better of me had something else not have gotten there first.

Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some amazing runners over the last 10+ years and have since followed a few simple yet important guidelines in order to avoid the “bonk”:

1.) Take fluids as EARLY as possible – Do not pass the early water stations by. I typically try to take fluid at every station available, sometimes both water and the race-provided electrolyte beverage. This often means fluid consumption at least every 2 miles. You may only successfully take in a couple of ounces per cup, depending on your speed and your ability to coordinate moving and drinking at the same time, so it’s better to focus on frequency of water stops.

2.) Take your gels SLOWLY – Your digestive system can only absorb about 1-1.5 grams of carbohydrate per minute. An average gel contains 20-22 grams of carbohydrate. The quick math here means that your body can’t keep up with you very well if you down the whole gel in one second. In addition, gel consumption becomes even slower if you do not consume it with adequate fluids. I may take a gel every 4-6 miles during the course of the marathon (4-5 gels in total), but I take each one in slowly.

Note: Magdalena Lewy-Boulet, US Olympian and VP of R&D for Gu, told me about me this slow Gu consumption method after she had a successful marathon in cold “frozen Gu” weather (CIM, 2001 – 2nd: 2:37:57). Her Gu had formed into a cold, solid state and she was only able to consume small amounts at a time as it thawed. Despite this, Magda felt properly fueled.

Logistically, slow gel consumption can present some challenges. I prefer to hold onto the packet and take a small amount every minute or so, i.e. “sipping” on the gel. It can become a sticky mess, and the only helpful thing I can offer here is that this is all less annoying if you are wearing gloves. If you prefer other types of fuel, there are options that are already conveniently partitioned into smaller caloric chunks. Think Sport Beans or Clif shot blocks. Always intersperse gel consumption at or near water stations and practice this slow fuel consumption method in training.

3.) Ingest electrolyte-based drinks, not just water - This is another fairly obvious one, but not always followed. Research has supported evolution of sports drinks over recent years and many are purportedly optimal for electrolyte replenishment during the marathon. If you have the choice, it’s best to use beverages backed by science and your own experience. Osmo, UCAN, GuBrew and Nuun are some good newer beverage options with solid science to support their use. The more common beverage choices serve their purpose for most of us too though (Gatorage, Powerade, etc.).

The same slow carbohydrate absorption rule may apply for your electrolyte drink, but remember that these drinks are often significantly diluted, which can be a good thing. If the race-provided drink tastes too concentrated, try to balance it out with more water consumption at the next station. This may help your digestive system to absorb the carbohydrates more easily.
Also, if you are at all at risk for hyponatremia, or essentially over-hydrating, counterbalancing your fluid intake with an appropriate volume of electrolytes is even more important. The risk threshold for hyponatremia is known to apply to those who consume approximately 8 oz of fluid (any type) every 20 minutes (a lot!) and this risk is even higher if that fluid is water alone. Don’t over drink.

4.) Adapt your strategy for weather conditions – Heat and/or humidity will of course greatly increase your rate of sweating and will necessitate increased fluid consumption. Stay on top of that early. Potentially equally damaging in a different way, extremely cold conditions may interfere with your desire to consume fluids. You could then be at risk for dehydration and subsequent muscle cramping if you do not drink according to your normal plan, despite your perceived lack of thirst.

5) Don’t worry if something goes wrong – If you miss a water station, or an untrained child volunteer throws the cup all over your shirt at mile 16, do not panic. It will be ok as long as you’re following rule #1. Make it up for it at the next stop by grabbing both water and electrolyte drinks.

I try to remember these themes as I race, but do so in an unscientific way because, in most cases, there are many other elements you cannot control over the course of 26.2 miles. You don’t want to create an overly specific fueling plan in case it becomes difficult to execute. One missed water station and you could find yourself in an unnecessary tailspin of distraction. Based on your individual body composition, it is certainly possible to estimate the precise amount of carbohydrate, electrolyte and fluid you should consume over the course of a marathon. It is extremely difficult to make that precision happen in real life, particularly if you are not fortunate enough to have the luxury of elite water bottles placed at regular intervals over the course. Fortunately, by keeping these general guidelines in mind, you can still get pretty close to optimal fueling and feel good come mile 26!

Modified by Cally Macumber

Summer is one of the best seasons to be a runner.  Enjoy it to the fullest by taking care of these basics.

Winter weather often requires the use of treadmills and other indoor facilities, but summer’s heat or thunderstorms may also force you to the air-conditioned sanctuary of the gym.  Here are a few helpful things to remember about how to adjust when running indoors.

Highlights:

• - Treadmills are not the enemy
• - Bring entertainment (music, movie, book, podcast)
• - Bring your own sanitizer (always clean any touchpoint, equipment before use)
• - The treadmill belt is softer and offers less impact than running on pavement
• - Set the incline to 1-2% on the machine 
• - Ease into the run. Start nice and slow. 
• - Hydrate well and often. Aim to take 3-4 ounces of water every 25-30 minutes.

If running indoors may not be an option, but running outdoors is not either, you may be in a spot where cross training is in order to maintain fitness.  What cross training activity makes the most sense?  Compare and contrast the vast array of currently available options available in gyms today.

Heading out on some adventurous runs or driving trips that might include a bunch of miles?  Consider this list of things you might not consider, but can be VERY helpful for runners who are spending a lot of time in the car.

All that humidity might leave you a bit sweaty.  Before you deal with the after effects of some serious chafing, read our quick Q&A with a dermatologist about chafing and how to avoid it.  

While one of the most obvious topics for summer running, hydration is always worth keeping in mind, particularly if your average fluid consumption consists primarily of coffee or diet coke! Use the summer to build some good habits and read about the “art of hydration” here.

Updated by Cally on July 15, 2023