The friends will try to break the World Record for the most consecutive marathons, by running from Boston To Austin. The idea was inspired by their growing admiration for their friends, who are currently serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan.

The challenge, which will start on September 15th 2010, is an excruciating one and will push them to their physical limits. While doing so, they will be completing up to 40 miles per day, crossing 9 states, a hundred towns and 9 cities. The climate will change constantly, and the brothers will cover all sorts of terrain along the way. Mountains and deserts included.

A message from Rusty Tolliver

I don’t know what I’m going to feel like or if I’m even going to be able to feel. One thing I’ll know for sure is that I will have started a whole new part of my life. I will have finished a trek so BIG and meaningful that a satisfying state will overwhelm me with the next step I take.

The preparation for this journey has brought highs and lows and has showed me what it’s like to put your life into something you love. The hard work and dedication for the training has been nothing compared to what we have ahead. I am awaiting the future more so than ever. I can’t wait to get out there on the road with Rhys and Scott. To start this journey and share it with such close friends of mine will sure be epic.

I can’t tell you how happy I am to embark on such a long run. Just knowing that there are no turnarounds, time trials or anywhere else we need to be for those 2 + months is a fresh break.

Giving back to charity

The idea for this run stemmed out of my love for running and my dedication to give back to my community. They actually both came along at the same time and I haven’t stopped either since. Charity work always meant a lot to me as I would choose the ones that hit close to home.

I got introduced to “Young Texans Against Cancer” two years ago in Austin, Texas at a music festival they were sponsoring. Since then I’ve paid close attention to what they do around the community and how they give back. When I decided on this run, I knew exactly which charity I wanted to work on this with.

Cancer has played a big part throughout my life. My Mother, Debbie, battled the epidemic twice, my Aunt Loretta passing away in the summer of 09’, my best friend’s Father passing away earlier this year and all the other family, friends and strangers alike who have had to see this disease tear away so much in it’s path. I wanted to change the way we look at this disease and I thought what could I do? So, I decided to put the two loves I share with Rhys and Scott together and make something beautiful happen.

What does this run mean to you?

I’d have to respond with the strong feeling of… I don’t really know. It means more than words, but I believe that the feelings for this run will change with every mile we shred and every smile we bring.
September 15th…here we come.

-Rusty Tolliver

To find out more please visit www.2000milerun.com and www.facebook.com/2000milerun

Racing takes mental stamina, focus, and courage. After all, the point of a race is to test your body and see how hard you can push it. If your head is not in the game – if you don’t get to the starting line ready to perform – then your time will suffer. You may not get that personal best you were aiming for, reach your Boston Marathon qualifier, or be as competitive as you were hoping for in your age group.

Mentally preparing yourself to race fast is a must. Some runners get inspiration from quotes about running, others try visualization, and yet another is to determine your pre-race personality. What do you prefer to do during the hour before the gun goes off? This can give you clues to how to better structure this time for your next race.

Your Pre-Race Personality

Go to any race, and you’ll see many different types of runners: back and mid-packers and those contending for the win. Even though all of these runners have different ability levels and goals, they’ll fall into one of two different race-day personalities. Figuring out your pre-race personality can help you play to your strengths and get you to the starting line mentally prepared to run your next PR.

The Loner

The first type of runner is the Loner. This person typically avoids socializing with other runners before the start of the race and prefers to be alone with his thoughts. He likes to focus intently on the race and the race plan he has created, oftening using visualization techniques. He prefers to warm-up alone and, if forced to run with others, won’t say much.

Loner personalities will avoid all distractions and focus on getting mentally psyched up to race. They’ll usually listen to music using headphones, further isolating themselves. In addition to isolation, music helps this type of runner get geared up to race by increasing energy levels (think hard rock or rap music).

The Social Butterfly

If “the loner” doesn’t sound like you, you’re probably the Social Butterfly. Unlike the Loner, this type of runner prefers to be around others. He ignores thoughts about the race during the hour before the gun, usually talking and joking with his friends or other runners.

The Social Butterfly is more casual about the race and acts nonchalant about the task ahead of him. Instead of visualization methods, this runner will almost pretend he’s not racing soon. You’ll never see the Social Butterfly wearing headphones – that’s too serious. He will always try to warm-up with others.

Both runners can be very serious about racing well but their approaches to the anxiety of race day are very different. The Loner feeds of the anxious energy, directing it towards his goal of running well. The Social Butterly has usually already developed a race plan and knows what he has to do during the race. Beforehand, he prefers to be with his friends and not get overly worked up about the race. Both strategies can work very well depending on how you’re wired.

Using Your Pre-Race Personality To Run At Your Best

Once you know which personality you are, it’s time to use this information to put you in the zone before your next race. By knowing the type of runner you are on race day, you can develop a plan to help you get mentally prepared to race at your best.

The biggest challenge to disrupting your plan is the race venue itself. Every race has its own feel – some have bands while others are small neighborhood races with no on-site entertainment. Each type of race venue will have its own challenges for each type of pre-race personality. No matter what issues come up, stick with your pre-race plan.

The Social Butterly should arrive with a race plan already developed so you don’t have to dwell on the race. If thinking about the race makes you nervous or drains your energy, avoid it at all costs. It will only hurt your performance. You will thrive with other runners around you, so if possible bring a few friends who also like to hang out before the gun fires.

Music probably won’t help you get ready to race as it will force you to be alone with your thoughts. You may start thinking about the race and get nervous, which is not what you want. If being nervous saps your energy levels, stay with other people and don’t talk about the race. Keep the atmosphere light and talk about other subjects besides running.

The Loner will want a much different environment in order to thrive. You will still want to develop a race plan before you arrive, but feel free to go through it in your mind and tweak it if necessary. Some runners actually feed of anxious, nervous energy and it revs them up to race. If this is you, get nervous!

You’ll definitely want music with you on race day to help increase your energy levels. Being mentally prepared means using all of the strategies available to you – for Loners, music is incredibly valuable. You’ll also want to travel to races alone or else risk pissing your friends off by being unfriendly (tell them you can chat after the race).

Personally, I’m more of a Social Butterfly. Dwelling on the upcoming race makes me nervous and then I feel flat. This was never a problem for me in high school or college because there were always a lot of people around to talk with. I never owned an MP3 player (I still don’t) and would rather crack jokes before the start than talk about my plan for the third mile of the race.

It has been tough post-collegiately because I’ve often traveled alone to races and had nothing to do for an hour before the race. In situations like this, I people-watch. I know that visualizing or getting psyched up is counter-productive to the type of runner I am so I just avoid it altogether. I’m not going to fight a losing battle.

So even in unfavorable environments, you can still stay mentally prepared to race well. Avoid the energy zappers and focus on what works for you. You’ll be racing fast and setting personal bests in no time.

Pre, as his adoring fans prefer to call him, was born Coos Bay, Oregon on January 25th, 1951. His rare combination of talent, star-quality, feisty determination, courage and persistence paved the way for his remarkable journey. Interestingly, his passion for running manifested itself at an early age when he was a student at Marshfield High School. Since then, his hunger for excellence never stopped until his tragic death in 1975.

About the legend

During his school years, Pre set a national school record in the two-mile race and broke nineteen national high school track records. He graduated from High School in 1969 and moved on to achieve more victories: he became a two-time Cross County State Champion and a two-time two-mile State Champion besides winning the State Championship in the mile during his senior season. Also during the same season, Pre established a new National two-mile record timing 8:41.5 in Corvallis and he kept that record for years. He capped his high school success by placing fourth in the three-mile race held by AAU National Championships, where he was chosen to compete internationally on the USA team.

Something inside of me just said ‘Hey, wait a minute, I want to beat him,’ and I just took off – Steve Prefontaine

Steve joined the University of Oregon and was running under his legendary coach Bill Bowerman. During his university years, he won three I NCAA National College Cross County Championships and four consecutive three-mile College Outdoor titles. During his U of O years, Pre quickly earned an excellent reputation for his beautiful yet aggressive front racing style, by going out hard and never relinquishing the lead. He soon became a self-made legend not only in Oregon, but nationwide, appearing on the cover of “Sports Illustrated” magazine at the age of nineteen. In addition, Pre was the first athlete to sign a contract with Nike in 1974.

In 1972, Steve won the Olympic Trials for the 5,000-meters race in front of a room crowded with devoted fans at the Hayward Field in Eugene. Later that fall, Steve represented the USA in Munich Summer Olympic Games, where he finished fourth, narrowly missing the medal, in one the most jam-packed 5,000-meter races in Olympic history! His next goal was winning the Summer Olympics held in Montreal in 1976. Sadly, he couldn’t. At the time of his tragic death in May of 1975, Pre have held every American distance record from 2,000-meters and up to 10,000-meters. During his rather short running journey, he managed to win 120 races out of 153.

Publications

Pre’s magnificent story was told in two feature films: “Prefontaine” in 1997, with actor Jared Leto playing Prefontaine) and “Without Limits” in 1998, with Billy Crudup playing Prefontaine. He was also featured in the 1995 documentary “Fire on the Track.

In 1984, the President of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce proposed to the Prefontaine Memorial Committee to create an annual award for North Bend/ Coos Bay distinguished student-athlete to be presented during the Annual Awards Banquet and they actually started that wonderful tradition since 1985.

As a small expression of love, Coos Bay citizens, Pre’s hometown, spared no effort to honor their favorite son. They placed a commemorative monument adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce in the Bay Area, displaying a bronze likeness of Pre and a list of all his records. Nearby, the Prefontaine Memorial Gallery, located at the Coos Art Museum, holds the permanent collection of Pre’s awards and memorabilia, as well as numerous photos highlighting his brilliant running career.

In addition, Steve Prefontaine’s memory is honored every year at the “Annual Prefontaine Memorial Run”, a well-organized yet challenging 10K road race across one of Pre’s old training courses, with its finishing line at the high school track where he first competed. It’s a two-day community celebration offering exciting events for the entire family.

You’re warmly invited you to visit Coos Bay every year on the 18th of September and enjoy running where Pre’s legend began.

This clearly reveals the unquestionable importance of proper hydration for runners of all levels. In fact, hydrating well can literally make you minutes faster on a short 6-miles run. Needless to say, the benefits of proper hydration far exceed improving your performance. It is also essential for your overall health and wellness. That’s why; we will dedicate this article to address this important topic. Enjoy!

How can you hydrate properly?

Seasoned runners are well aware of the importance of hydration. Yet many of them can be seen cramping up, and dropping out of marathons at the Olympic Games because they don’t know how to hydrate properly. Quite often though it is we, the recreational runners, that unintentionally hamper our potential for the same reason.

Studies have shown that if you run for up to 6 miles (60 minutes roughly), water alone is sufficient for your hydration needs. It is certainly worth your while to carry a fanny pack with a bottle of water if your running distance was at least 3 miles (20+ minutes). Some runners only drink when they feel thirsty, thinking that they wouldn’t need liquids otherwise. That’s a very common mistake!

Your own thirst is not a reliable indication of your hydration needs during a run, particularly after the first few miles. You need to consume liquids on pre-set intervals regardless of whether you feel thirsty or not. For me, I discovered, after trying different options, that drinking at least one cup (500 ml) of water every thirty minutes seems to help me maintain the right hydration levels. Having said that, please don’t take my experience for granted especially that I am not a sports doctor. Instead, find out what works best for you to stick to it.

Studies have suggested that marathon runners should be drinking 100 to 600 ml of fluids every thirty minutes. Such broad range proves what I mentioned earlier about our unique hydration needs.

Water is not enough…

Once you decide to break the 6-miles run barrier, water will be no longer adequate to fully meet your hydration needs. You will also need to incorporate electrolytes into your liquid intake. This is because drinking excessive amounts of water without adding electrolytes to the mix may lead to hyponatremia, which can be fatal in extreme cases. Gatorade is a well-known fluid that contains electrolytes. Potassium and sodium are two other ingredients that you need to take into account.

Sports drinks are excellent source of electrolytes. In hot weather, you can carry electrolyte tablets as a water supplement. These tablets are available in most running stores. Still, you need to try different electrolyte replacement tablets in order to decide the right one for you. Also, it is a clever idea to experiment with electrolyte tablets while training for races before using them during the actual race.

To ensure you can always find fluids, you may choose a running location that offers access to water. If you are running in a populated area, make sure to carry enough money to buy sports drinks at convenience stores. You will only need to carry your own fluids if you are running in unpopulated areas or trail running.
For your convenience, Camelbak® is a brand of backpacks designed with a hose that allow you to sip the liquid contained in them without interrupting your run. Thanks to these backpacks, you can easily carry large amounts of liquids.

There are also different types of hydration bottles that can be fastened to your hand or carried on your belt pack. You can aim for the all-in-one designs that offer small pockets for carrying money, snacks, and electrolyte tablets.

Under-hydration versus over-hydration

Be careful not to “overdo” your liquid intake as it may result in over-hydration. In other words, you need to balance your fluids intake to ensure that you wouldn’t risk facing either possibility. But how can you tell if you are under-hydrated or over-hydrated?

Here is a good tip:

If you lost too much water-based weight in a hot weather run, it means that you are under-hydrated.

But if the opposite happened and you actually gained weight after running in hot weather, it’s a sign that you are over-hydrated. Trial and error is your best bet in order to figure your unique hydration needs. For me, drinking at least one cup of liquid at the available stations in marathons and half-marathons works like charm.

To sum up, the key takeaway from this article is to be aware of the importance of hydration, not only for your running performance but also for your long-term health. Once you maintain the right hydration levels, you will perform at your optimal level. Good luck!

Think of your core as the center of your energy. A strong core will move the energy out to the other parts of your body so they function at their maximum. A weak core doesn’t transfer the energy as well, so some parts of your body will have to compensate by working harder to produce the same motion. After a while, those body parts will break down from excessive wear and tear, and injury will occur.

Besides injury prevention, a strong core will help with

• Your posture
  If you strengthen your core muscles, you will stand and sit taller and you’ll find it easier to maintain proper running form.
• Agility
  You will be able to bend and move better because you’ll have better range of motion.
• Balance
  Staying upright is good for everyone, but balance is especially important for runners who go off road and run on trails.

And another benefit? The tight, show-off abs you’ll be sporting!

Improving your core strength can happen in many different ways. Some people prefer to do yoga or pilates, while others use different exercise machines. The good news is this: you don’t need to pay for a gym membership, a trainer, or purchase any special equipment to get your core in shape.

Simple exercises using your own body weight

The Bridge

Lie down on your back and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Put your feet on the floor and push your heels into the ground. Tighten your abs while you squeeze your buttock muscles, and push your hips up off the floor. Hold this position for 30 seconds and release. Repeat 4-6 times.

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, while your hips are off the floor, extend one leg out and hold it up for 30 seconds. Lower and repeat with the other leg.

The Side Plank

Lie on your left side and lift your upper body off the floor so it rests on your left elbow. Be sure your elbow is directly underneath your shoulder. Lift your hips and knees off the floor so only your left elbow and forearm and your left foot are touching the ground. Also make sure your body is in straight alignment from your shoulders to your knees to your ankles. Hold this position for 30 seconds being careful not to let your hips sag toward the ground. Repeat on the other side.

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, instead of resting on your elbow, push yourself up onto your left hand. Again, be sure your hand is directly below your shoulder and your body is in alignment. Repeat on the other side.

The Front Plank

Lie facedown on the ground. Lift your upper body up by putting your forearms on the ground, elbows directly under the shoulders. Then lift your lower body up so you are on your tiptoes as if you were going to do a pushup. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees to your ankles, and be careful not to let your knees sink to the ground. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 4-6 times.

To increase the difficulty of this exercise, hold yourself all the way up in a pushup position, with your arms extended and your hands directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line and hold the position for 30 seconds.

As these exercises get easier, hold the position longer—60 or even 90 seconds each time.

Core training doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive, or time-consuming. You can do these simple exercises almost anywhere and at any time, and reap all the benefits a strong core has to offer!

Running cross-country means you’re going off road. You could run on trails, grass, through water or mud, or any combination of these, so be prepared! You’ll want to make sure you have good shoes that are lightweight and sturdy. Also, pay attention to the terrain since it will be uneven and can be dangerous (although this will improve your concentration and running focus).

Besides having better concentration and focus, here are 6 more great reasons to give cross-country running a try:

Fewer joint injuries

Running on the natural earth has less impact on your joints than running on concrete or asphalt. However, the injuries that cross country runners may experience are twisted and sprained ankles, bumps, bruises, and cuts from falling. You’ll want to double or even triple tie your shoelaces so you don’t have to stop to tie them, but also so you don’t trip on them.

Improved speed and endurance

Going up and down hills, through brush and trees, and winding through a cross-country course will help your running performance. Your running stride and tempo will constantly change as you make your way through the course. This will help increase your dexterity and balance, and the challenging runs may help you when you’re out on the road—you could run faster and feel stronger, so your road runs may even seem a little easier.

Use different muscles

When you have to navigate through a variety of running areas, you will use different muscles than you use when you run on a straight, flat, even surface. Your hips, legs, and ankles will get stronger. Also, you will use your thighs more, which means your abdominal muscles and your lower back muscles will have to work harder to support your leg action.

Burn more calories

If you want to lose weight, or even maintain your current weight, cross-country running is a great way to exercise. It’s well known that running burns a lot of calories, but when you mix it up with the different terrain and the hills, your burn rate will go up.

No boring runs

If your normal training routine has become routine, cross-country running can mix it up. You’ll have new experiences and beautiful scenery. The challenges will spice up your runs, and you’ll look forward to your workouts. Also, inclement weather can be a factor, which adds another element of excitement.

Fun races

Once you get the hang of running cross-country, enter a race. They are designed for individuals or for teams. Before the race, get some race specific training in. Find out everything you can about the course: how steep the hills are, how many hills there are, and what obstacles you will encounter. And remember this little tip as well—if you can commit to a fast start, line up in the front. This will give you an edge since there will most likely be bottlenecks in the course where runners will be forced to fall back because the course narrows or only allows for a few runners to get through at one time.

If you’ve never tried cross-country running, it’s just like beginning any other activity—so start slowly and build up your stamina. It will test your cardiovascular strength, your muscular strength, and your mental strength. But the benefits are worth the struggle, so get out into nature and give it a try!

Instead of carrying around an extra pound or two and guilt for having a good time, why not pack your running clothes? You’ll stay in shape and have a vacation to remember.

Here are some benefits to running while on vacation

• No tour bus required
  You’ll get to see your vacation destination in a completely different manner. When you’re on foot, you will experience the area in a more personal way, finding all kinds of hidden gems. You can check out places to go explore in-depth later, or if your trip is already planned out, you’ll get to visit sites that aren’t on the agenda.
• You’ll be even more relaxed
  Go for your run first thing in the morning for a great way to start your day. That way you won’t be thinking about it while you’re supposed to be having fun doing other activities, and you won’t fret over missing your run later in the evening when it’s time to go to bed.
• You’ll prove to yourself that you can stick to your running schedule
  Map your run ahead of time, or if you’re staying at a hotel, ask the front desk. Many of your larger hotels have maps of safe running routes. You could also stop at a local running store. They can show you great places to run, and they may even have a running group you could join for a few days. Don’t worry so much if you don’t get all your mileage in—you don’t want to sacrifice time spent with family and friends!

If you do decide to get out and see the area while running, remember to always put your safety first. Tell people where you are going and how long you expect to be gone, and carry your cell phone and identification. After all, you don’t want your dream vacation to turn into a nightmare.

Running alternatives

There are times when you are on vacation that you won’t be able to run. For example, if the weather is too hot, too cold, or too windy, or if there isn’t anywhere you feel safe running at five o’clock in the morning, here are some alternative ideas:

• Go to a gym
  Most hotels have a gym that you can use either for free or for a small fee, or they are associated with a gym that is nearby. Run on the treadmill, swim in the pool, run in the pool, ride the exercise bike, get on the elliptical, or lift weights. Be flexible about your workout, especially if there are other people using the equipment as well.
• Cross train outdoors
  Rent a bike, go hiking, walk everywhere you can, go rowing, sailing or surfing. If it’s winter, go downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding or snow-shoeing. These activities will keep you moving and may challenge some different muscles that are underused. And they are fun, so you won’t even feel like you’re working out!

Another great idea is to give your vacation a running purpose by planning your vacation around a race. If your family wants to go to Disneyland, check out the races that are held at the theme park or close by. No matter where you want to go in the world, you can probably find a race to run, and then arrange your trip so you’re there that weekend. If your race is planned, your family and friends won’t squawk so much about your training runs while you’re there, and they’ll be at the finish line to cheer you on.

When you’re getting ready for your vacation, work your runs into your schedule and pack your running gear. It will be great for your mind and your body!

Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  Not so fast.

Fancy programs that project daily and weekly volume totals with set workouts months in advance are seriously flawed. These types of programs lack flexibility and are too formulaic to be as effective as they could be.  How do you know what you’ll feel like 4 weeks from now on a Thursday?

Deciding roads vs. trails, 4 miles vs. 6 miles, 8x800m intervals vs. 6x600m intervals should be a game-time decision based on a multitude of factors.  Don’t let your running schedule run you.  You might even want to skip a workout and try a different training alternative.

Running plans need flexibility; they shouldn’t be carved in stone.  If you have been running for years, you know how important flexibility is and you implement it in your own training.  Workouts are planned for when you know you’ll be energized or tired.  Foresight and planning has their place but can easily lead to injury or burnout if a running scheduled is stubbornly adhered to.

Static Programs Lead to Static Progress

Running schedules that don’t change used to be popular when people thought it was all they needed.  Planning ahead was thought to be a good idea (and it is) but it’s not enough.  Scheduling an easy day before and after a long run won’t cut it 6 weeks from now when you don’t know how you’re going to feel.

Ask any accomplished runner what their weekly mileage is and you’ll probably get a vague answer.  Something like, “I’m shooting for about 60 miles” or “Somewhere in the mid-high 50 range.”

Ask a new runner and you’re likely to get a very different answer.  They’ll tell you with confidence, “This week I’m going to run 22 miles.”

Why is there such a difference in these two approaches?  Seasoned runners know that training has to be flexible.  Every day, your run must adhere to your body and the numerous variables that can make you feel great or terrible.  New runners often don’t understand this – they get a stock training plan and read it like the Bible.  They never miss or change a workout.

Go on any prominent running message board and you’ll see hundreds of posts by new runners complaining about injuries. It’s frightening.  You’ll see the same runners asking if they can run five minutes less than what their training plan prescribes. Of course you can run less!

This dogmatic approach to running schedules injures a lot of runners every year and keeps them from improving at the rate they should.  The first few years of running are the most exciting – PR’s are often minutes instead of seconds.  I want to get back to where new runners are worrying less about their injuries and more about things that matter (like when to wear the next race t-shirt).

Promoting Flexible Randomness

I want to encourage new and seasoned runners to implement more flexibility in their training.

• Listen to your body and run less if you need to
• If you’re feeling great, run an extra 5 or 10 minutes out on the trails
• Don’t always run in the morning
• Stop running that same boring loop in your neighborhood

Constantly challenging the body in new and different ways keeps your muscles guessing.  You’re using different muscles and staying more engaged with your training by planning so many deviations from your normal routine.  Elite coach Brad Hudson calls this type of training “Adaptive Running” – he believes in a responsive, evolving, and creative approach.

You should too.  To start, one of the easiest ways to be more flexible with your running is to run more trails.  With uneven terrain, direction changes, and elevation gains and drops, the options are limitless to try new things and experiment.  Rotate a few pairs of shoes.  Ditch the technology and try minimalist running.

Always switch up your training – be random.  I used to run 4 strides after most easy runs.  I still do that, but I also do 20-30 second surges at the end of my runs at various speeds.  Sometimes I do them on trails and sometimes on the roads.  I’ll even do them at the end of a long run.  Or I’ll only do 10 seconds, but up a very steep hill.

When you start basing workouts on motivation, your health, the weather, how rested you are, and randomness, you’re going to see major improvements.  You will absolutely enjoy running more.  And isn’t that what it’s all about?

If you want to make your running more effortless and energizing, pay attention to your arm swing. What purpose do your arms play? They help determine your stride so you’ll be able to run faster, longer, and/or with less perceived effort. If you move your arms quickly and with power, your legs will also move more quickly and powerfully. Here’s a chance to try it out: walk forward with your arms swinging slowly and easily, then start moving your arms faster and with more power. Do your legs follow suit?

Watch people run, whether they’re professional runners or recreational runners, and you’ll see many different styles of arm movement. Some keep their arms high and some keep their arms low. Some barely move their arms, while others swing their arms with vigor. You’ll see runners move their arms straight back and forth, across their bodies, or out and away from their bodies as if they were drying their back with a towel.

There are two easy ways to find out how you swing your arms: either have someone watch you run and evaluate what you do with your arms, or have someone videotape you running from both the front and from the side so you can self-evaluate. Then take that information and see where you can improve.

Tips for a proper arm swing

• Keep your arms at a 90-degree angle
  To envision this, never let your hands drop below your waistline, or go above your shoulders. Think of your arms as a pendulum, moving smoothly back and forth, tucked closely to your body so the elbows aren’t opening out wide, or collapsing in. This will allow your hips to rotate fully so you are in fluid motion.
• Resist the urge to lift your shoulders
  If your shoulders, neck, or upper back get sore when you run, it’s because your shoulders are moving up and down with every arm swing. To see what it feels like to run with no shoulder movement, stand up and put your right hand on your left shoulder. Swing your left arm back and forth, putting your mental focus on the point of your elbow. Switch sides. You may need to practice this a few times before the swing starts to feel natural, but you’ll remove the tightness and feel more relaxed as you run.
• Run with loose hands
  Some runners clench their fists, which causes unnecessary muscle tension. Your fingers should be curled inward, as if you were running with an egg in each hand that you don’t want to crush. Keep your thumbs on top and don’t stick them down into your fingers. Your thumb position will also be a reminder to run with your palms facing each other, instead of with your palms facing down.
• Push your elbows back
  Make the emphasis of your arm swing a backward push instead of a frontward pull. You’ll see that when you push your elbow back, your arm will naturally come forward on its own. The one exception is when you’re running up hills. Because of the increased effort, you’ll want to focus on moving your arms forward. It will take some of the work off your legs as you find your legs will lift up more easily.

As you can see, your arms are just as important as your legs when you run. There is a lot of information to remember about proper arm swing, so take it one step at a time. Soon you’ll notice a better flow in your running, and maybe even a new PR!

Blisters

This might be the most common issue new and old runners alike find creeping onto their heels.
Blisters love warm, moist areas where they can creep in underneath friction.  Fast feet definitely fall into that category.

To prevent blisters make sure that your shoes fit! It seems obvious, but if your shoes aren’t properly sized, they won’t sit correctly and will facilitate blister-loving conditions.  Also, the longer distances you run, the more you need moisture wicking socks.  They are made of special material to keep your feet dry, making it harder for blisters to form.

Check out our in-depth article about blisters.

Shin Splints

The #1 culprit for that aching on the front of your legs? Your stride.
Lots of beginners tend to run on the front of their feet rather than on the balls.  Make sure you stay centered on your stride and don’t favor one side of your foot.  Shoes can be another one to blame.  Good running shoes will have enough cushion to take the shock of pounding your feet on the pavement.  Go to a good sporting goods store to check out something with a little extra pad.  While you’re there, have them check out your old kicks to assess your stride.  Kill two birds with one stone by getting shoes that enhance your natural stride tendencies and provide adequate shock absorption.

There has been a lot of discussion about the correct stride and there are a lot of different opinions on the correct way to land your feet while running. We’ll cover this in an upcoming article soon!

We have written a Runner’s Guide to Shin Splints.

Tummy troubles

Remember that rule about not swimming for an hour after you eat?
If you’re experiencing nausea after or while running, you might need to apply that rule to your feet flying as well. However, the more likely suspect is dehydration.  Make sure that you’re drinking lots of water throughout the day.  Besides keeping yourself well hydrated, water is  your number one cleansing source, flushing away toxins and all the bad stuff you might be encountering throughout the day and in your snacks.

But even if you’re getting 8 glasses a day, you need to hydrate during your training runs.  Especially if you’re running for longer than an hour.  Carry a water bottle or try a hydration pack to keep your energy and hydration up.  If running like a camel isn’t your style, plan your runs around drinking fountains or some other sort of water spot.

Read more about hydration.

Sunburn

Unless you’re continuously running at night, always take the proper precautions to protect yourself from the sun.
Depending on your location, lather yourself up with SPF, wear a hat and get some good polarized sunglasses.  Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Chafing, Toenails, and all the Gross Stuff

Long term, long distance runners can vouch for the fact that running isn’t always pretty.  Do yourself a favor and make like a girl scout: be prepared.  Use Vaseline or another type of body gel to cover spots that might rub against your clothing to prevent chaffing.  Keep your toenails short so they don’t hit the front of your shoes when you’re heading down hills–that way they won’t bruise or even fall off (seriously).  As for staying dry, make sure you have moisture wicking clothing and a hat or headband to keep sweat from burning your eyes.

As a fellow runner, I can tell you that I haven’t experienced all of these things in full force.  Some I experienced right off the bat (shin splints) and others I got a little taste of when I started to run longer and further.  You may never get a blister, or you might have to take off a couple of weeks because your knee ended up being more serious of a set back than you imagined.

As long as you are smart, armed with resources and confidence about how to jump any hurdle, your training will be unstoppable.  Maybe even beautiful.