I’ve never owned an actual trail-running shoe myself, but maybe I should. My favorite paths are fraught with peril, much of it skulking at shoelace level. A rock, a root, an errant pine cone. Wham, and you’re down, choking in dust and picking pebbles from wounds in your forearms and knees. Don Kardong Read Quote
Cold is not without its risks to runners, of course, especially ones who don’t head south when winter visits their neighborhood. Even pooh-pooh-ers of frozen lungs and lovers of dark jogs over permafrost have been known to be careful about certain hazards. Don Kardong Read Quote
For most teenage runners, the right foods means a varied diet, decreasing the amount of fat found in the typical American diet and replacing those calories with carbohydrates. Avoid saturated fats, such as those found in fried foods, and eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Don Kardong Read Quote
Fartlek, or speed play, is variable-pace running that emphasizes creativity. During a 30-minute run, choose objects to run to – telephone poles, trees, buildings, other runners, whatever. Make choices that mark off different distances, so your pickups vary in length from 15 to 90 seconds, and modify your pace to match the distance. Don Kardong Read Quote
Even for runners who never make the transition to more sophisticated workouts, easing into speedwork will lead to more enjoyable running. Don Kardong Read Quote
Beginning runners come in all shapes, sizes and pre-existing conditions, so there’s no magic formula for determining exactly how much basic running is needed before you start speedwork. Most experts, though, recommend three or four months of preparation. Don Kardong Read Quote
Train at the same pace day after day, week after week, year after year, and that’s the kind of running the body adapts to. But break out of that comfort zone with a little speedwork now and then, and the body will learn to deal with the new demands. Don Kardong Read Quote
When an athlete has relegated the persistent rumors of cheating to the back room of the mind, he hasn’t really forgotten them. And when he glances back to where rumors hunker in the darkness, he hopes with a savage heart that somehow, some day, those cheaters will be brought to justice. Don Kardong Read Quote
When I went to the starting line of the 1976 Olympic marathon in Montreal, it was with the unsettling conviction that some of my competitors were cheaters. Don Kardong Read Quote
Clearly, there are things a runner does, intentionally or not, that disrupt team cohesion. And there are also things a runner doesn’t do that can cause problems: not trying, showing up late, skipping team-building activities, and ignoring the coach’s instructions. Don Kardong Read Quote
