If you keep a running log (which you should do), then one of the things that you may like to do with it is to compare your average pace in one training season to your average pace in another training season.

For example, suppose that you followed an identical running schedule in training seasons A and B, with season B following season A but with some sort of boot-camp, cross-training, or gym workouts coming between seasons A and B. And suppose that you had a mean pace of 11:05/mile in season A and a mean pace of 10:55/mile in season B.

Would it be fair to say that there is a statistically significant improvement in your mean pace in season B in comparison to season A?

After all, the supposition is that season A had an 11:05/mile mean and that season B had a 10:55/mile mean — an improvement of ten seconds per mile!

Unfortunately, it is not enough to look at two means and say that one is statistically different than the other.

Of course, season B’s mean pace could be better than season A’s mean pace in a statistically significant way. But we cannot tell from looking at the means alone.

The path to statistical significance requires us to know how many values went into each sample mean and to know the variability of those values.

• The sample means from seasons A and B in this scenario would be written in statistical notation as x-bar-subscript-A and x-bar-subscript-B, respectively.
• The “how many values” part is easy to identify in this scenario. It is simply the number of running workouts on the running schedule. Written in statistical notation to refer to seasons A and B, these two numbers would be written as n-subscript-A and n-subscript-B, respectively. And, because we originally supposed that you followed exactly the same schedule in those two seasons, we also have that n-subscript-A equals n-subscript-B, which equals the total number of runs prescribed by the schedule.
• The “variability of those values” part is calculated as what is called the sample standard deviation and would be written in statistical notation as s-subscript-A and s-subscript-B for seasons A and B, respectively. You can search the Web for information on how to calculate a sample standard deviation. And some computer spreadsheet programs will calculate this for you.

With the sample means, sample sizes, and sample standard deviations in hand, you can calculate what is called a “two-sample t statistic” (the formula for which is taught in many textbooks and on many websites) and determine from this calculation whether season B truly was better than season A at a specific level of statistical significance (such as 95%).

Stephen Covey‘s The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, first published in 1990, is now a classic book in the world of business and self-help. The seven habits are:

• Be Proactive
• Begin with the End in Mind
• Put First Things First
• Think Win/Win
• Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
• Synergize
• Sharpen the Saw

These habits are worthy of consideration for your life as a runner or walker, too. Here are my examples of how to apply these seven habits to your workouts and races.

Habit 1: Be Proactive

• If you are going on a group training run or walk, do not assume that the coaches will have the directions. Print and carry your own directions and map.
• If you see a hazard along your group’s training route, let someone such as a coach know about it. Or protect your fellow trainees from the hazard until everyone has passed.
• If you discover in a training schedule that you should complete a particular kind of workout, then take time to learn why and how you should complete it.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

• Know the chip-time that you want to get when you cross the finish line in an upcoming race.
• Know your flexibility goals for the coming year.
• Know your strength goals for the coming year.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

• Take care of injuries before you take care of improving your performance.
• Take care of form before you take care of improving your performance.
• Take care of your flexibility and core strength before you take care of improving your performance.

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

• Encourage fellow runners and walkers as much as you encourage yourself.
• Train to improve others’ running or walking performances in your group training program as much as you train to improve your own performance.
• Race with others as much as you race against yourself.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

• Listen emphatically to others during a training run or walk before sharing your own challenges.
• Make a friend with someone struggling during each race by asking how he or she is doing and inviting him or her to run or walk with you.
• Focus on others’ running or walking challenges posted online before posting your own.

Habit 6: Synergize

• Ask fellow runners or walkers what running or walking tricks they use during workouts.
• Ask fellow racers what they say to themselves to make it to the next intersection or mile marker.
• Share your own tricks with other trainees or racers.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

• Cross-train.
• Have heavy and light running or walking days.
• Focus as much on the mental aspects of running or walking as on the physical aspects.

What would you list under each of these habits? Leave a comment. Thanks!

There are some 800 marathons held annually around the world, with some 250 marathons held annually in the USA alone. And only some 1 to 2% of the population has ever run a marathon.

If you have decided to run a marathon but do not know where to begin, then here are seven marathon running tips for you.

Tip #1 – Expect to train for several months for your first marathon.

Here is a secret unknown to most non-marathoners: The marathon is not the marathon. In other words, the true marathon is the months and months of training that go into preparing for a single morning of running. If you have never run the distance of a marathon, you must build your endurance, and you do this through several months of training.

Tip #2 – Join a group training program.

There is nothing like a group training program to teach you how to train for a marathon, to give you opportunities for long training runs with hydration and nutrition support beyond what your hydration belt can hold, and to stimulate a sense of accountability to others that will motivate you to persist through months of training.

Tip #3 – Register as soon as possible for your marathon.

Many marathon websites make it look as if you have a several-month time window during which to register. The reality is that many marathons now fill so quickly that you should register as soon as possible for yours. To be sure, plan to register within a couple of hours of the opening of online registration. Yes, registration can be that competitive!

Tip #4 – Follow advice from experienced marathoners.

Listen to experienced marathoners for advice. One of the best pieces of advice is simple: Do not change anything on race day from what you were doing, using, wearing, or eating in the weeks leading up to race day.

Tip #5 – Take care of yourself.

Be good to yourself. If a pain persists, then get medical attention. If advised to rest, then rest. Watch your weight so that you know that you are staying hydrated. Find foods that nourish you — both on the road and after long runs.

Tip #6 – Get inspiration.

Read books such as 50/50, which was written by ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes about his completing 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Watch DVDs about marathons and ultramarathons. Ask coaches what inspires them to run marathon after marathon.

Tip #7 – Expect that your first marathon will be a success.

The word “success” is very subjective. No matter what success means to you, daily visualize the end-result that you desire. For example, if success to you means a 5:30:00 chip-time, then take a few minutes daily to visualize yourself crossing the finish line with 5:30:00 displayed on your chronograph.

What tips do you have? Please leave a comment here. Thanks!

Runner stretching for shin splints is important for recovery from this painful condition.

What is a shin splint?

“Medial tibial stress syndrome” is the medical term for shin splints.

The tibia, also known as the shankbone or the shinbone, is the stronger and larger of the two bones in the lower leg (below the knee).

The adjective “medial” refers in anatomy to the midline of an animal.

So a shin splint is a syndrome of pain related to stress on the midline side of the tibia.

People can get shin splints because of any of these conditions:

1. Overused muscle: Running or walking, especially on concrete, can lead to muscle overuse that puts too much stress on the tibia. Because bones are constantly repairing and remodeling themselves, this stress can be so severe that it overtakes the tibia’s capacity to remodel itself. The result is a stress fracture that manifests itself with weight-bearing pain that increases as a run progresses.
2. Chronic compartment syndrome: Also known as CCS, chronic compartment syndrome refers to a chronic compression of muscle, blood vessels, and nerves inside a closed space — known as a “compartment” — within the body. CCS as it pertains to shin splints can come from a tibial fracture that leads to a small amount of bleeding into the compartment, which does not stretch because the connective tissue that defines the compartment does not stretch. Or CCS-driven shin splints can come from swelling of muscles in the compartment. No matter the cause of CCS, the result can be an ischemia-driven positive feedback loop of rising pressure and dropping circulation in the compartment that can cause temporary or permanent damage to nearby muscles and nerves.
3. Pes planus: Known commonly as flat feet, pes planus causes muscles of the medial shin to become overstretched. This overstretching leads to weakening, which leads to inflammation. This in turn leads to more overstretching of the medial tibial muscles, resulting in a positive feedback loop of increasing inflammation and pain.

How can runner stretching alleviate shin splints due to pes planus?

Because a tight calf can overstretch and thereby inflame the anterior tibialis (muscle), one solution to alleviate medial tibial stress syndrome is to stretch the calf so that it stops putting permanent stress on the anterior tibialis.

What are some stretches to loosen the calf muscles?

1. Lie down on your back, and flex your ankles so that your toes point toward your head for five minutes.
2. Sit down on the floor, pull your knees slightly toward your chest so that your feet are off the floor, and “draw” circles in the air — clockwise and counterclockwise — with your toes.
3. Stand one arm’s length away from a wall, put your hands on the wall at shoulder level, step back with both feet by another foot or so, and keep your legs straight as you lower your heels to the ground and keep them there for a minute. To get a deeper stretch in a calf, move the foot of the other leg forward, place it flat on the floor almost at the wall, and lean slightly into that other leg.

Remember to warm up before beginning any stretching.

How do you stretch for shin splints? Please leave a comment here. Thanks!

The best kind of stretching to complete before running is with dynamic stretches. The reason for this is that dynamic stretching, unlike static stretching, does not require warming up first. In fact, dynamic stretches also give your body something of a warm-up as you complete them — warming up your muscles and increasing your heart rate.

Here are six dynamic stretches to complete before running. You should use small movements for the first few repetitions before increasing your range of motion in later repetitions. You can also increase your movement speed as these exercises become easier. Complete all six of these while wearing your running shoes, to give you good footing for safety.

1. Walking Lunges

This stretch is what it sounds like. You alternately step with your left and right feet. Take a big step forward, drop your back knee so that it almost touches the ground, and make sure that your front knee stays behind the toes of your front foot. Keep your torso, neck, and head vertical, with your abdominal muscles tight. Repeat this to get twenty walking lunges.

2. Leg Lifts

These are leg lifts to the side, not to the front or back. Initially stand up straight on both feet, with arms akimbo and your shoulders level. Choose a leg, and swing it as if it were a pendulum ten times — out to your side and then across the front of your other leg and out to the other side. Then do the same ten repetitions with the other leg.

3. Butt Kicks

Stand up straight, take a small step forward, and, as you do, exaggerate your back kick so that your heel almost or actually touches your butt cheek (gluteal muscles on the same side as the kicking leg). Take a total of twenty steps — ten repetitions with each leg. To make this more difficult, do it while jogging instead of walking.

4. Pike Stretch

Begin with your knees on the ground and your palms flat on the ground immediately below your shoulders, as if you were about to crawl. Lift your hips so that your body forms what looks like an inverted V, or pike, resting on the ground. Both legs should be straight at this point. Lift your right foot, and rest the toes of your right foot on the heel of your left foot. Keep your left leg straight as you use your right foot to press your left heel toward the ground, with your left foot’s toes curled up toward your left shin. Release and repeat this stretching of your left calf for a total of ten repetitions. Then switch feet to complete ten stretches of your right calf.

5. Hacky Sack

This stretch is named after the popular game played with one’s feet and a small bean-bag-like item known as a Hacky Sack. Stand up straight, with your arms hanging down straight. Lift your right foot up, across and in front of you such that you can hit your left hand with your right foot without bending forward. Do this ten times, then switch legs, and do this ten times with your left foot hitting your right hand.

6. Toy Soldier

This stretch could also be called the Dictator Military Walk. Keep your torso, neck, and head upright as you walk with your knees straight. Swing your left arm in front of you so that it is parallel to the ground as you swing your right foot — with toes flexed — up to touch your left hand. Then take your next step so that your right arm is straight out in front of you and your straight left leg swings up so that your left toes touch your right hand. Take a total of twenty steps — ten repetitions on each side. To make this more difficult, do it while skipping instead of walking.

What are your favorite stretches? Please leave a comment here. Thanks!

There are three types of muscles used when running:

• Primary
• Supporting
• Auxiliary

The “Primary” Muscles

The “primary” ones used in running include:

• The quadriceps femoris
• The hamstring
• The gluteus maximus
• The iliopsoas
• The calf muscle

The quadriceps femoris — also called the quadriceps or the quadriceps extensor or the quads — is actually a muscle group that comprises several ones on the front of a thigh, including:

• The rectus femoris
• The vastus medialis
• The vastus lateralis
• The vastus intermedius

A quadriceps muscle group on a thigh moves two joints — the hip joint and the knee joint — specifically to flex (bend) the hip and to extend (straighten) the knee.

The hamstring comprises four on the back of the left or right thigh, including:

• The semitendinosus
• The semimembranosus
• The biceps femoris long head
• The biceps femoris short head

All four in a hamstring move a knee joint — specifically to flex the knee.

Three of the four in a hamstring move a hip joint — specifically to extend the hip. Because the biceps femoris short head crosses only one joint — the knee — it does not participate in hip extension.

The gluteus maximus is one of the three gluteal muscles, is the most superficial and largest among them, and is the primary contributor to the shape of the buttocks.

The primary purpose of the gluteus maximus is to maintain the trunk of the body in the erect posture — that is, to extend the hip. This explains why other primates, which ambulate on all fours, tend to have much flatter buttocks than the buttocks of humans.

The iliopsoas — also called the hip flexors — is actually a muscle group that comprises two muscles:

• The iliacus
• The psoas major

The iliacus, which is the shorter of these two, originates on the iliac fossa of the ilium (on the pelvic crest) and attaches on the femur (the thigh bone). The psoas major originates on the T-12 to L-5 vertebrae (of the spine) and attaches to the femur.

The iliopsoas — with the psoas major doing the majority of the work — supports hip flexion.

The calf muscle — considered by some anatomists to be a single muscle called the triceps surae — is usually seen as a muscle group that comprises:

• The gastrocnemius
• The soleus

The purpose of the calf muscle is to plantar flex the ankle and to flex the knee.

The “Supporting” Muscles

The “supporting” ones used in running include:

• The biceps brachii
• The upper abdominals
• The lower abdominals

The biceps brachii — also known more simply as the biceps — is a muscle on the upper arm whose purpose is to rotate the forearm and to flex the elbow. Because running is more efficient when the elbow is bent, the biceps brachii supports running.

The upper abdominals comprises the muscles in the upper half of the abdomen.

The lower abdominals comprises those in the lower half of the abdomen.

Together, the upper and lower abdominals support the core strength that runners need for maintaining good posture, which is crucial for maximizing performance and avoiding injury. Because running can cause a lot of rotation of the spine, it is important to have strong upper and lower abdominals to stabilize the spine and to minimize the dissipation of energy during the transfer of power to the extremities.

The “Auxiliary” Muscles

Some would say that technically there are no “auxiliary” ones used in running. But others would point out that your entire body is involved when running and therefore that you could list ones such as these:

• The external intercostals
• The internal intercostals

The external intercostals aid in forced inhalation.

The internal intercostals aid in forced exhalation.

And the list could be supplemented with others in the body, such as those that help you to keep your head erect while running.

What This All Means

The more that you know about the muscles used when running, the better you will become at strengthening and caring for them!

I first heard about the idea of walking 10,000 steps per day (10K steps/day) back in 2001, when I bought pedometers for my wife and me.

There are many reasons to walk — or run — at least 10K steps/day. Among these are improved circulation, decreased stress, and improved sleep. And many people start these programs to lose weight.

But where does one find a 10K-steps/day program?

When I began this research, I tried to find a comprehensive review of 10K-steps/day programs, but nobody had written one.

So I embarked on my own quest to find as many of these programs as possible and then compare and contrast them.

And you want to know something? I had no idea that I would find as many as I did — eleven programs, with ten of them available to individuals!

I eventually learned that there were some popular characteristics shared by many of the programs. But I also discovered that not all programs are equally valuable.

I ended up writing a special report — titled “10K-Steps/Day Programs” — that I want you to have FREE.

And it is super-easy to get this report.

Simply enter your first name and email address in the fields below and then click “EMAIL ME THE REPORT!” to get it right away. I hope that you enjoy it!