Whether you’re new to running or looking to master your craft, AnyQuestion’s panel of Olympian and World Champion Track and Field athletes are here to help you improve. Learn about training plans, race strategy and sport specific nutrition from verified experts like Meb Keflezighi, Michael Johnson and Gail Devers.


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Michael Johnson is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, and in the 1990s he dominated the 200m and 400m, going undefeated in the latter for seven years. Born in Dallas in 1967, he studied at Baylor University and was spotted by coach Clyde Hart. After gaining a degree, he committed to full-time athletics and in 1991 won the 200m world title. Sadly, food poisoning denied him individual success at the Barcelona Olympics, but he helped the US 4x400m relay team to gold. From 1993, Johnson went undefeated in the 400m for 58 races and in 1996 achieved the 200m-400m double at the Atlanta Olympics, setting world records in both. He retired in 2001 having won 8 world and 4 Olympic gold medals.

Deena Kastor is an American long-distance runner and 8-time national cross country champion. She was the holder of American records in the marathon (2006-2022) and numerous road distances. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, she won the bronze medal in the women's marathon. She ran collegiately for the University of Arkansas, coached by Joe Vigil and Terrence Mahon, and post-collegiately coached by husband Andrew Kastor. Kastor has earned two silver medals in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, and holds U.S. records in the women's road 10 mile, 15K, and 8K. She formerly held the women's marathon, half marathon, 10,000m, and road 5K records. Kastor has won multiple awards, including the Jesse Owens Award, USATF Runner of the Year (2001, 2003, 2004, and 2008), and C.C. Jackson Award. She has been inducted into the New York, National, and Southern California Jewish Sports Halls of Fame.

2016 Olympic 1500 meter Gold Medalist 
2016 World Indoor Champion 
3x Olympian 
7x US Champion 

Keturah Orji, known as KO, is a two-time Olympian and one of the world's rising stars in track and field. She is credited with leading a new era of excellence in the American triple jump. KO has also worked to advance access to opportunities for women of color. She is the first American since 1974 to win more than six consecutive U.S. titles in the outdoor triple jump and was the first American woman to qualify for two consecutive Olympic finals in the triple jump. Her mission is to show people that they can accomplish great things regardless of their background or looks. To carry out her mission, she created Amara's Pride, a mentorship program for girls. The program aims to provide young girls with access to successful women they can look up to, helping them envision themselves succeeding in their own lives. KO is currently a professional triple jumper and long jumper and trains in Atlanta, GA.

Gail Devers is an American retired track and field sprinter. She won gold at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics in the 100m, making her the second woman to defend an Olympic 100m title. She was also the 1993, 1997 and 2004 world indoor champion in the 60m, 2003 world indoor champion in the 60m hurdles, and 1993, 1995 and 1999 world champion in the 100m hurdles. In 2011, she was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Frank Shorter made history as the first American in 64 years to win the Olympic marathon at the 1972 Games in Munich, his birthplace. He won the NCAA 6-mile run for Yale in 1969 and the 10,000-meter and marathon at the 1971 Pan American Games. He won gold at the 1972 Olympics and silver at the 1976 Olympics. After retiring, he founded a sportswear company, worked as a commentator, and was involved in sports administration. He left an indelible mark on distance running and represented the US with distinction.

Meb Keflezighi is an Olympic Marathoner, best-selling author and co-founder of 26. He is the only runner to win the New York City Marathon, the Boston Marathon and an Olympic medal. Meb's "Run To Win" philosophy encourages runners to prioritize their own wellness. He is a highly regarded keynote speaker and global ambassador for running.

Aliphine is a world class athlete from Kenya who moved to the US to pursue public health science. She won four USATF titles in 2017, was 15th at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and won the US Half Marathon Championships in 2018. She was fourth at the USATF Cross Country Champs in 2019 and third at the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:26:50, a PB. In 2020, she won the Olympic Trials Marathon in 2:27:23, becoming the team's first Olympian. In 2021, she was forced to drop out of the Olympics due to an injury. In 2022, she won the USATF 25k Champs and was 7th at the TCS NYC Marathon, setting a PB of 2:26:18. She is a 14x All American, a double runner-up at the NCAA 10k and holds multiple school records.

And sorry, it took so long to get back to you. I'm getting used to this program. You're actually my first answer. At my peak, I was running about 120 miles a week, but most of it was very slow, maybe even seven minute pace, but I did my intervals very, very fast and my long run was on a Sunday. And every Sunday, I'd run 20 miles, no further. Because my feeling was beyond that you're starting to deplete your glycogen and I felt that would interfere with my training because I always did really my hardest interval workout of the week the day after my long run. So maybe that was just unique to me, but I found that's what worked for me. And I never ran so hard on my easy runs that I felt it would impede my next hard day, I always had that in the back of my mind, so good luck. And also, it took me a year and a half two years to work up to that level. Thanks.

I used to run about 120 miles a week, with intervals done very fast. My long run was on a Sunday and I would only run 20 miles. It took me a year and a half to two years to work up to that level.

How many miles per week did you run at your peak? How long were your long runs?

120 mile peak, 20 mile long runs: Marathon training secrets revealed

During my peak running phase, I was running approximately 120 miles per week. However, most of my runs were at a very slow pace, around seven minutes per mile. I reserved my speed for intense interval workouts. 

My long runs were typically on Sundays, and I would cover a distance of 20 miles. I intentionally kept it at that distance because I believed going further would deplete my glycogen and potentially interfere with my training. The day after my long run, I would push myself with the most challenging interval workout of the week.

It's important to note that this approach may be unique to me, and it took me about a year and a half to two years to gradually build up to this level of mileage. I always kept in mind not to push too hard on my easy runs, ensuring they wouldn't hinder my performance on the harder training days.

Good luck with your own running journey!

I would venture to say almost 100% of world class runners use strength and conditioning training to avoid injuries. I mean, a lot of times I think lifting heavy has been this myth of gaining too much muscle mass as a distance runner, but I think a lot of the teammates that I've been around and a lot of the results that I've seen personally a lot of my best seasons came from heavy lifting and it wasn't so much that I was building strength to run faster, although it did, but I found it more beneficial of strength and conditioning to actually prevent injuries which is the name of the game really. Just getting that starting line healthy.

Almost all world class runners use strength and conditioning training to avoid injuries, as it helps to prevent injuries and get them to the starting line healthy.

What percentage of World Class runners use strength training to avoid injuries and enhance performance?

Virtually all elite runners turn to strength training to excel and stay injury-free

I believe that almost 100% of world-class runners utilize strength and conditioning training to prevent injuries and enhance performance. There has been a misconception that lifting heavy weights can lead to excessive muscle mass, which may not be ideal for distance runners. However, based on my experience and observations, many successful runners, including my teammates, have seen great results from incorporating heavy lifting into their training. The primary benefit I found was not just increased running speed, but also injury prevention, which is crucial for success in the sport. Ultimately, the goal is to start each race in a healthy condition.

How much mileage do I clock in a week? It obviously varies with the time of year. Base-- I like to try being around that 90 miles to maybe 100 in the fall and winter. And then it kind of gets cut down as more of the quality track workouts start to be implemented in our weeks. So I would probably say on average, anywhere from like 80 to 85 throughout the year. But I don't have a specific number usually going into each week that I want to hit. It just like-- I let it happen. If I feel really good during that week, I'll run a little bit longer on my recovery days, and if I'm feeling a little bit sluggish, I'll also cut the mileage back. So I hope that answers your question.

How much mileage do you clock in a week? Is it where you'd like it to be?

Strategic mileage: Mixture of seasons and feelings influence my weekly distance.

On average, I typically clock around 80 to 85 miles per week throughout the year. However, the mileage can vary depending on the time of year. In the fall and winter, I aim for around 90 to 100 miles. As we incorporate more quality track workouts into our training weeks, the mileage tends to decrease.

I don't have a specific number in mind that I aim for each week. I let it happen naturally. If I feel great during a particular week, I might run a bit longer on my recovery days. On the other hand, if I'm feeling a bit sluggish, I'll reduce the mileage. It's all about listening to my body and adjusting accordingly.

So, overall, I'm generally satisfied with the mileage I clock in a week, but it can vary based on how I feel and the training phase I'm in.

That actually is a great question. And it definitely applies to me because I am still recovering from my New York City Marathon from three weeks ago. So for us, we usually take two weeks off completely not running. And I took two weeks of this time around, and then I started running. I ran the first time two days in a row, and then took a day off, and then actually ran every other day. So right now, we are in the middle of week four since I run the New York City Marathon. And I've only ran five times. Now, I will say that typically, it's just a two weeks off and then start running maybe like the whole week, everyday running four miles, or two every other day. And also I try to just do things that are not running related like take a vacation, go visit family and friends, and get massages and try to rest as much as I can. And I mean, resting from a marathon or recovering from marathon is not just physical. It's also mental. So I will try to do things that doesn't attacks me mentally. And I mean, that's a little challenging these days as a mom just because my daughter is always needing me. And so I try my best to recover. But yeah. I think the first couple of days, actually when I got home, I literally didn't even get out of the house. Now, I'm not saying that that's normal. But that's what I decided to do just because I was super tired, and it been like a very intense five weeks of training leading up to New York City Marathon. I also tend to watch a lot of movies during my recovery. And a couple of years ago, I started crocheting. And I didn't really have a lot of time when I was training for my marathon. So I started getting back to crocheting. So I made a few beanies during my recovery, watched a lot of movies. And so it's been just fun to just have a downtime. And I'm actually still having downtime for the rest of this month, I mean, until four weeks just because a marathon takes a lot out of you. And I want to make sure that when I get back to my next marathon, I'm motivated physically. I'm ready to go. Because it's going to be a long build.

For recovery after a marathon, I take two weeks off completely and then start running every other day. During my recovery, I do things like take a vacation, visit family and friends, get massages, watch movies, and crochet.

Recovering from a marathon: the physical and mental journey

Recovering after a marathon is an important process. Personally, I am currently in the recovery phase from my New York City Marathon three weeks ago. Typically, I take two weeks off from running completely. After this period, I gradually ease back into running, starting with shorter distances and incorporating rest days in between. In the fourth week post-marathon, I have only run five times.

During the recovery period, it's not just about physical rest but also mental recovery. I try to engage in activities that are not running-related, such as taking a vacation, visiting family and friends, getting massages, and prioritizing rest. Mental recovery is equally important, and I try to avoid activities that may mentally drain me.

In my personal experience, the first few days after the marathon are usually spent resting at home. I take this time to relax and catch up on movies. Additionally, I have recently taken up crocheting as a hobby, which I find enjoyable during the recovery phase. This downtime allows me to recharge and prepare for future marathons.

Recovering from a marathon is a gradual process, and I ensure that I give myself enough time to fully recuperate before diving into the next training cycle. This helps me stay motivated and physically prepared for the challenges ahead.

Hey, Christine. Dr. Baggish here. It sounds as if someone told you that as a woman in her 40s, you should never run fasted and so you're looking for some idea about the ideal macronutrient composition prior to easy morning runs. Well, first off I'm sorry that someone told you you should never run fasted. I'm not sure there's any science to support that. In fact, many distance athletes of both genders and across the entire age spectrum prefer to do a morning workout without having taken any food in. It's really a personal preference thing. There's no downside or danger to running fasted. If you find that you feel better eating, typically 2 to 400 calories of a combination of easily digestible carbs and some protein along with the right amount of fluid, something that you enjoy eating, this doesn't have to be some nasty energy bar. It can be some real food alternatives, some grains, some chicken, some fish will really do you well. But again, I want to emphasize the fact that there's no never run fasted science that I'm aware of, and so you should experiment and do what's right for your body.

It's a personal preference whether or not to eat before running in the morning. If you prefer to eat, you should have 2 to 400 calories of a combination of easily digestible carbs and some protein along with the right amount of fluid. There is no science to support that women in their 40s should never run fasted.

What's the optimal macro-nutrient composition for a pre-run meal?

Expert debunks myth: No harm in running fasted, personal preference key

The optimal macronutrient composition for a pre-run meal is a personal preference and there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that women in their 40s should never run fasted. Many distance athletes, regardless of gender or age, choose to do a morning workout without eating beforehand. Running fasted is not dangerous or detrimental.

If you prefer to eat before your run, aim for a combination of easily digestible carbohydrates and some protein, along with the right amount of fluid. This can be around 200 to 400 calories of food that you enjoy, such as grains, chicken, or fish. It doesn't have to be an energy bar if you don't like it.

Ultimately, it's important to experiment and find what works best for your body. Listen to your own preferences and adjust accordingly.

My favorite and least favorite type of Runners to compete against my favorite type of Runners are the people who don't trust their kick, but won't take it straight from the gun, if that makes sense. So, I love, I love the guys. Like Ben Blankenship was a competitor of mine who I enjoyed racing because you know, he would take it on somewhere the middle of the race, which I really enjoyed and my least favorite type of Runners to compete against our guys that I guess come from like the 800 that trust their kicked too much and want it to be like, really really slow. And it turns into this thing that where I have to take the brunt of the work early on and start kind of dragging out the field from you know, 800 out 600 or something like that. So I would say, I enjoy competing against like, strong 1500 meter Runner such as myself versus the guys that are coming from the shorter background.

I enjoy racing against people who don't trust their kick, but won't take it straight from the gun. My least favorite type of Runners to compete against are 800 meter Runners who trust their kick too much and want it to be really slow.

In terms of racing strategy, who are your favorite and least favorite type of runners to compete against?

Thrilling races: The runners who trust their kick vs. those who rely too much on it

In terms of racing strategy, my favorite type of runners to compete against are those who don't trust their kick but also don't take it straight from the gun. An example of a competitor I enjoyed racing against is Ben Blankenship, who would make a move somewhere in the middle of the race. 

On the other hand, my least favorite type of runners to compete against are those who come from the 800-meter background and rely too heavily on their kick. They tend to prefer a slow pace, which forces me to take on the majority of the work early on and start pushing the field from around 800 to 600 meters. 

Overall, I prefer competing against strong 1500-meter runners like myself rather than those coming from shorter distance backgrounds.