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.
Yes, I have fallen asleep while standing up during military exercises. Transcript: "Yes, I was in the military before I started running and it's yeah, I have fallen asleep while standing up before I wouldn't say I can do it on cue but yeah, I have fallen asleep while standing up during how I'd military exercises."
My bucket list includes skydiving, giving a TED Talk and meeting Kendrick Lamar. Transcript: "Can you tell us three things on your bucket list? So the first thing on my bucket list will probably be skydiving. I'm not too terrified of heights. But I think going all the way up there and jumping out of a plane is something that I really was scared of. And I always heard you should do something that you're scared of because that's where life starts. You know what I'm saying? So skydiving number one. Number two on my bucket list will probably be doing a TED Talk. I feel like that would be a great opportunity to tell my story and just impact a lot of people. And I just think it would be really cool. And number three, it would be to meet Kendrick Lamar. He is my favorite artist right now. That's my goal. So it would be an honor to meet him."
The best running tip I've ever received is to work your arms and tell your feet to keep up. Transcript: "OK, Josh. I actually love this question. It says, what's the best running tip you've ever received? So I was going through my Graves' disease. And one of the Olympic games in 1992, I couldn't feel-- I was still having some residual effects of feeling my feet or having the numbness that I was feeling in my legs and my feet. And I didn't run one of my rounds right. And so my coach comes up to me. And he's like, what happened? As I couldn't feel my feet. He was like, you could feel your hands, right? I was like, yeah. Yeah I'm good on my hands. He said, OK. Then, you better work the heck out of your arms and tell your feet to keep up. So that's the best tip. Because, I always tell people now, you know your arms tell your legs what to do. So work your arms and tell your feet to keep up. That's my best tip. Thanks for the question."
During the middle of a season, aim for two or three double runs, sleep and nutrition as well as two to three gym sessions per week. The rest of the days should be easy runs and one long run. Make sure to recover sufficiently for the next day. Transcript: "For me, an ideal week of training looked like by day. So typically, in the midway through a season, you wouldn't be tapering up or anything like that. You'd be pretty high mileage. Double in 2 or 3 times a week to get those miles in. Sleeping a lot to make sure you're recovering and then also taking care of nutrition as well. The gym can also really complement your training. So 2 or 3 gym sessions a week would be great. But typically, just running easy miles on the days you don't have workouts. Typically, two workouts a week. The rest of the days would be easy minus a long run. So take it as you will. Everyone's different with mileage. But midway through a season, still training pretty hard to get those miles in. And make sure you recover for the next day too."
To help with achilles pain, try stretching the calf muscle and feet, using a massage ball to release any knots, and muscle flossing with a band. Transcript: "So something that has helped me with my achilles is stretching the muscles that attach to it. So, the calf muscle rolling that out, especially with like a small massage ball rolling that out and get any knots out that are tight and any areas that are tight and also stretching my feet and Toes sometimes like doing stretches of like the big toe or like the smaller toes will help the Achilles to and just rolling out my feet. Anything that's tight. Disconnected. Achilles may be adding to that soreness. Another thing that has helped me is muscle flossing on the Achilles and also on the calf and I'll include a YouTube video of what that is. But it's pretty much like wrapping a band really tight around that area and doing some exercises with it. And I feel like it helps with blood flow, and gets things moving, and it's helped me a lot too. So those are the things that I was go to when my achilles are tight or sore."muscle flossing
To monitor hydration, athletes should do a sweat rate test on a hot and humid day. Weigh yourself before and after a workout while deducting how much you drank, and then use this to figure out how much you need to drink in those conditions. Transcript: "That's pretty much something that the athletes take care of themselves, but what I would do, you know, what I have my athletes do is a sweat rate test. So, you know, let's say it's a hot humid day that's going to mimic the conditions of your race. You'll weigh yourself before a workout and let's say you do a one-hour tempo workout, you know, maybe similar to race pace on that hot humid day. Weigh yourself before, weigh yourself after, and then deduct how much you drank. For Lord knows what historic reason 16 fluid ounces does not weigh 16 ounces. It weighs 16.64 ounces, but you know, let's call it, you know, if you drank the 32 ounce bottle during your workout, you added on two pounds, but let's say after the workout you're two pounds lighter. That means you lost four pounds of fluid, so you've got to get that back in. So that's how you monitor your hydration, you know, doing a sweat rate test, and then you learn how much you need to drink in those conditions."