Track & Field

Running

My goal is to break 5:00 in the mile this summer. What is the one workout I have to do? 

One workout to break 5:00 in the mile: Greg's game-changing strategy!

Greg, it is awesome that you keep putting lofty goals out there. If you want to break five minutes in the mile, start off by adding some sprints at the end of easy days once a week. Then, every other week, try this workout, eight times 474 seconds with one minute recovery. As soon as you can do this, you can reach your goal. Good luck.

Add sprints at the end of easy days once a week. Do 8x474 seconds with 1 minute recovery every other week to reach your goal.

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Greg, it's great to hear that you have ambitious goals. If you want to break five minutes in the mile, here's a workout that can help you get there. Start by incorporating sprints at the end of your easy training days once a week. Additionally, every other week, try the following workout: complete eight sets of running 474 seconds with one minute of recovery in between. Once you can successfully complete this workout, you'll be on track to reach your goal. Best of luck!

How important is active recovery in your process?

The Ultimate Recovery: Why Sleep is Key

Hi, Daniel, I've heard the term active recovery quite often and don't tend to believe in it too much. I think recovery the best. Recovery happens in sleeping because your cortisol levels, go down that stress hormone and your human growth hormone naturally increases. So sleep is a Surefire way to make sure that you're recovering well and anything active, should be taxing and Energy System, that's important. And so an easy run. Some may consider it a recovery run, is really an aerobic run and a chance to get your metabolism up to flush out some of the lactic acid and other things that build up in our muscles when we're working out hard. So everything has a purpose, but sleep is the ultimate recovery.

Sleep is the best way to recover, but an easy run can help flush out lactic acid and other build-up in muscles.

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Active recovery is a term that I've come across quite often, but I don't place too much importance on it. In my opinion, the best form of recovery is simply rest. During sleep, cortisol levels, the stress hormone, decrease, while human growth hormone naturally increases. This makes sleep a surefire way to ensure proper recovery.

When it comes to being active, it's important to focus on activities that tax the energy system. For example, an easy run, often considered a recovery run, is actually an aerobic run that helps boost metabolism and flush out lactic acid and other byproducts that accumulate in our muscles during intense workouts. So, while everything has its purpose, sleep remains the ultimate form of recovery.

How do I overcome boredom during a 10 mile run?

Beat Boredom on Long Runs: Engage, Explore, and Have Fun!

Boredom really. Oh my gosh. I think it's important to have some tools in your pocket before you head out and run whether that's a to-do list. Something to troubleshoot thinking of a question to ask here on the any questions app and and let that fill your time, the more tools you have in your pocket, the more engaged you're going to be on a run so if you start to find that, you don't really have anything to think about, maybe it's important to start. Having fun with the terrain mixing up where you're running and really sightseeing along the way charging Hills picking up the pace until you hit the next tree or stoplight, have fun with it. Be engaged in the run and and in doing that it's going to keep you excited. Keep you in the sport longer and hopefully keep you boredom free.

To avoid boredom when running, it’s important to have some tools in your pocket before you head out and run like a to-do list or questions to ask. It’s also important to mix up your terrain, sightsee along the way, charge hills and pick up the pace to stay engaged in the run.

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To overcome boredom during a 10-mile run, it's helpful to have some strategies in place. One approach is to have tools or activities to keep your mind engaged. Consider creating a to-do list or thinking of questions to ask on an app like Any Questions to occupy your thoughts. The more tools you have, the more focused and engaged you'll be during the run.

Another tactic is to make the run more enjoyable by varying the terrain and sightseeing along the way. Challenge yourself by tackling hills or setting mini-goals like picking up the pace until you reach the next tree or stoplight. By injecting fun and engagement into your run, you can stay excited and avoid boredom.

Remember, finding ways to stay engaged and entertained during your run will not only make it more enjoyable but also help you stay committed to the sport in the long run.

What are your mental strategies for coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions?

Pain is temporary: Focusing on goals for greater rewards

Hi Lane, what a great question and I think my answer might be different on any given day, but I was recently at a race and someone was holding a sign on the side of the road that said pain is temporary online results there forever. And it really made me continue my run thinking that sometimes we can't be in the presence present. Sometimes, we have to look forward to what our goals are and what we're trying to accomplish and at any given moment, if it takes us out of that discomfort and into a place, Ice that gets us toward that celebration. So it really hit home to me and I think about it often both in training and in racing that giving it my best and getting through those tough patches are what makes that finish line and getting to those results. So rewarding

Pain is temporary, but results are forever. Keep pushing towards your goals and the reward will be worth it.

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Hi Lane, great question! My mental strategies for coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions can vary, but I recently had a powerful experience at a race that stuck with me. I saw a sign on the side of the road that said, Pain is temporary, online results are forever. This message resonated with me and reminded me that sometimes we need to focus on our goals and what we're trying to achieve. In those challenging moments, it's important to shift our mindset and think about how pushing through discomfort will bring us closer to that sense of accomplishment and celebration at the finish line. This perspective helps me stay motivated and reminds me that the temporary pain is worth it for the long-term results and satisfaction.

What is a “Runner’s High” and how do you explain it?

Unleashing the Runner's High: A Rare Euphoria

Michael, what a great question. I've been running for 38 years and can count on my two hands. The time I have felt the runner's high and really me. I csikszentmihalyi is the psychologist that coined the term flow or runner's high and it is when your mind and body are operating at 100%. It doesn't happen very often. But when it does you feel like you can run hard Forever Without tiring. It is such a euphoric feeling. That's not to discredit the thousands of other experiences that have you feel the endorphins and the good Rush that running has to give. So keep chasing that high.

Runner's high is a feeling of euphoria experienced when your mind and body are operating at 100%. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it feels like you can run forever without tiring.

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A Runner's High is a term coined by psychologist Csikszentmihalyi to describe a state where both the mind and body are operating at their peak performance. It is a rare and euphoric feeling that occurs during running when you feel like you can run hard without getting tired. While it doesn't happen often, there are still many other experiences in running that can make you feel the endorphins and the positive rush it brings. So, keep chasing that high and enjoy the countless benefits running has to offer!

Do you believe in the maxim 'hard work beats talent, unless talent works hard, and if so, what's your secret to motivating the talented?

Unleashing the True Potential: Talent vs. Work Ethic

What a great question and I've, particularly had a pretty big struggle with the word talent because from a very young age, I was told that I was talented in the sport of running and from age 11 on through my youth running years and into high school and college, I relied on that talent but the talent didn't really teach me anything, it wasn't until I was a post Collegiate athlete, trying to decide whether to open up a bakery or see how Far I could get in this great sport that I finally hunkered down and had the work ethic that really built the character traits within me in such a short amount of time. So I believe that that Talent is just innate within some people, but it's the character building that really is the gem that sport has to offer. So shoving, that Talent aside, and really seeing how the choices you make And the and the intrinsic motivation that you can create for yourself really allows you to Blossom as an athlete. It's a lot of times not about succeeding in getting to a goal as far as time or distance are placed but really about how you can keep evolving and getting better as a human being and that is really the value that sport has to give us

Talent is innate, but it is character building and intrinsic motivation that will make an athlete truly blossom.

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What a great question! I've personally struggled with the concept of talent. From a young age, I was told that I had talent in running. Throughout my youth and into high school and college, I relied on that talent. However, I realized that talent alone didn't teach me much. It wasn't until I became a post-collegiate athlete, contemplating opening a bakery or pushing my limits in the sport, that I truly developed a strong work ethic and built character traits within myself.

I believe that talent is something innate within certain individuals, but it's the process of building character that truly shines in sports. By setting aside the notion of talent and focusing on the choices we make and the intrinsic motivation we create, we can truly flourish as athletes. It's not always about achieving specific goals in terms of time or distance, but rather about continuously evolving and becoming better as human beings. That is the true value that sports can offer us.

So, to motivate the talented, I would emphasize the importance of character building, intrinsic motivation, and the continuous pursuit of personal growth.

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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.