Runners burn a bunch of calories, especially during pre-race training season. Let’s be honest. That’s one of the reasons most of us started the whole running pursuit. Then we discovered endorphins and the thrill of chasing the next personal record (PR).   Enter the Girl Scouts with their tantalizing roster of cookies. Here they come!  It’s that time of year again.  Look ..read more

 Running is good medicine. Ask any marathoner, triathlete, cross-country runner, track star, sprinter, or weekend jogger. We can trumpet the health-related virtues of exercise, cardiovascular fitness, and stress relief – which all come with running regularly.   Now modern medicine is making that claim official. Running is good medicine, and perhaps it even trumps medications often ..read more

 Gotta run!  Picture this. You’re running along outdoors, clocking your miles, when you see a friend or neighbor, beckoning you to come near. Or maybe you encounter someone you know on the trail. Do you run on past him or her, or do you stop to visit for a few minutes?  For me, it depends on several factors. Here’s a dozen possible considerations, on-the-fly. (I'm just being honest here.) Maybe ..read more

 Beep-beep! Road runners (Nope, not the feathered kind.) dash and dart along city streets, county roads, rural highways, and other thoroughfares. We pound the pavement, logging training miles for marathons and more. Frequently, that means we endure honking (and other signals) from motorists, as they roar past us.  For safety reasons, pedestrians (including runners) are supposed to go against ..read more

  It’s not exactly sleepwalking.  Lots of runners find themselves gasping for air after a speedy sprint. Maybe that’s why so many of our finish-line race photos are so comical, or even scary. But what happens when runners (or other folks) experiencing gasping or a struggle for air while sleeping? Doctors call that sleep apnea, and it’s not uncommon among runners.   “You can’t have sleep apnea ..read more

  But first, full disclosure. I’m not actually gonna tell you which race it was. Not worth the litigation exposure.  Any runner who has done more than a few races can tell stories of the best and worst run events. Be they 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons, full marathons, or ultras, each race has a story.   What lessons can be learned from the worst of all races?  A few years ago, I splurged on a ..read more

  Ever step on a high-voltage cable? Don’t even think about it.  That’s sort of what sciatica (sciatic nerve pain) feels like. At least, that’s my own best estimate.  It’s crazy-painful. Like many runners or other athletic types, I’ve broken plenty of bones. I’ve had stitches in several spots. I’ve had a frozen shoulder, a collapsed lung, and a host of other injuries – not to mention chronic ..read more

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  The past couple of years have been a blur for so many of us. Sure, we’ve set fitness goals, mileage goals, nutritional goals, weight loss (or maintenance) goals, and more.  Maybe we’ve met those goals. And maybe not.  It's OK.   It’s time for grace … and more than a little gusto.  Were your favorite races canceled (or transformed into virtual events)? Did injury or illness hold you back ..read more

  Who’s got a hunger for stronger abs? The holiday season is racing towards us, bringing belly-busting bounty of favorite feasts. Most of us are already craving our favorite seasonal indulgences.  Just the thought of it all makes my belt feel snugger.  I guess it’s time to firm up my fitness goals, putting my midsection to work before Turkey Day arrives, followed soon by a whirlwind of ..read more