Runner's World: Prognostication for the Running Nation

The 8 Trends, Events, and Phenomena We’re Watching in 2018
From the women’s marathon to a hot hashtag (seriously!), the new year of running looks like an exciting one.
Runner’s World/December 20


Here at Runner’s World, we’re pretty excited for the New Year. How could we not be, given everything that happened in 2017? We saw Eliud Kipchoge almost break the two-hour marathon barrier, and we saw American runners win for the first time in decades at Chicago and New York. But what will 2018 bring? We’re hesitant to make out-and-out predictions (as runners, we know anything can happen!), but here are eight things—call them trends, phenomena, events, whatever—we’ve got our eyes on in the next 12 months...


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Rodale: Don't Wait Until You're Dead

Why You Can’t Stop Waking in the Middle of the Night
You can’t run your best unless you’re getting enough rest. See if one of these is getting in the way. Christina D'Adamio/Rodale Wellness, October 16, 2017


If you’re constantly waking up in the middle of the night, it’s safe to say, you’re not getting your much needed rest. That's unfortunate, because your body needs a certain amount of sleep—generally seven or eight hours—to help you make the most of your runs.


Fortunately, Adam Tishman is here to help you get the snooze you deserve. It’s time to find out why you’re constantly waking up in the middle of the night and correct your sleep mistakes...


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Outside: Even Rest Takes Work

5 Questions to Determine if Rest is Best
Lindsey Emery/Outside, July 12 2017


For most sane people, a day off from exercise is a welcome chance to kick back and rest. Talk to many athletes, and they’ll tell you that a rest day feels counterproductive at best and alarming at worst. But no matter your goal, recovery is an integral part of any training plan and crucial for optimal performance, says Michele Olson, adjunct professor of exercise science at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. That said, effective recovery—things like getting a massage, meditating, stretching, rehydrating, and eating well—takes work, so don’t think you can sneak in a few “rest” days when you’re feeling a little lazy, she says. Instead, ask yourself these questions to determine if today’s fine to skip or if you should power through...


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CTS: I'm Only (Not) Sleeping

Why Can't I Sleep After A Hard Workout or Race?
Chris Carmichael/CTS, June 8 2017


Here’s a scenario a ton of athletes experience, but few talk about: The night after finishing a big endurance competition or a long and strenuous workout, you lie awake in bed or toss and turn despite being thoroughly exhausted. Your sleeplessness may be compounded by feeling like you are radiating heat or you can feel/hear your heartbeat. And even if you are able to get to sleep initially, you struggle to stay asleep and fail to have a restful night. What gives? How can an exhausting event leave you sleepless?


There isn’t one simple cause for post-exercise insomnia, but there are definitely factors that contribute to it...


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MapMyRun Blog: Prevent/Treat IT Band Syndrome

7 Exercises to Treat and Prevent IT Band Syndrome 
JASON FITZGERALD/MapMyRun, MAY 13 

As runners, we expect a little fatigue and soreness from time to time. But any sort of sharp pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong.

One of the most common sources of pain that can stop runners in their tracks is iliotibial band syndrome. Frequently misunderstood, IT band syndrome is often treated incorrectly.

Common treatments include ice, rest and stretching, and, while all of these have their place in treating a running injury, ITBS is best approached proactively...

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Outside: And I Get Grouchy

The Five Things That Happen to Your Body When You Quit Working Out
The good news? They're all pretty simple to reverse—or prevent entirely.
Dan Roe/Outside May 1, 2017

When a planned rest day turns into a rest week or a nagging injury keeps you out of the game for longer than anticipated, you expect a little guilt over dropping your exercise habit. But we consulted the experts to break down what happens when workouts grind to a halt and what they have to say may surprise you. It's okay to take time off, but there are physiological changes that you should be aware of. The good news: while some gains do vanish overnight, most are reversible or don't take much effort to maintain...

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Trisutto.com: You Start. You Finish

You Start. You Finish - Don't Let Numbers Determine the Success of Your Workout
Brett Sutton/Trisutto.com

What is an awful workout?

How do we categorise a good or bad workout? Is it a great workout when we hit certain times after we have had 3 days of rest to get ready? Is it awful when we are training hard, start a workout tired, and by the end are going just above a walk? How important is hitting ‘the numbers’?

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