Outside Online: Ninety-Four Problems, But...

Five Things Most Marathoners Shouldn't Worry About
Martin Fritz Huber//March 9 2017

Marathon training can be overwhelming, but some things just aren't worth the stress

With the abundance of marathon training advice available today, figuring out how best to prepare can seem as daunting as the race itself. There are training plans for every ability level, books dedicated exclusively to the subject of marathon nutrition, and accessories for problems you probably didn’t know existed. For someone with limited time to dedicate to the inherently absurd pursuit of racing 26.2 miles, the question may arise: How much of this stuff do I really need to worry about?

Of course, the answer depends on your goals. Anyone looking to qualify for the Olympic Trials will be fine-tuning their training down to the last detail. But for your average marathon-bound runner, it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees.

To help cut through some of the clutter and distill those aspects of marathon training that matter most, we consulted Mario Fraioli, a former collegiate All-American and head coach of the digital coaching service Ekiden. (He also writes a weekly newsletter called the Morning Shakeout.) Fraioli has coached several elite-level athletes, but we picked his brain about what the rest us should be most focused on. (link)

Self via MapMyRun.com: Some Get It, Most Don't

8 Ridiculous Things People Say to Runners
Alison Feller//Self, Mar 1 2016

One of the best things about being a runner is having like-minded runner friends. You know, those people who just get it and totally understand why you don’t want to go out at 11 PM on Friday when you have a long run on deck the next morning. But there’s always going to be a few friends, coworkers, or second cousins who don’t quite understand it, and simply can’t fathom why you keep trying to convince them to join that annual Turkey Trot or Fourth of July Fireworks 5K. If you’re like me and run on the reg, these are the eight things you’re probably sick of hearing.

(Link to Article...)

Active Network: Why Have One Way When You Can Have 22

22 Ways to Run Better Every Day
Kolby Paxton//The Active Network

For some, the hardest part about running is simply breaking from the day's obligations long enough to change shoes and hit the pavement. Consistency is tough and improvement often feels fleeting -- or altogether impossible.

But, runners who establish that consistency will find that improvement suddenly becomes constant and natural -- and the runs become more fun.

For those looking for a path to this mythological land of contentment...here's 22: (link)

Active.com: I Really Love the Treadmill...

21 Things We’re All Thinking On the Treadmill
By Dorothy Beal//Active.com

No single word in a runner’s vocabulary ignites a debate so fierce as “treadmill.” In fact, the treadmill’s origins really can be traced back to torture, with its earliest form used at penitentiaries in the 19th century to reform stubborn convicts. One prison guard described it thusly: “It is the monotonous steadiness, and not its severity, which constitutes its terror.” (We couldn’t agree more.)

 

But while runners have plenty of derogatory terms for the apparatus (“hamster wheel” and “dreadmill,” to name just a few), it’s hard to argue against its usefulness. Whether you can’t get a babysitter or the weather suddenly resembles an Arctic tundra, the treadmill saves you from writing “unplanned rest day” in your running log—and, for that, we are grateful. In any case, our inner dialogue upon approaching the treadmill goes a little something like this...(link)

First, It's "Anyone Can Marathon." Now This?

Anyone Can Finish an Ultramarathon by Mastering These 8 Fundamentals 
Jason Koop. MS // Carmichael Training Systems

One of the greatest aspects of ultrarunning is its accessibility. You don’t need much expensive and specialized equipment, and you don’t have to be incredibly fit or talented to participate. That is not to say ultrarunning is easy, because it most definitely is not. However, by structuring training to address eight fundamental areas, I am confident anyone can reach the finish line of an ultramarathon event within the cutoff time, and have fun doing it.

(Link to Article)

Outside Online: Want To Eat Like An Elite?

The Secret Foods Elite Athletes Eat // Outside Online
Frosting! Cookies! Peanut butter! It's all fair game during long days of racing.
By: AC Shilton Feb 28, 2017

Clare Gallagher, who won the 2016 Leadville Trail 100, began her ultrarunning career while undergoing a teaching fellowship in a rural corner of Thailand. There wasn’t a single sport-specific gel packet or PowerBar within a hundred-mile radius of her town. Gallagher, now 25, improvised, sucking down Coca-Cola, Thai milk coffee, pure sugarcane, and lots and lots of packets of sweet sticky rice.

Not only did Gallagher feel fine eating this unorthodox combo, but she also started kicking ass, winning her very first ultra. Now, when Gallagher looks at the prices of sports nutrition products, she rolls her eyes: “Westerners are so self-righteous with our extravagant nutrition strategies that cost more than a month of student loan payments—for one race,” she says.

 

Plus, gels, bars, and powdered sports drinks are not exactly fine dining—especially in large quantities, when it feels like your taste buds are being assaulted by pure sugar. This is why more endurance athletes these days are eating real food while training and racing. “It gives me something to look forward to,” says ultrarunner Dylan Bowman of his favorite salted fudge brownies.

 

We caught up with six athletes to hear about their favorite unorthodox fuels, and then asked Cara Anselmo, a New York–based registered dietitian to weigh in on what, if any, benefits these foods might convey. (A necessary disclaimer: Not every workout requires this kind of fueling. If you’re going out for under two hours, we suggest you stick with water and maybe a gel.)

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Active.com:Only Eight Of 'Em, Huh?

8 Ways to Piss Off a Runner
Caitlin Chock/Active.com

Although many runners are high on endorphins thanks to all those miles logged on the roads, trails and tracks, there are a few situations that can turn that happy mood into a sour one. Here are eight sure-fire ways to piss off a runner (details in link...)

Tripping a Runner

Hogging Lane One

Delaying Their Run

Pointing Out When They Can't Run

Delaying Post-Run Food

Provoking the Injured Runner

Calling a Runner The "J" Word

Inflicting the Jeans Debacle