Starting to actually like runningis a surprising, exciting, and strangely addicting experience.
Trying to understand all the lingo and terminology, however, can be disheartening, especially for beginners.
Pace:How fast youre running, usually expressed in terms of minutes per mile (or kilometers).
Cadence:The number of steps you take per minute while running.
Several things can influence this, such as height, weight, stride, and experience.
Frequent runners typically take around 160-170 steps a minute, while elite runners take it up to 180.
Stride:The name for the steps you take while running.
Strides:Alternatively, strides might specifically refer to a series of short sprints.
Foot strike:How your foot hits the ground.
Cross-training:Workouts that arent running, like swimming or rowing.
Dont run on your rest days.
Easy run:Around 80-90% of all your trainingshould be made up of easy runs.
How to know if youre running slow enough?
If you cant hold a conversation while doing one of these, youre going too fast.
Speed-work:Pretty much exactly what it sounds like: runs that arefocused on improving your speed.
Think different kinds of sprint workouts and tempo runs.
Intervals:Runs that alternate between high and low intensity (speeds).
Fartleks: A fartlek translates to speed play in Swedish.
Fartleks are beginner-friendly interval runs that are mostly an easy pace broken up by quick bursts of sprinting.
Tempo run:These are a tougher form of speed training.
Hill work/repeats/sprints:Hell.
Over and over and over.
Pick-ups:Quick bursts of increased speed in an existing run.
Corrals:Also known as waves.
Runners are grouped by pace when lining up for the start of the race.
Taper:The art of reducing exercise in the days or weeks before a big race.
400 meters:One lap around a track.
Marathon:26.2 (life-changing) miles.
Splits:The time it takes to complete a specific distance.
Even splits refer to running the whole race at the same pace.
A negative split means you ran the second half faster than the first.
Depending on the layout of the course, a negative split is a goal for many runners.
Finish time:The race officially starts when the gun goes off.
Your net/chip time is the time from when you personally cross the starting line to the finish.
Hardware:Those sweet, sweet medals.
Gu:Once you start ramping up your mileage, you gotta start fueling your runs.
Youll save money on shoes, at least.
Streakers:Sadly not what it sounds like.
Its someone who runs on consecutive days for a set period, aka a streak.
Elite:The professionals.
Ultramarathoner:Because marathons arent challenging enough.
Trail runs:A run done on a trail, rather than a treadmill or track.
Just lean in and enjoy the scenery.
Road race:Just as it sounds, these races are held on public roads.
An established, well-organized race should have taken all the necessary steps to block off the roads from traffic.
Running acronyms
BPM:Beats per minute, or heart rate.
Runners will often have a target BPM for a workout.Heres how to find your target heart rate zones.
BQ:Boston Qualifier.
Its simply THE goal race for marathoners.
Currently, the qualifying standards for men are between 3:05:00 and 4:55:00.
For women, the times range from 3:35:00 to 5:25:00 (both depending on age).
CR:Course record, or a runners fastest time on a given course.
PR:Personal record, or ones fastest time for a given distance.
PB:Personal best.
DNS/DNF:Did not start/did not finish.
Either will appear in race results when a runner did not start or finish the race.
DOMS:Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
If you struggle walking down stairs the days after an intense run, blame DOMS.
Bring out the Epsom salts and foam rollers.
ITBS:Iliotibial Band Syndrome.
This injury comes up whenever your connective tissue rubs against your thighbone.
Try stretching, massaging, and foam rolling.
LSD:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
This kind of LSD stands for long slow distance.
Minimalist shoes:Lightweight shoes with little structure or support.
Maximalist shoes:Shoes with a lot of support and cushioning.
Some runners wear them during runs, but theyre mostly recommended for post-run recovery.
Running tights:Spandex leggings that help you stay safe and warm on cold runs.
Endurance training is how you gradually increase distance and speed.
This is about building up your physical stamina, as well as mental strength.
Lactic acid:Formed when your body cant generate energy using oxygen, lactic acid is produced anaerobically.
The more intense the run, the more lactic acid we create.
Running here should be a challenge, but not uncomfortable.
As your aerobic capacity increases, you will be able to run faster and further.
Hypoxic:Hypoxic is a condition in which youre starved of oxygen at the tissue level.
Pronation:If youve ever been fitted for a running shoe, youve probably heard about your pronation.
It refers to the way the foot strikes the ground while running.
If someone is an overpronator, their foot rolls inward while running.
Landing on the outer edge of your foot might mean youre an underpronator.
Check your shoes for where exactly theyve worn down to get to determine how your foot strikes the ground.
Chafing:Break out the Vaseline or Bodyglide to avoid chafing.
Shin splints:Pain on or around your shinbones.
Dont ignore shin splints: Treat with ice and rest, and maybe consider buying some new running shoes.
Plantar fasciitis:Self-diagnosed by many a runner with pain and stiffness around the heel.
Not just reserved for runners, this is inflammation of the bottom of the foot due to overuse.
Runners knee:This is pain isolated on or around the kneecap.
Also called Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), this feels like the knee is giving out.
Black toenails:Discolored toenails on runners are a result of impact and pressure on the toe.
This is assuming they hang on and dont fall off the foot altogether.
Ice baths:Somewhat controversial, some athletes believe ice baths may reduce inflammation and promote recovery.
(Otherresearchsuggests that its not any more effective than active recovery).
The more you run, the more you learn about delayed gratification.
Whatever training was or wasnt done, its behind you now.
Hitting the wall:Also known as bonking.
It can also feel like it came about all at once or out of nowhere, hence the wall.
Mantras:We all need a little something that gets us to lace up in the first place.
Im a fan of initiate the mile youre in, which helps me stay present during a run.
Runners high:Why we put ourselves through all of this.
