CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, ILLINOIS

In addition to the important ingredients of success in running, I have come up with what I call basic laws of running. I have designed these laws in hopes of allowing runners of all levels of achievement to be able to optimize the benefits of training. Because runners respond differently to a particular coaching treatment, training program, or environment, these basic laws help evaluate and enhance individual training situations.

1. Every runner has specific individual abilities.
2. A runner’s focus must stay positive.
3. Expect ups and downs; some days are better than others.
4. Be flexible in training to allow for the unexpected.
5. Set intermediate goals.
6. Concentrate on the task at hand.
7. Most mistakes in races are made early in the race.
8. Training should be rewarding.
9. Eat and sleep well.
10. Don’t train when sick or injured.
11. Chronic health issues should be checked by a professional.
12. A good run or race is never a fluke.

Read more from the new edition of Daniels’ Running Formula

Consistent training is all about developing the aerobic system with easy miles and low-­level stress. On top of that, short, fast strides get the ­running economy positive-­feedback loop looping. So, let’s break it down with some sweet, CliffsNotes-­style action:

• Do lots of easy ­running, and your aerobic system and ­running economy develop over time. ­Those adaptations are sticky—­they ­don’t go down much with age, and they allow you to run more and run faster.
• Build your speed with short, fast strides and intervals (while avoiding ­going too hard too often), and your ­running economy rises like a full moon tide. In the pro­cess, it takes the aerobic ship with it, allowing more aerobic development.
• Run more over time, and your aerobic system improves even more. As your economy improves, you get faster without even trying. Do that for a few years, and you can chase breakthroughs rather than marginal gains. That is what we mean by consistent training.
• Read the complete excerpt!

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Plantar fasciitis can be such a painful condition that it often prevents any running at all. This sheet of fibrous tissue runs between the metatarsal heads and its insertion in the calcaneus (next to the Achilles tendon). Its weakest part is found at the heel, where it becomes injured. The typical sufferer winces when the underside of the heel is even lightly touched. If the exercises presented in this chapter are ineffective, then a physician’s steroid injection can produce a cure. A better long-term solution, however, is to seek knowledge of why the injury occurred and address that cause.

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Six key elements of form assessment represent the biggest influencers of performance, running economy, and risk of injury. Therefore, these six should be measured carefully via video analysis:

1. Determination of how far ahead of the body the leg moves during the swing phase of gait and thus calculation of maximum shank angle (MSA)
2. Measurement of reversal of swing (ROS), or how far back the shank and foot move from MSA before hitting the ground
3. Determination of the ROS-to-MSA ratio (ROS/MSA)
4. Measurement of the shank angle at initial impact with the ground (SAT, or shank angle at touchdown)
5. Determination of the foot angle at touchdown (FAT)
6. -Confirmation of posture

A smartphone with video capabilities or a video camera are necessary to carry out the video analysis. The brand of the device does not matter, but the video instrument must be capable of recording at a rate of no less than 240 fps (frames per second).

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Monitoring your body provides valuable information on your adaptation to training, your risk of injury or illness, and your readiness for the next hard training session. There are several good ways to determine when you are overreaching so you can avoid overtraining and remain healthy. You can use this information to improve your recovery by modifying your training schedule to your individual limits. A variety of apps exist for runners and other endurance athletes to monitor the key factors that influence recovery from training, such as resting heart rate and amount of deep sleep. These apps take just a few minutes each day; they make it easy to track both your training and recovery factors and typically provide warning signs when several factors are heading in the wrong direction for several days.

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Pete Pfitzinger details proper nutrition (podcast)