While July warmth and humidity may be hard to imagine when you’re blasted with sub-zero temperatures, snow, ice and 20 mph winds; it really is important that you get creative and disciplined with your training now to ensure that you’re ready for race day. Here are a few guidelines and strategies to build fitness and durability to handle more run training when the snow melts.

Tis the season for hot cocoa, warm fires, fleece lined boots and snowmen. And darkness. Lots and lots of darkness. And very few available daylight hours. Which can definitely put a damper on your outdoor running. Even if you live in a warm climate, until spring and Daylight Savings Time rolls around again, many of us leave for work in the dark and get home…in the dark. This prevents some from getting outside and instead, doing a majority of their miles on the treadmill, or, worse yet, not at all. But with a few simple precautions, running outside in the dark/cold can be a safe option.

Finish lines are personal. Each and every one of us has a story that is to be celebrated at a finish line. Whether an athlete crosses first with banners, or crosses last, there is always something symbolic about them. They ARE a big deal, not just to the spectator, but to the athlete, who celebrates something sacred, that only he or she can own. It is a journey that started with a first step, lots of growth, failures, and ends with bang.

As athletes our approach to training can be detrimental to outcomes. We start a season with a goal, a training plan, and a drive to get’r done at all costs. We have set up a training season, with a goal time, and goal placement in mind. Our wiring at an early age is to ignore signals from the body and be tough in our athletic pursuits. You have workouts on the schedule, and need to check off those boxes. You need to show commitment at all costs to the “plan”. This mentality of checking off the boxes, ultimately leads to sub optimal performance on race day. Then the head scratching starts. Illness is an experience we all have in a season. How you deal with illness during training can be a variable that can make or break your race day performance.

Enter… Glide…. Pull….Repeat….. How many times have you heard your swim coach tell you to this?

The next few months are a time of holidays and time with family and friends. It is the time to celebrate 2017, NOT be in top shape and lay a foundation for a great 2018 season!

Whether you are a professional, elite amateur or weekend warrior; planning is a crucial part of achieving your goals. A good plan of attack is like an athlete's north star, it provides a key point of reference.

If you weren’t aware, there is this really fun thing that happens every fall all around the country. Well mostly on the East Coast and Northeast to be specific, but let’s be serious, if you are reading this than you are most likely a ‘Noreaster. This thing…its CYCLOCROSS (CX), and it’s a blast. Whether you have a background in explosive sports or are in the group of burnt out triathlete’s looking for diversification, this sport can be for you!

One of the most oft asked questions that I get as a running coach, is about run cadence. Most especially since the popularity of watches that track cadence, has grown. What should it be? How do I improve it? WHY should I improve it?

Above all else be consistent. With a constant approach to training and racing you will put yourself in position to achieve the goals you have created for yourself.