Running trails requires different technical running skills, a different outlook, and different equipment, but it is so beyond worth it, and if that's not enough, your on-road running will greatly improve. Why? Because running on off road trails demands more work and more finesse. Your muscles work more and differently. You'll feel it the next day, that good feeling that you are getting fitter in a new way. You won't question whether it will pay off. You'll be confident that it will. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know, from running technique to gear and how to not get lost.

Mojo for Running

MFR 147: How to Run Trails

On and off-road miles are not equal. Off-road miles make you a better runner, make you more fit, and make you more sane. A mile in the woods holds greater value than any on-road mile. Running in the wild, produces startling results. It improves strength by engaging more muscles, especially the small muscles in the feet. It increases agility as each step is placed, avoiding roots or water or slippery spots, and it enhances proprioception as each step varies from the last, forcing constant split second communication between brain and muscles. All this makes better runners. All this will translate into faster running and better form when running and racing on roads, but there is so much more. At least as important as all the above is the mental pleasure of being out in the woods; it's truly run therapy, and there was never a time when it was more needed than right now. Today, I launched the Gnome Fest 250 Challenge.   

MFR 146: Six Reason Every Runner Should Run Off Road

Optimize your running training by properly applying the hard easy principle.  You must keep your easy runs easy and your hard runs hard to get the desired training effect. Most runners are driven to check their watch, worried about their pace being too slow, even when it's an 'easy' run day, and this prevents much-needed, injury-preventing recovery.  In this episode, I explain the appropriate time differential between hard and easy runs and provide suggestions for how to avoid running too fast at the wrong time. Don't forget to subscribe.

MFR #145: How to Make Your Easy Runs Work for You

 Wow! I would never have guessed I’d be doing a podcast on this topic, but here I am. This is not normal, nowhere near normal, not by ay stretch of the imagination. We are all living through this, one day at a time, finding our way, figuring out how to cope. We have no other choice; however, fortunately, ‘we’ have running to ease our trip through this difficult time. Every single runner of every level is struggling right now, stressed, some more than others, but living during this pandemic has shaken us all. We need our running more than ever; it’s our therapy, right? Our running behavior has been extremely restricted and may continue to be restricted for months. Our races have been cancelled, and we don’t know when they will happen. Sure, many have been rescheduled, but experts are saying things may be worse rather than better in the fall. That is not the focus of this podcast; this podcast is about how you should and can train, right now. I talk about your options, ways to maintain your running fitness under current circumstances. Training during a pandemic is challenging, but it’s not impossible. I have plenty of ideas for you to continue your running training during a pandemic. The post MFR 144: Running During a Pandemic appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 144: Running During a Pandemic

 It’s that time again, time to carefully consider what we should do in 2020 to take our running and our lives to the next level. Since the options for running resolutions are almost infinite, I thought I’d provide some insight into the advantages of some types of resolutions and the pitfalls of others. In this episode of the Mojo for Running Podcast, I discuss goal of more miles than you’ve done before, the goal of a longer distance than you’ve ever run before, the goal of maintaining a running streak, and the goal of aiming for a PR.  Beyond that, we’ll look at other kinds of goals I recommend you pursue, non-running goals. Above all else, you need to set a meaningful goal. Some will plan to do 2,020 miles. But, why? Seriously, it’s just a number that happens to be the year, but what would be your reason for wanting to do that number of miles?  Please give this some thought. Besides being meaningful, your goal should be reasonable, achievable. Then, you should start thinking about the process goals you’ll need to achieve to get you to your goal. Hopefully, this episode will give you some ideas and guidance. The post MFR 143: Sensible Running Resolutions for 2020 appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 143: Sensible Running Resolutions for 2020

 No time of the year challenges your commitment to running more than the holidays, the weeks between Thanksgiving and the new year. For that reason, I thought I’d share some my perspective in the hope that it will motivate you to stay the course. You, of course, may not run ‘all the miles,’ and I sure get that, as I explain, but you don’t want to let go of too many of your planned miles.  Let’s talk about that. To help with accountability, to give you just a little bit more of a nudge to stay the course, in this episode, I explain the Holiday Running Challenge I have planned for you. It starts, today. Are you in? The post MFR 142: The Challenge of the Holidays and a Challenge for the Holidays appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 142: The Challenge of the Holidays and a Challenge for the Holidays

 Whether you are new to running or you’ve been running for years, there will be times when you stop running weeks or even months. Matybe you have a health issue, and maybe you had an injury. My runners miss long periods, sometimes, maybe due to caring for elderly parents, maybe due their own medical problems, and sometimes a running injury or some other injury that requires a long recovery period. Sometimes, it’s weeks of overtime or school. Three of my runners in the last half dozen years, have missed more than a year when working on their doctorates. All came back, but it wasn’t easy. And then, there’s the more common situation that I liken to falling off a diet. You know how, sometimes you’re being very careful with sticking to eating reasonable portions of healthy food, but then Thanksgiving rolls around, and you decide to let yourself go a bit for the holiday weekend, thinking that you’ll return to your healthy ways right after the weekend, but then Monday rolls around, and you find it’s too easy to just decide to wait one more day before getting back on the healthy eating bandwagon, but then Monday turns into Tuesday, and pretty soon, you’re saying to yourself, “Oh, well. I’ll just enjoy myself over the holidays and get back to my normal smart self after the first of the year.” Well, sometimes running goes that same way. You take a week off, maybe due to going on vacation, planning to get right back out there on Monday, but Monday turns in to Tuesday, and so it goes. Before you know it, three months have passed, and with every passing week, you think about how much harder it will be than it would have been if you’d only been on a month-long break. Now, you’re less motivated because you realize how hard it will be. No matter the reason, you know you need to return to running. I hope this podcast episode will help you ease back into a smart, consistent running schedule. The post MFR 141: Returning from a Break appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 141: Returning from a Break

 Recently, Hubby and I actually went to a theater, which we hadn’t done in over a year, to see the movie, Brittany Runs a Marathon. In this episode I discuss that film, and, knowing that it will inspire many, that leads to the topic of running goals and running your first marathon. No worries, I don’t give away the plot. I hope you’ll listen, and in this episode, since I talk about running ‘your’ first marathon, I also suggest that you listen to the four-part series I did on running your first marathon. Yes, it took four episodes of this podcast to sufficiently cover that topic. They are episodes 55, 56, 57, and 59. In this episode, I also invite you to my race, the Run Tampa Tinsel Run, on December 21st, at Al Lopez park, right here in Tampa. I would love to have my listeners participate. The race will be gnome-themed this year, and besides finisher medals, we’ll have age group awards, three deep in 5-year increments, and those awards will be gnome figurines. You’ll love them. The finisher medals will be, a gnome ornament. You’ll want to collect them every year; so, don’t miss this first one. Below is a picture of the artwork that will be on the shirts. Here is a link to register. We’re capping registration at 500; so, register right away. Whether you live in the area or are visiting from out of town, it would be great to have you.  The post MFR 140: My Thoughts on the ‘Brittany’ Movie, Running Goals, and Your First Marathon appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 140: My Thoughts on the ‘Brittany’ Movie, Running Goals, and Your First Marathon

 Even before you were a runner, you had probably heard the oft repeated line, “Running is 90% mental.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard any long-time runner argue against this, because you realize pretty quickly that this is true. iF your mind wills it, if your heart is in it, if you have the necessary grit, the you will become a runner, and you will achieve the goals you set. It may take time, and it will certain require more mental tenacity than physical. This is what non-runners do not understand. In this podcast, I pick apart the reasons why it is so mentally difficult, sometimes more than others, of course. You may not always realize the true cause of your mental struggle. I hope that understanding the root cause will help you deal with the mental side of running, and that will lead to greater success in every area of your running journey. In this episode, I mention The Human Race, and Velma Radloff, in particular. I hope, if you haven’t seen the documentary yet, you will. Here are a couple of photos of Velma. Velma is 81 and still running, of course. Two of my favorite runner girls. Both are in “The Human Race.” The post MFR 139: The Mental Side of Running appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 139: The Mental Side of Running

 How is your running base coming along? This is one of the most critical considerations for any runner’s success, but in my experience, the great majority of recreational runners ignore it. With this episode of the Mojo for Running Podcast, I hope to raise awareness to motivate every listener to give this area of their running life the attention it deserves. A great percentage of your running success – or failure – will be due to a properly executed training, but if you miss a key area of training, no amount of effort to the remainder of your training will make up for the gap. It’s that important.  By base, I mean the number of miles you run per week. If you keep a record of your miles – and most runners do – then go to your log book, right now, and see how many miles you were averagjng, per week, at the start of your last training cycle.  This episode is likely to change your attitude about this often neglected factor that plays a critical role in your running success as regards the effectiveness of speed work, your success in avoiding injuries, and your comfort all the way to the end of races. Your training base is that important. **In this episode, I mention my son’s new podcast. His name is Ben Voiles, and his podcast is The Internal Work. I hope you’ll check it out, especially Episode #3 about confidence. That one would be particularly helpful to any runner. His podcast is on Apple, Spotify, and Stitcher.Click  the  graphic  to  check  it  out. ***In this episode, I also reminded you of our documentary film, The Human Race. I decided I’ll mention one of the featured runners in each of the next several episodes. In this episode of mention Riorita Gaon. Here is a pic. I hope, if you haven’t watched The Human Race, you will. I promise it will provide great motivation. Many runners have told me they bought it and watch it whenever they need motivation. That’s Rio in the pink sunglasses and with the mimosa, with friends Maureen Wallace and Nancy Hannas. Click here to see a trailer for the film.   The post MFR 138: Base Miles appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 138: Base Miles

 Boston. That word inspires emotion in every runner, as it does with me. I’ve always been a word person, which is just part of the reason I was an English teacher for 15 years. I think about words. Those six letters move me. They have for years but much more, now. Six letters that, to me, carry a level of emotion just below the word, family, and that is saying a lot. Whether you’ve only watched the race on TV, been one of the thousands lining the race course on marathon race day, or you’re working toward a BQ right now, the word has the power of few others. I hope you enjoy this podcast about my Boston Marathon race a couple of months ago, the first time I have ever qualified to run it. Whether you ever get to do that race or not, I highly recommend you travel to Boston and do one of the many races there that you can get into every year. I took my Run Tampa group to Boston to do the Boston Run to Remember Half and 5 mile in May of 2018, a fantastic trip. The course is different, but we went out and ran the last mile of the marathon course, a great experience for all. If you aspire to run it, then go for it. Most people can qualify, but it will require a year of careful planning and strategic training. For others, it might seem impossible, and may require many lifestyle changes and several years to get there.  If you want to do it, and qualifying is out of the question, then, by all means, seek out a charity bib and commit yourself to honoring the opportunity and raising the money you pledge to raise.  One way or the other, it can be done, and I hope this podcast inspires you. Boston Marathon qualifying times    Athlete’s Village in Hopkinton The video is too big for my site, but I will put it on Facebook. Run Tampa Carly qualified in her very first marathon and requalified in this year’s race with a blistering time of 3:19. Yowza! The post MFR 137: Boston appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 137: Boston

 If you just do one exercise for your core, this should be it. Planks have many benefits for runners. In this episode, I explain the various ways of modifying the standard plank for even more benefit.Â  Adding this exercise to your cross training, will, I guarantee, impact your running performance and go a long way toward preventing injuries.Â  With publication of this episode, I’m launching a Plank Challenge. Instructions in the podcast. I hope you’ll participate. It starts on Sunday, May 26th. Become a Patron! The post MFR 136: Three Reasons to do a Plank Every Day appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 136: Three Reasons to do a Plank Every Day

 I know very few runners not focused on getting better, improving their running performance, scoring PR’s, but sometimes there are ways to improve, even quite basic ways, that never become common knowledge to non-elite runners, certainly not common knowledge to people who aren’t working with a coach. One of the most basic concepts is periodization, which means, in case you didn’t listen to Episode 134, the period of training, usually several months, leading up to your goal race, and that period of time is broken into three segments or microcycles. In this episode I explain what those three segments should look like and why. Become a Patron! The post MFR 135: How to Crush Your Goal Race With Microcycles appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 135: How to Crush Your Goal Race With Microcycles

Most runners run because they know it keeps them fit and because it’s a great hobby. For some, it’s mainly the camaraderie. Others are attracted by the endorphin rush, but virtually all runners also want to get faster.  Is that you? Even if you only do the occasional race, you may want to keep improving, […] The post MFR 134: How to Optimize Performance with Periodization appeared first on Mojo for Running.

MFR 134: How to Optimize Performance with Periodization

The topic of Episode #132 was dreadful runs. This is a followup that, I hope, will always help you put those runs in perspective. But more than that, it shows you what can happen later in your running career. No matter where you are, now, in your running journey. You can still set lofty running […] The post MFR 133: From Brutal to Boston appeared first on Mojo for Running.

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