Your personal running journal

pull all the elements of good running form together at the same time. One drill a week will help you step lightly, as you increase the number of steps per half minute. This will help you run faster, with less effort.
Warm up by walking for 5 minutes, and running and walking very gently for 10 minutes.
Start jogging slowly for 1-2 minutes, and then time yourself for 30 seconds. During this half minute, count the number of times your left foot touches the ground.
Walk around for a minute or so.
On the 2nd 30 second drill, increase the count by 1 or 2.
Repeat this 3-7 more times. Each time trying to increase by 1-2 additional counts.
    In the process of improving turnover, the body’s internal monitoring system, coordinates a series of adaptations which make the feet, legs, nerve system and timing mechanism work together as an efficient team:
Your foot touches more gently
Extra, inefficient motions of the foot and leg are reduced or eliminated
Less effort is spent on pushing up or moving forward
You stay lower to the ground
The ankle does most of the work saving muscle resources
Ache and pain areas are not overused
Acceleration-Glider Drills
    This drill is a very easy and gentle form of speed play, or fartlek. By doing it regularly, you develop a range of speeds, with the muscle conditioning to move smoothly from one to the next. The greatest benefit comes as you learn how to “glide,” or coast off your momentum.
Done on a non-long-run day, in the middle of a shorter run, or as a warmup for a speed session, a race or a magic mile.
Warm up with at least half a mile of easy running.
Many runners do the cadence drill just after the easy warmup, followed by the acceleration-gliders. But each can be done separately, if desired.
Run 4-8 of them.
Do this at least once a week.
No sprinting—never run all-out.
    After teaching this drill at my one-day running schools and weekend retreats for years, I can say that most people learn better through practice when they work on the concepts listed below – rather than the details – of the drill. So just get out there and try them!
    Gliding – The most important concept. This is like coasting off the momentum of a downhill run. You can do some of your gliders running down a hill if you want, but it is important to do at least two of them on the flat land.
    Do this every week – As in the cadence drills, regularity is very important. If you’re like most runners, you won’t glide very far at first. Regular practice will help you glide farther and farther.
    Don’t sweat the small stuff – I’ve included a general guideline of how many steps to do with each part of the drill, but don’t worry about getting any set number of steps. It’s best to get into a flow with this drill and not worry about counting steps.
    Smooth transition – between each of the components. Each time you “shift gears” you are using the momentum of the current mode to start you into the next mode. Don’t make a sudden and abrupt change, but make a smooth transition between modes.
    Here’s how it’s done:
Start by jogging very slowly for about 15 steps.
Then, jog faster for about 15 steps – increasing to a regular running pace for you.
Now, over the next @ fifteen steps, gradually increase the speed to your current race pace.
OK, it’s time to glide, or coast. Allow yourself to gradually slow down to a jog using momentum as long as you can. At first you may only glide for 10-20 steps. As the months go by you will get up to 30 and beyond . . . you’re gliding!
    Overall Purpose: As you do this drill, every week, your form will become smoother at each mode of running. Congratulations! You are learning how to keep moving at a fairly fast pace without using much energy. This is the main object of the drill.
    There will be some weeks when you will glide longer than others – don’t worry about this. By doing this drill regularly, you will find yourself coasting or gliding down the smallest of inclines, and even for 10-20 yards on the flat, on a regular basis. Gliding conserves energy – reduces soreness, fatigue, and helps you maintain a faster pace in races.

13 A Standard Warm-up
How to warm up – before races, race rehearsals, speedwork, MMs
Walk gently for three minutes
For 6-10 minutes, walk more than you would on an easy day: if you would normally run for 3 minutes/ walk for 1 minute, use a 1-1. If you