Running during the winter months can be quite challenging, both mentally and physically, especially for those of us living in New England and other cold climates. If you have chosen an "A race" that falls during the spring, then your build weeks are going to fall in the dead of winter. That means a lot running in the cold, and quite possibly the dark. You must be prepared to brave the elements of ice, snow, and below freezing temps as you head out the door.

01/02/2012 | | Your 26.2

Is weight lifting beneficial to endurance athletes? Does it translate to speed, or simply result in added weight? While there really isn't a simple yes or no answer, a quick response might lead you to believe that they are simply not necessary. The better question to ask, however, is can lifting weights properly help you achieve your PR this summer?

12/13/2011 | | Your 26.2

The answer to this question is probably one of the hardest to answer for any athlete. More often then not, it is very difficult to answer this question without a visible injury, x-ray, or MRI. Now, before we get started, let's make sure that we know the difference. Muscle soreness is caused from overuse and the breakdown of the muscle fibers.

11/30/2011 | | Your 26.2

Over the past several years the use of technology in the running industry has become very advanced, with particular regards to footwear. While the offerings may vary from one manufacturer to another, the end product is generally the same; highly specialized running footwear, for every runner. For many runners, there are still many questions regarding how to minimize the risk of injury. Despite the onslaught of technology, in the running shoe industry, this footwear still breaks down! So, the age old question, "how often should I replace my running shoes?"

11/16/2011 | | Your 26.2

Is it in your best interest to stay in top shape all year round? Unlike most of the questions that have been addressed here before, the answer to this can be a simple, NO! It is important to take care of your body at all times, but this does not mean that you need to stay in tip-top shape all year long. Even the top athletes in the world take some time off. This time off is necessary to allow your body to recover and heal from the all of the physical stress you have put it through during the last season. It is also a great time to catch up on sleep and deal with other stresses in your life.

11/09/2011 | | Your 26.2

You have committed yourself to a goal. You want to run a marathon, half-marathon, 10k, or whatever. It doesn't really matter what it is that you are venturing towards. What matters is how you choose to get there. The journey is long, and will require a tremendous amount of time and sacrifice, the forebears of anything worth pursuing. Your preparations will challenge you on both physical and mental planes, the likes of which you have never experienced. There will be times when you are on top of the world. There will be others, when all you want to do is quit. There will be sunny days, snowy days, and everything in between. As you embark upon this expedition, these very simple ideas, the Your 26.2 core values, can act as a beacon towards which to set your sights.

08/09/2011 | | Jesse Kropelnicki

Swim mechanics and bike fitting get all of the hype these days. Athletes, are often keenly aware of our mechanical faults in the water, and how to make our bike position as powerful and aerodynamic as possible. The mechanics of running, however, have not yet received the respect that they deserve, until now! My goal, with this writing, is to help runners, to overcome many of running's common mechanical pitfalls.

06/08/2011 | | Jesse Kropelnicki

To some this may sound like Accounting 101, and in many ways it is, but stress budgeting is one of the most important concepts to the overall success of an athlete. Often overlooked by many less detailed coaches and self-coached athletes, this is part and parcel to surviving and benefiting from the training of a running season. I encourage athletes to approach their workouts/season planning with a total stress budget in mind. That is, planning and executing their season on micro, and especially macro levels, consistently expanding their stress budget, without breaking the bank! My aim is to further explain what this budget is and why it is so important to your success.

06/01/2011 | | Jesse Kropelnicki

Athletes typically think about body composition in a very one-dimensional way. Most do not get too far beyond considering only their body weight and/or the percentage of their body weight that comes from fat. Outlined below is a more effective, sport-specific approach to looking at body composition, using traditional metrics in a more synergistic way. The two primary metrics to consider are Body Fat Percentage (BF%), and Body Mass Index (BMI).

05/25/2011 | 0 Body Composition | Jesse Kropelnicki