This week last year, I did a lot of talking about running and marathons. It was a popular topic, because the seed of quite a few of my articles came from what other people wrote. In most cases, I didn’t completely agree (or completely disagreed) with what those other people had to say.

  • Marathoning was foremost on my mind. I discussed how there are three ways to recover from a marathon as well as pointing out a few extra marathon recovery tips. In a slightly more whimsical fashion, I refuted the idea that running a marathon is tougher than giving birth. Maybe it is because I am a man, or because I do not have any children yet, but I just can not see it.
  • I called for some advice on how to do a front squat, which I was never able to master. Chris and Nick did offer some great tips, though. A month ago I discovered the Zercher squat, which will serve as an alternative until I can have somebody spot me and really show me how to do a proper front squat.
  • In the hardware department, I considered buying some Vitruvian Running Shoes, which are mail order only. They have a really good return policy and the owner is very helpful and personable.
  • A great way to see how well your training is going is to measure your resting heart rate and to track it over time.
  • I am a big fan of Sunday runs, even when they don’t fall on Sunday. They will always be a staple of any training program that I write for myself or decide to follow. The best part of Sunday runs are when you can run in a group. On race day, though, remember that that group can become an acting out of WWII.