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The 30 Best Running Tips of All Time

jversteegh — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 12:30:00 +0000

At ��ԹϺ��, we write about running. A lot. We’ve spent countless hours talking to the greatest athletes and brightest minds in the sport to examine every training and racing strategy imaginable. We’ve even tested many of those approaches ourselves.

While we think it’s all worthwhile info, we recognize that sometimes keeping it simple is best. So we’ve distilled over 40 years of advice into one comprehensive list of the 30 tips that we consider most valuable to your running life.

1. Become an Aerobic Monster

“Mileage isn’t everything, but most runners will become stronger aerobically by carefully and gradually increasing the volume of running they can handle. Increasing your mileage from year to year while still being able to hit your times in workouts and races will improve your VO2 max (ability to pump a lot of blood to working muscles), lactate threshold (ability to clear lactate and therefore not have to slow), and running economy (amount of oxygen needed to hold a certain pace).”
—February 2023

2. Practice Proprioception

“The simplest exercise is to close your eyes and stand on one foot. The proprioceptors in your feet will collaborate with your inner ear to help your brain know if you are swaying and determine what to do to keep yourself balanced. You’ll only be able to hold it for a few seconds at first but should be able to work up to 10 to 15 seconds at a time. Aim for a total of around a minute per leg during each session.”
—June 2022

3. Strengthen Your Whole Body

“Good runners condition their whole bodies. The arms drive the legs. Keep your upper body and core toned with a lot of push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, and back raises (don’t forget that the back is part of the core). Stay away from machine weights and stick to Pilates, climbing, and dynamic flexibility work like yoga.”
—October 2013

4. Run More Hills

“One of the beauties of hills is that they really work on dynamic power, hip strength, and hip mobility because you need to be able to go and drive those hips really high to get up.”
—June 2015

5. Quit Trying to Set Your PR

“Be process-oriented, not outcome-oriented. Get a little better with each training session—a stronger squat, a harder effort on intervals. Don’t obsess about race day.”
—July 2015

6. Hydrate (Especially Before Trail Races)

“Due to their remote locations, many trail races have few (if any) water stations. Make sure to hydrate for days in advance, and—depending on the distance of the race—consider carrying a water bottle or hydration pack during the event.”
—June 2013

7. Cultivate Controlled Consistency

“I try not to run 100 percent. I perform 80 percent on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and then at 50 percent Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday,” says Eliud Kipchoge.
—November 2021

8. Stretch and Refuel Immediately Post-Race

“There’s a natural temptation when you finish a race to collapse on the ground and bask in your own private glory. This is a bad idea.”
—October 2014

9. Find a Routine, Then Stick to It

“I dialed in my race-day outfit and nutrition plan in advance to eliminate any surprises. I slept more, stopped drinking alcohol, and ate my vegetables. I put on the same clothes I had been training in for the past three weeks—black shorts, white top, gray socks—and ate my pre-planned breakfast of one banana, half a Clif Bar, and half a cup of coffee.”
—May 2013

10. Don’t Freak Out if You’re Undertrained

“A lot of people ruminate and freak out. Then they have all this nervous energy and are toast during the race. The key is to stay calm and not expend energy worrying about the race.”
—March 2017

11. Fix Your Stride

“He had to change everything about his stride—from the way his feet were hitting the ground to the way he swung his arms as he ran. It was a difficult adjustment, but he had the benefit of knowing he’d already tried virtually everything else.”
–February 2016

12. Eat Whole Foods

“Try to eat whole foods that look as close to how they are grown as possible. Avoid the processed food—like foods that dominate most conventional grocery chains. They’re packed with sodium, sugar, and empty calories and are a drain on your digestive system.
—July 2012

13. Slow Down to Spare Carbs

“She ran smart, at a pace that felt sustainable. She estimates she could have run a single hard marathon in about 3 hours 30 minutes at the time—over 50 minutes faster than her average over the ten marathons. Her marathon pace was slow, so she had little need for fast energy from carbohydrates.”
—July 2022

14. It’s Not All About the Carbs

“Runners whose number one goal is to lose weight can cut the pasta, bread, and cereals and have enough energy to complete many of the easy runs in 30 to 60 minutes. Most healthy diets will still provide enough incidental carbs—byproducts of fruit and beans—to fuel you.”
—August 2014

15. Random Massages Are a Bad Idea

“Every athlete’s body responds differently to massage; you don’t want to find out the week before your race that deep tissue work makes you uncomfortably sore.”
—September 2012

16. Layer Up When It’s Cold

“It’s easy to see the weather and darkness as a reason not to work out. The price tag might sting up front, but buying clothes like a moisture-wicking base layer, gloves, and a breathable wind-blocking top will make training outside a lot more enjoyable.”
—January 2016

17. You Need to Sprint More

“Five percent of an athlete’s total weekly mileage should be taken up by sprints. Someone running 30 miles a week should run hill sprints for 1.5 of those miles. It’s similar in theory and practice to speedwork on a track.”
—September 2013

18. Get a Hydration Pack (Especially for Ultras)

“Yes, there will be aid stations. But there’s no telling how much time will pass between them, so bring your own fluids in a handheld bottle, pack, or belt. Which one you choose is a matter of preference.”
—May 2013

19. Patience Is a Virtue

“In distance running, you’ve got to learn to love the process. Whether it’s in training (it takes a lot of time to get better) or in racing (holding back for the first 20 miles of a marathon), patience is a virtue. There are no quick fixes. It’s about believing in the plan and executing.”
—January 2016

20. Don’t Hydrate Too Much Right Before Running

“Sloshing in your stomach is a sign that water has not worked its way into your bloodstream, providing a full feeling that’s a ruse for hydration.”
—August 2010

21. Take Recovery Days Seriously

“The day after a tough workout, the most you want to do is jog lightly or do some form of cross-training, like cycling. You need a recovery day after a hard day. No exceptions.”
—October 2013

22. Make It Social

“Get a group together, or join a local running club. When you’re socially and emotionally invested in your workouts, it’ll be harder for you to skip them. Having running buddies will help keep you from burning out or slacking off.”
—January 2012

23. Don’t Pick Just One Running Partner

“One of the most basic ways to add a little variety to your running life is finding different running partners. You don’t need to be monogamous about whom you run with. The same principle applies for those who always run alone: Try joining a group for long weekend runs and (re)discover the joys of exercising with your fellow homo sapiens.”
—January 2017

24. Get Off Your Feet Before a Race

“Take it easy the day and night prior to race day. Race organizers don’t make that easy by scheduling interesting expos and panel discussions the day before, where you are on your feet, walking around, expending energy. Discipline yourself to keep that to a minimum, making a conscious effort to sit and rest with your feet up as much as possible. Don’t squander the good work you’ve done during your taper in the last day or two.”
—August 2014

25. Visualize Success

“Begin by taping an audio narrative for yourself that recreates, in as much sensual detail as possible, the sensation of performing your sport. Take careful notes the next time you practice…and work those into the script. Then narrate the tape entirely in the first person, present tense…and choose crucial moments.”
—September 1996

26. Use Technology (But Not Too Much)

“Apps from MapMyRun and the USATF can help you plot your training routes in less time (no more driving them beforehand). For trail running, figure out how long it takes you to run a mile—maybe two minutes longer than on roads—and go by time instead. Garmin GPS watches track your distance and pace. But don’t let your tools get in the way.”
—April 2012

27. Maybe Skip the Long Run

“You can’t just look at a singular long run or back-to-back long runs. You have to look at the whole picture. Every run is like bricks that add up over time.”
—February 2023

28. Know When Your Running Shoes Are Worn Out

“The typical lifespan of a shoe is between 300 and 600 miles. Shoes will start to feel a little different after about 200 miles—it’s a depreciation curve. Each company has a different point at which their shoes will feel really flat, but it’s important to know that shoes do have a lifespan. It might not be immediately clear when your shoes have bitten the dust, but there are a few indications that it’s time to invest in a new pair.”
—April 2016

29. Do Not Run Drunk

“For one, alcohol’s a poison. Two, while it can increase aggression (a positive, depending on the sport), it can also adversely affect coordination, planning, and execution of movement. And three, it’s a powerful diuretic, so it depletes your water volume, much of which your body takes from your blood plasma.”
—September 2014

30. Don’t Run Injured

“It’s hard to sit it out while waiting for an injury to heal. You risk setting back training and racing goals, not to mention losing a sweet endorphin rush. But whatever ails you will take longer to heal—or get worse—if you run through the pain.”
—May 2013

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A Realistic Defense of Skiing the East

jversteegh — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Last December, for the first time in five years, I skied in the Northeast. I was born in New Hampshire and grew up riding chairlifts across northern New England. Eventually I went west for college and—like many before me—became hooked on the bigger mountains, better weather, and deeper powder. I had convinced myself that the resorts I left behind were too small and icy to be worth my time. But last winter, a good friend invited me to do some early season skiing with him at in Vermont.

I got my ass kicked.

As it turns out, skiing out West made me soft. I’d forgotten about the Northeast’s tight trees. The unforgiving bumps. The set-your-edge-or-die runs. After two long days ripping across the mountain, my lower back was throbbing, my legs were wet noodles, and my pride had vanished, hanging somewhere on a branch in the glades, I assume. If you don’t respect the mountains in the Northeast, they have a way of humbling—and hurting—you.

Having lived in the West for six years, I’ve grown accustomed to people making cheap jokes about the “ice coast” where I grew up and the “real mountains” that westerners ski. I endured those slights when I lived in Montana and New Mexico. When I moved to Denver and drove up my uncle’s driveway a few months ago, he looked at the “Ski the East” sticker on my truck and asked, “Now why would anyone want to do that?”

I wish I could have directed his question to Bode Miller, the New Hampshire native who was raised on the icy side of Cannon Mountain and went on to become one of the most accomplished—and fastest—American skiers of all time. Or maybe reigning Olympic and World Cup champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who grew up in Vail but spent much of her childhood training in New England, could have fielded that question. The Northeast has a history of producing some of the world’s best skiers, including Hannah Kearney, the Egan brothers, and Simon Dumont.

Are the mountains in the Northeast icy? Yeah, wicked icy. And I’ll be the first to admit the western peaks are more spectacular. The West has more vertical and offers terrain that simply doesn’t exist in places like New England. The wide-open, big-mountain skiing I did in Montana can’t be found in my home state. Nor can the cliffs, shoots, and sweeping bowls scattered across the Rockies and Sierra Nevada. New Hampshire has , the iconic steep bowl on the southeast face of Mount Washington. It offers a taste of the West (and the 31-plus skiing fatalities it’s claimed over the years indicate its seriousness), but Tuckerman’s legendary headwall remains an East Coast novelty.

I won’t argue that skiing in the East is superior. But it is typically more technical and full of the kind of challenges that should tempt any serious skier. Carving turns in the East requires more endurance, patience, and focus. The boreal forests are dense, creating tighter glades with a significantly smaller margin for error. If you aren’t precise, you’ll be impaled. And every time I hear westerners rag on the “ice coast,” I take pride in the fact that most of them would struggle to ski it. Keeping your edge at 50 miles per hour on ice, feeling the chatter of your skis up your spine, requires more skill than taking face shots of cold-smoke powder.

So, to my uncle’s question: Why would anyone ski the East? For starters, it will make you a superior skier. But a better answer would be another question: Millions of years of geological evolution left us with two jagged spines sprawling up the width of our continent—why, other than to prolong your time in the brewpub annoying people, have the argument at all?

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The Best Travel-Ready Fitness Gear

cthompson — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Flight delays, lame hotel gyms, and jet lag are enough to kill any traveler’s exercise mojo. But, thanks to these tools, you can maintain a consistent fitness regimen—with nothing more than a carry-on.

PowerBeats3 Wireless Earphones ($200)

(Courtesy Apple)

Bad headphones can ruin any workout. The PowerBeats3 are designed to remain comfortably in place while delivering exceptional sound quality without a tangle of cords.

Darn Tough Lifestyle Socks ($20)

(Courtesy Darn Tough)

Making a full wardrobe change in the locker room wastes precious time. That’s not an issue with Darn Tough’s Lifestyle socks, which blend work and play. The merino wool is formfitting, soft, and breathable enough for the gym, while the stylish patterns pair with slacks and dress shoes.

Elite Surge 2.0 Jump Rope ($30)

(Courtesy Elite Surge)

Stash this speed rope in your briefcase and you can crank out a solid cardio workout in just ten minutes. It’s adjustable, and the beefy wire cable is durable enough for outdoor use.

Suunto Spartan Trainer Watch ($279)

(Courtesy Suunto)

The Spartan is a high-end GPS and fitness tracker. It monitors heart rate, provides live navigation updates, and boasts a battery that lasts ten hours in training mode. (There’s a reason ultrarunner Kilian Jornet wore one while running up Mount Everest earlier this year.) And if you’re headed from the gym to the bar, the Spartan is also slick enough to wear during a night out.

Power Systems Strength Band ($10)

(Courtesy Power Systems)

Resistance bands can take most bodyweight exercises to the next level, making them an ideal tool for spontaneous workouts. They also pack up small and weigh less than a pound.

TriggerPoint Grid Mini Foam Roller ($25)

(Courtesy TriggerPoint)

You can’t always wait until you get home to treat sore muscles. The Grid takes up minimal space and weighs only half a pound.

HydraPak Stash Bottle ($23)

(Courtesy HydraPak)

This one-liter bottle compresses down to a fourth of its size and is half the weight of the standard alternative.

Nike Sport Pack ($85)

(Courtesy Nike)

Streamlined pockets and a shoe compartment mean you can keep your gym essentials together when you’re on the move. And a fashionable fold-over buckle at the top makes this bag sleek enough for the office.

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Nepalese Court Strikes Down Everest FKT

jogles — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

On November 28, the Supreme Court of Nepal officially invalidated Pemba Dorje Sherpa’s claim that, in 2004, he ascended Everest in 8 hours and 10 minutes, setting the fastest known time on the world’s highest peak, according to . The decision, which restores the record to its previous holder, ends a 14-year dispute between Sherpa climbers and highlights the dubious and often arbitrary practice of claiming speed records on the world’s highest mountains.

The debate over Everest’s fastest known time stretches back at least to May 22, 2003, when Pemba Dorje Sherpa claimed to have summited from the mountain’s south side in 12 hours and 45 minutes. However, his record was broken just three days later by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, who recorded a summit time—verified by a fellow climber—of 10 hours and 56 minutes on the same route. Pemba Dorje initially disputed this claim, then returned the following season and, on May 21, 2004, claimed to summit Everest in 8 hours and 10 minutes, a shockingly fast time that earned him a , which stood for 13 years.

“I think [in 2004] there were a lot of eyebrows raised,” says Alan Arnette, an Everest veteran and longtime mountaineering blogger. “That seemed a little aggressive, but is it impossible? Probably not.”

Shortly after Pemba Dorje reset the fastest known time, Lakpa Gelu of his record. Lakpa Gelu and other skeptics pointed to the fact that no photographic evidence exists to support Pemba Dorje’s claim, no one climbed with him to verify the summit, and the on May 21, 2004, would likely have prevented a successful summit attempt. This body of evidence—or lack thereof—led Lakpa Gelu in 2013 to appeal to the Nepalese Supreme Court, which ruled last week in his favor, ending what Arnette calls a “turf battle.”

Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, which issued a certificate acknowledging Pemba Dorje’s record in 2004, will reportedly act in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling, according to the . It is expected that Pemba Dorje will soon be stripped of his record by Nepal’s Department of Tourism and that Lakpa Gelu will be formally recognized as having set the Everest speed record.

But Lakpa Gelu’s speed record is not the only fastest known time currently acknowledged on the world’s highest mountain. Records have been claimed on different routes—the North Face from the Tibetan side, for instance—and under different circumstances. In 1996, Italian climber Hans Kammerlander went from the north side’s Advanced Base Camp to the summit without oxygen in 17 hours. On May 22, 2017, Spanish ski mountaineer and ultrarunner Kilian Jornet ascended Everest’s North Face from Base Camp without the use of oxygen and fixed ropes (both of which Lakpa Gelu and Pemba Dorje used), and then returned to Advanced Base Camp in a mere 26 hours, setting a fastest known time for such an attempt. But to compare Jornet’s ascent to Lakpa Gelu’s would be futile. The mountaineers used different techniques and climbed from different sides of the mountain. And in Jornet’s case, no previous speed record existed on the route.

Moreover, Pemba Dorje’s record is not the first speed record to be disputed by fellow climbers. In 1978, when Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler made the first summit of Everest without supplemental oxygen, Sherpas including Tenzing Norgay (who made the first-ever ascent of Everest with Sir Edmund Hillary) doubted that it was possible. And even mountaineers as accomplished as the late Ueli Steck have had their records challenged. In 2014, when he claimed to have summited Annapurna solo—a feat for which he won the Piolets d’Or award—the legendary climber lost his camera in a small avalanche and did not carry a GPS. With little proof to support Steck’s claim, some people in the mountaineering community . Even Jornet’s Everest record from last May has been challenged by skeptics, Arnette says.

Setting speed records is an —whether it be on Himalayan peaks or the Appalachian Trail—and come climbing season on Everest next spring, we will likely see another attempt. “Most likely it will be a Sherpa,” Arnette says. “Let’s hope they bring their GPS and camera.”

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An 82-Year-Old Broke the Appalachian Trail Age Record

jversteegh — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 00:00:00 +0000

After hiking for more than seven months, 82-year-old Dale Sanders completed the Appalachian Trail on Thursday, October 26, officially becoming the oldest person to finish the 2,190-mile trek. Sanders, known on the trail as “Greybeard,” broke a record previously held by Lee Barry, who set the mark in 2004 at age 81.

“I feel numb right now. It’s really a euphoric experience,” Sanders says. “I’m just so thankful to the people who have helped me. I literally would not be here if it weren’t for all the people who encouraged me along the way.”

In all, the retired civil servant spent about seven months on the trail this year. But his trek officially began last January when he section-hiked the stretch between Springer Mountain and Neel’s Gap in Georgia. On March 14, he began his continuous journey north and made it to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia—the headquarters of the —by June. To avoid the coldest autumn weather, he then traveled north to Maine and set off southbound from Mount Katahdin back toward Harpers Ferry, where he hiked the final mile of the trail Thursday morning. He was met at the finish line by his family, a crowd of supporters, and officials from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

But Sanders’ journey nearly ended in late July, when he began bleeding internally after hiking through Maine’s Hundred-Mile Wilderness. Frightened for his life, he left the trail and returned home to Tennessee where he was treated for a ruptured hemorrhoid. After ten days away from the trail, “I lost my confidence,” he says. “I almost didn’t come back.” But Sanders’ neighbor, a retired FedEx pilot, convinced him to return and began hiking with him in New Hampshire.

Despite the medical issues in Maine, Sanders says New Hampshire was by far the trail’s most difficult section. “I probably fell 25 to 30 times on the Appalachian Trail,” he says. “Most of those were in New Hampshire.” He noted that the rugged terrain and slick rocks made the Granite State particularly challenging. At one point, while descending Kinsman Mountain, he slipped and landed so hard on his hip that he wasn’t sure he’d reach safety before nightfall. But ultimately, neither his hip nor the ruptured hemorrhoid prevented him from finishing the trek. Upon reaching Harper’s Ferry, he says that he’s feeling no pain in his body.

While it’s arguably his most impressive, this record is not Sanders’ first major feat. In 2015, he became the 2,300 miles from source to sea. And while he’s taking 2018 off to spend more time with his wife and his dog, in 2019 he plans to paddle the entirety of the Missouri River and beyond—3,800 miles from Brower’s Spring in Montana to the Gulf of Mexico—in a single-person canoe.

Given his most recent accomplishment and the journey he’s planning two years from now, there’s good reason why, he jokes, “It’s hard to be humble.” Still, he says that more than anything, he remains thankful to those who helped complete the Appalachian Trail.

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How to Ford a River

oharlow — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Imagine you’re backpacking with a few friends in the mountains. Then imagine that the thin blue line on your map indicating a stream turns out to be a river blown out by snowmelt when you arrive at its banks. Perhaps the trail you’re following disappears at the water’s edge, continuing on the other side. You’ll need to cross the water.

Properly fording a river is an art of survival, a process more complex than trudging blindly into the current. To learn how to safely ford a river, we called , a National Outdoor Leadership School () field instructor who for more than 30 years has traveled the globe teaching wilderness courses.

#1. Try to Avoid the Crossing

“The first question I always ask myself: Do I have to cross the river?” Johnson says. “And if so, can I cross it dry?” He explains that hikers often cross a river only to find themselves crossing back a few miles later when it snakes back on itself. You should know your route well enough to avoid multiple crossings of the same river. “I would also look to see if there’s a bridge somewhere,” he says. Even if it means walking a few extra miles, bridge crossings are “a whole lot less dynamic than trying to do a wet crossing.”

#2. Try to Make a Dry Crossing

So you know the route, and there’s no nearby bridge. Johnson recommends first trying to find another way to cross the river without getting wet. Look for dry rocks, a beaver dam, or a well-anchored tree lying across the water. If those things are wet and slippery, scoop up some handfuls of sand or dirt and throw it down on the rocks or tree to create a “no-slip surface,” as Johnson says.

For groups with technical skills and ropes, Johnson says hikers can fix a handline across the river or create a —a process where one person crosses, sets up a fixed line, and then the rest of the hikers clip into the rope with a harness and pull themselves across. “It’s a dying art and a really good technique to cross a river,” he says.

#3. WADE into a Wet Crossing

Johnson uses the acronym WADE—Watch, Assess, Decide, Execute—to break down the steps needed in a river crossing. Watch and assess the river’s environmental conditions: Is it rising and falling? Is it raging from snowmelt? Is there a good access point without a steep drop-off into deep water? Is there an easy exit point? Then decide: Can the group safely cross the river? If so, Johnson says, execute one of several strategies.

Johnson uses the eddy technique when crossing rivers with groups all over the world. Facing upstream, hikers line up one behind the other and push down on each other’s hips. The leader takes the brunt of the water’s force, creating an eddy so the people behind are protected from the brunt of the current. Then, using coordinated foot movements and good communication, the group sidesteps across the river.

It’s best to cross shallow water, even if it’s moving faster than a deeper section of the river. “Moving water is powerful,” Johnson says. “The deeper you wade, the more surface area there is for water to push on.”

Regardless of where you cross, Johnson recommends keeping your boots on. “You want to protect your feet,” he says. Cutting your foot or rolling your ankle will be much more detrimental to an excursion than having a pair of soggy boots.

And what about your pack? “With a true wet crossing, where you’re worried about falling or being swept away, take off your sternum and hip strap, so if you were to go down, you could jettison the pack,” Johnson says.

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Who Do the Top Runners Follow for Fitness Advice?

oharlow — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Among the ��ԹϺ�� fitness team, there is that we turn to for nuanced, critical takes on the state of running, links to the newest cutting-edge research, and sage fitness advice. That’s Steve Magness, exercise scientist, author, head cross-country coach at the University of Houston, and occasional ��ԹϺ�� contributor.

We thought it would be fun to reach out to Magness and see who he’s following, and then ask that person who �ٳ��’r�� following, and so on. It was a snowballing, email chain–style process—a more coherent and insightful version of the telephone game. We figured that if we kept digging, we might reach the deepest sources of compelling running news and analysis. And it worked.

Here are a few brilliant sports scientists who the personalities you know turn to for running news and advice.

How the best US 10k runners strike the ground. Data from Iain Hunter at the US champs.

— Steve Magness (@stevemagness)

Steve Magness: Who Do You Follow?

Magness says the follows he values most on Twitter include , a South African researcher who runs the blog , and , a lead researcher at the . But his go-to is Alex Hutchinson (), who writes the for Runner’s World, in which he dives into the latest research on the science of fitness. “Alex has a gift for taking the complex and breaking it down into simple, actionable takeaways,” Magness says. “For all things sports science, Alex is the best.”

Lessons from Breaking2? Pics of the last 4 marathon WR record-setters NOT drafting behind their pacers:

— Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience)

Alex Hutchinson: Who Do You Follow?

When we reached out to Hutchinson about his favorite Twitter follow, he replied, “I guess it won’t work to say Steve Magness.” Instead, he told us, “I tend to follow a lot of scientists, athletes, and coaches, but I get particularly psyched about people who straddle both those worlds.” Hutchinson says no one is better at that than Asker Jeukendrup (), a Dutch Ironman triathlete, sports nutritionist, and adjunct professor at several European universities. “He’s one of the most influential sports nutrition researchers of the last few decades,” Hutchinson says. “He played a key role in the development of concepts like .”

Asker Jeukendrup: Who Do You Follow?

Asker says that one of his favorite sources of fitness science is the (), an online course taught by leading researchers in the field. Its Twitter account frequently discusses how high-powered athletes fuel for their sports. But Jeukendrup’s most-valued follows are two women at the (AIS): Louise Burke (), head of sports nutrition at AIS, and Shona Halson (), the head of recovery, who studies (and tweets about) how hydrotherapy, overtraining, and sleep monitoring affect athletes.

Fun couple of days in the lab with – looking at effect of recovery on adaptation to training

— Shona Halson (@ShonaHalson)

Shona Halson: Who Do You Follow?

Halson says her top follow is Keith Baar (), a professor at University of California, Davis who studies, among other things, the way exercise increases muscle mass. “He is always at the cutting edge of science,” Halson says. “As Baar works with athletes, he has the ability to translate science into practical and meaningful information.”

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Who Do the World’s Top Cyclists Follow for Fitness Advice?

cthompson — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Joe Friel () is an elite endurance sports coach and author of . His Twitter account is one that we at ��ԹϺ�� trust the most when it comes to all things cycling and sports science. And because we’ve come to depend on Friel’s insightful tweets, we decided to ask him who he follows for sound advice. Then we reached out to those people to see who they follow, and so on. We created an email chain in an attempt to find the definitive sources—the sharpest and most innovative thinkers—in the cycling and endurance sports worlds.

One of the most common training mistakes of athletes is making active recovery workouts too hard.

— Joe Friel (@jfriel)

Joe Friel: Who Do You Follow?

Friel gave us an impressive list of fitness experts, including Stephen Seiler (), a professor of sport science at the University of Agder, in Norway, and Alan Couzens (), a Colorado-based exercise physiologist, coach, and self-described “mad scientist.” But Friel had particularly high praise for Ryan Bolton (), a former Olympic triathlete coached by Friel in the early 2000s. After his competitive career, Bolton founded , in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He now trains elite runners, including Caroline Rotich. “He’s very good at understanding how to balance training stress with rest and recovery. That’s the key ingredient of technical coaching,” Friel says. “He’s also good at communication with his athletes—knowing when to talk and, especially, when to listen.”

Beautiful and challenging training camp in Marbella, Spain with and Omar Naciri this past week.

— Ryan Bolton (@CoachRyanBolton)

Ryan Bolton: Who Do You Follow?

Unsurprisingly, when we reached out to Bolton, he said he follows his old coach, Joe Friel. But Bolton also relies on Ross Tucker () for trusted fitness advice. Tucker, who runs a site called the , holds a PhD in exercise physiology, is a research consultant for World Rugby, and is a scientific adviser for and Adidas. “Tucker looks at endurance sport physiology, technology, trends, and controversies at an in-depth and sometimes controversial level,” Bolton says. “He’s very candid with his thoughts and doesn’t mind stirring the pot, and I appreciate his fresh perspective on many topics.”

You couldn't make this stuff up. No. Actually, you could. Which is the problem.

— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport)

Ross Tucker: Who Do You Follow?

One of Tucker’s top follows is David Epstein (), an award-winning journalist and author of who primarily writes about sports science and medicine. “David has a knack for finding the quirky but really substantial stuff on sports science, and especially genetics of performance,” Tucker says. Tucker also follows Steve Magness (), sports scientist and head cross-country coach at the University of Houston, as well as Stuart Armstrong (), who runs a blog and podcast called the in the UK.

Honorable Mentions

As we undertook this project, we noticed a few recurring names popping up among our sources. While we didn’t go down those proverbial rabbit holes, they seem worth mentioning here. When we reached out to Alan Couzens, he said he follows John Kiely (), a professor of elite performance at the University of Central Lancashire, in England, and a former coach who worked with Olympic athletes. Nick Winkelman (), head of athletic performance and science for Irish Rugby, was also mentioned several times. When we reached out to Winkelman, however, he said that most of his inspiration comes from reading books and peer-reviewed studies and that he tries not to spend too much time on social platforms. The trail ended there.

Study suggests 10mins of stair walking is MORE EFFECTIVE than cup of coffee in improving motivation & cognition

— john kiely (@simplysportssci)

My PhD research is now available: experience level influences the effect of attentional focus on sprint performance

— Nick Winkelman (@NickWinkelman)

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Finding a Stolen Bike Just Got a Lot Easier

oharlow — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Say a thief cuts your lock and steals your bike. The first thing she’ll likely do is scratch off the serial number. Doing so makes it much more difficult to identify, and claim, the bike. Even if you’re able to track down your stolen bike, without a serial number it can be hard to prove that it’s actually yours.

, a tech brand that specializes in product authentication, thinks it has an answer to this problem. The San Diego–based company recently developed a process by which data chips are molded into carbon-fiber frames. To remove the data chip, a thief would have to destroy the frame and thus devalue the bike. VerifiR also partnered with , a Portland-based bike registration service that has cataloged more than 118,000 rigs and recovered nearly 4,000 stolen bikes over the past decade. Together, the two companies see an opportunity to ramp up bicycle-recovery efforts.

“People always ask, ‘I can chip my cat or my dog—why isn’t there something like this for bikes?’” says Bryan Hance, co-founder of Bike Index. “This is what we’ve been waiting for.”

Jurgen Schmerler, CEO of VerifiR, developed a patent-pending process where sheets of carbon are layered around the chip during frame building. The chips, which are about the size of a quarter and require no battery, contain data about the bike’s origin and owner and use near-field communication technology to transmit that information. Anyone with an Android or Windows operating system (the company is currently working to develop iPhone compatibility) can hover their phone a few inches over the chip, and the VerifiR site will automatically load with the owner’s information, no special NFC app required.

So the next time a thief cuts your lock and steals your bike, you report the theft on the VerifiR website, which then triggers the chip to report the theft on all future scans. If a stolen bike is scanned by, for instance, a mechanic or potential buyer, an alert will display on their phone: “This bicycle is registered as stolen. Contact Bike Index to rectify.” Bike Index, in partnership with law enforcement officials, will then use the chip data to find the owner and return the bike.

To be clear, the data chips are not GPS tracking devices that allow an owner to follow a stolen bike’s movements. The bike still has to be found and scanned in person, and it’s hard to know how many users will take that initiative.

Right now, manufacturers are primarily installing the data chips in carbon frames, but Schmerler says similar technology can be applied to aluminum and steel. Aftermarket technology hasn’t yet been developed for cyclists who want to install a chip in the bike they already own, but Schmerler and Hance hope such technology will be developed in the near future.

At this point, Schmerler isn’t revealing which bike companies will be using the technology, but he says several U.S. and European manufacturers—and at least “three major brands”—plan to install the chips. The manufacturers want to make the official announcement, but he says frames with chips should be available to consumers by the end of 2017.

Hance knows the technology isn’t perfect but suspects that chipping is going to make a big difference when it comes to recovering lost rides. “We have a huge, crazy, vibrant community that is kind of nuts about finding and registering bikes,” he says.

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The Six Most Revealing Comments People Gave to Trump About Bears Ears

oharlow — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Over the past month, to the Department of Interior regarding President Trump’s order to review more than 20 of the country’s national monuments. Many wrote directly to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to voice their opinions about Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah, a 1.35-million-acre swath of arid land containing sacred Native American artifacts and striking geological features, which was designated a national monument by President Obama shortly before he left office. The (CWP), a nonpartisan conservation organization, recently compiled comments exclusively from residents of Utah, a population that has much at stake regarding the fate of Bears Ears.

Of the roughly 1,200 self-identified Utahns who commented, 88 percent recommended preserving the Bears Ears National Monument in its current form, while 11 percent argued the monument should be rescinded or significantly reduced in size, says Aaron Weiss, media director at CWP. Despite that overwhelming support for the monument, Secretary Zinke recommended on June 12 that President Trump reduce its size. In light of this news, we compiled some of the most insightful comments—both for and against monument status—from Utah residents.

A veteran with PTSD finds peace in Bears Ears:

I live in La Sal, San Juan County, Utah. From my house I can see the Bears Ears National Monument. I live less than 15 miles from the north boundary. I am in total support of Bears Ears National Monument. Also Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

As a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, I use these areas to find peace, quiet, and solitute [sic]. I find it sad your traveling partners to the Bears Ears National Monument were all people who want to drill, mine and sell these lands. Look up “Lyman Farms” and see what is happening in Utah.

As a San Juan County, Utah resident I want my voice to be heard I want the Bears Ears National Monument. It is, after all, public land that belongs to all Americans, not to locals, or to the State of Utah. Once it is gone, you can't find another.

A mountain biker weighs in on recreation opportunities:

As a mountain biker, outdoor enthusiast, Utah resident, and a citizen co-owner of our country's public lands, I support our existing national monuments. I support high-quality recreation that's managed in lands protected from reckless development and irresponsible resource extraction!

I oppose the repeal of any national monument protections. This sets a bad precedent. These landscapes host high quality recreation on some of our country's most valuable landscapes. National monuments have proven to be popular attractions for tourists and locals alike, substantially contributing to local and regional economies to a much greater extent than the aforementioned resource extraction which permanently devastates both the land and the tourist generated economy.

The San Gabriel Mountains, Fort Ord, and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monuments in California are three critical landscapes that mountain bikers had ample voice in creating through a public process. Mountain bikers have trail plans under consideration in other national monuments including Browns Canyon in Colorado, Katahdin Woods and Waters in Maine, and Cascade Siskiyou in Oregon. Likewise, cyclists enjoy riding the rural roads in Escalante Grand Staircase of Utah and Canyon of the Ancients Monuments in Colorado.

These opportunities to enjoy our public lands have ALL come from being involved in a public process. Mountain bikers across the nation can visit and aspire to ride these trails in a natural protected environment.

We applaud a public comment period but urge that a public process be incorporated for designating new monuments not used to roll back existing designations.

I support our existing national monuments.

An experienced outdoorswoman advocates for native artifacts:

Dear Secretary Ryan Zinke,

I have lived in Utah my entire life and worked for a summer just outside of Zion National Park. As an avid hiker, rock climber, and backpacker, I have recognize the benefits of protecting these public lands.

There is a small group in Utah advocating for state control rather than federal control of these lands. However, I do not believe that Utah is able to effectively manage its current public lands and would not be able to protect these federal lands as well. Utah Lake had massive algal blooms last year which were not managed effectively. While this is just one instance, the impact of state mismanagement of this important recreation area was felt throughout the state.

Perhaps the most important reason that I support Bears Ears is because of my experiences with the area. I went on a five-day backpacking trip near Indian Creek, an area which is part of Bears Ears. This area includes many Native American sites. While backpacking, we came across petroglyphs, food storage areas, and even cliffhouses that are believed to have come from the Anasazi. All of these areas that were able to easily be reached had felt the impact of visitors. The arrowheads that were once frequent have disappeared. There is damage from people's fingerprints on petroglyph walls. There was one site in particular that was absolutely devastating. It was easily accessible from the floor of the canyon that my group was hiking in. When we went closer, it was appalling to see how much damage had been done. In comparison, there was a dwelling located about 40 feet up the cliff face that was in extremely good condition. Making this area a national monument would protect these artifacts from such damage and would preserve them for future generations.

I would like to share one last concern. I appreciate the ability to weigh in on this topic as a Utahn, but I do not come from the area that Bears Ears encompasses. While submitting comments online is extremely convenient to me, there are many people who would be greatly affected by this National Monument who do not have the same access to internet. It would be wise, in my opinion, to also allow for comment via mail or to advertise that comments are being taken into consideration in local newspapers.

A Republican says Zinke isn’t listening to both sides:

Dear Secretary Ryan Zinke,

I have listened to both sides of the argument, concerning National Monuments here in Utah, and I believe our representatives are only listening to those wanting to exploit this resource for profit. If these lands are public lands, they are, then it is not just Utahns [sic] that have a say in this issue. The Native Americans who want to preserve these land by making them a National Monument have not been given equal air time in the media.

These are National Monuments for the nation, not just Utah. I cannot imagine missing out on Yellowstone or any National Monument because of short sighted people like those opposing Bear's Ears or Escalante.
I am a Republican, Combat Veteran, and resident of Utah. I want to keep Bear's Ears and Escalante the way President Obama signed them into law.

Bears Ears will strip the Forest Service of resources, create congestion:

I wish to comment on the Bears Ears Monument.

I live in Monticello, right next to the monument. I have lived here and raised my family here all my life. For 30 years I worked in the summer on the mountain. In the winters, I took my kids and hiked Cedar Mesa, and spent much time in Lockheart Basin, Beef basin, and the surrounding areas.

My comments.

Nobody argues that our land is beautiful. No one argues the value of the ruins left behind by the Anasazi. But trying to manage it as a monument is insane. The BLM and the Forest service have limited resources as it is, and drawing more people here to tromp over it just makes the problem worse. We don't need more people here. We need left alone. Case in point. In 1982 I took my boys for the first time and hiked to 7 kivas in Road Canyon on Cedar mesa. There were no trails down the canyon, the ruins were really pristine, with lots of pottery, even a used sandal and a corncob doll, the roofs were secure and the midden slope was secure. WE took pictures, left very few footprints, and had a great time. Not too much later, the folks at Kane Springs ranger station started worrying about too many people in Grand Gulch, and started pushing folks to explore Road Canyon, Fish and Owl creek, etc. Now, you go to 7 kivas or the Citadel ruin, etc, and you find a huge path leading there, no pottery, the midden slope is sliding down into the wash, the roofs of the kivas are in fear of breaking down, and basically the ruin has been compromised beyond repair. The impact wasn't from infamous looters, it was from people. Too many people. I could go on forever about the impact of too many people, as could anybody with a historical perspective [sic].

The monument includes a massive overreach that includes Elk ridge, that is used for hunting, cows, timber, wood gathering, etc. Access is important. Camping is popular, roads are important. Trails are important. The various uses there are incompatible with a monument. They are compatible with forest land. The land of many uses. Same with Beef Basin, Bull Valley, etc. We already have parks for single use. That is enough.

The idea of this indian coalition pushing for the monument was just a front from environmental groups using the tribes to somehow make it seem sacred or religious to them. All my 40 years of using Elk ridge, and Cedar mesa I have seen a few Navajos collecting wood on Cedar mesa, and a few Utes and Navajos on Elk ridge, mostly with guns in the car looking to shoot anything that moves. That idea that these tribes hold Bears Ears as sacred and use it all the time, is just a scam. Talk to the people who live in Utah and they don't want more regulations, and more attraction either.

A Native American woman wants the monument repealed:

I live in San Juan County UTAH. I'm Native American, my name is Nicole Wells and a tribal member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and of the Zuni Tribe living in the small community of White Mesa, Utah (84511).

I want Bears Ears National Monument RESCINDED.

WE HAVE NO INFRASTRUCTURE to take on the massive amounts of tourist the greedy OUTDOOR RETAILERS pushed on us with the Bears Ears monument designation!!!

ALSO, Bears Ears isn't even funded at all. what does that mean? My kids have to be stacked with enormous debt our country already has to pay these monuments with my hard earned TAX DOLLARS?

WE DON'T WANT BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT!

Please understand that the land and the people took care of this area LONG LONG LONG, before there was ever a monument.

WE DON'T WANT BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT!

I just learned that former Interior Secretary Sally Jewell herself was a CEO of a private company, REI, that gains profits off the designations of national monuments all over the country. that would make sense as to why she recommended President Obama to designate Bears Ears National Monument in a very undemocratic process.

On my tribe, big issues that affect all The People are put to a vote. FOR SOME QUESTIONABLE REASON, this issue for the monument never was brought before our eyes to vote on.
It was a very undemocratic process.

PLEASE RESCIND BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT [SIC]

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