<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5936" srcset="https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/jogger-doing-stretches-before-running-practice-close-up_1163-1651.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



 Running our best involves optimizing key characteristics of our physiology, including but not limited to our aerobic conditioning, metabolic efficiency, musculoskeletal strength, and running economy. If, however, we have resigned to a shortened stride, whether consciously or subconsciously, no matter how much volume, lactate threshold work, or speed intervals are in the program, the ceiling stays well below our full potential. For many seasoned marathoners over 40 years old who run over 7:00 min/mile for a marathon, this limited flexibility is often prevalent and curtails PR potential. Due to unaddressed hypertension the ease of hip flexion to 90 degrees, and knee flexion to 140 degrees is simply not there. Tight hamstrings and tight hip flexors are just not allowing for this degree of motion to be fluid and uninhibited. Given this limited maximum range of motion, this then lowers the mid-range of motion, and the mid-range of motion is where our running stride during a marathon settles into. Thus, if we improve our maximum range of motion we increase our mid-range of motion, and as a result can now run with a high knee lift without much conscious effort. This higher knee lift then allows for us to reap the benefits of the increased elastic energy as the leg recoils down towards the ground with more force. Improving flexibility though, even if you are over 70 years old, is still possible! It just takes a commitment, a dedication for many weeks and months. Ideally this involves: &#8211; 10 minutes of foamroll/pliability work on the restricting muscles, followed by&#8230; &#8211; 2 * 20 seconds of a light static stretch, followed by&#8230; &#8211; 2* 10 seconds of PNF stretching (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) If the above is done every day, every week should result in a noticeable difference, and in three weeks, a notable difference. After those initial three weeks you are then hopefully motivated to keep up with the work for another six weeks, as it typically takes 8-10 weeks of a dedicated flexibility habit to find the new and improved you.

Dedication to Flexibility

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Biomechanically speaking, faster running is as simple as faster steps with longer strides. The longer strides take more power, more eccentric load to safely absorb that power, and weeks/months to allow for this increase in force to become aerobic, aka sustainable. Faster steps though is the much easier and safer component to master and is a great introduction to speed development for those who might not be putting much variation in their workouts. The first task is to count your steps per minute, ideally by just counting one leg over one minute, 2 4 6 8 etc. Do this a few times during your run and take the average. If you are below 170, incorporating ISR during your easy runs may be a great way to develop an improved ground reaction time, i.e. quicker feet off the ground. A few considerations when implementing ISR into your running:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>When running with an ISR you should hear the faster steps, and it should feel lighter on your musculoskeletal system. Continue to count your ISRs until you are confident you know what 170-180 feels like. </li>



<li>Running with an ISR does not necessarily mean you are running faster. You might simply be running with shorter strides to counter those faster steps, and thus the net is you are running the same pace. If this is the case this is not a problem whatsoever. The initial goals are to run with 170-180 steps per minute with the least amount of effort possible and to develop a quicker reaction to the ground, not to run faster. </li>



<li>Though your legs are moving faster, this does not mean it has to be hard work! Focus onstaying as relaxed as possible as you try to ‘trick’ your mind into thinking this is easy, this isnormal. </li>



<li>When shifting to an ISR try to keep the run ballistic. This means the leg relaxes during theswing phase, and then quickly bounces off the ground, as opposed to always having tension andstiff legs during the stride. </li>



<li>Running with an ISR likely means you are using your muscles differently and likely landingslightly more forward on the foot. Given this it is best to keep up with standard injury prevention tactics:</li>
</ul>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ensure the calf, shins and feet are pliable before and after each run</li>



<li>Start very conservative (1 min of ISR per mile twice per week for 3 weeks) and gradually build from there until it is habitual</li>
</ol>

Increased Stride Rate (ISR)

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Building up your long run, slow and steady pacing, maybe some lactate threshold workouts, maybe some hills. For some marathoners, that is about it. A simple approach, with some but not much variation. No problem, if that keeps you in your groove then no need to change a thing. But now comes a 5k your friends want you to do with them. All of sudden there you are at the start-line, unsure of what pace to do, and a bit scared of the ‘pain’ (intensity) that might happen. The gun goes off&#8230; Since you have not trained for a 5k you might opt to stay clear of that possible pain and run well below your potential. You finish feeling like you maybe touched some gears you are not used to using, but never for too long so no harm done. You have survived the 5k with your friends and can now move on to more important matters (the long run). Or, since you are not used to racing such short distances, you go out too aggressively and by mile one you are not happy. Breathing hard, not sure if you can hold the pace, too proud to slow down because you are a marathoner and 5ks are nothing to you. In either case, just a couple of 5k specific intro-workouts can help navigate these variables (pacing and intensity) on race day and can help with your marathon-specific workouts long-term. Here is a sample, intro 5k workout: Warmup: 1-2 miles easy run, with the last ¼ mile a bit faster &#8211; Stop and Stretch &#8211; Drills and Strides Workout: 1 2 3 4 min faster intervals all around 5k intensity with as much rest in between as needed Cooldown: 1-2 miles easy run Some key components to the above: 1) ‘Stop’ – yes, a difficult thing to do for some marathoners. But keep in mind you are going to be running with a bit more range of motion and force than normal, so your warm-up routine needs to account for that. 2) ‘Stretch’ – this does not need to be an extensive session, just lightly increase your range of motion with some basic short holds (e.g. pulling heel to chest, pulling heel to glute, wall-push calf stretch). 3) Drills and Strides – some fast butt-kicks, high high-knees, and long skips to continue the warmup process, then 2-4 60-80 meter fast strides. These strides are still part of the warmup and can themselves be progressive, so feel free to start conservative with the first one, and take plenty of rest in between. 4) 1 2 3 4 min intervals. Much of the initial fatigue of faster running is lack of neuromuscular coordination at the new speed. Given this, there is not much purpose to running so fast that you are out of breath. If done right, you feel a bit challenged with each interval, but your body ‘learns’ during the rest and you feel better with each interval, even though it is getting longer. Expand these ‘coordination intervals’ now with next week’s session, to perhaps 1 2 3 4 5 6, or 2 4 6 8, moving up to the next length in interval only if you feel stronger with each rep (e.g. 2 minutes into the 3- minute intervals feels better than the end of the 2-minute interval, even though the pace is the same).

5ks for Marathoners

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Whether you had a virus that lasted for weeks, or only a minor head cold for a few days, the recovery from internal health problems last longer than folks may realize. You might feel fine, fully recovered, and resuming normal activities per usual, but why are the runs still so challenging? Often the immune system is still fighting off final remnants of illness even when all main systems (e.g. cardiac, pulmonary, digestive) are all getting the green light, thus leaving little energy for running. Since our bodies are hard-wired to allocate our prime resources (circulation, energy, and metabolic pathways) to protect and rebuild our vital systems above all else, our muscles might not yet be getting their full resources when we are seemingly fully recovery. In other words, when you go out for a run after feeling recovered from an illness, your musculoskeletal system may still not be responding optimally



The next time you are under the weather, keep your expectations realistic:



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<figure class="wp-block-table aligncenter"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Duration of Illness</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">After recovered, expected additional days and runs until your runs feel comfortable</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">3-4 weeks</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1-2 weeks, 5-10 runs</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1-2 weeks</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5-10 days, 3-6 runs</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">2-6 days</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">3-5 days, 2-4 runs</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
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During these additional recovery days, avoid any higher exertion running until those easy runs feel 100%, and be sure not to push the pace, or have expectations of your pace and effort matching up as before. With the right expectations of recovery, you can more easily stay patient, keep mentally calm when your runs feel slow or tiring, and then be more motivated to bounce back when the time and body is right.

Bouncing Back

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2-1024x682.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4727" srcset="https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wp.marathonguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/happy-african-american-female-athlete-running-park-copy-space_637285-4475-2.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Bad air quality and running are just not a good mix. For big cities, areas near big cities in underdeveloped countries, or for those affected by things like forest fires and the drifting smoke from these events, regularly checking the AQI (air quality index &#8211; which measures 6 common pollutants and rates them on a scale 0-500) through your local weather channel or app is a must. Here is general &#8216;rule of thumb&#8217; list for running in various air quality conditions.



AQI scale and running*



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>0-50 (green):</td><td>All systems good, all workout types are ok!</td></tr><tr><td>51-100 (yellow):</td><td>Generally ok for all workouts for all runners, save for those with chronic conditions or sensitive to pollution.</td></tr><tr><td>101-150 (orange):</td><td>For healthy runners without sensitivity or chronic conditions, best to stick to easy running only, or run indoors (where the windows and doors are always closed).</td></tr><tr><td>151-200 (red):</td><td>Best to not run outdoors, given the risk of long-term health of the lung and cardiovascular system. If you &#8216;have&#8217; to run outdoors in these conditions, run easy and with a quality air mask.</td></tr><tr><td>201-300 (purple):</td><td>If you must be outdoors, walking with a mask is recommended, as any more intensity and the breathing rate and force increases, thus exposing your lungs to a higher density of pollutants. Though some runners will still go out and run in 201-300 conditions, and even some marathons have been held in this range, studies show performance suffers and respiratory/cardiovascular risk increases. Is it worth it?</td></tr><tr><td>301-500 (maroon):</td><td>No, it is not worth it.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Studies on AQI and its impact on runners have been taking place throughout the world, however much of the long-term health risks have not been fully deduced and validated with data. Common sense, though, will likely land in the same place as long-term studies &#8211; though some may be able to run in lesser quality air conditions and have little to no impact on their health, quality of life, and life expectancy, others will suffer lung or cardiovascular complications from such activities. You will not know which one you are until it is too late, so let&#8217;s let common sense keep us out of harm&#8217;s way.



* This list was derived from recommendations from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the American Lung Association.

coach joe advice

Joe McConkey