Just in case you didn’t read every one of the newsletters we sent in August, we are once again bringing you the most-clicked stories from the last four weeks. It’s our way of making sure that you don’t miss any of the content that your fellow runners/readers loved the most. Friends don’t let friends miss important running advice. Cheers!
We often hear about having a strong backbone in life, but for runners, having a strong core might be what actually saves your back. Our own Ashley Arnold just dropped a guide on our site, covering the “6 Core Strength Exercises Every Runner Should Do Regularly.” She highlights how your core is crucial for moving efficiently. The proof is in the PRs, with one 2009 study showing that runners who did core work for just six weeks recorded faster 5K times than those with unaltered training routines. She also notes that a strong core can help absorb some of the impact forces during a run, as well as help maintain proper form to prevent injury. While core work is a huge piece of the puzzle, understanding the specific causes can help build a more resilient body. In “Lower Back Pain After Running: Why It Happens and How to Prevent It,” experts suggest that running often exposes weaknesses from our daily lives. They note that prolonged sitting can weaken the core and tighten hips, placing extra strain on the spine during runs. Additionally, weak glutes and tight hamstrings frequently contribute to low-back pain, especially when they cause you to run or lift with bad form. The consensus for prevention is to build strength. By regularly training your core, glutes, and lower back with exercises like the ones Ashley recommends, you can improve spinal stability and see a reduction in pain in a matter of days to weeks.
#GotYourBack
Coach Trax just shared this NYT story with the rest of our SMM crew: “6 Running Myths That Could Be Slowing You Down.” Given the name of our newsletter, we appreciate the fact that they shared a Top 6 and not a Top 10. We also appreciate two myths on this list in particular. The first is that “Rest is always the best way to heal an injury.” We have adhered to the “motion is lotion” philosophy for years, but the NYT provides some science behind the idea that not all injuries get better by shutting down your training. Of course something serious like a stress fracture probably warrants a complete pause, but one researcher points out that for things like ligament and tendon strains, “we need blood flow to heal the body.” The other myth busted is that “Lactic acid causes muscle soreness.” Yes, this byproduct of intense exercise can produce a burning sensation in the moment, but it is rarely the cause of soreness the next day. That lasting pain is typically “caused by the microscopic damage that happens when you put unusually high demands on your muscles. (Think: the grueling final stretch of a race.)”
#MythI’dKnownThat
Cramming for a final exam rarely works, and the same goes for a 5K race – the real test happens in the weeks leading up to the starting line. Building confidence and race-day readiness often comes down to a few key sessions, like a classic mile-repeat workout. According to “How to Do Mile Repeats to Get Faster,” these workouts train your body and mind to hold race pace even when fatigue kicks in, which improves speed and stamina. A popular method for 5K preparation is to run a mile repeat workout with three repetitions. Since three miles is just shy of the full race distance, it provides a great gauge for how the effort will feel. Another proven session comes from our partner Greg McMillan in “The Best 5K Workout,” where he recommends the 5×1000 meter workout. He says that if you can perform five 1000-meter repeats at your goal 5K pace, you will hit your goal time come race day. The trick, of course, is proper workout scheduling. Wondering “When should you stop doing hard workouts before your race?” The expert consensus suggests your last truly hard workout should be about 10 days before your race. After that point, you should taper your running. Coach Steve Magness notes that the goal of a light race-week workout is simply to maintain muscle tension, keeping your legs energized without causing burnout.
#WorkoutTheKinks
No ifs, ands, or butts about it, runners who want to get faster and healthier should develop their glutes. A simple plan executed a few times a week can help immensely, according to: “Hey Runners, Stop Ignoring Your Butt.” Your glutes are made up of three muscles – the maximus, medius, and minimus – that work together to power your stride, stabilize your hips, and absorb impact. Strong glutes help “distribute the load across the lower back and legs more evenly,” which can prevent common injuries. One reason you might not get the most from your posterior chain is poor posture, as described in more detail here: “Four Simple Ways to Engage Your Glutes While Running.” Holding your pelvis in an anterior tilt puts the gluteus maximus in a “biomechanically disadvantaged position,” making it crucial to learn what engaging your glutes feels like before adding weight, since the body is great at cheating with stronger muscles like the quads. Once you’ve mastered activation, “10 Best Glute Exercises to Build Strength & Add Size” suggests adding targeted movements like the hand-supported single-leg deadlift, where the support “reduces the wobble factor,” or the dumbbell side lunge, which challenges the glute medius to improve hip strength. You may see big returns in power and stability by adding this type of training just twice a week.
#GetYourRearIntoGear
To paraphrase legendary runner Forrest Gump, strength training and running go together like peas and carrots. And according to Ashley Arnold’s latest guide on our site, a good workout can take less time than steaming veggies: “The 6 Best Strength Exercises for Runners.” She offers a simple, six-minute circuit with foundational moves like squats, skater hops, and deadlifts. While her routine targets the full body, many experts emphasize the calves as a primary engine for running: “I did calf raises every day for 30 days and it massively reduced my knee pain and made running easier.” For a more challenging and effective variation, the author suggests single-leg deficit calf raises, where you stand on the edge of a step to increase the range of motion. If you’re ready to add resistance, Kettlebell Kings’ guide, “Amplify Your Calf Strength with Kettlebell Calf Raises,” advises using slow, controlled movements to maximize muscle engagement and avoid rushing. For weighted raises, they recommend aiming for 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions, focusing on proper form over using too much weight.
#NoCalfMeasures
“The times they are a-changin’.” Is it possible that Bob Dylan was prophetically describing the rapid evolution of a runner’s pre-workout routine from the year 2005 to today? Maybe he had other things on his mind, but he wouldn’t have been wrong. With all of our gadgets, trackers, and fuel rituals, getting ready for a run these days can seem like a 15-point safety inspection. It seems all you needed back in the day to enjoy a run were some minimum cushioned kicks and an insatiable sense of wonder. While we are loading on the platitudes, we should also note that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Running seems to follow that maxim, too. The rules are still the same: grit, determination, and one foot in front of the other. The video below is a comically true reminder of how the years have altered the preparation process for doing the same sport we’ve always loved.
