A loyal reader recently asked a great question regarding the use of a heart rate monitor during a race. Why was he slowing down prematurely if he kept his heart rate steady?

Setting personal best times, beating the competition, and accomplishing goals that once seemed unattainable are just some of the outcomes that are possible when you are in peak condition. Once you've acquired a taste for the feelings associated with being in that sort of shape it can be hard to have it any other way. Here are some questions to consider when thinking about your goals for 2014.

I've had several clients over the years who've sought my help because they were prone to these types of muscle cramps and I've noticed a few patterns I thought I'd share with you.

Restriction in the upper/middle back, or thoracic spine (T-Spine), is one of the most common areas of the body to tighten up. And it's insidious, too. That is, the tightness evolves slowly month by month and yet you may not even realize you're tight there. Instead, you'll feel your shoulders get cranky, your neck get stiff, your elbows become prone to tendonitis, and even your wrists can pay a price. Carpal tunnel anyone? And we didn't even talk about the lower body yet!

If there's one thing people love, it's being told what to do. They want the guesswork removed, they want to skip the trial and error, and to just know what they should do. As a coach, it's very easy to fall into the trap of thinking I know best and therefore I know what's best for YOU, too.

In my experience, however, a better approach is to encourage you to continue to experiment. I'll gladly share some strategies that have worked with others, but remind you that you are an “experiment of one”. Let's figure out what works for you.

Here's a four workout progression spread over 8 weeks leading up to a half marathon. If you're racing sooner than that and you like to try this, just jump in.

I've got a couple of great reads for you today on a variety of subjects, but they're all geared toward one thing: helping you perform better on the roads or in life!

I wanted to go a bit in-depth here and breakdown my swing so you can see what respectable form looks like. Since I spend LOTS of hours in a gym I see all sorts of attempts to swing a kettlebell and it just isn't very pretty much of the time. Additionally, instruction can sometimes be spotty at best. Again, fantastic exercise, maybe even the best single exercise you can do, but please own your technique

His fate was sealed 4 miles into the run. While he was feeling great. This happens ALL THE TIME to a majority of runners, but the effects are most pronounced in the marathon. Running one soon? Pay attention to the following 5 tips...

This week I want to introduce you to a simple move that “should be easy”... if you have good motor control over your hip muscles. Many folks who end up with knee pain have lousy hip mechanics and thus, their knee pays the price. Those of you dealing with knee pain or who are interested in preventing knee pain, this is for you!

Find out the answer to this common question: “I know I should workout, but... how can I get more motivated?”

As an experienced coach I can say with certainty that to get the BEST results, variety is the last and smallest piece of the puzzle - DESPITE what marketers would lead you to believe! Variety is truly the icing on top, yet the cake is made with 'precision' and 'progression'.

The underlying cause for many a poor movement issue is a dysfunctional core. Rolling can help re-establish proper core function.

Clients often give me that WTF look when I make the following suggestion: “Breathe only through your nose.” Like, ok, what the heck are you talking about? And what does that have to do with the half marathon I want to run or simply beginning a running program? “Well, just... everything.”

Today I just wanted to share as I've noticed quite a few great articles put out recently by some of my favorite trusted sources. Check 'em out and enjoy!

I think we can all agree that generally the goal in racing is to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. To that end, the less sideways movement, the better. With crossover gait, you've got a bit of lateral motion in not only the feet, but also the entire center of mass. This is NOT GOOD!

When we talk bang for the buck, sprints have to rank near the top of the list of things you can do that will noticeably improve your distance running in a short time period. From improving your coordination to developing stride power, just a small amount of sprinting can take your running to the next level in only a few weeks. They can be magical, but they can also be disastrous, however. The range of motion required and your body's ability to tolerate huge amounts of force determine if you should even try sprinting in the first place.

Once you've addressed your tissue quality and joint mobility and, at a bare minimum, woken up your sleepy butt muscles, you are ready to incorporate a highly effective form of speed training into your routine: Strides! The thing I love about strides is that they don't carry the same injury risk as all out sprinting, but give nearly the same benefits.

Your butt muscles' ability to engage at the right time and generate force into the ground is a major key to running fast. Here's how to bring them up to speed!