Runner's Jargon: Essential Vocabulary from Anaerobic to Zone Training

Have you ever wondered what makes running more than just a form of exercise? Join me, Coach Christine, on this thrilling episode of Extraordinary Strides as we unlock the secrets to making your runs both enjoyable and effective. Learn how to harness the magic of a "sunshine and rainbows pace," understand the playful nature of "fartlek," and discover the real benefits behind using fuel belts or hydration vests. Plus, get the lowdown on hill repeats, interval training, and how to power up your finishing kick to nail every workout with confidence.

Get ready to expand your running vocabulary as we break down essential runner jargon. From understanding the importance of negative splits to the significance of getting properly fitted for your running shoes, this episode covers it all. We also delve into the joys of personal records (PRs) and personal bests (PBs), offering valuable tips on how to execute recovery runs effectively. And for those curious about the euphoria of runner's high, we explain how endocannabinoids play a role in enhancing your mood and well-being.

Lastly, we shine a spotlight on the incredible spirit of the Extraordinary Strides community. Join the Stride Collective Facebook community page and be part of a network that celebrates every step of your journey. We show our heartfelt appreciation for each member's contributions and encourage everyone to stay connected and motivated. Whether you're a seasoned runner or just starting, this episode promises to inspire and equip you with the knowledge to make every stride extraordinary.

Chapters

• 0:01 Exciting Updates and Runner's Jargon
• 14:42 Running Terminology Explained
• 23:12 Understanding Runner's Jargon
• 36:33 Community Appreciation and Encouragement

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hey friend, hello and welcome to Extraordinary Strides. I'm Coach Christine and I am so excited to have you here with us today because, whether you're tuning in for the very first time, if you are welcome, or you've been with me since the very first day of podcast launch, back in time for brunch, or maybe even running scared with Coach Christine, I want you to know that you are part of an extraordinary community. So, as a level two RRCA certified running coach and ace health coach, I firmly believe that every single step and stride we take holds the power to transform us into something truly extraordinary. Hence Extraordinary Strides. It's not just about crossing those finish lines even though we do love ourselves some finish lines around here. It's truly about the journey, the commitment and the joy that we find along the way. And, friend, I'm so excited because I've been a little bit more quiet over the summer and, granted, I know it's still officially summer, but as we start peaking a little closer towards fall, maybe even some of those fall races that we've all been working so hard for. Well, I can tell you that, behind the scenes, I've been truly hard at work here as well, truly wanting to unveil a whole lot of fun, exciting updates for you as part of the community.

Speaker 1: 1:24

So, first up, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a brand new website. It's going to be your go-to destination for everything Extraordinary Strides. It's going to be packed with resources, coaching, tips and, of course, the latest episodes of our podcast. Now for our very loyal listeners and supporters. You guys voted and you said you know what. We're ready, now that the podcast has a new name, to kind of let go of Brunch Plus and embrace the fact that we are going the extra mile, and you guys are indeed, and I am forever grateful. So our new podcast supporter community is officially the extra mile club and they have their own page in the website. You're welcome to go check that out and if you ever come across an extra mile club member, give them a big thank you, because they are helping us stay completely ad free and keep the lights on so that we can keep this podcast rolling and, of course, continuing to have some incredible guests and some wonderful runs for Asian here. Again, I you are interested in going the extra mile and you want to learn more about becoming a podcast supporter. I want to let you know that this is always your chance to become part of something truly special.

Speaker 1: 2:45

Okay, I'm not done yet. I've talked about the website and the Extra Mile Club, of course, the fact that we have such an incredible community, but we also have some incredible podcast merch. You guys have been asking for it. You've said you know what we love Extraordinary Strides. We love the logo. We want to show off our pride and, my friend, you indeed have. My favorite of all of all of the merch is that runner's ingredient, because it has basically that nutrition label of what we stand for as an extraordinary runner. So check that out on the website as well, let me know what you think.

Speaker 1: 3:22

And I almost have to catch my breath from all of those exciting announcements. But there's still more, because September is right around the corner. Officially, we'll be there, fall will be here and so will be the final months of 2024. And this, traditionally this time, can be really difficult. There's a whole lot going on and I want you to know that one of the ways that we have found that's exciting, to keep you motivated, keeping you accountable, is to make it a little bit extra fun. So we are introducing Crown Conquest, the Royal Rivalry. We're kicking off on September 1st and you're not going to want to miss out on this excitement, camaraderie and, of course, the fun challenges ahead, because it's all about that mindful movement and working together with your team to keep you moving forward every single step. So if you want more information on that, check out those links and episode notes, my friends and again I'm so excited to have you here.

Speaker 1: 4:24

But let's talk, let's talk some runner's jargon, because it's been some time since we've had a chance to just kind of catch up and learn a little bit more. So today I'm going to unveil a runner's dictionary and I'm curious if you guys would add a few things yourselves to this. But starting all the way with the letter A, we're gonna get into anaerobic, because when I hear anaerobic it sounds like a super cool, futuristic, sci-fi workout where robots take over and you run for your life and that may be a little bit of what you actually feel like. But anaerobic means that you're running at a pace where your body can't get enough oxygen to your muscles and it turns your workout into a full-on sprint, to the point of questioning all of your life choices. It has incredible benefits. You do not want to run all of your runs in anaerobic zone, but definitely, adding it in and peppering it in judiciously can be beneficial for your training journey.

Speaker 1: 5:20

As we continue to roll through this dictionary of A to Z of some of the most common runners jargon, I think the one that we are all familiar with or we've heard on the periphery, is BQ, the infamous Boston qualifier on the way to the unicorn medal, and what it sounds like is a really complicated math formula only elite runners understand, and that's actually kind of true. But what it really means is that the BQ or Boston qualifying time, is a magical time that gets you in to the Boston marathon. And, friends, we do say magical, but we do know that there's a whole lot of sweat, tears and determination for most people to get their Boston qualifying times. So a whole lot of respect and a big shout out for those of you that are trying to nail that BQ time this fall. Now, of course, we do know that the stars have to align and not only do you have to meet the Boston qualifying time for your specific designated age, you also want to make sure that your time is actually a little faster than that if you truly are looking for a Boston qualifying time to run Boston Marathon. Now there are some folks that want to BQ and have no interest in running Boston, and there's others who can't imagine living without trying to get into Boston after getting their BQ. So, again, it's all about making sure that you do your due diligence and you do your training in accordance with having a little bit faster to give you a bit of a cushion for Boston qualifying marathon time.

Speaker 1: 6:51

Okay, let's move on through, and one thing that we're going to say is that if you are hoping for a BQ time, one thing that we hope that you do not encounter at all during that race is bonking, and what bonking sounds like is the sound that you hear when you actually see a cartoon character hit the wall, and that's actually kind of maybe what it feels like a little bit into. You feel like you actually do hit a wall in your stamina, your endurance. You just kind of feel a little blah. Now, bonking can be prevented generally with this next letter in their runner's jargon dictionary, which is, of course, carb loading. I think this is one of every single runner's favorite, whether they're trying for a VQ or not, but what it sounds like is when you try to eat all the carbs in the world the night before a race. Don't do that, you likely won't feel great. What it really means is that it's a great time to fuel well for your run. So of course this is a wonderful opportunity, especially before your race, that you bring in all of those delicious carbs that are going to help to fuel and oxygenate and get that glycogen stores going, so you're able to feel energized Again. Now we do know that carb loading, as we may have thought of it in previous days, doesn't necessarily mean that you should stuff yourself with pasta the night before, but it's also a great reminder that if you're not quite yet to your goal race for this fall, please be practicing what fueling the night before your long runs works best to help you feel energized on the long run.

Speaker 1: 8:26

Now we have a few more C's that we want to definitely talk about in this runner's dictionary, and the next is cadence, and what it sounds like is the dance steps that you are trying to practice for your next TikTok. Well, maybe not so much, even though you may want to have a good like a little bit of cadence too. When you're practicing your TikTok dances, what it really means is the number of steps that you take per minute, which sounds technical, but mostly just means run faster with tiny steps. So a great way to get in a stronger, higher cadence is to make sure that you're listening to a playlist that has over 160 to 180 BPM beats per minute. Aligns with your steps per minute does make it a little easier, especially for I've noticed you athletes that were in any kind of musical background, whether it was chorus or band. You guys really do really well when you align your playlist that way or utilizing a metronome. So it's one of my favorite technical aspects of things to work on to give you a little bit of efficiency, improve your form without a whole lot of extra effort.

Speaker 1: 9:35

Okay, this one's really important and I guess that while it's technically a C, it also can play a little bit into later on in our runner's jargon with a letter g. But it's chip time, and chip time is not chocolate chip time, though I am always down for some chocolate chips. It really is your official race time, measured by the chip in your race bib. Some race directors actually still use chip times attached to your shoe, so it's either like a little plastic bracelet, for lack of a better term, or a little cardboard box that has a chip, but either way, your chip time basically aligns with when that chip measurement hits the start timing mat and the finish timing mat and, of course, especially for longer distances, you're also going to have chip times that'll check in, maybe at the 5K, 10k, 15k or so on and so forth. So it's your official time of you running on the course. This is also a really great reminder that, while your long runs should definitely make sure that you are comfortable and you're trying out different things, if you tend to pause your watch a lot on your long runs because you are needing to use the bathroom or things that come up with fueling, it is something that you should take into mind that you should have during your training season at least one or two simulation runs, which basically means that you should simulate true race day situations in your plan. So if you need to use the bathroom, of course use the bathroom, but don't turn off and pause your watch for those restroom breaks, because you need to take that into account, especially if you are concerned with your finish time. So keep that in mind. With your chip time, it's different than your gun time, but we'll talk about that a little bit later on.

Speaker 1: 11:20

Another conversation to have, of course, is corral, because it sounds like a really fancy pen. Maybe you've heard of a corral like a cowboy corral or the OK Corral, but really it's the designated area of the start of a race where runners are grouped by expected finish times. It's also known, especially for all of you run Disney fans or the world marathon majors or any of the big races, as the hurry up and wait because they will close the corral, but you're going to be in there for quite some time. So it's a wonderful time when you're in those starting corrals to make great use of becoming friendly with your neighbors and chit, chat and just kind of keep in the zone, but get those little jitters out and chat with your neighbor. Of course, be a little extra friendly, maybe ask them what podcasts they're listening to. All right, my friends, let's keep this conversation going, but we have officially made it to the D's of our runner's jargon dictionary. All right, my friends, we've talked about it. We've had even episodes dedicated to it.

Speaker 1: 12:27

The dreaded and very scary DNF did not finish. It sounds like an incredibly scary text message from your boss after they discovered your three-hour lunch break was a long run. Okay, seriously, I have to know. Please either shoot me a message or drop into the community page and let us know. We promise we won't tell your boss. How many times have you snuck out on a gorgeous day for a run? I feel like we should have PTO time just for that purpose. But what DNF actually means that did not finish is if something does happen at your race maybe because training or conditions, you're not feeling well and you don't actually make it to the finish line. You did toe up to the start line, but you don't make it to the finish line and you either bow out at an aid station or, of course, you ask for assistance by one of the incredible course marshals to get you back to that start line or to the finish line and you do not finish the entire distance.

Speaker 1: 13:30

I do believe that a DNF is something that most runners will encounter as they continue to challenge themselves, and I want you to know that it is not the end of the world. You can survive a DNF and it can use it to propel you moving forward. So sending you a lot of love and reminders that failure to finish can actually be a successful step up to getting you closer towards your end goals, which brings us to DNS, which is did not start. This can be for a variety of reasons as well. It could be that your training again didn't go according to plan, maybe something happened and you missed your start. But did not start is definitely something that can potentially happen and you kind of have to weigh and counterweight. Sometimes, if you listen to your instinct and you DNS, it can prevent you from a DNF. But you know again, us runners, we're a different breed, so sometimes you'll push past that did not start, you'll try the race and you need to pull out for a DNF and that's a-okay Easy run.

Speaker 1: 14:42

I think we're all really familiar with it, especially now with 80-20, but when it sounds like it's a leisurely jog where you stop to smell the roses, literally, and actually that's kind of what it should be. It's a relaxed, paced run where you can chat with a friend without gasping for air. It can also be a little bit more like a recovery run if you're feeling fancy, but for the most part we're going to live in an easy conversation. Paced run I've also been known to call it sunshine and rainbows pace. It should feel good. It should not necessarily feel super easy, but it should feel comfortable. We're rolling on through this dictionary.

Speaker 1: 15:19

We have made it all the way to F and, despite some WTF moments that may go through our minds when we're out for a run, usually in Runner's Dragon, what comes to mind with F is fartlek, and it sounds like the unfortunate result of eating too many pre-race beans. Well, it's not. It's just the Swedish word for speed play. It's a playful workout where you run fast when you feel like it, slow when you don't. It's really a wonderful way to introduce yourself to speed work if you haven't. I also like to think of speed play workouts being something that you kind of would see a child or a young snack or some hydration, because fuel belt is next.

Speaker 1: 16:22

Now, of course, there's different ways. Maybe you're using a fuel belt, maybe a hydration vest, maybe you just like big old pockets, like I do, but fuel belt sounds like a superhero accessory for saving the world. One gel pack at a time, but truly it is a wonderful way to save your run. One fueling source at a time. So if you are running a little bit longer and longer and haven't invested in a way for you to carry your fuel with you, please do consider looking into a fuel belt or a hydration vest or figuring out how to plan your route in your runs around getting that fuel in, which should be anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the length of your run and the intensity of your run and the purpose of the run. But a lot of runners find a sweet spot around fueling every 45 minutes or so, which brings us to the next part of this conversation.

Speaker 1: 17:21

I think a lot of us have heard of goo and it sounds kind of not that appetizing. Well, goo maybe might not be appetizing, maybe it is, but it is a fuel source that a lot of individuals do utilize. So, with goo and that gel, you want to make sure that you're utilizing your runs, your harder effort runs or your long runs, to figure out what fueling works for you, and once upon a time we had more limited resources, but now there's such a huge wide variety of options and I will suggest a thousand times over that we're not sponsored by them because, again, we have a wonderful extra mile club to keep us ad free, so that when I recommend something you can know that I 100% am behind it. I love the feed, my friends. The feeds website is an incredible resource for when you're trying to figure out what fueling and hydration will work for you, because you can get one packet of a myriad of products to really really hone in on what's going to keep you moving and grooving, give you that little extra pep in your step, keeping you fueled, keeping you hydrated, but still settle well on your GI system.

Speaker 1: 18:29

Down here in Florida, I can honestly say it is challenging for us to do hill repeats, and what it generally sounds like is a bad nightmare where you keep running up the same hill over and over. Guess what, my friends? What it really means is that you're running up and down a hill over and over, but they're actually quite a bit of fun and they do make you stronger. I love hill repeats because they are essentially a strength training workout for runners. They help improve your form, your efficiency, your cadence and again, you're really empowering your posterior chain, your quads. It's just, it's a beautiful way of really getting in a strong workout, even if you hate hills. I also like to kind of make it fun with saying you know, queen or king of the hill, or a little hill, yeah, action. So if you're not incorporating hill repeats or bridge repeats or causeway repeats, like we do down here in Florida. Maybe consider adding them in to your training.

Speaker 1: 19:32

Now, intervals what it sounds like is a short burst of energy you get after seeing a hill, followed by the crushing realization that it's still there. But what intervals really are is where you alternate between running and Walking, or interval track style workouts where you're running fast and then pulling back into a slower recovery. So intervals can mean a little bit of a different thing for different folks. When you're speaking to someone who is more of a Galloway runner, they may also identify as being a interval runner. It usually means for them that they're doing run and walk and that means that they'll have an interval of their run that'll be dedicated to a run portion and then they'll pull back into a walking. Intervals for a actual style of workout does mean you're usually alternating between a running faster segment with a recovery segment, the next one on the list of our runner's jargon.

Speaker 1: 20:28

I'm actually even a little frightened to say the word. But jogger, I know, I know of late that word can be very, very polarizing and it sounds like someone who maybe we have thought of in the past that is more casual about their running. But in actuality it's truly just a light and easy pace. But again, I would proceed with caution with calling folks joggers, because they may have a feeling or two about that word, so you know I'm personally not using it anytime soon.

Speaker 1: 21:05

Now kicking, on the other hand, are getting some kicking, some asphalt. What it sounds like is maybe what you do to your running shoes after a tough workout you kick them to that asphalt. You never want to see them again. But really what a good kick means a good strong kicking asphalt is having that final sprint at the end of a race where you give it everything you've got, especially on the heels haha, pun intended of the Olympics, we saw a lot of strong kicks during both the track and field portions and the marathon. It was so beautiful to see, especially that women's marathon. So, yeah, a good strong kick or kicking or a kick in asphalt All of these are great to utilize. Unlike that jogging word, kicking, I think, sounds a lot better. People would love to hear that they had a good strong kick at the end of a race.

Speaker 1: 21:52

This next one we've heard a lot about, maybe if we're kind of new to running or even if we've been around running some time and we're like what really does it mean? Lactate threshold, and lactate threshold sounds to me. It sounds way too close to lactose intolerance. So, regardless, if you think of lactate threshold in those terms, what it really means is the pace at which you're running, where your body starts to produce lactic acid faster than it can clear it. It's also the point where you start questioning why in the world you're doing this. Now, lactate threshold workouts, again, as I've mentioned, has its place in your workouts and in your training plan, depending on your goals, but it is really appropriate for you to act on them and utilize them judiciously. There is not every run should be lactate threshold by any stretch of the imagination. There is not every run should be lactate threshold by any stretch of the imagination. So, definitely, figuring out how to use them is a really appropriate, and if I think, though, it could use a rebrand, personally, I'm still not feeling lactate threshold. It really does feel like like there's an intolerance to that. So who's with me? What else can we come up with? There has to be a better terminology of runner's dragon for it. Okay, my friend, we are generally familiar with marathon.

Speaker 1: 23:12

Now this is where we get a lot of newer runners that maybe aren't quite familiar with the marathon distance and they might fondly refer to a 5K, a 10k, a 15k all sorts of distances as a marathon, and I know for a lot of marathoners it makes you cringe. I'm going to ask you to take a deep breath, clear your mind and then, really easily, with a lot of compassion, to the new people, to the running community, let them know that a marathon is a 26.2 mile race or 42.2 kilometers. That turns you into a legend amongst all of your running friends and your non-running friends, but it also leaves you wondering why races need to be that long, and I think that's why we hear a lot of folks talk about doing a marathon and being one, and done so regardless if you run a 5K or marathon or beyond. It's really important that we give you kudos for showing up and that we're patient with folks that are still learning about the running distances that are to be had in the running world, which is why we're doing this runner's jargon, because you know we could all learn. Maybe some compassion. Maybe, if you're tired of telling all your friends that don't run about what these mean, you could just send them this podcast episode and let them know that you promise you won't be a negative Nancy anymore about the fact that they do not know the terminology, because they're going to learn it, of course, but you are going to focus all of your attention into negative splits because negative splits at first, when I was so confused, I was like, why do I want something negative for my running? But really, negative splits are something that are incredibly positive. It basically means you start off your run a little bit more conservatively and you progressively it's also known as a progression run progressively get faster, where each mile split is a little bit faster than the previous one. They're beautiful. I love seeing them, I love when athletes practice them and generally, if you are looking to feel really strong on race day and even to a slightly negative split, strategy has been shown to have the best results. So, as we continue on, there's a little bit of more technical jargon to be had in the runner's jargon.

Speaker 1: 25:49

We're not going to get into all of that I do want to quickly talk about there's other terminology, like over pronation or supination and all of those things that we could talk about when we are getting fitted for our shoes. So what I'm going to instead focus on is you need to get fitted for your running shoes and, my friend, if you are choosing your shoes basically because they're cute, this is not the place. You can definitely wear running skirts that are cute, you can wear leggings that are cute, you can get a cute headband or visor, but your running shoes need to be, first and foremost, really there to keep that foundation of your running strong and as injury free as possible. So set yourself up for success. Don't try to learn if you are over pronating or under pronating and all of that jazz. Just go to the runner's store a really good one that's reputable and get fitted.

Speaker 1: 26:44

So we can talk more about the favorite words that I have in our runner's jargon dictionary, which is PRs or PBs, personal best or personal records, because what it sounds like is a professional public relations manager that you hire after nailing your big race and maybe you do want to hire a PR agency to write a press release about your incredible run. I'm down with it if you do. But really, personal records or personal best is your best time in a race and it does feel fantastic, especially when you've worked so hard and you've trained so strong to have that PR. I love it. It's usually when all of those beautiful stars do align and after you have that great, huge, big PR and you have some beautiful recovery, you may want to have your first run back after that become a recovery run. So again, using that J word, that jogger word, judiciously and being very cautious and mindful.

Speaker 1: 27:46

Not everybody likes it, but your recovery run should feel almost too easy. It should be very, very light. It should be easier than your easy pace. And a great tip that I've been utilizing recently to keep my pace truly in a recovery pace, because I find that a lot of runners, including myself, struggle with it. As I've flipped my run-walk intervals and I'm actually walking the longer interval and running lightly in those segments, the shorter segment, that helps me to keep my pace really nice and light. Truly make my recovery run a true recovery run. Get a little bit of movement but still being really good to my joints and my muscles and just feeling all the way around as ready as I can be to hit my next harder workout when it's time to do so.

Speaker 1: 28:37

Because one of the wonderful aspects of running is that it gives us all of these incredible brain chemicals known as runner's high. Runner's high sounds like that giddy feeling when you realize you're almost at the finish line and there's a medal waiting for you. But the great thing about runner's high is you don't have to have a finish line or a start line or ever even want to race to experience it. It is truly an incredible feeling. Not every runner experiences it, but it's generally. We previously thought that it had more to do with endorphins. We now know it's more about endocannabinoids that are produced in your brain. What's an endocannabinoid? If it sounds a little bit like cannabis, it's because it is a little bit like an endocannabinoid. It's actually a molecule produced naturally in your body and you're able to release it or harness it a bit more when you go out for a run and it helps to regulate your sleep, your mood, your memory. It's just incredible. It gives you that extra pep in your step. So, again, that is tied directly to our precious runner's high that keeps us coming back for our next run. It's definitely keeps me coming back time and time again.

Speaker 1: 29:47

But, of course, as we continue to work through our dictionary of runner's jargon, we are coming up on another favorite word, which is strides. Not just because I named this podcast Extraordinary Strides, but mainly because strides are these wonderful drills that you should be using in your running. My friend. Strides are short bursts of running at a faster pace, really focusing on that form, efficiency and cadence from before, and it can be done at the beginning to kind of really prep your body for your workout. Generally, though, only do strides after a good long warmup, or it can be done at the end of your run. So I like to pepper strides in occasionally for athletes if they're on a longer run and I notice that maybe their cadence starts to slip a bit because it is harder to stay mindfully aware of your form as you continue going longer and longer. So strides are a wonderful drill to use and also a great reminder to continue staying extraordinary with every single stride we take.

Speaker 1: 30:52

But we're continuing to work through this alphabet and next is taper town, and taper town is beautiful and scary. Tapering after our peak week of our mileage in our training plan is generally really necessary for us to have our best performance. So we reduce our intensity and our frequency and the mileage or time that we spend on the run and our other supporting activities, like even cross training or strength training. We're going to pull all that back so that we can be primed and ready and really let all of that hard work go into our race day performance. But Taper Town sounds delicious, it sounds incredible. It sounds so exciting when you're in your peak miles and you're kind of maybe in the drudgery of training, but generally there's a lot of extra time on your hands and you don't know what to do with it in Taper Town. So it does come with its own set of anxieties and concerns, maybe even some phantom pains.

Speaker 1: 31:59

But, my friend, I want to assure you that there are tons of resources on the Extraordinary Strides blog about things to do during the taper town, so you can definitely make sure that your visit there isn't full of the taper tantrums or taper crazies which are also known to happen around that taper town visit. But, my friend, all of that is necessary, just like you're fueling and you're tapering and peppering in appropriately different styles of run so you can avoid hitting the wall on your actual race day performance. What the wall is all about is it sounds like something that you wish you could just lean on when you're tired during the race, but usually there's nothing to really lean on during the race. It's actually the point where you bonk and you hit that wall. So, again, being very mindful of fueling and hydrating and getting in our rest and our sleep and tapering so that we don't have that experience when we're attempting to do a race that allows us to have a PR, personal best or especially for a BQ. So we're gonna try to avoid the wall race days. You may come across them during your longer runs or your training. If that's the case, that gives you a wonderful opportunity to tweak and evaluate and make sure to adjust as you move forward.

Speaker 1: 33:26

Okay, we're nearing the end of our runner's jargon encyclopedias, our dictionaries. We're going to go into Yak Tracks because you know Florida here. I know so much about Yak Trax and while it may sound like maybe another restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom, like Yak and Yeti, yak Trax is actually a device that you strap onto your shoes to run on ice and snow. So I'm going to give a big shout out to all of our northern runners because, again, you know how awesome I think you are if you've been with us some time, the fact that you guys are so dedicated to your winter running that you put on all of the layers, but even that you have yak tracks to go out for a run. That is some incredible work and dedication.

Speaker 1: 34:13

Finally, last but most certainly not least, we've made it all the way to Z, as in the zone, and what it sounds like is a mystical place where runners are believed to achieve perfect harmony between mind, body and stride. Well, it kind of is right being in the zone during our runs. It's rare, it's definitely magical, doesn't happen all of the time in terms of our mindset, but you do want to pay attention to your zones for your pace and your heart rate. Again, it will help you to do 80% of your runs in those easy conversation pace zones, and then you can utilize 20% of your weekly mileage or your training for those harder efforts. So, friends, I hope that this helped.

Speaker 1: 35:06

What did I miss? What needs to go into our runner's jargon encyclopedia? Should we have a round two, maybe a revised edition? If so, I need to hear from you what needs to be in our runner's jargon encyclopedia or dictionary, and what is the difference between dictionary and encyclopedia? I think no, but I'm going to, I'm going to be back to you on that one.

Speaker 1: 35:29

All right, friends, before I officially wrap this conversation up, I want to remind you one more time Do not miss your chance to join us, the training group, the Extraordinary League, as we get ready to launch our September 1st, our challenge, which is the Crown Conquest, the Royal Rivalry. Will you join the wicked villains or will you find camaraderie with the noble grace and royal squad? Either way, my friend, it's going to be a battle royale for the ages where, honestly, everybody comes out a winner. Mindful, intentional movement, running, walking, lifting, weights, mobility, cross training are all going to be covered. Some really incredible perks, of course some weekly prizes, weekly audio runs, on-demand access to an app with strength training workouts that are themed, because, of course, running and moving our bodies is always better when it's fun.

Speaker 1: 36:33

Now, friends, I want to again thank you for being part of the Extraordinary Strides community. So if you haven't jumped over into the Stride Collective Facebook community page, please do so, but I want to take a time to shout out your energy, your commitment and your spirit. That makes this community what it is, and it's truly extraordinary. So until next time, I'm going to ask you to keep running, keep shining and keep making those strides extraordinary.