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(Courtesy
of Runner's World - modified to cover terms appropriate to
the Katy Fit program)
10-K
pace
10-K pace, when used in a workout to describe how fast to
run, is simply the pace of a runner's last 10-K race. "10-K
pace" is therefore different for every runner; for a
62-minute 10-K runner, "10-K pace" is 10 minutes
per mile; for 31:00, it's 5 minutes per mile; for Paul Tergat,
it's 4:16 per mile.
5-K/8-K/10-K
K is for kilometers, 1,000 meters. A 5-K is equal to 3.1 miles;
8-K is 4.96 miles; 10-K is equal to 6.2 miles.
400
meters
Equivalent to a quarter mile or 1 lap around a standard track.
800
meters
Equivalent to a half-mile or 2 laps around a standard track.
aerobic
Used to refer to running or other exercise at an intensity
that's sufficiently easy for your respiratory and cardiovascular
systems to deliver all or most of the oxygen required by your
muscles, and slow enough that lactic acid doesn't appreciably
build up in your muscles. Generally, you can sustain a slow
aerobic pace for long periods of time, provided you have the
endurance to go long distances.
anaerobic
Used to refer to running or other exercise at an intensity
that makes it impossible for your respiratory and cardiovascular
systems to deliver all or most of the oxygen required by your
muscles, and fast enough that lactic acid begins to build
up in your muscles, thus producing a tired, heavy feeling.
The pace associated with anaerobic running cannot be sustained
very long.
anaerobic
threshold (AT)
The transition phase between aerobic and anaerobic running.
Good training will increase AT by teaching the muscles to
use oxygen more efficiently, so that less lactic acid is
produced.
Also known as "lactate threshold."
chip
time
A technology for sensing and recording the finishing times
of all the runners in a race. It's much more accurate and
can easily deal with the old problem of many runners finishing
nearly at once in a big, crowded race. The "chip" is
a tiny electronic chip that's programmed with your specific
runner identification. You attach the chip to your shoe laces.
It sends a signal to an electronic reading device--often
hidden
under a strip of carpet-- when you cross the start line and
again when you cross the finish line. No human observation
is necessary. Your exact time is recorded automatically.
Usually
you are asked to turn the chip back in to the race organizers.
clydesdale
A weight-challenged runner. To find out more about Clydesdale
running and racing, try this web site: http://www.clydesdale.org/.
cool-down
Slow running or jogging done after a workout or competition
to loosen muscles and rid the body of lactic acid.
CR
Course record.
DOMS
Delayed onset muscle soreness. This type of muscle soreness
normally peaks about 48 hours after a particularly intense
or long run.
elite
runner
An athlete who has reached the highest level in his/her sport.
fartlek
Swedish for "speed play;" variable pace running;
a mixture of slow running, running at a moderate pace and
short, fast bursts. Fartlek training is a "creative way" to
increase speed and endurance.
"hitting
the wall"
The dreaded point (and awful feeling similar to what your
body would feel like if you ran into a wall) during a race
when your muscle glycogen stores become depleted and a feeling
of fatigue engulfs you. (But don't worry - if you follow the
Katy Fit program there is no wall!!)
intervals
Training in which short, fast "repeats" or "repetitions"
often 200 to 800 meters, are alternated with slow "intervals"
of jogging for recovery; usually based on a rigid format such
as "six times 400 meters fast [these are the repeats]
with 400-meter recovery jogs [the intervals]," interval
training builds speed and endurance.
lactic
acid
A substance which forms in the muscles as a result of the
incomplete breakdown of glucose. Lactic acid is associated
with muscle fatigue and sore muscles.
LSD
NOT the hallucinogen. LSD is an abbreviation for "Long,
Slow Distance," which refers to the practice of running
longer distances at an "easy" pace rather than
shorter ones to exhaustion. The slower pace allows the runner
to go
longer and, therefore (supposedly), gain more fitness.
Marathon
26.2 miles; According to legend, in 490 B.C., a Greek soldier
name Philippides ran the distance from the site of the battle
of Marathon to Athens, where he died after the Greek victory
over the Persians.
Master
An athlete 40 years of age or older is designated a "master"
in the U.S. Many other countries use the term "veteran."
maximum
heart rate
The highest heart-rate reached during a specified period of
time.
mile
1609 meters, 5280 feet, or 1760 yards. Note: 1600m is not
a mile.
motion
control
The ability of a shoe to limit overpronation.
negative
splits
Running the second half of a race faster than the first half.
overpronation
The excessive inward roll of the foot before toe-off. Overpronation
is believed to be the cause of many running injuries.
pick-ups
Accelerations done during a run, normally done in shorter
durations than fartleks. Pick-ups are simply another way to
spice up what would otherwise be an easy-run day.
plyometrics
Bounding exercises; any jumping exercise in which landing
followed by a jump occurs.
pronation
Pronation begins immediately after the heel contacts the ground.
It is a normal and necessary motion for walking or running.
Pronation is the distinctive, inward roll of the foot as the
arch collapses.
PR/PB
Personal record/personal best.
splits
Refers to your times at mile markers or other pre-planned
checkpoints along the way to the finish line.
stability
The ability of a shoe to resist excessive foot motion
strides
Short, fast, but controlled runs of 50 to 150 meters. Strides,
which are used both in training and to warm up before a race,
build speed and efficiency.
supination
The opposite of pronation. It's an outward rolling of the
forefoot that naturally occurs during the stride cycle at
toe-off. Oversupination occurs when the foot remains on its
outside edge after heel strike instead of pronating. A true
oversupinating foot underpronates or does not pronate at all,
so it doesn't absorb shock well. It is a rare condition occurring
in less than 1 percent of the running population.
taper
Runners usually cut back mileage (or taper) one day to three
weeks (depending on race distance) before a big race. Tapering
helps muscles rest so that they are ready for peak performance
on race day.
target
heart rate
A range of heart rate reached during aerobic training, which
enables an athlete to gain maximum benefit.
tempo
runs
Sustained effort training runs, usually 20 to 30 minutes in
length, at 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 10-K race
pace. Another way to gauge the pace of tempo runs: a pace
about midway between short-interval training speed and your
easy running pace.
threshold
runs
Runs of 5 to 20 minutes at a pace just a little slower than
your 10-K racing pace; Threshold pace is roughly equivalent
to what exercise physiologists call "lactate threshold," or
the point at which your muscles start fatiguing at a rapid
rate. Running at or near lactate threshold is believed to
raise your lactate threshold, which should allow you to run
faster in the future.
underpronator
Underpronation is less common than overpronation. The shoes
of underpronators show outsole wear on the lateral (outer)
side not just at the heel but all the way up to the forefoot.
Typically, underpronators tend to break down the heel counters
of their shoes on the lateral side.
veteran
International term similar to "master" in the U.S.
According to the IAAF, men become "veterans" on
their 40th birthday; women, on their 35th birthday.
VO2Max
(maximal oxygen consumption)
The maximal amount of oxygen that a person can extract from
the atmosphere and then transport and use in the body's tissues.
warm-up
Five to twenty minutes of easy jogging/walking before a race
or a workout. The point of a warm-up is to raise one's heart
rate so the body (and its muscles) are looser before a tough
workout begins.
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