Lockdown life has truly changed the landscape of fitness. With the closure of gyms back in March came the start of a new relationship with running for many of us.
Being a beginner to running has its obvious challenges. Things that seasoned runners take for granted can really stop you in your tracks: How do I know which shoes to buy? What should I eat before a run? DOES THIS EVER GET EASIER?!
If you’ve been delving a little deeper into the running scene to find your answers to these questions, you might have come across a few terms (okay, a lot of terms) that have left you feeling more confused than when you entered. But getting to grips with your gait, knowing the difference between a forefoot, midfoot and heel strike, and being able to say ‘fartlek’ without giggling could help you elevate your running to the next level.
Check out the list below of terms and phrases commonly used in the running community. You’ll be sounding like a pro before you know it.
Bonk
Running outside of your comfort zone is one thing, but ‘bonking’ is another. If you’ve ever reached fatigue during a run to the point where you struggle to get one foot in front of the other, the dizziness kicks in and you’re experiencing overwhelming nausea; then you’ve officially bonked. This tends to happen with longer runs when you experience a depletion in glycogen and/or a drop in blood glucose levels.
Cadence
A term used to describe how many steps or strides you take per minute, also referred to as your stride rate. While a lot of runners aren’t necessarily concerned with their cadence, it can be a useful way to monitor improvements in both your running pace and technique. A low cadence can be an indication of over-striding, which can lead to injury, but it’s important to note the many other factors that can affect your form, too.
Cushioning (in running shoes)
Sounds pretty straight-forward, and it is. Cushioning in a running shoe refers to the level of shock absorption it provides when your foot hits the ground. So if you’re experiencing joint problems from the high-impact nature of running, you might want to opt for a pair of runners that provide more cushioning than the norm.
Fartlek
Once you realise that ‘fartlek’ actually translates to ‘speed play’ from Swedish, things start to make a lot more sense. It’s a form of interval training often undertaken by runners, involving speeding up and slowing down your pace at spontaneous and unpredictable intervals.
Forefoot, midfoot and heel strike
These terms refer to the part of your foot that hits the ground first while you’re running – also known as your foot strike. All three types have their pros and cons depending on things such as terrain and distance, and can also affect the type of running shoes you should choose.
Gait
Add cool blue sneakers to your footwear rotation with these picks below how your foot hits the ground. You’ll often hear runners talk about gait in tandem with the term ‘pronation’: Overpronation is when the foot and ankle roll inwards excessively upon landing, underpronation or supination is when the foot strike moves through the outside of the foot, and neutral pronation is when the foot initially lands on the outside but absorbs shock as it rolls inwards.
LIIS
You’ve probably heard of HIIT (high-intensity interval training), right? LIIS stands for low-intensity steady state and tends to involve running for longer distances at a low to moderate intensity – pretty much the opposite of HIIT.
PR vs PB
Personal record or personal best have the same meaning, and are both correct terms given to your fastest time covering any given distance.
Repeats
A form of interval training, running ‘repeats’ involves running for a given distance or time, followed by an interval of rest, and repeating the process. This is most commonly done in the form of mile repeats or hill repeats. For example, 5K divided into five sets of 1km runs with a minute’s rest between each.
Runner’s high
Despite running being a mental and physical challenge, for some reason, it makes us feel good. That reason is known as runner’s high, a release of feel-good chemicals in the brain called endorphins that occurs during a run. It’s responsible for helping you push through those gruelling final miles and in some cases can even cause a feeling of euphoria – hence the ‘high’.
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zapatillas de running UK Gear entrenamiento Sneakers KARL LAGERFELD KL51509 Black Lthr training. When used in running circles it refers to specific programmes to complement running, whether that’s to prevent injury, improve running form or increase speed.
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Nothing to do with your flexibility, splits or split times are the times taken to complete certain sections of your total distance. For example, you could split your 5K into five 1km splits or two 2.5km splits. This breakdown assists with pacing if you’re aiming to complete a distance within a certain amount of time. You might hear the term ‘negative split’, too, which is when you complete a split in a shorter amount of time than any of the splits that precede it.
Stability (in running shoes)
Those who overpronate when they run will need stability or structured running shoes, which provide more support on the inside of the foot. While they can help to offset the inwards rolling of the ankle, they can often be a little heavier and clunkier than neutral running shoes.
Tapering
You’ll often hear this one in conversations around marathon training. In the days leading up to a race, once the bulk of the training is done, it’s believed that you should gradually reduce the volume of your training to allow your body to recover and be at its best come race day. Doing so could boost performance when it comes to the real thing and could even have psychological benefits.
Tempo/threshold run
These two terms are used interchangeably and refer to running at a steady tempo, usually 85-90% of your maximum heart rate. You’ll find that this tempo falls right in that sweet spot that feels fairly uncomfortable, but definitely not a sprint – generally speaking, you should just about be able to run at this pace for an hour. The ‘threshold’ aspect refers to the idea that tempo runs boost your lactate threshold so that you can run faster for longer before that burn kicks in.
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