The Toughest Sport: Running

1.) Running take a tremendous amount of dedication, concentration, and mental strength.
2.) Although running sounds easy, it is one of the hardest sports. In order to become a great runner, you must be very strong mentaly and physiclly.
3.) Running is not a very expencive sport, but you must realize that you may be running in rain, wind, warm weather, snow, and many other conditions that you must prepare for and be able to wear the corect clothing.

Training is a very important part of being a runner, and is also the part that takes up most of your time. A great runner will train for more then 90% of their time, and race for the other small persentage. You must know what you are training for, love what you training for, love training for what you love, and know how to train and become a better racer.

A great way to train is to create a six days a week training calender. You can begin with this simple list:

Monday: Easy Run Day- do not push youself to hard, run enough so that you feel tired, and feel like you have worked hard, but not so hard that you will be sore afterwards. After you run, make sure you stretch your body thoroughly.

Tuesday: Speed Day- a speed day is where you focus on sprinting, fast finishes in races, and quick starts. If you are running with a group, try out indian runs- line up one by one, and as you are running easy, the person in the back sprints to the front of the line. If you are running by yourself, run for a little bit, and then every couple of minuts, run faster for thirty seconds. this will help you get stronger very quickly.

Wednessday: Easy Run Day.

Thursday: Long Run Day- On these days, try to push youself to run two or three more miles then ussual. If you do push youself, and are sore the next day, then you ran a good distance. If you are not sore or tired the next day, then try and run longer the next time you are running a long day.

Friday: This day can be one of two things: An Easy Run Day, or a Hills Day- you may think hills are the worst thing ever, but they are not. Running hills is one of the best ways to gain strength. The best way to do it is run about two miles out, on a road that has a decent hill at about the two mile mark. When you are there, sprint up the hill, and jog down about six to ten times. You will get tired, and you will want to stop, but you must not allow yourself to stop, keep goin and you will get stronger. When you finish, jog back home.

Saturday: Easy Run Day- Do not push yourself, this day should be mainly about stretching, because of the hard work you have done the passed two days.

Sunday: Rest Day- You must take a break sometimes. Sunday is a day where you can rest, and gain some energy back so that you donot completely drain your body of energy. If you feel that you can not go through the whole day without running, then run a mile, but DO NOT KILL YOURSELF.