10-k pace  term used to describe how fast to run =  runners average of last several 10-k races

15k - 15,000 meters/ 9.3 miles, an odd distance, not quite a 10-miler,  a "tweener" on the way to a half-a-thon

400 meters = quarter mile, 1 laps of a standard track

800 meters = half-mile, 2 laps of a standard track

anaerobic threshold (AT) the level of activity at which the aerobic energy system can no longer supply most of the demands of the body or the exercise intensity above which blood lactate concentration increases fairly dramatically. Good training will increase AT by teaching the muscles to use oxygen at higher rates, so that less lactate is produced. Also known as "lactate threshold"

Beamonesque - adjective used to describe an athletic performance that so dramatically surpasses any previous one that it completely overwhelms the imagination by its seeming impossibility. Based on Bob Beamon's Olympic long jump performance in Mexico City in 1968.

bear - point in the race or interval where lactic acid buildup physically changes your stride as if you were carrying a bear on your back

beta blockers - A class of drugs that works by partially blocking the effects of adrenaline and adrenaline-like chemicals in the body during exercise and times of stress. Reduces heart rate, blood pressure and the heart’s force of contraction. Although not banned from such sports as golf, becoming more controversial in use. (From Links Magazine article, For Beta or for Worse).

blood boosting - See blood doping

blood doping - runner extracts own blood then uses it as a transfusion prior to a race to increase the number of oxygen carrying red blood cells

bloody nipples - caused by long hot runs in which sweat and chafing rub nipples raw

bodyglide - lubricating product to prevent chafing and skin irritation

bonk - crashing in a race (usually a marathon) attributed to running out of fuel

bunion derby - International transcontinental foot race organized by promoter C.C. Pyle in the late 1920's. One race was from Los Angeles to New York in 84 days (3,339.5 miles); the second was from New York to Los Angeles in 78 days (3,531.7 miles).

cardiac creep - pulse rate increases despite pace stays same due to dehydration. Heart pumps harder to carry the same amount of oxygen

carry the stick - use of baton in relay race

Cerutty Virus - radical training program for milers and middle distance runners created by Percy Cerutty which included running barefoot, training in sand, changes in diet and lifting weights

chub rub - chafing caused by fat thighs rubbing together

cinderfella (archaic) - a male runner who competed on cinder tracks

cool-down slowly paced running performed after a workout or race to bring the body's metabolisms back to normal flush lactic acid

cross training - training strategy which uses other forms of aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling, cross country skiing

CR Course Record

cushioning (or shock absorption) the ability of a shoe to absorb the impact of footstrike

DFL - dead f'n' last

dirty dozen - A set of 12 - 400 meter intervals

DNF - did not finish

DNS - did not start

DOMS delayed onset muscle soreness. This type of muscle soreness normally peaks about 48 hours after a particularly intense or long run.

double-clutch - a pattern of breathing in which a runner inhales two breaths for every breath exhaled.

east sider - coffee ordered by real runners; 16 oz. black, no room

erythropoietin (EPO) - a naturally occurring human hormone, produced by the kidneys, that stimulates the production of red blood cells. It increases oxygenation of the blood, and therefore stamina, by forming extra red blood cells. Listed by the International Olympic Committee as a banned substance. Used as a performance enhancer, it is thought to place extra strain on the heart. Screening for EPO requires blood as well as urine samples to be submitted for testing.

EST - explosive strength training, using sprints and jumps rather than weights and machines for conditioning. Uses sprint and jumping exercises that maximize height and distance and minimize contact time on ground.

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.

fast twitch - muscle fibers that determine if a runner is suited to sprints

flats - non-spiked shoes

Flintstoned the shoot - as in "bam-bam" for a very close one-two finish

Flopper - A runner who has a habit of collapsing in dramatic fashion in a non-winning position (usually second place) at the conclusion of a race. Semi-floppers, while not flopping at the finish, may exhibit border line flopping behavior, such as conducting post-race interviews lying flat on their backs. Non-floppers include the likes of Emil Zatopek, Steve Prefontaine, Billy Mills and Ron Clarke. Any questions? (Note: When it becomes necessary to connect a runner to any gravity flow or active system designed to replenish their body fluids within 15 minutes of finishing AND TWO (2) qualified physicians are present AND each physician attests that the runner would have died otherwise, that runner is exempt from flopping).

hit the wall - a sudden bonk in which you die so suddenly it is as if you ran into a wall

hypoglycemia - An abnormally low level of sugar in the blood.

hyponatremia - An abnormally low level of sodium in the blood.

hypopnea - Abnormally slow and shallow breathing.

intervals training in which short, fast "repeats" or "repetitions" often 200 to 800 meters, are alternated with show "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

jack rabbit - taking off fast from the start

junior According to the IAAF, a junior is any athlete who is under 20 on December 31 of that year. For example, an athlete whose birthday is November 12, 1981 will be a junior in 2000 but not in 2001

junk miles - many miles run at a slow pace, attributed to a training strategy by runners who confuse high mileage counts with improvement

k  kilometer  1,000 meters.  5-k = 3.1 miles,  8-k = 4.96 miles,  10-K = 6.2 miles

kick - sudden surge that takes you over the line

lactic acid a substance which forms in the muscles as a result of the incomplete breakdown of glucose. Lactic acid is associated with muscles fatigue and sore muscles.  lactate threshold see "anaerobic threshold"

lactic threshold - point at which you cross the sissy-baby line from aerobic to anaerobic activity, producing lactic acid in the muscles, a byproduct of anaerobic exertion

last  a shaped piece of wood or metal on which the shoe is built. The shape of the last determines the shape of the shoe. Shoes are made in three basic shapes: straight, curved and semi-curved but all three shapes vary from company to company as each company has its own lasts.

lateral referring to the outer edge of a shoe

LSD - long slow distances

marathon - long distance race run over 42 km 195 m or 26 miles 385 yards. Introduced at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 to commemorate the run by a Greek courier from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC.

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

medial referring to the inner side (or arch side) of a shoe

"metric mile" 1500m, the international racing distance closest to the imperial mile.

midsole the area of the shoe between the upper and outsole that's primarily responsible for the shoe's cushioning. Most midsoles are made of foams: either EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or polyurethane. EVA is lighter and more flexible than polyurethane, but it also breaks down more quickly. Many midsoles also have additional cushioning elements such as air, gel and various embedded plastic units.

mile 1609 meters, 5280 feet, or 1760 yards. Note: 1600m is not a mile.

motion control the ability of a shoe to limit over-pronation

mpd - miles per day

negative splits  running the second half of a race faster than the first half

NR  National Record

outsole the material, usually made of hard carbon rubber, on the bottom of most running shoes; the layer of the shoe that contacts the ground

over-pronation the excessive inward roll of the foot before toe-off. Overpronation is believed to be the cause of many running injuries.

Pheidippides - According to legend, Greek courier who ran the 24 miles or 39 kilometers from Marathon to Athens in 490 BC with news of a Greek victory over the Persians. After delivering the message, he collapsed and died.

pick-ups accelerations done during a run, normally done in shorter durations that fartleks. Pick-ups are simply another way to spice up what would otherwise be an easy-run day.

plantar fasciitis - Inflammation of the plantar fascia, the tissue between muscles in the mid-foot and the skin on the bottom of the foot which attaches the ball of the foot to the heel. Common and painful problem for runners. Causes can include lack of arch support, increased miles, poor flexibility in calf muscles, overweight.

post (or medial post) firmer density of mid-sole material added to the inner side of the shoe. A post is designed to reduce over-pronation.

prep In the U.S., a high school athlete. From the term "preparatory school," a school for preparing for college. Slightly different from the IAAF definition of "Junior."

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

quads - four large muscles at front of thighs; four shots of espresso before a race

rabbit - a runner who pushes the field to a better time then drops out of the race before the final laps

repeats see "intervals"

ride the ability of a shoe to provide a smooth transfer of a runner's weight from heel-strike to toe-off. Ride is a largely subjective quality, but shoe wearers know it when a shoe has or lacks a good ride.

runner's high a feeling, usually unexpected, of exhilaration and well-being directly associated with vigorous running; apparently related to the secretion of endorphins

runner's lube - lanolin product to reduce chafing and skin irritation

running economy refers to how much oxygen you use when you run; When you improve your economy, you are able to run at a smaller percentage of max VO2 (your maximum rate of oxygen utilization).

sandbagger - a fast runner with a talent for acting who will masquerade as a slow runner to lure the competition into complacency. Lance Armstrong used this technique during the 2001 Tour de France. As he climbed L'Alpe d'Huez he grimaced in apparent pain. With his fellow riders thinking he was in trouble, he caught his top rival, took a long, hard look at him, then pulled ahead at stunning speed.

sarcomeres - muscle contraction unit of measure

Short-Roped - A term borrowed from mountaineering describing a technique commonly used by pacers to "pull" another runner to their desired time goal, where the following runner runs on the shoulder of the pacer. In mountaineering, the technique applies primarily to amateur clients who have the money to hire very strong guides, but don't have a clue and are actually attached to a short rope. In running, there ain't no rope, baby.

singles - running once per day. Example: "I ran fifty miles last week, in singles" means that the runner ran once per day for a total of fifty miles, as opposed to running twice or three times per day.

slow twitch - muscle fibers that determine if a runner is suited to distance running

smack - A well-timed, succinct and eloquent statement, typically in the form of a highly accurate and appropriate one line assessment of a competitive situation.  Symptoms of successful delivery usually come in the form of recipient' s (a) mouth hanging open; (b) stuttering or; (c) uttering some rambling retort that typically includes a personal attack on your mother. The effective delivery of smack can only occur if one walks the talk.

spikester (archaic) - track runner who wears spikes

splits - the time to a given point in a race

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. For more on tapering, see Owen Anderson's "Taper Talk."

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.

toebox the front portion of a shoe's upper. A wide toebox allows plenty of room for the toes to spread upper the leather or mesh material that encloses the foot

Trading Paint - What happens when things get dicey between runners battling for position. Most often occurs on the track when someone has had enough of being boxed in. More blatant examples occur on narrow and isolated trail sections of cross country courses away from any observers which holds the DQ risk to a minimum. This occurrence usually is accompanied with some very bad words being loudly exchanged by the affected parties. The first definition applies to auto racing, with the only difference being hand gestures substitued for bad word exchanges.

trash talk - a less succinct, ineloquent, poorer cousin of "smack". Usually taking the form of a rambling retort, typically including a personal attack on your mother.

Trout, Wimpy - metaphor for someone who can't handle real hills...like some of the weaker members of any anadromous fish species that actually use fish ladders to get around dams

under-pronator - not enough inward motion of foot; likely to have a high, rigid arch (same as supinator)

velvet hammer - a kick so soft and smooth it looks like velvet feels

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.

Woofing - "Woofing is any outlandish, outrageous, inflammatory, ridiculous, unsupported, sophmoric, or otherwise brain-dead commentary or predictions regarding a specific team, player, or athletic event.  Woofing does not include rational, well-thought-out, well-supported commentary. Thus, comments such as "I think New York will beat Orlando, because of their outstanding defense" or "I think Kansas City has a chance to go all the way, with Montana on the team" are NOT considered woofing."

"world best" A recorded best time for an event in which formal world records are not kept. For instance, the fastest time at 150m, a non-standard distance, is a "world best" rather than a "world record." Similar distinctions are made for road races which do not meet certain standards, such as races with excessive amounts of downhill.

WR world record