Distance Running Special Topic Issue

Abstract

This special topic issue of Strength and Conditioning Journal is devoted to the sport of distance running. The popularity of running comes as no surprise. The equipment needs are minimal and generally affordable, the skill requirement is not overly challenging, and the opportunity for participation spans the gamut from shorter 5k road races all the way up to ultramarathon trail events and even includes those who run just for the simple joy of being able to get out and move. Even with this simplicity and popularity, those who participate in running benefit from knowing how to optimize performance and reduce injury risk. With that in mind, we have assembled a wide variety of articles to address topics of interest to runners, running coaches, and even those who plan and direct races. Each runner brings a unique set of variables to the mix. The unique needs of youth and adolescent runners require the coaching professional to be sensitive to both training needs and physiological and emotional maturation. Women returning to running postpartum must take into account the structural changes that accompany pregnancy and delivery, the physiological demands of breast feeding, and the time challenges associated with coordinating training and caring for a newborn. Athletes training for races in environmental extremes of either heat or cold should take into account the challenges and opportunities that those conditions present. Strength and conditioning professionals should be aware that eating disorders while more commonly addressed in the context of female runners may also present in male runners and may require a different approach to recognition and resolution. Running injuries, while common, may be favorably affected by specific strength and conditioning interventions or recognition of lower-limb biomechanical factors. Ideal running performance is the result of many factors coming together. Proper pacing strategy, proper hydration strategy, and optimization of parameters such as running economy are crucial in achieving optimum performance in any given race. The potential benefits from running are many. A few include increased aerobic fitness, weight loss, and physiological benefits. However, to obtain these potential benefits, a runner must run, train, or race properly. We recognize that there are numerous running training philosophies. This special topic issue will provide some guidance for someone just beginning to run and/or coach. For the experienced runner or coach, these articles may provide food for thought. In this issue, we have attempted to bring in both scientific evidence as well as practical application from a variety of fields and professions. We hope that the readers will find the topics interesting and informative and that the focus on practical application makes the information especially useful for coaches and athletes alike. We are deeply appreciative of the authors who were willing to contribute their expertise, the reviewers who took the time to offer constructive feedback, and Dr. Jeff Chandler and Dr. Britt Chandler for encouraging and supporting the process along the way. From co-guest editor Janet Hamilton: Thank you, Paul Sorace, for inviting me to join you in this endeavor. It has been a great learning process, and I am honored to have been part of it. From co-guest editor Paul Sorace: I want to thank Janet Hamilton. She is my coguest editor, my coach, and mostly my friend. I could not have done this without you.