Jason Koop

Training for ultras can be a serious business. That does not mean that you can’t deviate from the plan every now and again. Adventure can fuel your goals, physically and emotionally. So, when these opportunities arise, regardless of if they are meticulous or haphazardly planned, take advantage of them.

There is much debate about young runners and how much running one should do before puberty. There are many sides of the fence in this deliberation. So, as we deliberate and arbitrate for an ultimate decision, let’s offer up some philosophical points of view on athlete and human development based on the most common questions I get from parents.

Sometimes just finding where to run can be a chore. The mental ping-pong game between doing something easy or designing an elaborate route can derail even the best intended ultrarunners. Over the course of my running life, I’ve learned that dividing the runs I do into three discrete buckets helps me with the chore of deciding where to go and what to do.

In part one of this series, we started with a home-based strength and coordination program to lay the platform for a stronger and more capable runner. In part two, we incorporated outdoor movements and drills to further refine the process. Part three pulls all of these components together and moves them to become efficient and economical trail running.

Outdoor drills are an important bridge between the work you completed in a gym or strength training setting, and your actual running mechanics on the road or trail. The movements in the drills described below leverage the coordination, neuromuscular adaptation and strength you recently developed.

The first in a series of three monthly articles on how to make changes in your running mechanics.