Beginner’s Guide to Running Terminology
To truly fall in love with running is an amazing, exciting, and oddly addictive experience. However, trying to understand all the jargon and terminology can be daunting, especially for beginners. We’ve put together a list of the most common running words that can be confusing for beginners, so read on to find out what you might be missing.
Basic working conditions
Form: how you hold your body while running. Good form is essential to avoid injury and get faster. All the basic principles apply to “full-length running”: keep your head straight, shoulders down, lean forward slightly, and keep your legs under your body (not stepping over).
Pace: The speed at which you run, usually expressed in minutes per mile (or kilometers). When you’re first starting out, don’t get too carried away with numbers; just know that your pace on different runs is a useful indicator of your efforts on those runs.
Cadence: The number of steps you take per minute while running. This can be influenced by several factors such as height, weight, stride and experience. Frequent runners typically take around 160-170 strides per minute, while elite runners go up to 180.
Step: The name of the steps you take while running.
Steps: Alternatively, “steps” can specifically refer to a series of short sprints.
Kick: How your foot touches the ground. Aim to hit the ground with your midfoot, using light steps that fall right under your hips.
Training conditions for runners
Dynamic stretch: Active (read: non-static) stretch. Dynamic stretching is when you go in and out of a stretch – you can think of it as active movement within a range of motion.
Warm-up and cool-down: Don’t run straight out the door to start your run or straight into the shower to finish it. All your runs should begin with a warm-up to prepare your muscles and end with a cool-down to promote recovery.
Cross training: training without running, such as swimming or rowing.
Rest days. Give your body a chance to recover and help prevent injury by taking a break from training about once a week. Don’t run on rest days.
Easy running: About 80-90% of all your workouts should consist of easy runs. How do you know if you’re running slow enough? If you can’t keep up the conversation by doing one of these things, then you’re in too much of a hurry.
Junk miles: Some people use the term “junk miles” a little differently, but they generally refer to “wasteful” extra runs that go beyond what your training plan recommends. You will hear about it after you have learned to make your easy days easy and your hard days hard; “junk miles” are intermediate, always moderate workouts that do not bring as many results.
Speed Work: About what it sounds like: running to improve your speed . Think about different types of sprint workouts and tempo runs.
Intervals: running with alternating high and low intensity (speed).
Fartleks : Fartleks is Swedish for “speed game”. Fartleks are beginner-friendly interval runs that are basically an easy pace broken up by fast sprints.
Tempo running: This is a more advanced form of speed training. Runners challenge themselves to maintain a “threshold” (or comfortably difficult) pace for a set period of time in the middle of a run.
Mountain work/reps/sprints: hell. Good hell. In these exercises, you run with great effort (for example, at a pace of 5 km) uphill, and then recover on the way down. Again and again and again.
Pickups: Rapid bursts of increased speed in an existing run.
Racing conditions
Bib: This is the number tag you attach to your jersey on race day. The timing device is usually built into the chestpiece, so you will be instructed not to interfere or fiddle with your chestpiece too much.
Corrals: Also known as waves. Runners are grouped by pace as they line up to start the race. The idea is to reduce congestion and make sure the runners don’t circle each other (unpleasant experience for everyone involved).
Show: This is a pre-race event that is likely required to get your bib, but may also include local vendors, free samples, and discounts on running gear.
Taper: The art of reducing physical activity days or weeks before a big race.
400 meters: one lap on the track.
5 km: 3.1 miles.
10 km: 6.2 miles.
Half marathon: 13.1 miles.
Marathon: 26.2 (vital) miles.
Splits: The time it takes to cover a certain distance. Equal splits mean running the entire race at the same pace. A negative split means you ran the second half faster than the first. Depending on the course layout, a negative split is the goal of many runners.
Finish Time: The race officially begins when the shot rings out. Your pistol/watch time is the time on the official race clock from the official start of the race to the time you personally crossed the finish line. Your clear/chip time is the time from the moment you personally cross the start line to the finish line.
Equipment: Those sweet, sweet medals.
Gu: Once you start increasing your mileage, you need to start fueling your runs. Fuel won’t make or break a race under ten miles, but you’ll need a source of fuel five or six times during a marathon. Gu is just one of many popular brands of drinkable portable source of easily digestible carbohydrates, electrolytes and amino acids.
Types of runs and runners
Barefoot running: Many believe it helps people get back to their roots and improve their natural running technique. At least you’ll save on shoes.
Strickers: Unfortunately not what it looks like. This is someone who runs multiple days in a row for a set period of time, also known as a streak.
Elite: professionals. If you’ve ever wondered who actually has the chance to break the ribbon at the finish line, it’s the elite.
Ultramarathoner: Because marathons aren’t challenging enough. These endurance runners get together for hours and race 50 miles, 100 miles, 50 km or even 100 km.
Trail Rank: Running on a trail, not on a treadmill or track. Hilly, uneven terrain is a particular challenge, so don’t expect to keep up a treadmill pace on a treadmill. Just bend over and enjoy the scenery.
Road racing: as it sounds, these races are held on public roads. A well-established, well-organized race had to take all necessary measures to block the roads from traffic.
Running acronyms
BPM: beats per minute or heart rate. Runners often have a target BPM for their workout. Here’s how to find target heart rate zones .
BQ: Boston qualifier. If someone is BQ or “BQ-ed” it means they have reached the race time that makes them eligible for the Boston Marathon . It’s just a target race for marathon runners. Currently, the qualification standards for men are from 3:05:00 to 4:55:00. For women, the time varies from 3:35:00 to 5:25:00 (depending on age).
CR: Course record or fastest runner time on a given course.
PR: Personal record or best time over a given distance.
PB: Personal record. Or peanut butter. Use context.
DNS/DNF: Didn’t start/end. Or will appear in the race results if the runner did not start or finish.
DOMS: delayed muscle soreness. If you find it hard to get down stairs a few days after an intense run, blame it on DOMS. Remove Epsom salts and styrofoam rollers.
ITBS: iliotibial tract syndrome. This injury occurs when connective tissue rubs against the femur. Try stretching, massage and foam massage.
LSD: Yes, yes, yes. This kind of “LSD” means “long slow distance”.
MUT: mountain/ultra/trail runner.
Chassis and equipment
Dreadmill: Nickname for the treadmill. Here’s how to curb fear when you need to run one of these .
Minimalist Shoes: Lightweight shoes with little structure or support.
Maximalist shoes: shoes with good support and cushioning.
Compression socks (or socks): Narrow knee socks help speed up recovery by increasing blood flow to the feet and legs. Some runners wear them while running, but most often they are recommended for post-run recovery.
Running Tights: Spandex leggings to help you stay safe and warm on cold runs.
Moisture-wicking clothing: A must have if you plan on breaking a sweat. These are non-cotton garments that will keep you dry in rain, snow or sweat.
Foam Roller: A foam roll used before or after exercise to increase flexibility, speed up recovery, and improve circulation.
Fuel Belt: Kind of like a fanny pack, these are elastic straps with pockets that can hold water, snacks, a phone, and a wallet.
Current terms about your body
Endurance: The body’s ability to sustain running for long periods of time. Endurance training is a gradual increase in distance and speed. It is about increasing physical stamina as well as mental strength.
Lactic acid: Formed when your body cannot generate energy using oxygen, lactic acid is produced anaerobically. The more intense the run, the more lactic acid we produce. Despite its reputation for pain and slowdown, lactic acid alone is not responsible for muscle fatigue.
Anaerobic Threshold: Also known as the lactate inflection point, this is the point of intensity where lactic acid begins to build up in your muscles and bloodstream. Running here should be challenging, but not uncomfortable.
VO2 max: Also known as aerobic capacity, this is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. As your aerobic capacity increases, you will be able to run faster and further.
Hypoxia: Hypoxia is a condition where you don’t have enough oxygen at the tissue level. You will feel it if you immediately start running without any warm-up; your lungs haven’t caught up with the rest yet.
Pronation: If you’ve ever been tried on running shoes, you’ve probably heard of your pronation. It refers to how the foot hits the ground while running. If someone is an “overpronator”, their foot will curl inward while running. Landing on the outer edge of the foot can mean that you are an “underpronator”. Check your shoes to determine exactly where they are being worn to determine how your foot touches the ground.
Chafing: Squeeze out Vaseline or Bodyglide to avoid chafing.
Splintered shin: Pain in or around the tibia. Don’t ignore your shin splint: treat it with ice and rest, and maybe consider buying new running shoes.
Plantar Fasciitis: Many runners self-diagnose heel pain and stiffness. This is not only meant for runners, it is inflammation of the bottom of the foot due to overuse. It can usually be treated with rest, ice, and stretching; unfortunately, most runners will tell you that they just keep it under control and that there is no “cure”.
Runner’s knee: This is pain localized in or around the kneecap. Also called patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), this feeling is like the knee is giving out.
Black toenails: Discolored toenails in runners are the result of impact and pressure on the toes. This is provided that they hold on and do not fall off their feet at all.
Ice baths. Somewhat controversially, some athletes believe that ice baths can reduce inflammation and promote recovery. (Other research suggests that this is no more effective than active recovery.)
Common running phrases
Hay in the barn: A comforting phrase that reminds you that even when you’re narrowing down or having a day off, you’ve already put in the effort. The more you run, the more you learn about delayed gratification. Whatever training may or may not have been, it is now behind. Trust the process.
Hitting the wall: Also known as “fucking”. This is the moment in the race when your legs don’t obey your brain and you feel like you can’t keep going. It can also seem like everything happened all at once or out of nowhere, hence the “wall”.
Kick: When the finish line is in sight, this is the final push as you run as hard as you can.
Mantras: We all need something that will get us laced up in the first place. I’m a fan of “run the mile you’re in” which helps me stay in place while running. Try to think about the reason you run and how the mantra can help you keep one foot in front of the other.
Runner’s high: why we put ourselves through it all.