August was a busy month here at SR (don’t miss the updates below), but of course, I found time to dance my face off:
What? I love weddings! There’s love in the air, the wine is flowing, and I was celebrating all the things we accomplished together last month.
It might have been the dog days of summer, but I went to work helping runners crush their goals.
Let’s check out the highlights.
A Book Launch!
August was a busy month with the launch of my new book, Running for Health and Happiness.
I’m thrilled that so many of you picked up the book – so much so that it rocketed to the #1 Kindle book in the Running & Jogging category!
With 70+ reviews, it has a 4.6 rating. A big thanks to everyone who helped get it there and all the positive reviews that have had me on Cloud 9 since last week!
Just in case you don’t have a Kindle reader, you can also download the book as an instant PDF too.
Bonus points to anybody who guesses what’s in my Amazon shopping cart 😉
Guest Articles & Interviews
In case you missed the action off the blog, I contributed a number of articles and interviews around the web.
How to Develop Speed for a Fast 5k (Competitor)
With the fall racing season looming, it’s time to put a few 5k’s on your race schedule! But just because the 5k is short doesn’t mean that it’s easy.
To run this distance well, focus on speed development. This article shows you all the ingredients to a blazing fast 5k.
7 Exercises to Treat IT Band Syndrome (Greatist)
I shared the ITB Rehab Routine with Greatist (one of the country’s fastest growing health startups based in NYC). If you have a history of ITBS or are currently dealing with this injury, start this routine today!
If you have a more aggressive case of this injury, get my best injury advice here.
What Parts of a Marathon Plan Can You Skimp On? (Run Haven)
This is an interesting concept. If you couldn’t do all the important elements of training as you prepare for a marathon, what can you skip?
I was interviewed for this piece and shared my thoughts. If you’re time-strapped and prepping for a fall marathon, don’t miss it.
My Favorite Posts of August
We had a number of stellar articles go live last month, from interviews with elite runners, a new book launch, and even a special guest spot on Q&A with Coach!
Here is a small collection of my favorites:
How to Run More Consistently in 4 Simple Steps
Sometimes, we don’t need more training advice (no matter how good it is). Instead, we need to be more consistent with what we’re already doing!
This in-depth post discusses four strategies for boosting your consistency and increasing motivation so you can finally run more.
Mountain running interviews with Patrick Smyth and Andy Wacker
These are the 1-2 finishers of this year’s US Mountain Running Championships. They share advice on how to get started with trail and mountain running, how the race unfolded, and Andy’s odd race strategy…
Q&A with Coach with Guest Scott Jones: How to “Listen to Your Body”
In Episode 15, my friend Scott Jones (a PT and the driving force behind the Becoming Ultra project) got together to discuss the intricacies of listening to your body.
This is a skill – one that should be improved upon every day – that allows you to run more and faster while being more in tune with your body. Ignore it at your own risk…
How to Pace Every Run, Workout, and Race
Pacing is a difficult skill to master. But in this post, I pulled experts from around the world to share their expertise with you.
You’ll see the top questions and answers about race pace strategy, plus hear from Olympic Coaches and top runners about many other strategies you can use in 5k’s and ultramarathons.
Coming Soon…
There’s always a lot of great stuff brewing at Strength Running HQ.
Speaking at the National Endurance Sports Summit
Next month I’ll also be speaking at NESS at Princeton University with pro runners Ann Trason, Karl Meltzer, and author Christopher McDougall.
If you want to join me, I’ll be on two panels on Saturday, October 10 about nutrition for runners and injury prevention.
Check out the schedule and use code jf10 to save 10% on your ticket. I hope to see you there!
Secret Project TBA
Last month, I hinted at a bold project to make coaching more affordable to everyone who wanted it.
Well, it’s still happening. I know it’s taking longer than I thought, but soon I’ll unveil many more details.
A big reason for the delay is because I’m building custom software to make training easier, simpler, and mistake-proof.
Imagine if you could build your own plan and it would be just as good as a custom training plan that I would write for you from scratch? Well, that’s the goal!
In addition to training custom built for you, there are three other major ways to become a better runner:
- Have a support network of peers to share your successes (and failures)
- Get ongoing support and all questions answered from a trusted coach
- Learn more about running from the top experts in the running industry
This new coaching program is going to bring all of this to you. There will be nothing like it and I can’t wait to share it with you.
I have an early-bird notification list set up, so sign up today if you’d like to be the first to know about it.
Have a great Labor Day weekend!
– Jason.
