This is not about which fork to use at your running club’s next social or how to make an introduction.
I did, however, go to charm school when I was a teenager; it was called Wendy Warm Charm School. We walked around with books on our heads and learned how to put on lipstick. After the basic class, my mom even enrolled me in the advanced class. I guess I was still a little rough.
No, really, I do know this stuff, not because I learned it in a class but because I’ve been running for 29 years. You pick up a lot in 29 years. Believe, me, taking a few minutes, now, to learn running etiquette, will be appreciated by every other runner you ever know. Make it a point to learn and apply these rules of the running road and to mentor newer runners, which will save them embarrassment and keep everything running smoothly and safely. [Read more…]
Do you ever listen while you run? No, I don’t mean listen to music or conversation or podcasts. Do you listen for the sound of your feet hitting the ground? Try it. If your feet make a loud pounding noise, that means you’re hitting the ground with more force than necessary, and there is room for improvement. 
If you’re an enthusiastic road runner and racer, it’s inevitable that you will eventually be drawn to the trails, whether you are enticed by the accounts of friends or the challenge of less stable, sometimes more strenuous footing or the desire to spend some time with Mother Nature. 
