If you run with a dog or watch a horse race, you’ll notice that animals don’t stretch before or after they run. Most runners think or are told they should stretch before or after running to prevent injuries, improve performance, and alleviate soreness after a workout. Humans are animals, just like dogs and horses. Our …
Have you heard that 80% of your running should be easy and 20% should be hard? Don’t listen to that. The often quoted 80/20% intensity distribution is based on descriptive research on elite athletes who train 10-14 times (10-25 hours) per week. Elite runners do a lot of high-intensity training, but they do such a …
Inscribed on the off-white parchment of my PhD diploma is the vague term, “Human Performance.” When people ask me about the degree, I tell them it is in exercise physiology, since that was the specific subject I studied. Saying that I did a PhD in human performance would likely cause some confused looks, which would …
1) BAREFOOT RUNNING Kenyan runners don’t run barefoot, nor do they want to run barefoot, nor do they think running barefoot makes them faster runners. They run in used, hand-me-down shoes from visiting runners from other countries. They desperately want running shoes. When I took them shopping for shoes, they chose the most cushioned ones. …
I once coached a college runner who ran a 19-minute 5K who said she wanted to be trained like a 17:30 5K runner. So I told her to run a 17:30 5K and then I’ll train her like a 17:30 5K runner. It seems logical that if you want to run faster, you should practice …
Now that I’m living and coaching at 7,900 feet altitude in Kenya, altitude is always on my mind. I work with it every day with the athletes here. I have been interested in altitude training for a long time, and have published several articles and a book chapter on the subject. When you run at …
Did you know that the number of reps is not important, and is usually an arbitrary decision? There’s no magic in doing 5 or 6 or 10 reps. What’s important is causing fatigue during the workout, because fatigue is what your body responds and adapts to. Run as many reps as it takes until you …
ITEN, KENYA – Running coach, exercise physiologist, and author Dr. Jason Karp signed a deal this week with Coaches Choice to write Coaching the Kenyans, a unique book that tells the story of an American coach living and coaching in Kenya, and how coaches and runners can benefit from his experience. It is scheduled to …
Jason Karp Signs Book Deal for “Coaching the Kenyans” Read More »
“How was your training?” he asked me, as I entered the large, heavy metal gate where I live, the sweat on my forehead glistening in the hot Kenyan sun. “Good. The altitude feels a little lower today,” I joked. The first time I was asked that question, I was taken aback. It immediately changed my …
When I was in high school, I ran a cross country race in which I was leading the race, with a pack of runners from another school right off my shoulder. I was feeling very confident, like I was dictating the pace. With about half a mile to go, once we turned onto a different …