The Running dictionary

By Lianne Girard

Have you ever said something running-related and had a non-running friend look at you like you’re crazy? For that reason, we have created the running dictionary (it’s a work in progress…)

Tempo

What it means to the average individual: The speed at which a piece of music should be performed.

What it means to runners: A running pace that is typically 15-20 seconds slower than race pace (but normally turns into race pace when doing workouts with competitive running buddies).

Flexibility

What it means to the average individual: The range of how a person can bend, stretch, and contort their body. A beneficial method of improving overall health and well-being.

What it means to runners: Non-existent and a potential inhibitor to aerobic abilities.

Fartlek

What it means to the average individual: Literally nothing… is this even a word?

What it means to runners: A system of training for distance runners in which the terrain and pace are continually varied

Flats

What it means to the average individual: Horizontal surfaces that do not have a slope. Think the Prairies.

What it means to runners: Lightweight athletic shoes designed for races.

Pool Running

What it means to the average individual: Easy coordinated aerobic exercise in a swimming pool done primarily by elderly citizens.

What it means to runners: A gruelling method of cross-training for injured runners that is dreaded and avoided by all unless absolutely necessary.

Recovery

What it means to the average individual: A day or series of days without physical exertion

What it means to runners: Running a glorified easy pace in between fast interval repetitions.

Cool down

What it means to the average individual: Turning up the AC while in the car, grabbing a cold beer on a hot day or jumping into the lake after sunbathing.

What it means to runners: A depleted 20 minutes of running after a hard tempo or interval workout when ones legs feel like Jello or about to collapse.

GPS

What it means to the average individual: A tool that guides users from point A to B usually through a handheld device, smartphone or computer.

What it means to runners: A few magical numbers on a watch that have the ability to produce extreme feelings of happiness or absolute distraught after an intense workout or run.

Ice bath

What it means to the average individual: A social media activity involving people dumping ice water over their heads to raise money for ALS.

What it means to runners: 2 minutes of sheer pain followed by 1 minute of numbing and an additional 7-12minutes of no feeling at all. A painful process used to help recover from workouts and prevent injuries.

LSD

What it means to the average individual: A synthetic crystalline compound that is a potent hallucinogenic drug.

What it means to runners: Long Slow Distance runs. No, we, as runners, do not take drugs every Sunday morning.