The conventional view is that starting fast in a 5K can really hurt you—by creating flood tides of lactic acid which burden your muscles with fatigue over the later stages of the race. However, great new research from the University of New Hampshire indicates that fast starting is actually the way to achieve your best 5-K performances. Specifically, running the first mile of the 5K 6-percent faster than you usually do can quicken your 5K by 30 seconds.

Soreness and abnormal stiffness in muscles and tendons can make it difficult to complete a planned training program. Fortunately, it is possible to train in ways which greatly minimize the risk of musculotendinous discomfort. The mechanism by which such training provides protection is unknown, but it is clear that specific exertions can keep the quads, hamstrings, and calves away from major trouble. In this article, key soreness preventing exercises are provided.