I live just over a mile from a high school track and 4 miles from the U of O track. Both offer great opportunities for workouts apart from the usual distance runs. When I’m looking for a track workout, I’ll usually run to it, do some intervals, then run back home for a complete workout.

What’s nice about the nearby high school track is that it’s usually not very crowded – only a few other runners or walkers at any given time.

Here are a few pointers for running on the track:

• If you’re using lane 1 for your workout, move over to the next lane when faster runners come up on you, especially during a cooldown portion of your speedwork.
• During recovery after the faster runs, keep moving instead of stopping altogether. It’s better for the heart to gradually elevate and slow the heart rate.
• Typically you’ll run counterclockwise on the track, but you can mix it up and go the other way. Watch carefully for others if you do!
• Wear spikes occasionally if you have them – this is the place to use them. Expect a little soreness after using them if you’re not used to it.

Challenge yourself to run a fast lap, recover, then beat that time on the next fast lap. Just completing these faster runs improves your overall conditioning and fitness level, adding endurance to your longer runs.

Workouts have taken on a whole new dimension with the Garmin Forerunner 305! For quite a while, I used the 201 until it finally broke on me. Then after that, I used a basic Polar watch with a heart rate monitor, then that stopped working for some reason. Now I have the best of both worlds with the combination of GPS and heart rate monitor in one neat package!

This Garmin picks up a signal faster than the old one, and keeps it active in dense areas. It used to be that I’d get different distances on a workout if ever the signal went out. Now that’s no longer the case.

The Forerunner 305 has so many options. It’s like bringing your coach along for the workout. The stats can be downloaded and compared from day to day.

If you’ve never had anything like this before, you’re missing out. After you use it for a while you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. This is a must for every runner!

Here’s a way to convert an ordinary pair of running shoes into ones that can handle slippery and snowy streets and sidewalks. Get a handful of some small sheet metal screws and drill them into the soles of your shoes. Pick the thickest part of the shoes to avoid going all the way through as you insert these from the bottom. The head of the screw will end up on the bottom of the shoe, making contact with the ground. Stay away from the air or gel in the sole, if your shoes have these features. At least 5 screws per shoe should do the trick. Use only short screws 3/8″ to 1/2″ in length, otherwise you might feel these on the other side!

The design of the sheet metal screw is such that it will give you good traction and slip resistance on the road. If you have an alternate pair of seldom-used shoes to modify, this might be better than drilling into your current pair. Who says you won’t be able to run outdoors for lack of traction?