Su guía de términos de entrenamiento

If you’re new to running or racing, all the running-related lingo can seem intimidating. We’ve got you covered with a list of training terms and definitions that’ll help you talk the talk and walk the walk.

Types of Runs

Warm-Up: An easy, slow run done before a race or workout to elevate the heart rate and warm up the muscles in preparation for the harder work to come. A warm-up jog should always precede a hard run or race. As a rule, a longer warm-up is recommended for cooler conditions and when running shorter distances and faster speeds. A shorter warm-up can occur in hotter conditions and prior to longer races.

Cool-Down: An easy, slow run done after a hard workout or race, used to slowly lower the heart rate and to aid recovery.

Strides: Short (50-100 meters or 10-25 seconds), fast sprints used in training. Strides can be done prior to a race or workout as part of the warm-up or they can be done after an easy run to strengthen running form.

Tempo Run: A workout usually lasting 20 to 45 minutes and done at a racing pace that you can maintain for about an hour. If you are new to racing or unsure of your current race paces, make your tempo pace slightly faster than your usual easy runs and at a level where you are running harder than usual, but confident you can maintain the pace for an extended period.

Fartlek: A workout involving running at various paces, sometimes for random amounts of time, to build speed and endurance and to prepare for unexpected pace changes in races. Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play." An example of a fartlek workout is picking up the pace every third light pole on your street and then backing off the pace to a jog after the fourth light pole, or for more “play,” switching speeds every time you see someone in a red shirt.

Speedwork: A general term referring to any workout intended to build speed, such as fartlek or interval training.

Hill Repeats: A workout in which you run fast up a hill and then slowly jog/walk back to the bottom. The distance of the hill and the number of repeats can vary based on training goals, but usually each climb takes 30 seconds or longer and the workout ranges from 6 to 10 repeats.

Hill Sprints: These are like hill repeats, but often shorter in length, such as a 10-15 second sprint, and with a longer recovery to prioritize quality. Runners do hill sprints to focus on form, such as driving the knees forward.

"x”: Running workouts are often written in shorthand as formulas. For example, 6 x 800 with 90 seconds rest means you run 800 meters (half a mile) 6 times and after each 800 meters you rest by walking or jogging for 90 seconds before starting the next 800 meters.

Out and Back: A run or race in which an athlete starts at one point, runs to a midway point and then turns around, retracing their steps back to their starting point to end the run.

Looped: A run or race that starts and finishes in the same location but is not an out and back. A looped course can include one large route or involve runners covering a smaller loop multiple times.

Point to Point: A run or race in which the start and finish are not in the same location.

Training Terms

Form Drills: Dynamic movements designed to bring the body through ranges of motion to help enhance proper biomechanics while running. Form drills are a way for our bodies to practice going through ranges of motion, so that our joints can safely hit faster speeds; they also help improve our running form. Examples of form drills are marches, skips, high knees, and butt kicks.

Taper: This term is used as both noun and verb: A taper (n.) is a reduction in training volume and intensity during the weeks leading up to a race. To taper (v.) is to back off one's training to allow muscles to recover so that they are prepared for peak performance.

Split: A split is a segment of distance during a race or workout. For example, a runner might check their one mile split 26 times during a marathon to keep a consistent pace or a coach might call out their runner’s split after every lap of a track race.

Pace: Pace is the overall speed at which an athlete runs, usually expressed in minutes per mile. ("They ran the run at a ten-minute pace.")

Cross-training: Cross-training for runners is using another sport to train for running. Cross-training is often implemented to add variety, to allow an athlete to maintain fitness while injured, or to increase training volume without creating imbalances through overuse. For a runner, cross-training often includes alternative aerobic activities like cycling, swimming, and gym ergometers (elliptical trainers, spin-class cycles, etc.) and/or strength/flexibility exercises such as yoga, Pilates, and weight training.

RPE: RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion and is a 1-10 scale that helps runners gauge their training efforts based on their overall sense of how hard their run feels. It is helpful to think of RPE as an effort that correlates to the effort of racing specific distances, not as your speed/pace.

VO2 Max: This refers to the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during exercise of increasing intensity. Some runners periodically measure their max to see fitness progression, since a higher max may correlate with an increase in fitness.

Foot Strike: Your foot strike is the way your foot contacts the ground when running (or walking). There are different types of foot strike based on what part of your foot contacts the ground.

Pronation: Pronation is the inward roll of the foot while running to absorb shock when contacting the ground. This is a natural movement pattern, but the degree of inward rolling varies from person to person. Some people over-pronate, meaning that their inward roll is greater than average.

Supination: Supination is the roll of the foot onto its outer edge to absorb shock, a movement pattern that can also be called under-pronation. Although landing on the ball of your foot allows you to push off with your center of gravity directly underneath you, landing on the outside of your foot is not uncommon in runners.

Heel Strike: This occurs when a runner's heel is the first part of their foot to contact the ground while landing. Although landing on the ball of your foot allows you to push off with your center of gravity directly underneath you, heel striking is extremely common for many runners.

Cadence or Turnover: This is the total number of steps you take per minute while running. Higher cadence, or more steps per minute, helps improve form and speed. Working on improving cadence is a great way to develop speed.

Heart Rate: This is the number of heartbeat (measured by the number of contractions of the heart) per minute. Heart rate is important for runners since our heart rate increases with the intensity of exercise. Some runners track their heart rate while running as an indicator of their effort.

Gear: Gear refers to all products related to running apparel, such as shoes, running clothing, and sunglasses.

Kick: A kick is an ending sprint or push to the finish of a race or workout. In an effective kick, a runner uses up their last bit of energy to finish as fast as they can.

Race-Day Terms

Negative Split/Positive Split: Running the second half of a race faster than the first half is known as running a "negative split." Running the first half of a race faster than the second half is known as running a “positive split.” The terms can also be used as verbs; for example, a runner who completes the first half of their marathon in 2 hours and the second half in 1 hour and 50 minutes would have “negative split” their race.

PR: This stands for "personal record" or the best time that an athlete has ever run a given distance. The British equivalent is "PB" for "personal best."

Hitting the Wall/ Bonking: Both these terms mean slowing down drastically and uncontrollably at the end of a long race or run, and this happens when the muscles are depleted of glycogen (stored carbohydrate that can be used as fuel). The result is extreme fatigue, which has been likened to encountering an invisible wall. Marathoners who don't ingest or process enough carbohydrates before and/or during a race often hit the wall around the 20-mile mark. Proper fueling techniques can limit the chances of bonking.

K: Road-race distances are often listed in kilometers—a 5K (3.1 miles) or 10K (6.2 miles) for example. The 5K is the shortest common road-race distance and is a good choice for a beginning racer. On a track, races are typically referred to in meters, such as 5000 meters or 10,000 meters.

Ultra-Marathon: This term refers to any race or run that is longer than a marathon (26.2 miles).

Gun Time/Net Time: Gun time is measured from the official start of a race until a participant crosses the finish line. Net time is the time from when a runner crosses the start and finish lines, as recorded by a timing device. In NYRR events, finishing place is determined by net time, except for the race winner, who must be the first runner to cross the finish line.

DNF/DNS: DNF stands for “did not finish.” When a runner has to drop out of a race, their result is listed as DNF. A similar designation is DNS or “did not start” for runners that do not line up on race day.

Corral: Before many large-scale races, runners line up in corrals, or spaces that divide them into appropriate pace groups. This allows runners to race others of a similar pace and to prevent congestion at the start and on the course. Runners in the corral closest to the start line have the fastest estimated pace. Races that sort runners into corrals often require runners to estimate or provide proof of a previous finish time.

Chute: This is the narrow space a runner is directed into after crossing the finish line. In the chute, runners receive post-race items and slowly move out of the finish area.

Bib: A bib is a large, weatherproof paper tag with a unique number that is safety-pinned to a runner’s clothing to identify them during a race. Bibs often include a timing device for recording and scoring purposes. NYRR bibs record a runner’s time from the start line to the finish line.

Water/Fluid Station: This is a designated area along a racecourse where runners can get fluids, usually in disposable cups. The number of fluid stations will depend on the race distance, and the resources of the race organizers, but generally the occur every mile to every 5K. Fluid stations almost always include water and may also offer electrolyte-replacement drinks such as Gatorade.

Aid Station: This is a marked areas along a race course where runners can get medical assistance.

NYRR Terms

The NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New Balance Run Hub: The NYRR RUNCENTER is home to an inclusive running community based in New York City, comprised of people with all different fitness levels and running paces. By bringing together our members, partners, and runners from all walks of life, we’ve created an engaging and supportive environment committed to personal growth. We offer a variety of group runs, fitness classes, education panels, entertainment events, and more—all tailored to benefit the runner. We also provide race support services for our NYRR races, including bib pickup, course strategy sessions, and medal engraving.

NYRR Group Training: Geared toward NYC local runners of all levels, these workouts offer coaching, camaraderie, and the inspiration that comes from running with others. No matter where you are on your running journey, your training will be supported in a welcoming atmosphere by coaches who encourage you to pursue your goals and have fun.

Charity Partner Program: The NYRR Official Charity Partner Program offers an excellent opportunity for nonprofit organizations to raise funds to support their missions and services. Better yet, participating charities can offer guaranteed entry to runners who fundraise on their behalf in premier races such as the TCS New York City Marathon and the United Airlines NYC Half.

NYRR Team for Kids: Team for Kids funds help support programs for nearly 250,000 children nationwide, including 125,000 in New York City’s five boroughs.. These programs help to build students’ motivation, confidence, and desire to be physically active for life. This includes Rising New York Road Runners, NYRR’s youth program and events platform. Through school-based programs, youth events, and a collection of digital resources, Rising New York Road Runners brings free running and fitness programs to students across the country.