blocks

Short for starting blocks. The device sprinters use to push off of at the start of the race. Starting blocks are typically made of medal with rubber foot pedals. The foot pedals are adjustable in angle and position.

carbo-loading

Short for carbohydrate loading. The practice of trying to maximize the storage of glycogen (a form of glucose – energy) in one’s muscles before an endurance race. There are various methods for this, all involving an increased consumption of carbohydrates before a race.

carrot

A fellow runner who is particularly attractive, thus motivating you to keep their pace, much like a horse follows a carrot on a string.

More: Running Behind a Carrot

chip

Short for timing chip. A small electronic device given to all of the participants in large street races. The chip normally attaches to one’s shoelaces and keeps the exact time from crossing the start line to crossing the finish line.

chute

Short for finishing chute, and sometimes spelled “shoot”. The area that corrals the finishers of large street races.

fartlek

Swedish for “speed play”. A type of continuous training in which the intensity varies from high to low, with the intention of developing an athlete’s aerobic as well as anaerobic capacities.

kicker

The final runner in a relay race, often the fastest member of the team.

legal wind

In sprinting events, wind conditions that are less than 2.0 meters per second in the favorable direction for the runners. Winds that are too favorable disqualify finishing times from becoming records.

More: How Wind Assistance Works in Track and Field

PR

Short for personal record. The fastest time in which an athlete has ever completed a particular race.

rabbit

Also known as a pace maker. In distance races, it is a runner who agrees to set the pace for the competitors during the initial laps. At some point this runner will exit the track without finishing. Having a rabbit gives the the competitors something to aim for and takes the pressure of leading off of them. For instance, in an 800 meter race, a 400 meter specialist may run the first 400 meters at a quick pace and then drop out. This tactic is not allowed in World Championships or the Olympics.

sandbagging

Used in many sports, this is the tactic of purposely placing oneself in a weaker position so as to give the deceptive impression that one is less skilled than one truly is.

ultra

Short for ultramarathon. Any race that is longer than a typical marathon ( > 26.2 miles or 42.2 kilometers). Ultras can be hundreds of miles long.

More: Only 24 People Finish 100 Mile Hawaii Marathon

More: The Next Level: The Comrades “Marathon”

1. Meet good-looking people. If you’re single, running is a great way to meet others. It’s no secret that running does a body good. In addition, the active, motivated mindset of runners usually correlates positively with intelligence and other desirable traits. (And remember: “Stamina on the track means stamina in the sack.”;)
2. Create “Me” time. Although running with partners is usually great, individual runs can be a perfect to escape from the world. Running enables you to leave your cell phone, chores, and worries behind while you simply enjoy the fresh air of the great outdoors.
3. Achieve goals. Running is often about setting a challenge for yourself and working consistently and earnestly to achieve it. Learning this behavior is very useful in the rest of life.
4. Develop friends. Running with others is usually one of the best ways to train. When you spend several hours a week sweating with someone you tend to become good friends. You share stories, experience triumphs and defeats, and really get to know each other. Running with a spouse or loved one is also a great relationship builder.
5. Become smarter. Modern research indicates that regular exercise leads to increased intelligence (see this book). The stamina built by running is very useful for tough mental tasks as well.
6. Set a good example. Many of my friends have started running or walking because they’ve seen my weight loss and energy gain over the years. My 8-year-old daughter thinks that everyone exercises an hour a day because her Mom and Dad run. She even asks me to go on walks with her sometimes, providing both exercise and valuable time together.
7. Destroy obstacles. Once you’ve been through a long race, such as a marathon, any of the other obstacles in your life just don’t look so difficult any more.
8. Clear your mind. For many people, running provides a release. It gives you plenty of distraction-free time to organize your thoughts and come up with solutions. Regular exercisers find mild excursion tremendously refreshing, both physically and mentally.
9. Build self-confidence. Getting in shape, knowing you’re healthy, and achieving goals all make you feel incredible. It doesn’t hurt either when other people tell you that you look fit.
10. Someone is chasing you.

As you’ve likely heard, Olympic sprinter Marion Jones admitted to taking steroids in October of this year. Subsequently, Jones was required to forfeit all of her Sydney medals and sentenced to 6 months in jail for lying in U.S. District Court.

In the case of Jones, the punishment is rather clear: you cheat, you pay. But there is a very interesting dilemma when you consider her relay teammates. Should they be allowed to keep there medals? You may argue that they haven’t done anything wrong, which is quite true, but would they still have one the medals without Jones’ illegal help?

The International Olympic Committee is currently debating this very question after The International Association of Athletics Federations requested that all U.S. athletes give up the Olympic medals they won via relay teams that included Jones. Some of Jones’ teammates have weighed in with their comments

Monique Hennagan, 4×400 member:

“If they ask me to return it, I don’t plan to return it. If it’s my choice, my choice will be no. I know I have not taken anything that I should not be taking. It’s very unfair.”

Chryste Gaines, 4×100 member:

“I’m not considering giving anything back. Especially, since no one has contacted me. If the IAAF or IOC contacts me, I still will not give it back. It’s not fair to us who didn’t do anything.”

Their sentiments are understandable. I think the team’s margin of victory should play into the decision. If you could hypothetically substitute the team’s next best backup runner for Jones and they would still win, then I think they deserve to keep the medals. Of course that is very difficult to predict, and it will never be the reality, so it’s a tough decision.