Useful English words for runners

Do you enjoy running? Runners in the United States and other English-speaking countries can participate in 5K runs, 10K runs and even marathons. Often for these events, you will run to raise money for a charity.

Whether you enjoy running for fun, or you’re training for a big race, here are some basic English words that are useful when talking about running:

1. Stretching – This is what you do to stretch and prepare the muscles in your body for a run. It could involve touching your toes while standing, or bending backwards so that you can work the muscles in your back. Usually runners stretch before they run as part of their ‘warm-up’.

2. Interval training – This is when you train your body for fast running also known as sprinting. In interval training, a person will jog slowly for 1-2 minutes and then sprint for 15-20 seconds, repeating this cycle for 30-45 minutes. The goal of interval training is to be able to sprint for longer periods of time, so it is important to increase the sprinting time slowly each day you run.

3. Blisters – Every runner and many walkers have complained of ‘blisters’. These are small, painful pockets of fluid that develop within the upper layers of the skin. You’ll suffer from ‘blisters’ if your shoes do not fit properly or rub against your skin.

4. Hydration – This is one of the most important things to remember when exercising. You will often be told that you ‘need to stay hydrated’ while working out. This means that you need to be drinking water or sports drinks to prevent your body from getting dehydrated when you sweat.

5. Pace– ‘You need to pace yourself’ is another phrase that you will hear when talking about running. This means that when you are running for a long distance, you should run slowly and use an even amount of energy throughout your run. You will need to maintain your energy for the full workout, so go slow and steady and ‘pace yourself.’

Tell us about your running experiences. Have you run in a 5K, 10K, or marathon?