Tired of scratching your head every time you read an article on running? Can’t make sense of the instructions your coach has written into a training plan? Use this handy guide to better understand common running lingo.

Bonking: This is what happens when you run out of energy in a long race — usually in the later miles — and your pace slows dramatically the rest of the way to the finish line. Also known as “hitting the wall.”

Cadence: Typically expressed in strides per minute, this is the rate in which your feet strike the ground while running. Ideal cadence varies from runner to runner and by speed: the faster you run, the higher your cadence should be, and vice versa.

Cooldown: Easy running after a speed workout or race, usually ranging from 5–20 minutes, aimed at lowering the heart rate and flushing waste materials from the muscles.

Cruise Intervals: Threshold-pace or tempo intervals typically ranging from 3–10 minutes in duration. These intervals are separated by a short recovery period (30–60 seconds) and usually total 20–40 minutes of work.

CR: Course Record, or the fastest recorded time on a given a given race course.

Drafting: Running closely behind another runner, usually during a race or speed workout, in order to conserve energy. Note: Most runners hate it when you draft behind them.

Easy Runs: Short to medium distance runs at an easy conversational effort or pace. Most runs are done at this pace.

Even Splits: A racing strategy where you aim to run an even pace for each mile of the race.

Fartlek: Swedish for “speed play,” fartlek is an effort-based speed workout that can be done on roads, trails, or treadmill. Quite simply, a fartlek workout is a series of faster pickups with a recovery interval in between. The length and speed of the pickups, as well as the recovery intervals, can be totally up to you.

400m: One lap of the first lane of a standard outdoor track, or just shy of ¼ mile. Note: Most standard interval lengths are some multiple of 400m, i.e. 800m, 1200m, 1600m (just shy of 1-mile), etc.

GPS Watch: Many running watches today have GPS tracking, which provides you real-time pace and distance information while running. Afterward, it allows you to look at a map of the route you ran, the pace you ran in each mile, elevation information, and more.

Hill Repeats: A type of speed workout that involves running up and down a hill at a hard effort for a specific amount of time. Recovery is typically a walk or slow jog down the hill between repetitions, or a set amount of time. The purpose of hill repeats is to develop muscular strength while also improving power and speed.

Intervals or Interval Workout: Similar to fartlek workouts, interval workouts are repeated bouts of faster running at a prescribed intensity or pace followed by a rest interval. Intervals can be measured by distance (e.g. 8 x 400m at 5K pace with 200m jog recovery between repetitions) or time (8 x 1:30 at 5K effort with 1:30 jogging recovery between repetitions).

Long Runs: Any run that is significantly longer in duration (i.e., 30–60 minutes or more) and/or distance than your average run during the week.

LSD: Long Slow Distance. This is a long run done at an easy “all day” pace or conversational effort.

Masters Runner: A runner over 40 years of age. Most races usually separate placing (and sometimes prize money) for Masters runners.

Negative Splits: A racing strategy where you aim to run the second half of the race faster than the first half. Doing so allows you to conserve energy early on in longer races so you’re able to finish strong over the final miles.

RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion. We use RPE to the quantify the intensity level of your workouts on a scale of 10, with 10 being an all-out sprint and 1 being a really easy jog.

Speed Workout: A type of running workout that involves various sorts of faster running. It can include intervals, hill repeats, a tempo run, or some combination thereof.

Steady State: A variation of a tempo run that is run at a slightly less intense effort, usually 15–30 seconds per mile slower than one’s marathon pace.

Strides: Strides are an easy and effective way to fire up your fast-twitch muscle fibers. Following a few of your weekly easy runs, find a flat stretch of road that’s roughly 100 meters long. Accelerate for 5 seconds, spend the next 10 seconds at near-top speed, and then gradually decelerate to a jog over the final 5 seconds. Catch your breath for a minute or so, and then go again. Remember, these aren’t all-out sprints but rather short accelerations.

Tapering: A period ranging from a few days to a few weeks before a key race during which the overall volume and intensity of training is reduced so that a runner is feeling rested and ready to compete.

Tempo Runs: A type of speed workout that involves running for 30 to 90 minutes at a steady, sustainable (but challenging) effort. Most tempo runs are done at half-marathon or marathon pace.

Threshold Runs: Sometimes synonymous with tempo runs, threshold runs are sustained efforts at around the pace you could hold for 60 minutes (or approximately 20–30 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace). Most threshold runs are 20–40 minutes in duration and can be broken up into cruise intervals (see above).

Track Workouts: Track workouts are interval workouts done on a measured running track, usually 400m in length. Track workouts are a great way to improve speed and practice pacing.

Warmup: Easy running before a speed workout or race, usually ranging from 5–20 minutes, often followed by drills and strides. The purpose of the warmup is to prime the body for faster running.

Effort Levels

Many running workouts target a certain level of effort rather than a specific pace depending on the purpose of the session. Here are some of the most common effort levels coaches will assign for given workouts.

1-mile pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a 1-mile race. If you’ve never raced 1-mile, this pace is about 30 seconds per mile faster than your 5K pace. It also equates to about a 9–10 on the RPE scale (see definition of RPE above).

3K pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a 3K race, which is just shy of 2 miles. If you’ve never raced a 3K, this pace is about 20 seconds per mile faster than your 5K pace. It also equates to about a 8–10 on the RPE scale.

5K pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a 5K race, which is just over 3 miles. This pace is about 40 seconds per mile faster than your half-marathon pace. It also equates to about a 7–10 on the RPE scale.

10K pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a 10K race, which is just over 6 miles. This pace is about 20–25 seconds per mile faster than your half-marathon pace or about 15–20 seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace. It also equates to about a 7–10 on the RPE scale.

Half-marathon pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a half marathon. This pace is about 15–20 seconds per mile faster than your marathon pace or about 20–25 seconds per mile slower than your 10K pace. It also equates to about a 6–10 on the RPE scale.

Marathon pace/effort: The pace or intensity level you can hold for a full marathon. This pace is about 15–20 seconds per mile slower than your half-marathon pace. It also equates to about a 5–10 on the RPE scale.