Running, like all sports, can feel like it has a language all it’s own. In the Running for the Romance series, you’ll find references to a lot of these terms. There is a glossary in the back of each book but you can also find all the terminology here!

• 5K: A 5-kilometre race (3.107 miles)
• 10K: A 10-kilometer race (6.2 miles)
• Aid Station: A designated area during races where runners can get water, sports drinks, medical aid, and other supplies
• Altitude Camp: A training camp located at high elevation to improve endurance by enhancing oxygen utilisation, common practice for endurance athletes
• Ballot: A lottery system used to allocate limited race spots to applicants, common in major marathons
• Bonking: Sudden fatigue and energy loss due to depleted glycogen stores during endurance activities
• BQ (Boston Qualifier): A marathon finish time that qualifies a runner for the Boston Marathon, the standard is updated annually
• Bun Huggers: A style of technical athletic shorts designed for women. Also known as ‘briefs’ or ‘competition briefs’
• Cadence: The number of steps a runner takes per minute
• Charity Bib: A race entry given in exchange for a fundraising commitment to a charity, especially common in over-subscribed or balloted events
• Chip Time: The actual time it takes a runner to finish a race, starting when they cross the starting line, measured by a tracking chip on their number or shoe
• Corral: A designated area where runners are grouped by pace before the race begins
• DFL (Dead Freakin’ Last): Slang for finishing last in a race
• DNF (Did Not Finish) A runner who starts but does not complete a race.
• DNS (Did Not Start): A runner who was registered but did not start the race
• DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness): Muscle pain and stiffness that sets in 24–72 hours after intense exercise
• Distance Runner: An athlete who specialises in longer races, typically 5K and above
• Drafting: Running closely behind another runner to reduce air resistance
• Dreadmill: A more honest term for the treadmill, an indoor running machine that allows you to run in place
• Dynamic Stretching: Active movements that stretch muscles to prepare the body for running (as opposed to static stretching)
• Elite: A top-level competitive runner, often sponsored and invited to races with special perks and prize money
• Fartlek: A Swedish term meaning “speed play”; unstructured speed intervals during a run
• Finishing Kick: A runner’s final burst of speed at the end of a race
• Foam Roller: A cylindrical tool used to massage and relieve tight muscles
• Form: A runner’s posture and body mechanics while running
• Front Runner: A runner who leads a race from the start, often setting the pace
• Gels: Concentrated carbohydrate packets used during long runs or races for energy, they come in a wide range of flavours
• Glycogen: The stored form of glucose in muscles and liver, used as energy during exercise
• Gun Time: The official race time based on the starting gun, not individual chip start
• Half Marathon: A 13.1-mile (21.1 km) race
• Heel-striking: Running form where the heel contacts the ground first, sometimes associated with inefficient running
• Hill Sprints: Short, high-intensity running uphill to build strength and power
• Hitting the Wall: A dramatic energy crash during long runs when glycogen is depleted, in a marathon often occurs between miles 18 and 22
• Intervals: Specific timed efforts followed by rest periods; key part of speed training
• ITB Syndrome(Iliotibial Band Syndrome): A common running injury causing outer knee pain from overuse
• Jeffing: A run-walk method developed by Jeff Galloway, using planned walk breaks to conserve energy and reduce injury risk
• Lactate Threshold: The exercise intensity at which lactate begins to accumulate rapidly in the blood, often used to guide tempo run pace
• Marathon: A26.2-mile (42.195 km) race
• Negative Split: Running the second half of a race faster than the first half
• Over-striding: Taking steps that extend too far in front of the body, which can lead to inefficiency or injury
• Overtraining: Excessive training without adequate rest, leading to fatigue, poor performance, or injury
• Pace: The speed at which a runner is moving, typically measured in minutes per mile or kilometre
• PB (Personal Best): A runner’s fastest time for a given distance within any context, including informal runs or training sessions
• PR (Personal Record): A runner’s fastest time for a race in an official, timed event
• Recovery Run: A slow, easy run done to help muscles recover between hard workouts
• Runner’s High: A euphoric feeling experienced during or after running, often linked to endorphins
• Soft Landing: A gentle foot strike that minimises impact forces during running, often encouraged for injury prevention
• Speedwork: A general term for workouts designed to improve speed, such as intervals or tempo runs
• Splits: The time it takes to complete each segment of a race, such as every mile or kilometre
• Sprinter: An athlete who specialises in short-distance, high-speed races (typically 100m to 400m)
• Strides: Short bursts of controlled, fast running to improve form and leg turnover
• Taper: A reduction in training volume leading up to a race to allow for full recovery
• Tempo Run: A sustained effort run at a “comfortably hard” pace, near lactate threshold
• Ultra Marathon: Any race longer than the marathon distance, typically starting at 50 km (31 miles) and up
• VO2 Max: The maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilise during intense exercise
• Zone 2 Pace: A low-intensity running pace that builds aerobic endurance; typically 60–70% of max heart rate
• Zone 5 Pace: A high-intensity pace used for short intervals; around 90–100% of max heart rate
• Zone 6 Pace: Maximum effort sprint pace, often unsustainable for more than a few seconds