Brian Rock 
It’s about to be a new year, and that usually means it’s time for New Year’s Resolutions. If your resolution is to start running again, then I’m here to help with some tips for how to get back into running this year. Don’t worry. I’ve been where you’ve been. When I was 30, I was … Read more
It’s nearing the end of December. That means the end of one year and the beginning of another. It’s a great time for reflection and for planning. 2020 was a strange year in a lot of ways. But when it comes to running, it was a great year. I wanted to take a few minutes … Read more
For a while now, I’ve used a Garmin Forerunner 245 to track my running. Overall, I’ve loved it – except for the occasional cadence lock. I couldn’t get reliable heart rate data until I started using a Garmin heart rate monitor with a chest strap. I originally received a Garmin HRM Dual Heart Rate Monitor … Read more
I’ve always been a fair weather runner. I usually started in the spring, got lazy in the summer, ran again in the fall, and then packed it up for the winter. This year, I decided to really commit to running – which meant learning how to dress for cold weather running. Although there were one … Read more
Last week, I wrapped up the speedwork part of my 5k training block. In the first phase of the training block, I was focusing on speed and general endurance. I spent my two workouts each week on speedwork – repetition runs according to Jack Daniels – and I spent the rest of my time on … Read more
Throughout my life, I’ve had an on again off again relationship with gyms, just like I have with running. But two years ago, I decided to drop my gym membership for good and instead invest in a home gym. As a senior in high school, I was a member at a local gym. My best … Read more
If you’re on the market for a treadmill and you’ve got a tight budget, you need to take a look at this list of treadmills under $500. We’re heading into winter, and in New Jersey we just got hit by our first big snowstorm. We got about a foot of snow, and when I woke … Read more
So far, I’ve been good about running in the cold. Even though I have a basic treadmill in my basement, I prefer to run outside, and I’ve continued to run through the winter. But this week, New Jersey got hit by a pretty good snowstorm. I went out for my interval workout yesterday – in … Read more
Running a solid 5k race depends on your ability to pace yourself well over the course of 3.1 miles. To help you do that, I’ve created the 5k pace chart that you see below. Finding the right 5k pace can be tricky. You need to run fast, but you also need to be able to … Read more
The South Mountain Reservation is home to a complex network of trails, including the Rahway Trail. The Rahway trail is a 2.5 mile point to point trail in the southern half of the South Mountain Reservation. It’s a moderately difficult trail, with some small rolling hills. It tracks along the Rahway River for a scenic … Read more