As part of a marathon training plan, it’s a good idea to come up with a few different form of cross-training, as the jogging motion is quite repetitive and can lead to injury—not to mention boredom. The idea for this post came as I was running the infamous Howe Street stairs this past week. I thought to myself—who would ever do this for fun? Then I remembered Dan Lawson.
Lawson, a personal trainer and owner of Javelin Fitness, has long been an advocate of stair-running as a cross-training strategy. I caught up with him on Seattle’s Capitol Hill to hear his thoughts on the Big Climb, the importance of muscle-building exercises for distance runners, and the dreaded Howe Street steps.
Dan Lawson, owner of Javelin Fitness
The Marathon Newbie: How did you first get started with stair-climbing?
Dan Lawson: I think I just like the challenge. I had signed up for the Big Climb and liked the fact that if you’re good, it’s over in 10-15 minutes. Instead of, for example, a five-hour marathon. I prefer to rip the band aid off quickly.
The Marathon Newbie 