He’s part coach, part motivator, part legend, all soul mate to thousands of runners he’s met around the world. I’m not sure what astounds me most about Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer for Runner’s World. Is it the extreme races he’s survived, from the Everest Marathon to the Badwater 146 through Death Valley, the bizarre races he has run as part of his job, like the Bare Buns Fun Run, or his capacity to remember details of so many faces and places? I first met Bart in May 2007 when he was a guest speaker at the newly opened Garmin Store in Chicago. Two and a half years later, I saw him at the expo for the Kansas City Marathon. We’d had no interaction since, but he knew me by name, and I was happy to report I’d been using his Yasso 800s to gauge my fitness for a Boston qualifying time the next day. Fast-forward 6 months, and I see Bart again at the Boston expo, where he dispenses some last-minute pointers for my race.

We were honored to have this running legend here last year for the Garmin Marathon In the Land of Oz. While Bart’s travel schedule won’t permit him to be here this year, he’s lending his coaching expertise and friendly guidance with free training plans and weekly training tips. Here’s Bart’s most recent advice, for those who are training for the April 20, 2013 race:

Mix it up. Your training plan calls for cross-training, and for good reason. Filling a rest day or an easy day with low- to no-impact activities like yoga or swimming can help your muscles recover from all the pounding you put them through and can prevent burnout.

I’m currently reading Bart’s book, “My Life on the Run,” and while I’d heard or read tidbits of his running resume, there’s no comparison to sinking down with the book and savoring each adventure in detail. In his book, Bart shares stories you won’t hear when he’s on stage — a strained relationship with his father, trials and errors through his teen years, restoration through running, getting slammed with Lyme disease while thousands of miles from US soil. As a runner and a writer, I highly recommend Bart’s book for your master list of must-reads.    

Thinking of pulling the trigger on spring marathon or half but haven’t decided which one? We’d love to welcome you to Garmin headquarters, just outside Kansas City, for our Oz-themed races on April 20. Registration numbers are well ahead of last year for the Garmin Marathon, Wickedly Fast Half, Dorothy Dash 5k and Munchkin Marathon. Participants and spectators will even have a chance to meet some Garmin-sponsored pro athletes, including Olympian Desiree Davila and U.S. 50k record holder Josh Cox. Register today.