Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa L. King of the 369th AG Battalion discusses issues with privates during their batallion duty in her office at Fort Jackson, S.C. Photo: Nicole Bengiveno, The New York Times / Redux

She's parachuted from a plane 33 times, the vanity plates on her Corvette read "noslack" and she's now responsible for the basic training of every enlisted soldier -- men and women -- in the U.S. Army. Meet Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa L. King, the first woman to oversee drill sergeant training in the Army's 235-year history.

King said she's proud to be breaking an Army barrier, however, "It really doesn't matter if you're male or female. If you ... enforce standards, people will respect you," she told the American Forces News Service.

The 48-year-old has certainly worked hard enough on her own physical fitness to warrant respect. At her recent semiannual physical training test, she scored a perfect 300, according to The New York Times. King completed 34 push-ups and 66 sit-ups, each in under two minutes, then ran two miles in 16 minutes 10 seconds, well within the maximum time of 17:36 for her age group.

The world is a blur when you run this fast. Photo: Kako, Flickr

Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish and yes, it's pronounced just the way you think it is. Go ahead! Get your giggles out, then consider the serious boost you can give your training by adding fartleks into your regular running routine.

Developed in the 1930s, fartleks are an excellent way for both beginners and advanced runners to improve speed and stamina. Unlike traditional speed workouts, fartleks add short bursts of speed into your "normal" run. When the burst is over, you return to your normal cruising speed until you're recovered and start the cycle over again.

"This kind of training is a great way to keep your body guessing," says Lisa Bender, a trainer at CrossFit Central. "Fartleks push you outside of your comfort zone and help you become more efficient."

Bethany recently shared the benefits of running clubs, but what about a jogging partner closer to home? Your future jogging buddy may be staring at you over their breakfast bowl of corn flakes.

This morning I invited my six-year-old son, Frank, along on my walk/jog. He can ride a two-wheeler now, and stops at 95 percent of the crosswalks. I can trust him in the neighborhood -- within reason. He was thrilled to be asked, and had his helmet strap snapped and bike out of the garage in the next two minutes. Of course, he forgot his jacket.

Frank was familiar with the route since we had just clocked the mileage in the car the other day. Off we went and he was in the lead nearly the entire 25 minute workout. I had to push his back a couple times when he faltered up a long, gradual incline, but other than that, he smoked me. The best part was witnessing his obvious sense of accomplishment at the finish line. Post-route, he enthusiastically joined me for a few stretches (per a kindergartener's attention span) and a brief stint with the dumbbells. Additional benefits -- I definitely ran faster, and watching him kept my mind off the pain during those added fartleks.

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My two and one-quarter mile neighborhood jogging route is starting to get a little boring. The route isn't 'new' anymore, and my times are consistently the same. If you're in a jogging/running rut, check out this helpful article in Shape. Here are three drills to add to your jog/run -- you'll tone more muscle and increase your calorie burn.

Fartleks: This is not releasing a cloud of intestinal gas and scurrying away down the street! Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play" -- a method of varying your jogging/running speed. Warm-up, then run faster (not at maximum) to the stop sign a couple blocks ahead. Slow down for a bit, then pick out another target ahead and run fast toward it. The guidelines are all yours, just mix it up a bit. I will sprinkle a few fartleks into my jog this morning.

Stride Drills: Improve your power and stride efficiency by incorporating stride drills once a week. After warming up, run while lifting knees as high as possible for 30-60 seconds. Then exaggerate your running stride by bounding as far as possible with each stride (you'll go slower than usual). Finally, take tiny baby steps by placing one foot directly in front of the other. Repeat the series two or three times, then finish your route.

Long Runs: Enough of my two and one-quarter mile route, this article recommends we build endurance by jogging/running for 45 minutes to an hour once a week. You'll burn more calories and make the usual workout easier. How long is relative to your current workout. Take your longest run and add 5 minutes to it once each week.

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