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“It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle — when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”

— Christopher McDougall

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Up and down a flinty hillside path at his team’s training camp facility Monday, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton ran in what looked like a haphazard relay with several members of his coaching staff.

Up the hill near the team’s headquarters, they ran before spinning around to jog back down again to the lower practice field, where they hoisted kettlebells and did some hybrid pushups/jumping jacks.

It was inspiring to those in the media covering Saints training camp, at least until we climbed the three steps into the media work trailer to see if there were any doughnuts left over from breakfast.

The scene — the running of the coaches, not the scramble for the doughnuts — symbolized a major theme for Saints training camp 2014:

Running is good for you. Doughnuts are not.

Read more: Rabalais: Running game advances will be critical to offensive health | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

homerj07

I think all of us have said this. Over and over since that magical 2009 season. I think if we get a rushing attack rated 18th we would win an extra 2-3 games.

The Dude

It will definitely help Bree's stay off the ground. Not many QBs can take getting hit as much as he did last year. Especially at his age.

44Champs

Another example of Payton establishing a theme and setting the tone. Imagine, as a player, watching your coaches working out and keeping themselves in shape. You'll never see that in Falcons camp lol

whybag

I wonder how much of the O-line difficulties were from the change in blocking scheme, how much was Kromer leaving, an how much was personnel (Brown and DLP are gone, what will that do?)

Cruize

The coach actually has to call running plays for the running game to work.

billyt81

i keep posting this i know but although all !! guys on offense are responsible for a good running attack, i believe the biggest factor in last years poor running attack was the lack of any WR who could beat man coverage. Good defenses could put 8 in the box against us and dare our WR to get open and we couldnt. Cooks changes everything but i am also very happy about the Eric Lorig signing. All of Tampas RBs found running room behind him last year.