Becoming the best versions of ourselves on the race course can be quite the journey. For longterm success, there are three pillars: training, mindset and nutrition. Master all three, and the sky is the limit. So below are some tips and things to consider as you evolve as a runner:
Training:
This is an incredibly nuanced subject. There are some guiding principals, but ultimately we are all a study of one. Things like work and life demands, climate and where and how you can train, and so on will all impact how you can (or should!) balance training. I highly recommend all runners do at least one of these two things: hire a running coach, read as many books on training principals and plans as you can. Knowledge is power, and being capable of making informed decisions is incredibly important – especially when we are often driven by our emotions. It’s very hard to be subjective and guide ourselves to the best of our abilities. It’s why many coaches have coaches!
The biggest mistake I see from runners: we don’t respect the time and consistency necessary to achieve the goal. This isn’t to say that the goal is unattainable or out of the realm of possibilities – just it might not be in the timeline we want. Remember, adaptation takes time and consistency. Usually there’s a lot of repetitive and unsexy work that’s a part of the journey. When we attempt to fast track fitness (pace, mileage, and so on), we open up Pandora’s Box. Injury risk skyrockets. And we usually miss out on a couple of very important adaptations that happen with the unsexy and repetitive stuff. Often fitness plateaus or we begin to see every run as a “make or break” scenario because we are short on time.
When we give ourselves the appropriate timeline, magic can occur. It won’t always happen every cycle, but maintaining stackable cycles is when breakthroughs happen. Racing fitness is the product of your running resume over time. No one run “makes” the athlete. We always want to aim for being consistently good rather than inconsistently great. Inconsistency is often a pitfall. Injuries and forced off seasons do happen, but if we can reduce our odds of those things, running potential becomes quite exciting!
We want to diversify training and racing. It’s common to get on the “marathon hamster wheel” and essentially repeat the same patterns cycle after cycle. If we want to truly get better, it may be wise to only race one marathon per year (for example), and to dedicate the months pre-marathon build to fast 10ks or half marathons. Developing more speed and better running economy for the short stuff often means much faster and stronger marathon paces!
Ultimately, if you are invested in your racing potential, having a coach in your corner or a very solid understanding of training principals and your needs is key to achieving your dreams.
Mindset:
The very cool thing about running is that while we’re out there for miles and miles, or minds have the time to wander and develop as athletes too. Confidence can take time to build, and usually it gets stronger as we get more experienced. The unknown is scary, and it’s hard to be confident in something we have yet to do. But if we can begin to trust our instincts, learn from our training runs, and recognize how damn strong we are – usually we can slowly build a solid mindset.
Confidence as an athlete doesn’t mean ego necessarily. It means being confident enough to embrace a hard workout. It means confident enough to take easy runs truly easy (this is a hard one!). A mindset of knowing what sort of run or race we are about to experience, allowing us to tap into what is or isn’t appropriate in that moment. For example, the mindset for truly racing a 5K has to be one of heightened focus, ready to hurt essentially off the line. The mind has to be ready for an intense, sometimes brutally uncomfortable state in order to squeeze out the fitness of the day. Our brains usually give up long before our bodies, so recognizing that reality and developing strategies to push through the mental noise isn’t easy.
On the flip side, mindset on the starting line of the marathon should allow the athlete to not get carried away early, even if everyone around them is charging ahead. Entrusting the plan, fueling strategy and fitness and then not flippantly deviating from the plan due to ego or fear – this mental fortitude allows an athlete to have their best day out there. It’s so easy to get carried away in the early miles of the marathon, especially when carb loaded and coming off the taper. Holding back and being mindful and calm early will allow the brain to truly turn on in the late miles, when it’s absolutely necessary.
We learn as we go. Just as most of us won’t nail everything in our first race, we do learn and take away priceless information and experiences from that event. Mindful development is similar. Our brains are incredible, and learn quickly. Don’t be afraid to go in and epically fail – we often learn the most from those days we risk and potentially learn unexpected lessons.
There are some great resources out there for athletes who experience anxiety over training runs or races. Chat with a sports psychologist, or read some books or listen to podcast episodes with expert advice. Nerves are normal, it means you care. But when those nerves have a negative impact on the athlete or get in the way of their race performance, it’s best to develop coping mechanisms to turn nerves into a mindset that sets you up for success.
Nutrition:
This is a big topic, and one that make take some serious time to fully comprehend as a runner. For one thing, many of us grew up with complicated or confusing relationships with food. Ads on tv stating that “carbs are bad” or “coffee can be breakfast” can be hard messages to kick from our brains – even decades later. And here’s the hardest part: your needs as a runner are NOT the needs of most everyone else.
Here’s the simple takeaway from this subject: how you fuel and what you fuel with will have a direct impact on performance in racing and training runs, how well you recover, and your resilience to injuries. Under fueling is very common.
I highly recommend all runners listen to podcasts with the experts in the field: Registered Dietitians. Many have websites with awesome and often free content, as well as fantastic social media accounts. Do note that a “nutritionist” is NOT an RD. I can go get a “nutritionist” certification over the weekend, while an RD has a Master’s Degree in the subject. And not all RDs are experts in Endurance Athletes.
Anything that sounds like a fad should have our spidey senses heightened. Sugar isn’t the enemy. In fact, your favorite simple carbs are often the heroes of your running performance.
You can be the most talented and dedicated runner in the world, but if you are under fueled you will never be able to train or race at your full potential. It may take years and multiple training cycles to fully understand and master what best serves you, and that’s okay! Just please never assume you can or should “muscle through” a run under fueled or fasted, or that thinner equals faster.
Conclusion:
Being a runner and deeply caring about your goals is such a cool thing. How many adults do we know who are truly passionate about their hobbies? Support your passion with the three pillars, and you are going to achieve your dreams and exceed your greatest expectations.
As athletes, we are constantly balancing load and capacity – the training for goals and the external factors. When the balance is off, injury risk rises, athletes burn out, and fitness tends to plateau. One of the priorities of the coach: keeping things in balance so that the athlete can achieve their goals. The challenge: some of the capacity will depend on personal scenarios to that runner. The coach and athlete have to be communicating so that the balance works.
This blog was a long time coming, and is the result of things I’ve witnessed over the years – but especially during the pandemic. My guess is during the pandemic fitness enthusiasts are bored and perhaps looking to break into the training/coaching world, or simply want to connect with others through their passions. Their intentions are good, and some do offer solid advice. But for every enthusiast who may share something that’s overall harmless and potentially helpful, they’ve muddied the water with who is actually qualified to post as an expert.
Dear Runners, we need to talk. The statistics with runners and injuries is enough to make someone not want to lace up. However, much of the injuries runners encounter are 100% preventable. Sure, there’s a percent of runners who will be injury-prone for reasons they cannot control – one leg slightly longer than the other, a trauma from years ago, overuse from a childhood activity, and poor genetics. But that’s a small percent of runners. YOU are often responsible for those aches and pains. This isn’t about pointing blame, but informing, educating and perhaps preventing injuries in the future by making different choices.
As most have heard, the weather on Patriot’s Day was anything but kind. Marathoners are pretty tough people, and Monday demanded our mental strength to carry when our bodies succumbed to the elements. I often preach to my runners that they need to learn to train in most elements because we never know what we’ll be handed by Mother Nature on race day. Monday was a reminder of that. Not surprisingly, the runners I know who preformed best were the Winter Warriors and the Ultra Marathoners.
My calves felt like they were on the verge of cramping due to the cold around mile 14. I did everything I could to prevent cramping from happening, which meant changing my stride, form and pace in the late miles. I knew I was better off adding a minute to each mile than cramping and needing walk and stretching breaks in the elements. At the finish, I could barely lift my legs. My hips were in incredible pain, so cold and tight, and I wasn’t confident I’d make it to my hotel without a wheelchair ride to medical. Marni and the cup of hot cocoa at the finish line were the only reason I didn’t end up in a wheelchair.
