Tip 0) especially for older people: Get an ok from a physician before starting on a running program. I horked both Achilles pretty badly a few years ago by trying a walk-->run progression I found on the web. Didn't rupture but came pretty close.
GP and later a podiatrist both said they wouldn't have recommended running had I asked. Been dealing with tendonosis ever since.
If anyone here is looking to start running as part of a New Year goal, I'd suggest not getting too discouraged with all of the stuff that seems complicated about running. It takes a while to get your body used to it.
When I was 17, I made it a goal to try and run a mile without stopping at the track. Once I hit that goal, I stopped because I thought other people were judging me. It took me ten more years to go for another run, but by that point I'd stopped caring as much about what other people thought. Now I've made it a habit, and enjoy all aspects of the sport.
The best running tip I've ever had is "run tall". Most people tend to slouch forward at the hip which prevents some muscle groups from engaging. Made a world of difference for me.
Yeah, those two words imply a bunch of posture/style fixes. "Run tall" and "steady breathing" are the two simple reminders that I repeat to myself if I'm getting tired.
My version of "run tall" is "pretend you're riding a pony". Your hips and legs are the pony, and your torso is riding it, and it works for me as a cue to remember that my torso should stay tall and upright.
Also when I get really tired, it helps me dissociate myself from the feeling in my legs because instead of thinking "ow my legs hurt", I can think "thank you, pony, for being so strong and working so hard for me!"
i used to run 15 miles a day 3 days a week (7.5 to work and 7.5 back). best piece of advice i can give to someone starting out 1) don't use music and 2) don't run for time but run for distance instead.
my reasoning for the first is you will have an easier time drifting away and enjoying the running for its own sake (rather than as a chore) if you do not try to distract yourself.
my reasoning for the second is running for time is like a prison sentence that you need to bear while running for distance is a goal you can accomplish (or fail to accomplish). my runs to work used to take ~1 hour and on the days that i couldn't make them because of inclement weather i ran on a treadmill. i never made it the full hour on a treadmill.
these two tips help you overcome the greatest (and most important) hurdle to becoming a runner: enjoyment.
edit: i guess one corollary of the running for distance thing is that you don't need to stress about speed; i often tell myself "you don't have to be fast you just have to finish". so when i get gassed in the second half of a run i slow down to compensate. that finish spurs you on the next time and naturally you'll get faster (well to a certain point - if you're really trying to get good then you need sprints/intervals/etc but then you don't need my advice).
If you just want to get started running, you don't have to pay attention to any of this. Just download a couch 2 5k app and spend $100 on running shoes. I run a 10k in an hour with moderate effort, 90% of the tips listed don't matter to me (though I've heard of most of them).
22. If you get injured - apply pressure. Have an elastic band aid in your training bag or pocket at all times. Applying pressure on an ankle tear will shorten healing time to 1-2 days vs weeks if you let it bleed and swell.
23. Running technique: you want to distribute forces on all 3 joints. Use elasticity from tendons and binding structures to capture breaking forces and bounce back.
24. Take it very easy when you start out, change ground, or shoes.
What do runners do when it's -15degC outside and roads are coated with slippery ice and snow? I don't get enough exercise during winter :( Running is nice because you can start at your front door, but most winter sports seem to require hauling gear to an appropriate venue (thinking about skiing and skating as the most obvious examples).
no affiliation and i've never used those but there you go. aside from the shoes very warm gloves and a balaclava.
warm glove hack: get dish gloves and wear them under whatever mittens. your hands will sweat and the dish gloves will contain the warm sweat. it's quite gross but quite effective.
Just an FYI, for those of use in Europe that page just displays a message that they don't deal with the European Economic Area. It doesn't show the product.
Put on enough layers everywhere with an outer layer to block the wind (with a buff or something else for your face) and wear shoes with studs. I use a pair from Icebug and can run when it's icy and be completely relaxed, zero slippage.
I used to run in -20C every day, its doable. Its never going to be as easy as non-freezing temps unfortunately.
Personally, for -30 to -10C I wore running shoes with spikes that slip over the shoe to stop slipping. For body warmth I wore thermal underwear underneath some running shorts and then two long shirt layers (wool or something insulating) and a thin/thick jacket depending on how fast I was going to run (slower = bigger jacket). I protected my face/neck with a buff and a warm hat. For hands I wore mits, not gloves (keeping fingers together for warmth).
Another trick I used is to do pushups before going out to pre-warm yourself and to ensure that you don't have too many layers. After all that, its important to fall into the right running pace where you are not too hot or too cold.
If you've got snow, XC skiing is the best cross training you can do. You don't need tracks, just get some BC XC skis and go.
I also like snowshoeing up mountains, although you should really take all the same precautions you would when backcountry skiing, so it's hard to fit it into routine training.
Run with shorter strides, wear shoes with better traction. Have some fun with it. Watch YouTube videos of runners in snow competing in ultra trail races. Running on ice adds an element of risk and danger that makes is more fun IMHO. If you can pull it off, be proud of it.
Oh, it's tips about running. I'm embarrassed to admit that I assumed it was going to be a blog post about running some software I hadn't heard of yet called Tips.
I do a lot of running with 1-2 marathons a year. Two recent things had a big impact on my running:
1.) Understanding the importance of rest. The FIRST method described in “Run less, run faster” really changed how I structured my weekly training regimen and drastically reduced my injuries
2.) Getting a Stryd footpod to accurately measure my pace even during fast changing interval sessions. It’s still magic to me how a footpod can be that accurate
I've been a lifelong runner and a great psychological trick I've shared with people to help get you into your shoes and out the door is this:
"Have you ever regretted going on a run?"
Invariably, the answer is no. It's amazing how effective this is at getting you to just suck it up, no matter how cold it is outside, and get running. You'll be glad you did.
That may be so for passionate and experienced runners.
I have certainly regretted going for a run (and broken off the run after a few hundred meters). Not often, but at least twice. It's no surprise that I stopped running some time after that.
Yup, that works only for those who have run before and like running. For anyone starting off and/or not really fit enough to run for a few minutes without difficulty, it's easy to give up quickly. Walking is a less strenuous activity for such people (though getting out to walk may itself be a difficult action to take).
This maybe works for people who are only runners, but almost every time i go for a run, about half an hour in I start thinking about something else i'd rather be doing.
In the summer i wish i'd gone biking instead, in the winter i wish i was skiing.
And the corollary how many times have you been driving somewhere and seen someone running by and thought - ah, I wish I'd gone out for a run today. Or that feeling that the more time you take off - the more days you skip - the worse it's going to be when you finally want to go out for a run.
Yeah, in about 95% of cases, I start regretting after the second km, and don't stop until about 2h after the run is over. When I was relatively fit, regret would start on the 3rd km though.
Nice tips ! I have been running for a couple of years now averaging 1000km / year.
I have a problem with keeping motivated though. I can prepare for a race for 3 months, then right after, I rest for 2 months, basically losing all progress. Anyone dealt with this successfully ?
I don't think there's any silver bullet. But what helps me is pre-scheduling my runs or exercise in my calendar at the beginning of the week/month. That kind of tips "default-mode" into just listening to the calendar notification and doing the run.
There's interestingly no correlation between reduction in injuries and stretching. Unless you have a training incident that leads to an injury, 'wear and tear' injuries likely come from muscle imbalances and activation dysfunction than lack of stretching.
A decent warm up routine may happen to involve some active stretching but that's through necessity of moving in a good range.
An example being people that flair their lower leg outward from the knee as they run being correlated to acl problems. People talk about tight calves, tight quads etc but ultimately its caused by a dysfunction of glute control which can't be improved via stretching.
Also a related side note, you should almost never stretch your hamstrings, especially if you are sat a lot. That compounds the issue you'll (and most of us) likely already have with long loose hams. Couch stretch hip flexors and strength hams instead.
I get into a lot of fights with people about how stretching is a farce since yoga is so popular.
Another running myth that gets brought up in the post is the “lactate threshold.” The misconception comes from the “acid” part of “lactic acid”. We’ve come to believe that your muscles producing acid will cause them to feel like they’re burning. They’re burning because they’re tired and hitting their limits, nothing more. Lactic acid is just an extra source of energy. The way you train probably doesn’t need to change, but science behind “lactate threshold” is wrong.
What are you saying? One can be more specific, but there certainly is a physiologic definition of lactate threshold. It is the output (running, cycling, rowing, skiing, whatever, can be defined as performance as % of VO2max) at which blood lactate begins to rise above baseline. More importantly, maximal lactate steady state is the rate at which lactate production equals clearance. Above that and you'll blow up soon. Yes lactate can be converted back to pyruvate and used for energy, but above MLSS, it accumulates more than is reconverted, and energy stores will run out.
Maybe this is more individual. I am extremely inflexible. If I don't stretch, my knees hurt. Sometime I will feel my knees aching mid-run. I stop and stretch my quads, and it goes away. I suppose it could be the act of stopping, but it seems pretty cut and dry that stretching helps.
I get the runner's high most days when I run (and I typically run 6 or 7 days a week), starting about a half hour in. I feel very comfortable physically and mildly euphoric mentally. I hear more in the music I'm listening to than I normally do and I tend to feel very good about people (both others and myself).
FWIW, I do most (80%?) of my running at a 130bpm heart-rate and typically don't get the runner's high when I'm working out more intensely (the other ~20% of the time).
I don't know that I would run as much as I do if I didn't get the runner's high, although I didn't get it regularly when I began. One big takeaway I got from reading one of Lydiard's books was that when you're building your base you basically can't run too slowly, but it's very easy to run too quickly.
If you run too quickly you risk injury and burn-out which interferes much more with making progress as a runner than if perhaps you're not running quite fast enough to get the maximum adaptation for your effort.
I don't know. I do know that sometimes on runs - usually long runs - I'll be somewhere down the road and know that I should be hurting. That I'm 10 miles into a 15 mile run and my feet should be hurting. My legs should be aching. But for some reason it doesn't. For some reason it's all I can do to not just start sprinting.
It never lasts and I wouldn't really describe it as a high. Closer to an out of body experience I think.
0. Do less than you think you're capable of, especially if you are a novice, or if you are coming back from injury or a long layoff. You will hurt less and enjoy yourself more... so you'll keep running!
I am testing out if running can help me improve my focus.
Recently I have signed up for longer races and slowed my pace down. I find it is good practice for impulse control. When I get bored at work or at home, I quickly open a new tab or pull my phone out of my pocket. I would rather just be bored for a moment and stay on task.
I think running long distances can help me a lot because I do get really really bored out there, but there is not much to do but keep running.
A bunch of us do the Slowtwitch 100 Runs in 100 Days challenge in the winter. You just have to run a minumum of 30 minutes or 3 miles (whichever is the shorter), one run for every day. If you miss a day, you can do 2 runs on another day.
The focus on consistency and slowly gaining a relatively large training base often puts people in a much better place with their running as the spring comes around.
The only running tip I have is to think of miles run like a bank. Every time you go out you're putting money into the bank. When you skip a day you're taking money out. Everyday you skip it's a little bit harder when you go out the next day. So be jealous of the opportunities to go out. Don't cheat yourself by skipping but put a few more pennies in the bank instead.
I'm not super gung-ho though - I think I run 20 miles a week maybe - just 5 or 6 days. And I always take a day off. But it works for me.
49 comments
[ 3.9 ms ] story [ 99.8 ms ] threadGP and later a podiatrist both said they wouldn't have recommended running had I asked. Been dealing with tendonosis ever since.
If anyone here is looking to start running as part of a New Year goal, I'd suggest not getting too discouraged with all of the stuff that seems complicated about running. It takes a while to get your body used to it.
When I was 17, I made it a goal to try and run a mile without stopping at the track. Once I hit that goal, I stopped because I thought other people were judging me. It took me ten more years to go for another run, but by that point I'd stopped caring as much about what other people thought. Now I've made it a habit, and enjoy all aspects of the sport.
Be cognizant of your turnover (stride rate): https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a20787354/increase-you...
Engage your glutes and abs when running
Also when I get really tired, it helps me dissociate myself from the feeling in my legs because instead of thinking "ow my legs hurt", I can think "thank you, pony, for being so strong and working so hard for me!"
my reasoning for the first is you will have an easier time drifting away and enjoying the running for its own sake (rather than as a chore) if you do not try to distract yourself.
my reasoning for the second is running for time is like a prison sentence that you need to bear while running for distance is a goal you can accomplish (or fail to accomplish). my runs to work used to take ~1 hour and on the days that i couldn't make them because of inclement weather i ran on a treadmill. i never made it the full hour on a treadmill.
these two tips help you overcome the greatest (and most important) hurdle to becoming a runner: enjoyment.
edit: i guess one corollary of the running for distance thing is that you don't need to stress about speed; i often tell myself "you don't have to be fast you just have to finish". so when i get gassed in the second half of a run i slow down to compensate. that finish spurs you on the next time and naturally you'll get faster (well to a certain point - if you're really trying to get good then you need sprints/intervals/etc but then you don't need my advice).
23. Running technique: you want to distribute forces on all 3 joints. Use elasticity from tendons and binding structures to capture breaking forces and bounce back.
24. Take it very easy when you start out, change ground, or shoes.
no affiliation and i've never used those but there you go. aside from the shoes very warm gloves and a balaclava.
warm glove hack: get dish gloves and wear them under whatever mittens. your hands will sweat and the dish gloves will contain the warm sweat. it's quite gross but quite effective.
that's true but benefits far outweigh that cost; primarily that you don't need to constantly wash your mittens.
Personally, for -30 to -10C I wore running shoes with spikes that slip over the shoe to stop slipping. For body warmth I wore thermal underwear underneath some running shorts and then two long shirt layers (wool or something insulating) and a thin/thick jacket depending on how fast I was going to run (slower = bigger jacket). I protected my face/neck with a buff and a warm hat. For hands I wore mits, not gloves (keeping fingers together for warmth).
Another trick I used is to do pushups before going out to pre-warm yourself and to ensure that you don't have too many layers. After all that, its important to fall into the right running pace where you are not too hot or too cold.
I also like snowshoeing up mountains, although you should really take all the same precautions you would when backcountry skiing, so it's hard to fit it into routine training.
1.) Understanding the importance of rest. The FIRST method described in “Run less, run faster” really changed how I structured my weekly training regimen and drastically reduced my injuries
2.) Getting a Stryd footpod to accurately measure my pace even during fast changing interval sessions. It’s still magic to me how a footpod can be that accurate
"Have you ever regretted going on a run?"
Invariably, the answer is no. It's amazing how effective this is at getting you to just suck it up, no matter how cold it is outside, and get running. You'll be glad you did.
I have certainly regretted going for a run (and broken off the run after a few hundred meters). Not often, but at least twice. It's no surprise that I stopped running some time after that.
When I'm cooling down and that niggle I ignored really starts to set in as I realize that I'm not going to run again for two weeks, then... yes
In the summer i wish i'd gone biking instead, in the winter i wish i was skiing.
I have a problem with keeping motivated though. I can prepare for a race for 3 months, then right after, I rest for 2 months, basically losing all progress. Anyone dealt with this successfully ?
I am skeptical of this claim. Most of us have heard about running in different shoes though.
A decent warm up routine may happen to involve some active stretching but that's through necessity of moving in a good range.
An example being people that flair their lower leg outward from the knee as they run being correlated to acl problems. People talk about tight calves, tight quads etc but ultimately its caused by a dysfunction of glute control which can't be improved via stretching.
Also a related side note, you should almost never stretch your hamstrings, especially if you are sat a lot. That compounds the issue you'll (and most of us) likely already have with long loose hams. Couch stretch hip flexors and strength hams instead.
I consider that pain to be a mild injury, since it gets in the way of my daily running routine.
Another running myth that gets brought up in the post is the “lactate threshold.” The misconception comes from the “acid” part of “lactic acid”. We’ve come to believe that your muscles producing acid will cause them to feel like they’re burning. They’re burning because they’re tired and hitting their limits, nothing more. Lactic acid is just an extra source of energy. The way you train probably doesn’t need to change, but science behind “lactate threshold” is wrong.
What science do you think is "wrong"?
How many of you have ever gotten what's called a "runner's high"?
FWIW, I do most (80%?) of my running at a 130bpm heart-rate and typically don't get the runner's high when I'm working out more intensely (the other ~20% of the time).
I don't know that I would run as much as I do if I didn't get the runner's high, although I didn't get it regularly when I began. One big takeaway I got from reading one of Lydiard's books was that when you're building your base you basically can't run too slowly, but it's very easy to run too quickly.
If you run too quickly you risk injury and burn-out which interferes much more with making progress as a runner than if perhaps you're not running quite fast enough to get the maximum adaptation for your effort.
It never lasts and I wouldn't really describe it as a high. Closer to an out of body experience I think.
Recently I have signed up for longer races and slowed my pace down. I find it is good practice for impulse control. When I get bored at work or at home, I quickly open a new tab or pull my phone out of my pocket. I would rather just be bored for a moment and stay on task.
I think running long distances can help me a lot because I do get really really bored out there, but there is not much to do but keep running.
The focus on consistency and slowly gaining a relatively large training base often puts people in a much better place with their running as the spring comes around.
I'm not super gung-ho though - I think I run 20 miles a week maybe - just 5 or 6 days. And I always take a day off. But it works for me.