101 Greatest Running Tips It can be tough to stay motivated—especially when youre tired or the weather sucks. But weve got 101 reasons why you cant quit—from our friends at Runners World Starting Out 1 Accept the challenge Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are training, and some of us are not. -Dr. George Sheehan, runner/writer/philosopher 2 Shoot for this (at least) Running 8 to 15 miles per week significantly increases your aerobic capacity, and positively effects many of the coronary risk factors. -Dr. Kenneth Cooper, aerobics pioneer 3 Be a minuteman The biggest mistake that new runners make is that they tend to think in mile increments-1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles. Beginning runners need to think in minutes, not miles. -Budd Coates, four-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier/coach 4 Wear good running shoes Spend at least $60. A good pair of running shoes should last you 400 to 500 miles and is one of the most critical purchases you will make. -John Hanc, author of The Essential Runner 5 Think big (and wide) Buy all shoes, both street and running, slightly longer and wider than your bigger foot. Also, avoid pointed shoes. Youll save yourself needless foot pain. -Ted Corbitt, ultrarunner and 1952 Olympic marathoner 6 Take the talk test The talk test means running at a pace comfortable enough to converse with a training partner-but not so easy that you could hit the high notes in an Italian opera. -Runners World editors 7 Listen to the rumbling If you feel like eating, eat. Let your body tell you what it wants. -Joan Samuelson, 1984 Olympic marathon champion 8 Relax to the max When running, let your jaw hang loose, dont bunch up your shoulders close to your ears, and occasionally shake out your hands and arms to stay relaxed. -Dave Martin, Ph.D., exercise physiologist 9 Dont crush the egg Dont clench your fists in a white-knuckle grip. Instead, run with a cupped hand, thumbs resting on the fingers, as if you were protecting an egg in each palm. -Runners World editors 10 Make time for a quickie If 15 minutes is all the time I have, I still run. Fifteen minutes of running is better than not running at all. -Dr. Duncan Macdonald, former U.S. record holder at 5000 (set when he was in medical school) 11 Follow Road Rule Number One Running against traffic allows the runner to be in command. Anyone who is alert and agile should be able to stay alive. -Dr. George Sheehan 12 Try a nooner Noontime running provides a triple benefit: daylight, a break from the workday, and a chance to avoid eating a heavy lunch. -Joe Henderson, runner/writer 13 Warm up, then stretch Try some light jogging or walking before you stretch, or stretch after you run. Stretching cold muscles can cause more harm than good. -Runners World editors 14 Stay liquid... Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate! In cold weather and warm. We use water to sweat, lubricate joints, tendons, and ligaments, and to carry blood efficiently to major organs. I work all day at hydrating. -Dr. Alex Ratelle, former masters running great 15 ...But be moderate Is beer good for runners? Sure...if its the other guy drinking it. -Jim Fixx, author of the running bestseller, The Complete Book of Running 16 Listen up! You must listen to your body. Run through annoyance, but not through pain. -Dr. George Sheehan 17 Create your own running creed My whole teaching in one sentence is: Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and dont eat like a pig. -Dr. Ernst van Aaken, renowned German coach 18 Come ready to play Fitness has to be fun. If it isnt, there will be no fitness. Play is the process. Fitness is merely the product. -Dr. George Sheehan Basic Training 19 Take what you can get So-called junk miles-those slow miles done on easy days or during warmups-do count. They burn calories as effectively as fast miles; it just takes longer. Regardless of pace, each mile you run burns about 100 calories. -Hal Higdon, runner/writer/coach 20 Learn from your mistakes You find out by trial and error what the optimum level of training is. If I found I was training too hard, I would drop back for a day or so. I didnt run for 5 days before the sub-4. -Sir Roger Bannister, first man to break 4 minutes for the mile in 1954 21 Dare to be different (but not dumb) In training, dont be afraid to be an oddball, eccentric, or extremist. Only by daring to go against tradition can new ways of training be learned. The trick is recognizing quickly when a new approach is counterproductive. -Benji Durden, 1980 U.S. Olympic marathoner 22 Reach for fast, low-fat fuel Energy bars are good portable food for runners. Look for bars with 4 grams of fat or fewer per 230 calories. Fat slows down digestion. -Liz Applegate, Ph.D., sports nutritionist 23 Go for the goal I believe in using races as motivators. Its hard to keep on an exercise program if you dont have a significant goal in sight. -Bob Greene, personal trainer of Oprah Winfrey 24 Think big...but carry a small eraser Brainstorm your training goals first, then write them down. Do this in pencil, so you can change some specifics when reality sets in. -Jeff Galloway, Olympic runner/author/coach 25 Show some horse sense During long, slow distance training, you should think of yourself as a thoroughbred disguised as a plow horse. No need to give yourself away by running fast. -Marty Liquori, running commentator and former world-class miler 26 Build with care If you put down a good solid foundation, you can then build one room after another and pretty soon you have a house. After your base mileage, add hills, pace work, speedwork, and finally race strategy. -Rod Dixon, New Zealand Olympian and 1983 New York City Marathon champ 27 Look at the big picture Whether one shall run on his heels or his toes is hardly worth discussing. The main thing in distance running is endurance-and how to get it. -Clarence DeMar, seven-time Boston Marathon champion and U.S. Olympic marathoner 28 Toss out the clutter Throw away your 10-function chronometer, heart-rate monitor with the computer printout, training log, high-tech underwear, pace charts, and laboratory-rat-tested-air-injected-gel-lined-mo-tion-control-top-of-the-line footwear....Run with your own imagination. -Lorraine Moller, 1992 Olympic marathon bronze medalist 29 Listen to your body (yes, again!) Your body is always trying to tell you where you are. Beware when you become tired and listless, when you lose interest in workouts and approach them as a chore rather than a pleasure. -Dr. George Sheehan 30 Go steady Day to day consistency is more important than big mileage. Then youre never shot the next day. -John Campbell, former masters running star from New Zealand 31 Find the right proportion If you run 30 miles a week, then about 7 of those-or approximately one-quarter-should be quality miles. Quality miles will boost your aerobic capacity. -Owen Anderson, Ph.D., running writer 32 Stay above bored A 40-minute run punctuated with a half-dozen 30-second pace pickups (not all-out sprints) can really jazz up an otherwise boring training run. -Amby Burfoot, Runners World editor and 1968 Boston Marathon champ 33 Be a cross-eater Like cross-training, cross-eating adds needed variety to your diet-and life. Expand your nutritional repertoire by trying one new food each week. -Liz Applegate, Ph.D. 34 Ease it back After a run, dont rush back into life. Take a few minutes to walk, stretch, relax, meditate. -Runners World editors 35 Dont force the tissue Overly aggressive stretching can actually increase your injury risk. -Tim Noakes, M.D., author of Lore of Running Advanced Training 36 Think globally, act locally We wrote our workout schedules in 3-week blocks. My coach and I knew what my immediate goal was-what I was trying to accomplish in the next 3 weeks. But in the back of my mind was the ultimate goal: what I wanted to do months away. -Bob Kennedy, U.S. record holder for 5000 meters 37 Go with mind over grind Any idiot can train himself into the ground; the trick is doing the training that makes you gradually stronger. -Keith Brantly, U.S. Olympic marathoner 38 Have fun on your easy runs I make sure I have some really enjoyable training runs, remembering to smell the roses along the way. That way I dont become caught up in the training-is-everything syndrome. -Sue Stricklin, top masters runner from the 1970s 39 Have fun on your hard runs Do tough workouts that you enjoy. Mile repeats and quarters are more fun for me than fartlek. [Fartlek is Swedish for variable-paced, up-tempo running.] I feel better about my running when I do the workouts I enjoy and that I know I benefit from. -Dan Cloeter, two-time Chicago Marathon winner 40 Stay open-minded When you try a new type of training, think like a beginner. Just because you can run 20 miles every Sunday doesnt mean you can survive 10 x 400 meters on the track at a fast pace. -Jack Daniels, Ph.D., exercise physiologist, coach, and former world-class pentathlete 41 Be a smart camel Before you do your long run, place containers of sports drink out on your course, even if you have to bury them. -Runners World editors 42 Work on your growl The long run puts the tiger in the cat. -Bill Squires, marathon coach 43 Dont always watch the watch I dont wear a watch during my long runs. That way Im not tempted to compare my time from week to week. -Lynn Jennings, three-time World Cross-Country champion 44 Rest assured Back off at the first sign of injury. Three to 5 days off is better than missing a month or two. Take regular rest days.-Pattisue Plumer, two-time U.S. Olympian 45 Divide and conquer Pick one thing each year that you need to improve, and work on that. It might be improving your diet, getting more sleep, or increasing your mileage. You cant work on everything at once.-Bob Kennedy
Posted on: Thu, 01 May 2014 11:50:07 +0000
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