Seven Ways to Improve in Running (That Doesn't Include Running)

In order to become a better runner the number one thing you should be doing is running. The first piece of the puzzle to get into place is consistent running because consistency is foundation of any successful plan. Slowly build a running base until you are running three to four days a week for five to six weeks. Once you build this base, you can start to think about working on speed, strength and adding more milage. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced runner there are ways to improve your running that doesn't include running. 

GET YOUR NUTRITION ON TRACK

Proper nutrition is important for all people to look, feel and perform their best, but for athletes it is even more important. Work to achieve a balance of healthy carbs, fats and proteins from mostly whole food sources to not only fuel your run, but to enhance recovery and feel your best. Follow the 80/20 rule to eat according to your goals 80% of the time and leave 20% open for foods that you enjoy but may not be optimal. I write more about it this in my Running A-to-Z post, D is for Diet.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Most of us don't have to choose between sleep and a workout, but if it came down to the choice of a one hour workout or one hour of sleep, how do you think the experts would advise you to spend your time? If you are not getting at least the seven hours a sleep that most people need, the answer is sleep. Going to bed at midnight and setting your alarm for 5am to workout is not doing your body any favors. 

Not getting enough sleep per night can reduce the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. When you don't get enough sleep, your cortisol (stress hormone) levels can rise, which can be associated with fat gain. 

In our busy lifestyles sleep is often is the first thing to get slashed, but knowing how important it is to recovery and improvement it should be given a higher priority, especially for athletes. 

BUILD REST & RECOVERY INTO YOUR WORKOUT SCHEDULE

Resting isn't laziness. Just like sleep, rest and recovery are essential to improving in running. Our bodies adapt, improve, get faster and stronger during rest, not during the workout. We need to allow our bodies the proper time to recover. This includes taking full rest days after hard workouts and alternating hard/easy days throughout the week. 

ADD STRENGTH TRAINING

My favorite topic which is the basis for this blog and my personal training business. Strength training for runners can make you a stronger, faster, less injury-prone runner. You don't have to become a gym rat to reap the benefits of strength training.There are plenty of equipment-free, quick and efficient strength workouts in the archives that you can try at home to get started. 

ADD STRETCHING/FOAM ROLLING

When you run and only run, you sometimes can develop muscle imbalances. You have overactive muscles that are working too hard and compensating for underactive muscles that are not able to do their job. One way to help prevent muscle imbalances is to strengthen the weak muscles (see above) and stretch/foam roll the overactive muscles. I recommend foam rolling before you run and stretching the overactive or tight muscles immediately following your run. Here is a post I wrote on foam rolling that may be helpful if you want to get started. 

GET ON YOUR MENTAL GAME

Running is as much as mental sport as it is a physical one. I am not suggesting that if you visualize yourself running fast that you will magically win your next marathon, but having a strong mental picture of success goes well with your physical training. If you think positive, act positive and ban those negative thoughts, it can make a difference in how you perform. I wrote more on this in a post called Running A-to-Z: M is for metal tricks for running. 

FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER OR RUNNING COACH

We all need support. Whether it is for accountability, emotional support or technical help, I suggest finding a partner or coach to help you stay on course (pun intended). Friends can be a great motivator to exercise. Sometimes we feel more obligated to others than we do to ourselves. We may not think twice about cancelling on ourselves for our daily workout, but if we know we have someone counting on us we are more likely to show up so we don't let them down. If you don't have any friends or family interested in exercise consider finding an accountability partner online, joining an exercise class, running group or hiring a coach. 

Any questions? I'd love to help. Let me know in the comments. 

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Coach Lea

I am a NASM personal trainer and RRCA adult distance running coach that specializes in strength training for runners. I offer in-person training in the Shredshed, online training and Fit to Run bootcamps. If you are interested in a more in-depth running or strength training plan, please contact me. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

While I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your personal trainer. Since I don't know your exercise abilities, injury background or medical history, please see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. This is an opinion blog. No information in this blog is intended to be taken as medical advice or prescription. Please see your doctor and/or registered dietitian for any health concerns.

All I Want for Christmas is a New Running PR

Hi, Friends. Welcome to a very special edition of Workout Wednesday! This year has flown by. I can't believe we are embarking on the holiday season once again. I love the end of the year to think about my goals for the upcoming new year, but also get a head start on achieving my goals. Why wait until January 1st to start working towards your goals?

The end of the year is a fantastic time to evaluate our accomplishments of the last year, to think about what went right and what we can improve on. I have a lot of goals for 2017 (maybe bigger and bolder than ever before in my life, it's both scary and exciting) but I'll use the end of November and December to start ramping up for those goals. 

I challenge you, no matter what your goals are for the new year, start thinking about the steps you can take today and throughout December to help get you there. When January rolls around (in a blink of an eye) you'll be that much closer to reaching your goals. 

Today we are talking about running goals. If you know me at all, you know that I am a huge proponent of strength training for runners. When runners strength train along with their running training, they end up stronger, healthier, faster and less prone to injury. 

I put together this four week strength & running schedule to increase speed. It has all the components of a well-balanced training plan. 

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Who is this plan for? This plan is intended for anyone who has a solid running base. If you have been running three to four days a week for five to six weeks this plan is for you. If you do not have that base yet, get a solid running base under your belt before starting this plan. 

Running

It goes almost without saying, if you want to be a better runner, you need to run more. Staying consistent with your running schedule is one of the most important things you can do to improve. Before starting this program you should have a solid running base. 

In the plan we have several running days:

EASY RUNS:

An easy run is done at conversational pace. It means what it sounds like, that you should be able to carry on a conversation during your run. If you are a beginner this may mean brisk walking. Easy runs are as important for building endurance and allowing proper recovery after hard workouts. 

INTERVALS/FARTLEKS:

Intervals are running workouts that vary the speed to allow for periods of high intensity work followed by recovery. They can be very effective in improving running economy as long as they are done properly. Always allow recovery days or rest days after hard interval work. Never do interval workouts back to back to allow for proper recovery and avoid potential injury. 

Interval Workout

Interval Workout

Fartlek

HILLS:

Hill training is a staple for running strength. One day a week of hill work can help improve speed and efficiency. 

Hill Training

LONG RUN:

Long run training is on the schedule for anyone training to run farther than a 5K (3.1 miles). A long run builds endurance and should be run 1-2 minutes slower per mile than your 5K pace. Long run distances should be increased by no more than 10% each week for three weeks before backing off the distance on the fourth week. A long run is typically anything more than an hour. If you are not training to run long, you can replace your long run on the schedule with any distance at conversational pace. 

Strength Training

Strength training for runners is so important, but it doesn't have to overtake your running schedule. In fact, if your goal is to be a better, faster runner, running should take priority. However, making time for one to two strength training sessions a week can lead to big improvements in your running. 

CIRCUITS:

The way a bodybuilder or power lifter strength trains is completely different than the way a runner strength trains. We train differently for different goals. We are not trying to pack on muscle, but rather increase strength and work out any muscle imbalances. We do a lot of circuit style, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Tabata-style strength training. These types of workouts help improve strength and endurance because you move from one exercise to the next with minimal rest. They are quick and effective. No need to spend hours in gym. 

Strength Training Workout

Strength Training Workout

Strength Training Workout

CORE (HIPS/ABS)

I separate core workouts from regular strength training because while you will do core work in your strength circuits, you should place special emphasis on making sure you build hip/ab strength. Remember that your core is not just your abdominals, it is essentially everything under your chest and above your thighs. Core work including hip strength is one of the most important things runners can do to avoid muscle imbalances from running and injury. These exercises are not always the most exciting, but they are essential, which is why I recommend adding them on at the end of an easy run day. 

Core Workout

Core Workout

REST

Arguably one of the most important components of a training plan is rest. Your body adapts to the stresses that you place on it during rest. That means your body repairs, rebuilds, gets stronger and faster during rest, not during the workout. If you don't plan for proper recovery you will never allow your body the time it needs to grow stronger. More is not always better. Rest means taking one to two full rest days a week and getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night. If you don't do these things, you could be sabotaging your results. Put in the work, but allow your body the recovery time it requires. 

Download the four week strength and running schedule PDF with clickable resources to running and strength workouts to improve your 5K time before Christmas!

Download the training schedule below to improve your speed by Christmas

Any questions? Let me know in the comments. 

Coach Lea

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I am a NASM personal trainer and RRCA adult distance running coach that specializes in strength training for runners. I offer in-person training in the Shredshed, online training and Fit to Run bootcamps. If you are interested in a more in-depth running or strength training plan, please contact me. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

While I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your personal trainer. Since I don't know your exercise abilities, injury background or medical history, please see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. This is an opinion blog. No information in this blog is intended to be taken as medical advice or prescription. Please see your doctor and/or registered dietitian for any health concerns.

Running A-to-Z: Z is for Zombies

Welcome to the final installment of Running A-to-Z. Every week I covered a running-related topic following the order of the alphabet. It has been a fun 26 weeks and it flew by so quickly! If you missed any past posts you can catch up on all the alphabet topics in the archives. 

When I started this challenge 26 weeks ago I didn't plan out what the topic of each letter would be in advance. I am nowhere near that organized. I took it letter by letter, week by week. I liked the structure of the series, it was easy to come up with new topics every week (except for L and V those were hard) and it kept me on track with fresh content each week.

Now here we are at letter Z. Now that we are at the end I feel a sense of accomplishment that it is over, but also a sense of sadness and I can't help wonder what I am going to do with my Mondays from here on out. It's kind of like when you finish a book or your favorite TV series ends.

Running A-to-Z: Z is for Zombies. Say what? 

Speaking of favorite TV series, did you watch the Walking Dead last night? Shhh don't tell me. I didn't watch yet. Poor Daryl. How's he gonna get out of this one? If I have one guilty pleasure it is a show about zombies. We are not big TV people and I am not a horror genre fan in general. When I tell my work buds that I don't like scary movies they look at me sideways because they know I love the Walking Dead. It's more about the walking for me than the dead. I often say I might like the show even more if it wasn't for the flesh-eating monsters. 

I was bouncing around a blog post in my head, Life Lessons Learned from The Walking Dead. What can we learn from the Walking Dead? We learned pretty quickly that you have to kill the zombie's brain to take them down, a shot in the chest won't work. They're already dead. D'uh. What else? They can't climb so your best protection against the zombie apocalypse is a tall sturdy wall. Most importantly, no one is safe. (Well, except Daryl. I hope.)

While valuable information should we ever find ourselves in a zombie apocalypse, some lessons learned by my beloved characters have more of a real world application. For example, people working together for a common goal can accomplish much more than individuals alone. Sometimes you're forced to fight for what you want out of life. You don't know how strong you are until you have to be, you might surprise yourself. Family is what (and who) you make it.

You're five paragraphs in and are wondering if you are reading the right blog. What does all of this have to do with running and Running A-to-Z? Stay with me.

Would I last long if the world was overcome by zombies? Hell-to-the-no. I am way too much of a wimp. But I can run pretty fast, so I could probably outrun those slow-ass zombies. Want to find out? 

There is this fun free running app called Zombies, Run. (ahh. Finally, the point.) I love this app because running is as much as a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Sometimes once you get past your brain, the running part is easy. The zombie app tells you an interactive story as you run. What better way to distract yourself from your pesky brain than to have zombies chasing you? If that doesn't make you run fast, I don't know what will. With 200 missions it unlikely you'll ever get bored.

I love that's an interval workout. The app alerts you when zombies are nearby and you run faster until it confirms you are in the clear. It's a fun way to run Fartleks! You get so caught up in the mission and running from zombies you (almost) forget you are working out. Sometimes we take ourselves way too seriously. While it is always great to have goals and work hard, there is nothing wrong with having a little fun with it too. 

My only note of caution on the app is to be aware of your surroundings. Never run on the street with headphones so you can't hear the actual dangers around you. This is a great app for the track (slow lane please), the treadmill or maybe sidewalks, but only if you can still hear your surroundings. Zombies aren't a real threat, cars, animals and sometimes people can be. 

Was Z too much of a stretch in the running A-to-Z series? Thanks for indulging me. It was fun for me to write about my favorite TV show and tell you about this running app. 

Dear Walking Dead, If you're reading this...Please don't kill off my Daryl. 

Do you like the Walking Dead? Do you miss Glenn? What's your favorite running app? Have you been following along with Running A-to-Z? Do you wonder what the heck I am going to write about next Monday? Me too. 

Like this post? Please consider sharing. 

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Coach Lea

I am a NASM personal trainer and RRCA adult distance running coach that specializes in strength training for runners. I offer in-person training in the Shredshed, online training and Fit to Run bootcamps. If you are interested in a more in-depth running or strength training plan, please contact me. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

While I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your personal trainer. Since I don't know your exercise abilities, injury background or medical history, please see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. This is an opinion blog. No information in this blog is intended to be taken as medical advice or prescription. Please see your doctor and/or registered dietitian for any health concerns.

5 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED RUNNING

One of the great things about running is that you don't need a lot of training, equipment or time commitment to get started. You can just lace up those running-specific shoes, hit the road and TA-DA, you're a runner. That is not to say that you won't learn a lot of lessons along the way. These are five things I wish I knew before I started running so I wouldn't have had to learn the hard way. 

JUST SAY NO TO COTTON

Shirts, shorts and socks that are made of cotton material absorb water (aka sweat). If you run in cotton you'll end up with heavy, wet, sweat-stained clothes or blister-primed feet. Synthetic apparel wicks away moisture so the sweat is pulled away from your body. Look for man-made fabrics with wicking properties for the most comfortable running experience. (Can someone delete those old internet race pictures of me where I looked like I peed my cotton shorts?)

HAVE PATIENCE

Be patient with your progress. In order to avoid injury, burnout or overtraining, slow progression is ok, in fact it is the goal. It is natural for new runners to want to run too much and too fast. If you get injured you'll get knocked out of the game before you ever had a chance to start.

As general rules you should never increase your mileage by more than 10% each week and never increase intensity (speed) and distance (miles) in the same week. Increase your mileage for three weeks in a row then back off the fourth week for recovery. Endurance and speed will come. With time, patience and persistence you can achieve all your running goals, it just doesn't happen overnight.

LEAVE YOUR EGO AT HOME

No one cares about your running pace except you. You probably won't come in first place at any race. You probably won't come in last place either. (If you do, good for you for spending the maximum time on the course and getting the most of your race entry fee.) There will likely always be someone faster and someone slower. Never apologize for being a slow runner or say that you're not a "real" runner. You'll learn pretty quickly that running is a race against yourself and your former self. To "win" at running you mostly just have to overcome your own brain. 

RESTING ISN'T LAZINESS

Your body adapts (aka recovers and grows stronger) during rest, not during the workout. If you never rest, you never allow your body the recovery time it needs to repair and rebuild. Taking scheduled rest days is essential to becoming a successful healthy runner. Listen to your body. I have found as I am getting older (old-lady talk) I need more rest days than I did even five years ago. This is normal. I'd rather take an extra rest day than get injured and not be able to run for weeks or months. 

DON'T JUST RUN

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you know that I am a huge proponent of strength training for runners. Why? Because for years I was a runner that only ran. I kept getting injured, sidelined and I plateaued in my running progress. I started strength training in addition to my running and became a stronger, less injury-prone, well-rounded athlete. I was a runner first who fell in love with strength training and the benefits much later. Strength training can be a game changer for beginners and advanced runners alike.

What are some things you wish you had known before you started running? Any questions? Need help with a running plan, strength training session or both? Let me know in the comments if I can help and check out my coaching services page.

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Coach Lea

I am a NASM personal trainer and RRCA adult distance running coach that specializes in strength training for runners. I offer in-person training in the Shredshed, online training and Fit to Run bootcamps. If you are interested in a more in-depth running or strength training plan, please contact me. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

While I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your personal trainer. Since I don't know your exercise abilities, injury background or medical history, please see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. This is an opinion blog. No information in this blog is intended to be taken as medical advice or prescription. Please see your doctor and/or registered dietitian for any health concerns.

Treadmill Interval Pyramid + Core Workout

Welcome to the latest edition of Workout Wednesday when each week I share a strength or running workout. This week you are getting the best of both worlds since this is a treadmill interval pyramid workout immediately followed by a core circuit. 

TREADMILL INTERVAL PYRAMID WORKOUT

This workout is based on RPE or rate of perceived exertion which is an effective way to self-monitor intensity without a heart rate monitor. On a scale of 1-10, 1 would be no effort and 10 would be so intense that you will be unable to talk at all or hold the pace for more than a few seconds.

To begin this treadmill workout, warm up for five minutes with a brisk walk or a slow jog. This should feel very easy. You will perform each interval for 1/2 of a mile before increasing the intensity to the next level. Once you reach the top of the pyramid of intensity, you will lower the intensity by 1/2 mile at each interval. The thing I like most of RPE and pyramid workouts is that there is always room for improvement. As you progress in your fitness you will find you will be able to run faster at the same RPE level. For example when you first start running a RPE 8 may be 6.0 mph on the treadmill, but as your grow stronger in your fitness 7.0 mph may become your new RPE 8. You work at your own fitness level and there is always room for growth and improvement. 

2-3  RPE - WARM UP - Should feel very easy and comfortable. Stay here for five minutes to warm up.

5 RPE - 1/2 MILE Feels easy and comfortable. Can carry on a full conversation. Stay here for 1/2 mile.

6 RPE - 1/2 MILE Up the intensity, still feels comfortable and can carry on a conversation. Stay here for 1/2 mile.

7 RPE - 1/2 MILE Breathing is labored. Can speak a sentence or two before needing to catch breath. Stay here for a 1/2 mile.

8 RPE - 1/2 MILE Breathing is labored. Can speak a sentence or a few words before needing to catch breath. Stay here for 1/2 mile

7 RPE - 1/2 MILE Moving back down the pyramid decrease the intensity each 1/2 mile

6 RPE - 1/2 MILE Feels easier. Stay here for 1/2 mile

5 RPE - 1/2 MILE As your heart rate come down your breathing should return to normal. 

2-3 RPE COOL DOWN Stay here until your breathing is fully recovered

This treadmill workout is three and a half miles long (not including the warm up and cool down) immediately followed by the core circuit.

THE CORE CIRCUIT

Core workouts are so important for runners. A strong core acts as a stabilizer and can help prevent injuries. When most people think of the core they imagine six-pack abs, but the core consists of all the muscles from below the chest to above the thighs. As a runner it is especially important to perform core workouts, including hips/glutes and abs. This 15 minute circuit at the end of your run will help build core strength and stability.  

HIGH PLANK | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

LOW PLANK | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

SUPERMAN LOW PLANK (KNEES TO ELBOWS) | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

BIRD DOG (RIGHT ARM/LEFT LEG EXTENDED) | 45 SECONDS WORK / IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO OTHER SIDE

BIRD DOG (LEFT ARM/RIGHT LEG EXTENDED) | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

SIDE PLANK (RIGHT) | 45 SECONDS WORK / IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO OTHER SIDE

SIDE PLANK (LEFT) | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

GLUTE BRIDGE | 45 SECONDS WORK / 15 SECONDS REST

REPEAT!

High intensity workouts should always be followed by low intensity days or rest days. Since your body adapts (recovers/grows stronger) during rest it is essential that you allow rest and recovery days between hard workouts. Never do high intensity workouts back to back. 

Give it a try and let me know how you feel! Do you include any core work into your running schedule? Do you have any questions about this workout or RPE? Let me know in the comments. 

Like this post? It helps me when you share or save on Pinterest.

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Coach Lea

I am a NASM personal trainer and RRCA adult distance running coach that specializes in strength training for runners. I offer in-person training in the Shredshed, online training and Fit to Run bootcamps. If you are interested in a more in-depth running or strength training plan, please contact me. Have questions? I'd love to help. 

While I am a certified personal trainer, I am not your personal trainer. Since I don't know your exercise abilities, injury background or medical history, please see your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. This is an opinion blog. I am not a medical professional. No information in this blog is intended to be taken as medical advice or prescription. Please see your doctor and/or registered dietitian for any health concerns.