Some helpful running tips I’ve discovered along the way to improve my training:
1.) Make sure your nutrition meets your daily training goals. Keep it simple.
2.) Occasionally log the food you eat to see patterns in diet if your training feels “off”.
3.) Know your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Solely running more won’t fix what’s broken.
4.) Pay attention to how your foot strikes the ground. Loud? Soft? Midfoot, rearfoot or forefoot landings? Symmetrical or asymmetrical footstrike?
5.) We all land front of center, but don’t overstride by reaching out too far.
6.) Footstrike has nothing to do with overstriding. You can still overreach even if you don’t heel strike.
7.) Land with a slightly bent knee on the ground.
8.) Focus more on the muscles from the backside rather than the frontside. It’s common for runners to overwork the quads.
9.) Running is a whole body experience. Everything works together in concert.
10.) Dynamic drills are useful for coordination and as a warmup.
11.) Strides work well to address running form.
12.) Power comes from the hip.
13.) Forget about hitting the “magical” cadence of 180 steps per minute. Instead, focus on covering more ground efficiently.
14.) Aerobic development doesn’t necessarily mean running long all the time.
15.) Running intervals on the track doesn’t necessarily mean anaerobic work.
16.) Keep a neutral spine. Breathe through the diaphragm; not the chest.
17.) Pilates classes benefit runners. Yoga, too. Cross training is useful.
18.) Find hobbies to take your mind off training.
19.) In each session, focus on one thing to improve.
20.) Enjoy the process. It makes the discipline needed to succeed worth wild.