What’s the best advice you’ve ever received on running, training or fitness in general? Or, what’s something you were told or believed about running for a long time, but later discovered was way off? — Terrell
P.S.: I’m away today, but I wanted to make sure our Friday chats didn’t get interrupted. I’m with you in spirit. 😊
Run the mile you're in. Have a "head" goal (finish time, pace, etc.) and a "heart" goal (run with joy, uplift those around you...) This really made a HUGE difference in my last marathon!!
Best advice: Concentrate solely on the mile you are currently in. Don't worry about how many you've gone or how many you have to go, don't worry about the people in front of you or the people behind you. Think about only the mile you are in.
What I was told that turned out not to be true: It doesn't "count" if you don't run the entire thing. That was told to me by an elite runner (more elite than I, anyway) when I first started running, and it messed me up for years. Then I discovered my running club and they convinced me that that notion is bullsh*t.
Worst advice: "Don't run. You might get injured." I have been running since high school and it is very beneficial to my mental health. I've also never been injured (aside from a few occasional aches now and then. Knock on wood.) Someone also tried to tell me I should cut carbs. Not happening.
Do a slow first mile cuz you’re tempted to charge out (don’t)
Trim your toenails the night before your race
Timed walk breaks are good (alaJeff Galloway)
When you get to the race, go to the porta-potty then immediately get back online to go again (those nerves will get you! You’ll probably need to go more than once!)
Worst: Being shamed by elite runners who think you have to run a certain time for it to count. One that was hard to shake was a columnist (or guest writer) from Runners’ World that complained that slow, mid- and back-of-the-pack runners are fooling themselves by calling themselves ”marathoners.” What a snob. How to ruin it for everyone else!!
My best friend introduced me to running and she died 3 months later. I am running a half marathon in all 50 states in her honor. I used to beat myself up about my time as I have gotten progressively slower. The best advice I received was from myself: Start celebrating your FINISH LINE and NOT your FINISH TIME!! I know my friend will be proud, especially since she knew how much I hate running! 20 more states to go!!! 🏃🏾♀️💨💨
Best advice: as you get older, you are allowed to set new PRs every five years. It's all about looking forward and achieving what you can TODAY, not what you did 10 years ago or even 5.
Joe Strummer from the clash has to be up there with worst training advise of all time.. Drink 10 pints of beer the night before the race and don't run a single step four weeks before the race. Who really knows if he ran the Paris marathon or not.
Mental approach is major. If you go into it with a negative mental approach you lose so much of the enjoyment . Remember your hard training and think positive about the run.
Best advice ever- get analyzed initially at your local running store for shoes. If I had followed this advice initially it would have saved me from a stress fracture and given me four more months of being able to run!
When I just started running marathons the nutrition science behind fueling during a race was super limited. I was told to only fuel one time during a full marathon. (Take one gel at the 13.1 mile mark) That was it. The nutrition emphasis was not there. I followed that advice for about five years. Looking back it was so silly and the worst advice ever! I do not know how I got through a race. The best advice I ever got was to to nutrition every 45 minutes or so. It works perfect for me.
Best advice from one of my prior coaches: Always have a mantra (or several). My coaches favorite mantras "Don't let ego overrule good judgment" In other words, if you are feeling a twinge, or possible injury, STOP running and ease back. Another great one "I don't mind so it don't matter". I repeat that during every one of my marathons when it gets particularly painful. :-)
Worst advice: You have to eat a substantial breakfast before long runs or you'll bonk. Nope. Not true. I'll puke, not bonk.
Best advice I've gotten so far was when I was in a mid-training funk. Lost my motivation and was just not into it. I'd been doing speed work and tempo runs, etc. My cousin said, just run. Just go out and run. You will do fine in your race because you've put in the work. But for now, just go run. She was right. It helped me remember why I love to run. And I did quite well in the race anyway!
Run your own race at your own pace. Yes, it's good to have goals, but also know it's an achievement no matter if your reach your goal or not. You are running for yourself and nobody else and plenty of people can't do what you do. Be proud!!
Worst advice: Add Gatorade to your water reservoir for an added shot of electrolytes for your race. BIG mistake! High fructose corn syrup is no bueno. Did not complete that 10k 😢
Best advice: Dont start a race too fast. Although everyone else is charging it, save it for the last half. Watch most people burn out quickly.
Someday you're not going to be able to run anymore. Hopefully that day won't be for a long, long time. So embrace the pain and agony that comes with running. Someday you miss it.
Worst: Believe it or not, I don’t think I have ever gotten bad advice on running. Most of my friends don’t run, and the runners I meet usually provide good sound advice.
The best advice I received was in regards to increasing mileage. I worked with an inspiring run coach a few years ago - she started running halfs in her early 40's and at age 66 still runs several a year - told me to increase my weekly mileage by no more than 10% a week during training for whatever distance you're going for. I've stuck to this and have avoided a lot of injuries that my friends have endured by haphazardly increasing their mileage. Probably the worst advice I've been given - and not by the aforementioned coach - and it's more of a training habit than anything was to run the same number of miles on the same days on the same routes at the same pace for what seemed like forever! I was new to the area and wanted to join a running group. This group was near me and I joined....I learned that I need to research prospective running groups better!! I almost quit running because of this - they were so boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I was starting to regress in my fitness gains prior to joining with them!
Best- study the route in advance. Most halfs/fulls provide both a route map and, very importantly, an elevation map. This helps you know where you can economize or recover and where you’re going to have to expend more energy. If you can, tour the route the day before.
Worst (for me) - fuel/replace electrolyes along the way. I can’t tolerate either on a half marathon. Know your body and don’t feel you have to do something just because others recommend it.
Best all time advise...pace yourself!!! Recent and surprising advise...put on a little weight before a high altitude race so you have something to burn instead of muscle (a little bit opposite of the norm - right?) TOTALLY WORKED - NOT A BIT SORE!!!
best advice includes.. listen to your body, protect yourself at all times, hydrate. Worst includes ah keep going it won't kill you, why are you stretching/ warming up, use heat instead of ice.
Best advice - listen to your body!!! If you think you are sore, just take a day off! You can over train and hurt yourself. So if you need to take a day or even a week off just to let your body rest, that's fine. It's better than pushing yourself too far and getting injured - and they you're out for longer.
Worst advice......you know I don't think I've ever gotten any!
Best- the marathoners saying - don’t trust a fart after 5 miles.
Run the mile you're in. Have a "head" goal (finish time, pace, etc.) and a "heart" goal (run with joy, uplift those around you...) This really made a HUGE difference in my last marathon!!
Best advice: Add strength training, it will make you a better runner.
Best advice: Concentrate solely on the mile you are currently in. Don't worry about how many you've gone or how many you have to go, don't worry about the people in front of you or the people behind you. Think about only the mile you are in.
What I was told that turned out not to be true: It doesn't "count" if you don't run the entire thing. That was told to me by an elite runner (more elite than I, anyway) when I first started running, and it messed me up for years. Then I discovered my running club and they convinced me that that notion is bullsh*t.
Push through the pain is the WORST advice I ever got.
Worst advice: "Don't run. You might get injured." I have been running since high school and it is very beneficial to my mental health. I've also never been injured (aside from a few occasional aches now and then. Knock on wood.) Someone also tried to tell me I should cut carbs. Not happening.
The first mile can make or break your race. Don't rush it- let it come to you! (Thank you Joel Fors, running Superman)
Best:
Do a slow first mile cuz you’re tempted to charge out (don’t)
Trim your toenails the night before your race
Timed walk breaks are good (alaJeff Galloway)
When you get to the race, go to the porta-potty then immediately get back online to go again (those nerves will get you! You’ll probably need to go more than once!)
Worst: Being shamed by elite runners who think you have to run a certain time for it to count. One that was hard to shake was a columnist (or guest writer) from Runners’ World that complained that slow, mid- and back-of-the-pack runners are fooling themselves by calling themselves ”marathoners.” What a snob. How to ruin it for everyone else!!
My best friend introduced me to running and she died 3 months later. I am running a half marathon in all 50 states in her honor. I used to beat myself up about my time as I have gotten progressively slower. The best advice I received was from myself: Start celebrating your FINISH LINE and NOT your FINISH TIME!! I know my friend will be proud, especially since she knew how much I hate running! 20 more states to go!!! 🏃🏾♀️💨💨
Best advice: as you get older, you are allowed to set new PRs every five years. It's all about looking forward and achieving what you can TODAY, not what you did 10 years ago or even 5.
Best advice: Invest in a foam roller.
How very important recovery time is, how real and common overtraining is
Joe Strummer from the clash has to be up there with worst training advise of all time.. Drink 10 pints of beer the night before the race and don't run a single step four weeks before the race. Who really knows if he ran the Paris marathon or not.
Mental approach is major. If you go into it with a negative mental approach you lose so much of the enjoyment . Remember your hard training and think positive about the run.
“Pull the rope” going uphill...run the tangents...and smile
Best advice was my NCO telling me to keep my torso straight on and not side to side. That helped with breathing, muscle strain, and speed
Best advice: run from your hips, not your knees.
Worst advice: You need to give up running (30+ years ago, I didn't listen)
When you're on a hilly route, just remember what goes up must come down.
worst advice- keep running and training through shin splints
Best advice ever- get analyzed initially at your local running store for shoes. If I had followed this advice initially it would have saved me from a stress fracture and given me four more months of being able to run!
When I just started running marathons the nutrition science behind fueling during a race was super limited. I was told to only fuel one time during a full marathon. (Take one gel at the 13.1 mile mark) That was it. The nutrition emphasis was not there. I followed that advice for about five years. Looking back it was so silly and the worst advice ever! I do not know how I got through a race. The best advice I ever got was to to nutrition every 45 minutes or so. It works perfect for me.
Best advice from one of my prior coaches: Always have a mantra (or several). My coaches favorite mantras "Don't let ego overrule good judgment" In other words, if you are feeling a twinge, or possible injury, STOP running and ease back. Another great one "I don't mind so it don't matter". I repeat that during every one of my marathons when it gets particularly painful. :-)
Worst advice: You have to eat a substantial breakfast before long runs or you'll bonk. Nope. Not true. I'll puke, not bonk.
Best advice I've gotten so far was when I was in a mid-training funk. Lost my motivation and was just not into it. I'd been doing speed work and tempo runs, etc. My cousin said, just run. Just go out and run. You will do fine in your race because you've put in the work. But for now, just go run. She was right. It helped me remember why I love to run. And I did quite well in the race anyway!
Best Advise: Listen to your body and focus on one mile at a time.
Run your own race at your own pace. Yes, it's good to have goals, but also know it's an achievement no matter if your reach your goal or not. You are running for yourself and nobody else and plenty of people can't do what you do. Be proud!!
Worst advice: Add Gatorade to your water reservoir for an added shot of electrolytes for your race. BIG mistake! High fructose corn syrup is no bueno. Did not complete that 10k 😢
Best advice: Dont start a race too fast. Although everyone else is charging it, save it for the last half. Watch most people burn out quickly.
Best: Slow down. Bestest: You should try running for exercise. Worst: Hot bath after a long run.
Someday you're not going to be able to run anymore. Hopefully that day won't be for a long, long time. So embrace the pain and agony that comes with running. Someday you miss it.
Keep moving.
Best - negative splits.
Best: Run your own race
Worst: Believe it or not, I don’t think I have ever gotten bad advice on running. Most of my friends don’t run, and the runners I meet usually provide good sound advice.
“You’ll wreck your knees if you run”. Worst advice. Best advice- don’t be a fool at the start of a race. Don’t be a coward at the end.
The best advice I received was in regards to increasing mileage. I worked with an inspiring run coach a few years ago - she started running halfs in her early 40's and at age 66 still runs several a year - told me to increase my weekly mileage by no more than 10% a week during training for whatever distance you're going for. I've stuck to this and have avoided a lot of injuries that my friends have endured by haphazardly increasing their mileage. Probably the worst advice I've been given - and not by the aforementioned coach - and it's more of a training habit than anything was to run the same number of miles on the same days on the same routes at the same pace for what seemed like forever! I was new to the area and wanted to join a running group. This group was near me and I joined....I learned that I need to research prospective running groups better!! I almost quit running because of this - they were so boring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I was starting to regress in my fitness gains prior to joining with them!
Best- study the route in advance. Most halfs/fulls provide both a route map and, very importantly, an elevation map. This helps you know where you can economize or recover and where you’re going to have to expend more energy. If you can, tour the route the day before.
Worst (for me) - fuel/replace electrolyes along the way. I can’t tolerate either on a half marathon. Know your body and don’t feel you have to do something just because others recommend it.
Best all time advise...pace yourself!!! Recent and surprising advise...put on a little weight before a high altitude race so you have something to burn instead of muscle (a little bit opposite of the norm - right?) TOTALLY WORKED - NOT A BIT SORE!!!
best advice includes.. listen to your body, protect yourself at all times, hydrate. Worst includes ah keep going it won't kill you, why are you stretching/ warming up, use heat instead of ice.
Best advice - listen to your body!!! If you think you are sore, just take a day off! You can over train and hurt yourself. So if you need to take a day or even a week off just to let your body rest, that's fine. It's better than pushing yourself too far and getting injured - and they you're out for longer.
Worst advice......you know I don't think I've ever gotten any!
The importance of hydration
Slow down - you're going too fast.
If you drink water while playing any sport or jogging you will get a stomachache.