And why recovery maybe the most underrated part of your training!
Your training plan is dialed in. You’ve got the mileage, the workouts, the long runs. But let me ask you this: Is your recovery plan just as detailed?
If your answer is something like “Uhhh… I foam roll…sometimes?”—then we need to talk.
Train Hard, Recover Harder
Most runners approach training like a badge of honor contest. More miles! More speed work! More long runs! But when it comes to recovery, they suddenly embrace chaos—late nights, junk food, and maybe a few celebratory beers after a tough run. Look, I’m all for balance, but here’s the reality:
You don’t get stronger during workouts. You get stronger during recovery.
Every hard session creates micro-tears in your muscles, depletes glycogen stores, and adds stress to your body. The real improvements happen when you allow your body to repair itself properly. If you’re not matching your recovery efforts to your training load, you’re sabotaging your own progress. Yes, the hype is real, you do need to recover harder to run faster!
So let’s fix that…
Recovery is part of the workout!
How to Recover Like a Pro (or at Least Not Like a Sleep-Deprived Maniac)
Here are five non-negotiables when it comes to maximizing your recovery:
1. Sleep Like It’s Your Job
If you do one thing right, let it be this: prioritize sleep. Sleep is when your body produces the most growth hormone, which repairs muscle and replenishes energy stores.
Goal: 8-9 hours per night, especially after long runs or workouts.
Reality check: Can’t hit 9 hours? Start by getting 30 minutes more than usual. Even small improvements help.
Kickstart your recovery with electrolytes and a quick carb source before a proper meal later.
2. Fuel Your Recovery (Just Like You Would Your Workouts)
That long run isn’t officially over until you refuel properly. Training breaks your body down—nutrition builds it back up. Think of fueling as the second half of every run, not just an afterthought.
What to do:
Within a few hours of finishing any run over 60 minutes, get a mix of carbohydrates and protein (ideally 3:1 or 4:1 ratio–but no need to overthink it). This kick-starts muscle repair and replenishes glycogen.
Don’t just eat anything—focus on high-quality, nutrient-dense foods. Think eggs and toast, yogurt and granola, or a smoothie with fruit and protein.
Hydration isn’t optional. Water is great, but after hard sessions, adding electrolytes helps replace what you lost in sweat.
3. Active Recovery is a Cheat Code
Scrolling on the couch for the rest of the day might sound nice, but active recovery helps speed up the process.
Try this instead:
Legs up the wall (seriously, it’s magical).
Easy walking or light mobility work (think yoga or dynamic stretching).
Compression gear or a quick foam rolling session—just not so aggressively that it makes you regret life.
4. Match Your Recovery to Your Training
This is where most runners mess up. They increase training loads without increasing recovery efforts.
Rule of thumb: The harder the training day, the more dialed-in your recovery should be.
Long run = prioritize sleep, hydration, and proper nutrition.
Easy day = this is when you can afford a bit more flexibility. (But dialing in your recovery will only help you!)
5. Protect Your Recovery Like You Protect Your Long Runs
You wouldn’t randomly skip a big workout, right? So don’t slack on recovery, either. If you want to actually absorb all the hard work you’re putting in, you need to plan recovery like you plan your runs.
Final Thought: Are You Training Smarter or Just Training More?
If you feel like you’re crushing workouts but underperforming on race day, this might be your missing piece. The best runners in the world don’t just train hard—they recover even harder.
So next time you finish a tough session, don’t just think about how far or fast you ran. Think about how well you’re going to recover from it. Because that—not just mileage—is what makes you a stronger runner.
Now, go get some sleep!
Miles Bennett-Smith is a coach for Team RunRun based in San Francisco. He coaches intermediate and advanced runners from 1500m to marathon on trail, track or road.
As a result of training consistently, Team RunRunner Alayna crushed multiple races!
Consistency is key. Period. Consistently caring for yourself by doing the small things to keep your mind and body happy will pay huge dividends come race day.
Practical Tip:
Prepare your environment the night before your training session to eliminate any barriers to getting out the door. Lay out your clothes, shoes, fill your bottles, have your gels on the kitchen table, etc.
Consistency is Key.
If you’re like me at all you’ve probably heard this phrase all over your social feeds in the last few months. The algorithm figured out that you’re training for a race. Now it’s bombarding you with messages telling you to get out the door for your run. No. Matter. What.
I agree that consistency is probably the most important factor in endurance training. But it extends well beyond forcing yourself out the door and ignoring any potential signals your body might be sending. Being consistent across the board is what we’re striving for here. Get out for your scheduled run, yes, but also be sure to warm up properly, refuel after your workout, do your strength and mobility training, sleep plenty, and actually take your rest days.
Now you might be saying, “Evan, you just told me to do even MORE things!”. Well…yes, showing up each day for yourself over these next 6 weeks will pay off tremendously. But only IF that consistency is about consistently caring for yourself. Doing all the small things to keep your body happy, while taking some time away from training to keep your mind happy, will lead to a successful trip around Oakland on race day. And my guess is about 2 hours after you cross that finish line, you’ll be searching for your next race to train for.
What’s Next?
If you want more structure and guidance, consider hiring a running coach! At Team RunRun, we have a coach for every athlete. Check out the training page on the Oakland Marathon website for a selection of coaches who are here to help.
Evan Covell is a coach with Team RunRun based in Santa Barbara, California. He helps runners set and achieve their goals through personalized, science-based training and injury prevention (oh, and consistency!).
Hi! Meet Toula. An eight year old, highly independent, active, and joyful soft-coated Wheaten Terrier.
Toula has been running long distance with me since she was about 14 months old. She’s run off leash, on leash, tethered, not-tethered, and wild and free through big pastures and open fields. There have been times where she’s been so muddy from a run that I worried if I would be able to get the mud out of her long, thick, fluffy hair.
One time after running in snow that was so clumpy (you know the kind you make snowballs and snowmen out of) her legs looked like the Michelin Man’s arms. This particular adventure ended with me carrying her home from the woods. Her legs were so heavy with all the snow packed in her hair, that she kept falling over when she was running. Toula is my adventure buddy, my companion on long outings in the woods, and someone who reminds me that running is supposed to be fun and joyful.
Ryan and his best training buddy, Toula. PC: Ryan Williams
Read on for the top things I’ve learned from running with Toula. There are a lot of articles out there that cover the basic steps to train your dog. I’ll leave that to the dog trainers. This is just my experience.
Lesson #1 – Sweat is a human superpower. Dogs do not cool down like humans.
To be totally honest, I’ve had many battles with Toula while running. It usually starts when I tell my wife and daughter something like: “I’ll meet you guys there and run with Toula. That way she’s exercised and I get my training in!”. Sounds like a great idea until you realize you’re on a time schedule. “Okay, I’ve got 25 minutes to move this dog along this 5 km run to meet my wife and daughter at the lake.” And it’s also July in Maryland.
One mile in, Toula decides she’s done running. With Toula lying on the trail, I decide (regretfully) I’m going to dig my heels in and battle this defiant terrier. I try reminding Toula that we have a family to meet. It’s only 3 miles, Toula, you’ve got this, and so have I! We’re not running that fast. What’s the problem?
Well, it took me some time to realize that, unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat through their skin to cool themselves. Sweating is the human superpower. Dogs rely on panting to regulate their body temperatures. Put simply, they just cannot keep on powering through in the hot temperatures. They need to stop and cool down. So when you’re running with your dog, know you’re in for a stop-start adventure.
Since this revelation, I’ve spent many runs apologizing to Toula for my ignorance and respecting that she’s more of a three season endurance runner. So, like most of us, she also doesn’t enjoy running in the swamp that is Maryland summers. Summer is her off-season, and she spends it laying under shaded trees in the backyard.
Lesson #2 – Learn your dog’s limits and respect their cues.
Toula’s longest run to date is 12 miles. It was a few Februarys ago and she was wiped afterwards. Since then, she’s still been running with me pretty consistently, averaging about 10-20 miles most weeks.
Toula showing off her speed. PC: Ryan Williams
Well, she’s eight now. As I’ve been evolving as a dog owner and runner, I’m learning to listen to my body as well as hers. Each run, I pay attention to her non-verbal communication and recognize when it’s just too much for her. She’s more of a 5-6 mile doggie nowadays. Similarly, I’ve also had to rethink my own running: how can I get my training in but still keep some miles with my training buddy?
I’ve realized that if I want Toula to run with me, I have to adjust my expectations, routes, paces, and work within her comfort area. Short, easy runs close to home are my “Toula-time”. If she’s feeling spunky, she’ll even join me for a 30-40 minute tempo run.
It’s also worth mentioning that younger dogs, especially those under 1 year, are not supposed to run very far. Always check with your vet for what they recommend. For Toula, my vet has affirmed me as a good observer of her limits. Thanks Dr. Jones, you’ve made me feel like a quality coach for humans and animals!
Lesson 3 – Have a variety of leash options.
Maybe it’s just living with an independently-minded terrier, but every month I have some new leash I’m using for Toula. I have a leather leash, a lighter pink leash, one that’s extendable, and, at one point, had another tethered leash. (Side note, the tethered leash proved a miserable experience for both Toula and me) Not that I ever talk about it with bike friends, but I liken my smorgasbord of leashes to a cycle enthusiast’s garage; they have a bike for touring, a bike for climbing, one for gravel, technical singletrack, flowing singletrack, etc. You get the picture!
For no obvious rhyme or reason, Toula takes well to the leather leash for running on the road. I can’t complain either: it’s durable, snaps tight, not too heavy, and, most importantly, I know the hook isn’t going to break.
The pink leash is my everyday leash that’s also really great if I’m going to let Toula off-leash in the woods. It’s super lightweight and easily carried in my vest or belt when she’s roaming free.
Lastly, the extendable leash. While it’s ideal for running on trails where I think I’ll encounter other people frequently, it’s slightly less ideal when it’s constantly getting caught on trees. Toula has a particular knack for darting to the left of the tree after I’ve gone to the right, and vice versa. Hopefully your life will be simple and you’ll only need the one for running with your dog. If you have a terrier, probably not.
A muddy Toula and the aforementioned pink leash. PC: Ryan Williams
Lesson 4 – Be wary of off-leash and always carry treats.
If Toula is going to go off-leash I always use a whistle/clicker combo. I’ve trained her extensively with this, and it shows. She responds to it like a border collie at a herding competition.
Not to give my dog training ability too much credit, Toula’s acutely aware that I’m running with rotisserie chicken in my vest and, if she comes back, a piece is hers. But, it took me a long time to train this. We practiced for hours at local high school baseball fields we knew were enclosed areas. I’m now confident Toula will respond and return 99.9999% of the time, again, mainly because of the chicken.
If you aren’t confident in your training, or your dog’s ability to recall, definitely avoid letting your dog off-leash. Sure, it sounds glamorous and romantic to have your dog running wild and free, but if they don’t recall, you’re in for a stressful, scary run that can put you and your dog in some dangerous situations. Also, make sure you check your local laws for restrictions on off-leash dogs.
Lesson 5 – Dogs need to fuel and hydrate too!
Just like we need to fuel our efforts, so do our canine pals. Let them join in the fueling fun and bring along their favorite treat–unless it is peanut butter because that is going to get messy, especially if your dog has a beard. You like pierogies at an ultra aid station? I’m sure your four-legged friend would be happy to indulge too! so extend the same joy to your doggie. I roll with the chicken or beef sticks and, especially in summer, always have water. With so many excellent collapsible bowl options that can easily fit into a vest or dog harness, it’s not hard to set them up for hydration success.
Lesson 5 – Set your expectations and have fun running with your dog!
Running with your dog is an amazing bonding experience. If it’s something you’re drawn to as well, here’s a reminder to just enjoy being in that space. Don’t set yourself up for stress or disappointment if you’re not hitting your paces or distances. Go out and have fun knowing that you are giving your dog some amazing exercise and a truly exciting adventure. Toula doesn’t join me for speed workout days, and I drop her off at home before I do strides. I mean, what dog wants to do 6X45 seconds hill strides? I can hear her now: “Why are we running up and down this inclined neighborhood road? There are smelly woods over there to explore. Or, better yet, an air conditioned room, comfy sofa and another episode on Animal Planet!”
Ryan Williams is a parent, proud dog dad, athlete and coach who believes running is a metaphor for life. He specializes in forming positive bonds with runners of all ages, distances, and abilities from couch-to-5k to ultramarathon.
Team RunRunner Laura after finishing the NYC Marathon, a common New Year’s resolution for many.
January 1 is just another day.
I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. There’s something about them that feels forced. It’s as if we’re declaring that January 1 is the day we suddenly become a different person, make massive life changes, or erase all the habits we’ve built over the years. The problem is, in most cases, change just doesn’t work that way.
Understanding Change
Change isn’t an event; it’s a process. As Steve Magness reminded us recently, everything that occurs is a delayed reaction to the hours, days, months, and years that preceded it. Whether we’re talking about physical fitness, relationships, career growth, or personal habits, the outcomes we see today are the result of countless small decisions we’ve made along the way.
The Case Against New Year’s Resolutions
The caution with New Year’s resolutions is that they can create the illusion that transformation is instantaneous or tied to a specific date. We start to feel like failures if we stumble a few weeks in because the resolution wasn’t about the journey—it was about the outcome.
But what if we shifted our perspective? What if we focused on the small, steady steps we can take each day? What if we recognized that every decision we make, no matter how small, is shaping the person we’re becoming? This approach acknowledges that growth isn’t linear and that setbacks are part of the process. It also removes the pressure of an arbitrary start date, giving us the freedom to begin—or continue—whenever we’re ready.
This shift in mindset isn’t just about avoiding New Year’s resolutions—it’s about embracing actions that align with our goals and values, one step at a time.
Team RunRunner Shane Winzar enjoying the process of running rather than obsessing over the race outcome. PC: Shane Winzar
An Alternative to New Year’s Resolutions
Here are three small, actionable changes to work on in 2025:
Be Honest with Yourself About Your Goals and Commitments:
Your goals and your level of commitment should align. If you’re unsure, ask your coach! We love these discussions and can help you clarify your path.
Don’t Give Yourself an Excuse in Training:
Avoid falling back on phrases like “That’s good enough for today” if it becomes a habit. Push through when possible, and if you find this mindset creeping in often, revisit your goals.
Replace “I’ll try…” with “I’ll hold on as long as I can.” These subtle word changes can shift your mindset and approach.
Journal Your Workouts and Races:
Start journaling consistently. You might uncover patterns or recognize issues you’ve been ignoring, like those small “niggles” that you keep brushing aside.
Every day offers an opportunity to grow and improve. January 1st is just another day—but today, and every day after, can be the start of something meaningful.
Corey Turnbull is a Team RunRun Coach based in Ottawa. He works with beginners just starting out or with seasoned runners looking for a breakthrough. Corey helps athletes maximize the limited training time they have, prioritizing consistency, focus and fun.
Whether runners should use rate of perceived exertion (RPE) or heart rate monitors is the question. At best, this is a heavily debated topic of which approach is best, with an incredible amount of nuance within each modality. As an athlete and coach, my experiences have ranged from receiving many questions around this topic, to meeting others with strong opinions one way or another. I come in with my own biases, but hopefully this article, although not comprehensive by any means, will shine a light on the pros and cons of each tool and how/when to integrate them both simultaneously.
What is Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)?
RPE is a subjective measure of the perceived intensity level when doing a workout. RPE was created by Dr. Gunnar Borg, a Swedish psychologist, who created 2 different RPE scales. For the sake of this article, we’ll be using the Modified Borg CR Scale 1-10 RPE rating.
Referring to the Modified Borg CR Scale 0-10, this is how I typically outline workouts according to RPE:
0 – at rest
1-3 (walking) very easy to breathe
4 (recovery run) easy to breathe
5-6 (endurance run) conversational pace run; breathing is not labored
7 (steady state run) labored breathing; able to speak a couple sentences
8-9 (tempo run) elevated deep & labored breathing; able to say several words
10 (intervals at VO2 max) maximum intensity; short and rapid breathing; barely able to say 1-2 words
Obviously, this is highly subjective as it’s based upon one’s perception of intensity. A “talk test” is often used to cross-check the assessment if the athlete is actually within the specified range. What might be an RPE of 6 for you could be a 9 for your friend.
RPE or heart rate? Here’s Coach Kelsey using RPE to race Hood Hundred.
PC: James Holk
Benefits of RPE
This is a subjective measurement that is highly individualized. Specifically with trail- or ultra-running, there are often so many moving variables (elevation change, altitude, terrain, temperature changes, core temperature fluctuations, caffeine intake, emotional responses, dehydration, etc.) that to prescribe a specific HR range to maintain can sometimes be a wildly moving target. For instance, if you aim to maintain a specific heart rate when descending a steep climb, it could lead to injury due to excessive impact especially if you haven’t trained adequately on descents. Thus, using RPE allows the athlete to maintain a self-assessment of their effort and adjust according to subjective data (e.g. breath, intensity, etc.).
Additionally, using RPE on days when you’re feeling “bleh” can avoid the chance of perpetuating overtraining or fatigue. Some might call this as a way to do “feel-based” training.
Drawbacks of RPE
Since this is a subjective measurement, the actual RPE can become skewed when muscles become fatigued. You might feel as if you’re going at a 8/10 RPE but your heart-rate is indicating otherwise. Having an objective measurement (i.e. HR monitor) for longer-duration events can be a helpful indicator to press harder.
Coach Kelsey wears the Coros armband HR monitor (see left arm) while running the Three Finger Jack Loop in Oregon. PC: Kaysen Brennan
What are Heart Rate (HR) monitors?
Heart rate monitors offer objective data from a workout (i.e. staying within a particular “zone”). There are a number of HR monitors that exist today: a wrist watch, armband, and chest strap. The validity behind each of these will look different (e.g. a wristwatch will often display inaccurate data). Obviously, watches are very useful for other data but utilizing a wrist-based heart monitor will often give you glitches so it may be worth investing in a separate device (e.g. armband or chest strap) to give more accuracy and spare the frustration.
“Zones” is a term that often gets thrown around when athletes are aiming to stay within a HR range. To further complicate matters, a range of zone models exist which differ from another –the most common being the 3-zone and 5-zone models– so be sure to take a closer dive into which model you intend to use.
Benefits of HR monitors
Imagine you’re several hours into a race and the fatigue is starting to build but your HR monitor is showing a lower HR than preferred. This can indicate that you can pick up the pace because fatigue is starting to cloud your overall perception of effort. It feels like you’re working a lot harder, but in actuality your cardiovascular system isn’t matching your high RPE.
Alternatively, if you’re given an easy/conversational-pace day, using a HR monitor can keep you accountable from going too fast. Think of HR as a speed limit for these easy/conversational run days.
HR monitors can be a very useful tool for cross-training days especially if you’re wanting to stay within a certain zone to maintain cardiovascular benefits.
Assessing HR at rest can be useful to gauge how the body is recovering after a race or during peak training block. Typically as an athlete builds more fitness, the resting HR will lower and this indicates the heart’s stroke volume is increasing. It is important to recognize that if your resting heart rate is substantially low or high, this might be an indicator of overtraining syndrome and/or fatigue.
Lastly, another benefit of utilizing HR is to assess the HR when doing your workout. If you’re reaching the targeted HR zone during a run (after accounting for cardiac lag, as described below), take note. Your depressed HR might be due to a lack of recovery. Similarly, your HR not lowering to your normal resting HR after a workout may also indicate under recovery.
Drawbacks of HR monitors
For starters, I strongly recommend not using a wrist-based HR monitor as a valid measurement of HR. Several variables can significantly impact wrist-based readings like interference with the sensor, placement of watch, temperature, skin tone and more.
Secondly, you will need to recalculate your zones as your fitness changes to keep them accurate. This article won’t go into zone calculating: go read Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 Rule if that’s your jam.
Most notably, if you find yourself becoming obsessed with numbers to an unhelpful degree (e.g. constantly checking your watch) and it’s taking away from the enjoyment from running rather than adding to it, this can be a slippery slope. Additionally, this over-fixation on HR can lead to stress which will also impact your HR – a real double whammy. So, RPE or heart rate? In this case, I would highly recommend only looking at HR data after your runs and consider sticking with RPE.
Cardiovascular lag (not cardiovascular drift) occurs when you start exercising and your heart-rate isn’t in the desired range. This happens to just about every one of us. It’ll often display more accurate readings after 25-30 minutes of steady movement.
Cardiovascular drift is the gradual increase of HR over a workout. This accounts for the rise in core temperature and decrease in heart stroke volume. A runner may notice that their heart rate continues to increase during a longer, steady-state run but their respiration rate and effort level feel the same. Staying within a specific HR range may result in underperforming if you slow down unnecessarily to stay within the zone.
How should I use RPE and HR? Can I use both?
You absolutely can! Knowing when to use RPE or heart rate depends on the context of when and how to use it. Obviously, running on trails vs. road vs. track is very different so take that into consideration. My recommendation is when doing your conversational/easy-paced runs (RPE 5-6) or moderate-intensity (RPE 7-9) runs, allow yourself to use RPE for the first 30 mins to maintain the desired intensity. Thereafter, check your HR even now and then to see where it’s at, but still maintain a close gauge on your RPE. Obviously, this might show a wide HR range depending on the many variables (especially if you’re running on trails), but over time you might find some trends that correspond to both HR and RPE.
For high-intensity runs, start with your desired RPE (e.g. 10). Perhaps you also consider aiming for a specific pace to target rather than aiming for HR. You can take HR into account, but keep in mind that cardiac lag will occur and very short intervals (1-3mins) don’t allow ample time for the HR to reflect accurately.
Kelsey McGill is a UESCA-Certified Ultrarunning Coach with Team RunRun. She has 10+ years of experience in coaching all levels and ages of runners, specializing in trail running and ultrarunning.
Team RunRun CoachesSarah Forman, Rob Gomez, Kate Marden, Sam Renikoff joined Kyle Fulmer for a Talk With the Experts discussion all about off season training and winter running tips. I highly recommend you check out the full replay here. This article zooms in on the second half of the conversation: winter running.
Running in winter can be an adventure—invigorating, challenging, and yes, sometimes a bit daunting. With the right gear, mindset, and strategies, you can embrace the cold and keep your training on track. Here are some practical tips from our four coaches to make your winter runs more comfortable, and advise you on when it’s safer to skip the run or take your workout indoors.
Gear Up for the Cold
The key to winter running is dressing smart. It’s all about layers! Start with a base layer, add a mid-layer like a three-quarter zip, and top it off with a breathable, hooded jacket. TRR Coach Rob Gomez swears by his “Patagonia Houdini for a quick, reliable, packable outer layer”. For your legs, invest in thermal tights—TRR Coach Sarah Forman highly recommends Sugoi Subzero and Janji Fleece tights. Don’t forget mittens and a warm hat or ear warmer. Sarah recommends Smartwool’s windproof convertible mittens and hats—they make a huge difference.
Again from Coach Sarah, if it’s snowing or bitterly cold, her advice is to consider adding a balaclava or neck warmer to protect your face. Remember, all your layers should be breathable to prevent sweat from making you colder. TRR Coach Kate Marden’s top tip for this is dressing for temperatures about 10°F warmer than the actual temperature, but she adds that it might take some experimenting to find what works best for you.
For those who struggle with cold fingers or toes (hello, Raynaud’s Syndrome sufferers), hand and toe warmers are a lifesaver. Keeping your extremities warm can be the difference between loving your winter run and cutting it short.
Lastly, if you’re running on snow or ice, traction devices like Yaktrax are game-changers. They strap onto your shoes and give you the grip you need to run confidently.
Coach Rob Gomez highlighted the “dressmyrun” website designed to answer exactly this question: how to dress for your run!
Running on Snowy or Icy Paths
Safety should always come first in winter conditions. If you’re running on snowy or icy paths, here’s how to make it safer and more enjoyable:
Safety First: No run is worth the health risk that running in extreme conditions may pose. It’s far better off taking a few unplanned rest days than weeks or months off running after a bad fall on the ice or respiratory infection.
Coach Kate Marden: “I personally won’t run on icy paths – just not worth the risk. In those cases, I strongly recommend either hitting up the treadmill or opting for another indoor workout.”
Traction Matters: Trail shoes or traction aids like Yaktrax and other microspikes can help prevent slips and falls.
Take It Slow: Forget about pace goals on slippery days. Slow down and focus on effort instead of speed. Running by feel ensures you’re staying safe while still getting a good workout.
Run When It’s Light: Whenever possible, run during daylight hours so you can see icy patches or uneven surfaces. If you have to run in the dark, invest in a good headlamp—it’ll light your way and make you visible to drivers.
Be Prepared: If you’re running on unfamiliar routes, check out Strava or a running app beforehand. Familiarity with the path makes a big difference.
A tip from TRR Coach Sam Renikoff: “If you run with your phone, put your phone in a pocket and not in your hands. That way if you fall, you are still able to properly brace yourself.”
Ruby Wyles and friends racing on a cold and muddy winter day.
How Cold Is Too Cold?
All our coaches are in agreement here, as well as on most of these winter running tips and tricks: it depends on you. Some runners love the chill and can layer up to handle sub-zero temps, while others draw the line at 10°F. Here are a few guidelines:
If cold air hurts your throat or lungs, or your fingers and toes go numb despite good gear, it might be too cold.
Ice is often the dealbreaker for many runners. Black ice or poor visibility makes running outdoors risky.
Wind chill can turn a manageable temperature into a painful experience. If it’s sub-zero with wind, consider an indoor workout instead.
Here’s what Coach Sam Renikoff had to say about this: “When it’s that cold, it can be hard to breathe deeply and can hurt your throat, which is not only dangerous, but it inhibits the quality of the workout.”
One point from Coach Rob Gomez brings me back to my British “toughen up” upbringing: “Any cold weather is too cold if you don’t have the right gear. Gear up first and then determine what weather your gear will allow you to safely exercise in.”
Ultimately, listen to your body. And a note on the aforementioned “toughness”; You are not “tougher” for unnecessarily suffering through a painful, and potentially dangerous, outside run. If the weather feels unsafe or miserable, it’s okay to take your run indoors or reschedule.
Adjusting Your Pace and Effort
Winter running isn’t about hitting perfect splits. Snow, ice, and heavy layers mean your pace won’t always reflect your effort—and that’s okay! Focus on how you feel:
Run by Effort: Instead of aiming for a specific pace, think about your perceived exertion. For example, if your goal is half-marathon effort, know that it might be slower than your usual race pace, and that’s totally fine.
Coach Kate Marden makes an excellent point about how additional cognitive demands, like staying safe, can make winter running feel even harder: “I find it’s more stressful and taxing on my body to run outside if I have to dodge icy patches!”
Stay Flexible: Some days, conditions won’t allow for speed work. Swap it out for an easy run, hill repeats, or a treadmill workout.
Coach Rob Gomez: “ Never plan on doing speed or interval work on snow or ice, the risk of a fall or strain/pull is not worth the potential benefits.”
Think Big Picture: Winter running is about consistency, not perfection. Treat tough weather days as “bonus miles” and don’t sweat the numbers.
TL:DR on Winter Running
Key takeaway: If conditions are too risky, don’t be afraid to swap your run for a treadmill session or another indoor workout. No run is worth a serious injury, illness or infection.
Winter running has its challenges, but with a little preparation and flexibility, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Invest in the right gear, listen to your body, and prioritize safety. Before you know it, spring will be here, and you’ll appreciate the warmer temperatures more than before!
Everyone who is training seriously, or even not so seriously, seems to be obsessed with recovery. Every time I open my phone, I’m bombarded with TikToks, Instagram reels and targeted ads featuring people touting all sorts of hacks or tools to help you recover faster and live longer. One of the most popular ones is cold therapy. From cold plunges and cryotherapy, to something called a RecoveryTherm Cube, there is no shortage of options to freeze fatigue away, hoping to get you ready for your next workout faster. Here’s the thing though, none of it really works, certainly not to the extent all these influencers advertising the latest ice pack or vibrating gizmo want you to believe. In fact, there is basically no situation where an amateur runner should be freezing themselves!
Runner in an ice barrel debating whether the pain of icing is worth it.
This piece is going to focus on ice baths which at best do nothing, and at worst may inhibit adaptations. But before attempting to debunk the “magic” of ice baths, know that I am not a doctor. And, if a doctor does prescribe ice therapy for an acute injury, their 8+ years of schooling should supersede anything that I, or anyone for that matter, write in a blog on the old interwebs.
Ok, onto the part you all came to read.
Icing and ice baths came into vogue as a recovery technique decades ago. Seemingly harmless, they’re touted as benign ways to reduce soreness and pain, especially after high intensity exercise. When you expose your body to cold, the blood vessels narrow and blood supply decreases. The result of this is less inflammation, which provides relief.
We all know inflammation is bad… right?
Recently, particularly in the health and wellness arenas, inflammation has become the bogey man and cause of all ills. Hence the rise in popularity of ways to reduce inflammation, a la cold therapy. Ironically, this is the exact opposite thing that we want if we are trying to get fitter. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to exercise, and only with inflammation do we get adaptation. Exercise damages your muscles and your body uses this as information to adapt to the workout that caused it. This inflammation-adaptation cycle runs true whether you have sore quads after a long run with a lot of downhill, calves that feel like they’re being gripped by boa constrictors following being spiked up for a speed workout, or even the day after you try to do push-ups for the first time in 6 months and it feels like your pecs just went through a cheese grater. Your body responds to the stimulus you provide it, better preparing you for the next time you do that activity. Put simply, you improve and adapt from the exercise-induced inflammation.
Breaking down the science (briefly!)
Runners ice bathing between two races on the same day.
I’ll save you from all the super science-y details because I too glazed over in organic chemistry class. But study after study finds that ice baths blunt adaptations to training. Research reports ice exposure leading to decreased protein synthesis–how your body repairs muscle damage, as well as decreases in anabolic signaling–your body’s message to get stronger. The results are decreases in long term gains in muscle mass and strength. Relatedly, adjacent studies have found that taking anti-inflammatory drugs have similar effects. All of this evidence tells us that, despite it being uncomfortable, we want the inflammation. We want DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). This is where the gains come from!
An exception to every rule
Now pay attention, because I am going to do a little writer trick where I tell you about an exception to my thesis but then flip it at the bottom to actually make the exception support my argument. The time when research supports ice bathing as a useful tool is when athletes are competing, or exercising, at a high intensity repeatedly over a short timespan. Examples include athletes’ running multiple events at NCAA conference or national meets, or preliminary and final races hours apart. In these cases, taking an ice bath may provide some relief and get you ready to race again sooner. (A note for fellow running sickos: that does not mean that it is a good idea to cram sessions close together just because you CAN get through them with the help from a cold tub!)
As highlighted above, I don’t imagine this being a situation that many of you reading this will find yourselves in. Therefore I refer you back to my original point: there’s really no reason for the average runner to ice bathe!
Pleading the case for ice baths
The one benefit of ice baths that I will ride for is the psychological (*read placebo*) boost it can convey. It feels good to be doing something for recovery, especially if you’re doing it with others. I think back to the ice baths I took with my college teammates in the training room and I do think that we all benefited from those sessions, even though I don’t think that benefit came from sitting balls deep in 50-degree water. Rather, I think the benefit we got was from hanging out together and joking and thinking we were doing something good for ourselves. Not to mention, if you are taking an ice bath, you’re likely sitting down for a period of time. How often do you take time to do that each day?
TL:DR on ice baths
If you’re one of those recovery inclined individuals who gets confidence from feeling like they are doing a little extra to make sure they’re ready to go for the next session, or if you and your running buddies enjoy love hopping in a lake or river after a long run, I hear you, I see you. I don’t want to yuck your yum, but consider grabbing a burrito together and 30 minutes of extra sleep instead!
References
Fröhlich, M., Faude, O., Klein, M., Pieter, A., Emrich, E., & Meyer, T. (2014). Strength training adaptations after cold-water immersion. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(9), 2628–2633. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000434
Lateef F. (2010). Post exercise ice water immersion: Is it a form of active recovery? Journal of Emergencies, Trauma, and Shock, 3(3), 302. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-2700.66570
Roberts, L. A., Raastad, T., Markworth, J. F., Figueiredo, V. C., Egner, I. M., Shield, A., Cameron-Smith, D., Coombes, J. S., & Peake, J. M. (2015). Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signalling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training. The Journal of Physiology, 593(18), 4285–4301. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP270570
Professional runner (with a 2:08 marathon PR) Scott Fauble has joined the Team RunRun coaching roster! Scott has multiple top 10 finishes in marathon majors such as Boston and NYC, along with 3 Olympic Marathon Trial races. He is ready to help athletes take their training to the next level.
And the Importance of Training Flexibility to ‘Make It All Work’
Ever wondered about how stress and running interact? Perhaps you’ve heard that running relieves stress? Or maybe you find your running suffering when work and family life gets busy? Let’s unpack this.
How the Pros Balance Stress and Running
Years ago I read “Running the Dream”, where the author, and 2:40 marathoner, Matt Fitzgerald spent a season ahead of the Chicago Marathon training (and recovering) with the Northern Arizona Elite pro running team. The takeaway that still sticks with me was the shock of the athletes that he did not nap regularly. Add to that his surprise and difficulty initially settling into the routine of a morning workout (after a night’s sleep without an early alarm), followed by lunch, a good nap, and then that evening’s training. The whole day revolved around training and then preparing as best as possible for the next training. Stories out of the Eliud Kipchoge [arguably one of the best marathoners of all time] camp paint a similar picture: Kipchoge removes himself from all other obligations, including his family, for months at a time to focus solely on training.
Understanding Body Stress
For the rest of us, training like this is only a dream. Life comes first, then running. How do we juggle it all, and when is too much definitely too much?
The best part of working with a coach is that you are not stuck to an inflexible plan from a book, you get personalized support toward your goals that adapt to your life’s demands. For me, looking at the whole picture of a person and their life comes first, before whittling down to the running. To anyone I work with, I say often that all stress is stress; your body does not know the difference between work, life, family and training stress, it’s all body stress. The pros understand the relationship between stress and running. In order to train and perform at their best, they seek to minimize non-running demands.
‘All Stress is Stress’
To demonstrate how ‘all stress is stress’, I love the “Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale”. It has 43 questions that create a final ‘score’ of your stress, but the questions are both positive and negative. Just got a promotion? Stress. Moving this week? Stress. If you have been comfortable running forty miles a week, but then have a busy week with added work responsibilities, or a sick kiddo at home, all of a sudden that forty miles is going to feel harder and is going to take a bigger toll on you.
Keep Training Flexible
As athletes we often feel the need to complete training exactly as written, on the exact days it is written. Wednesday workout, Saturday long run, or else I messed up my training this week and my effort is wasted. I am guilty of this too. However, getting to the start line in the best shape possible means zooming out on the whole body of your training work. Ten weeks down the line, your body won’t remember if you ran that workout on a Wednesday or a Thursday, but it will remember if you ran it well or not. Open communication with your coach is key to this.
Consider this situation: you’re planning a workout on a Wednesday morning, but Tuesday night got away from you and you ended up only sleeping four hours. You wake up stiff and groggy but still lace up your shoes to head out. However, you know that Wednesday is an easy work day and you have more time tomorrow. So you decide to shift that workout to Thursday. After a lower stress day today and a better night’s sleep, you end up nailing your splits instead of trying to force it today and digging a bigger recovery hole.
Balancing stress and running requires training flexibility, rather than rigidity.
TL:DR on Stress and Running
The main takeaway is that life stress and running closely interact. While athletes like Fitzgerald and Kipchoge can shape their entire lives around running, most of us have to juggle work, family, and other commitments alongside our training. That’s why it’s so important to recognize that all stress—whether from life or running—impacts us the same way. Working with a coach who understands this can make all the difference. Plans should adapt to your life, not the other way around. Your best running performances don’t come as a result of sticking rigidly to a schedule, but from consistently maintaining a good balance of stress and recovery. The goal is to stay flexible, communicate and keep your eye on the long game.
Guy Love is a coach with Team RunRun based in Boulder, CO. He is a long time ultramarathon runner and physical therapist assistant here to coach the whole athlete on the roads and trails.
“I sat on the couch and watched the Seahawks game, that’s recovery right?”
“Is protein all I need to eat in order to recover properly?”
These are all common (and valid) questions. If there is one thing you should take away from this message, it is to take an active role in your recovery.
Take an active role in your recovery by reflecting on your training.
Here are 3 simple ways to hold yourself accountable when it comes to best recovery practices at home.
1. Rest: The power of a down week
Every 3-4 weeks it’s common for runners to have an easier, or “down”, week in terms of intensity and/or volume. This will depend on on your training style and programming, so consulting a coach can help immensely. Take an active role in your recovery by making sure you check in with yourself and your training every few weeks. Zoom out and evaluate how your body is feeling. Consider if you are progressing towards your goals, as well as whether or not you’re enjoying your training. It is vital to enjoy your training in order to make for a sustainable program. Have fun!
2. Roll: The “Pin & Stretch” foam rolling method
The Pin & Stretch method is the best practice found in order to get the most out of your time rolling. Instead of rolling around on a foam roller until you get bored, find a tender spot with the foam roller and then flex/extend that limb, 4-5 pumps per tender spot. There is no reason to roll more than 60-90 seconds per major muscle. This practice breaks up tender spots more effectively, reduces your overall time spent rolling/stretching, and keeps your body moving in a healthy way. Stay consistent with this by doing it within one hour of exercise.
3. Refuel: Protein + Carbs
When it comes to nutrition, the ideal intake of calories post exercise should include 20-30g of protein accompanied with a carbohydrate like pasta, sweet potato, rice and other grains or starchy vegetables. Remember, refueling doesn’t have to be complicated. Eating a normal, balanced meal after training will likely tick these boxes. But if you’re on-the-go or short on time, here are some post-workout snack ideas: chocolate milk; protein shake and fruit; sandwich with a protein filling (eggs, meat, fish, hummus, PB, etc); Greek yogurt and granola/ cereal; banana with nut butter.
A good rule of thumb: make sure to refuel as soon as possible post exercise. Oh, and don’t forget to rehydrate too!
Take an Active Role in Your Recovery Now!
Rest, roll and refuel within one hour of exercise for best results. If you want to stay healthy long term, feel better with your day-to-day training, and stay consistent through your training cycle, take an active role in your recovery.
Christopher Fredlund is a TRR coach based in Bellingham. With experience and knowledge in nutrition, personal training, corrective exercises and endurance coaching, he helps runners with goals varying on the road, track or trails, from the 5k to the marathon.
As runners, there’s nothing more frustrating than an injury that stops you from doing what you love every day. Injuries can come in all shapes and sizes, but they generally fall into two categories. The first—and by far the most common—are overuse injuries, which happen when we push too hard, too soon. The second type is acute injuries, like sprained ankles. Today, we’re focusing on overuse injuries. Rather than diving into rehab specifics, we’ll talk about how to tune into your body’s signals, so you can get back to running smarter and stronger, overcoming the all too common overuse injury cycle!
Runner dealing with a typical overuse injury.
Case Study: The chronic twinge and the pain-weakness-injury cycle
Picture this: You’re out for a run, and that tiny twinge in your calf you’ve been ignoring suddenly forces you to stop. You rest for three days, and when it feels better, you lace up again. Everything seems fine, but then the pain creeps back. You take a full week off this time, and when you return to running, you feel great—for a while. But then, the pain comes back worse than before. Sound familiar?
This is the classic pain-weakness-injury cycle that so many runners find themselves stuck in when dealing with overuse injuries. You run until something hurts, so you rest. When you finally feel better, you go back to running. But even though the pain’s gone, the tissue is now weaker than it was before, and eventually, the pain returns. Resting doesn’t mean you’re ready to run again—it just means you’ve hit pause on the problem. Breaking this cycle is the goal, and the secret lies in gradually reintroducing movement without overdoing it. The challenge is finding that sweet spot, and let’s be honest—no one knows your body better than you.
What to do next?
Let’s take a look at this “Goldilocks” dilemma with three different runs.
Runner crossing a finish line healthy and happy. PC: Ryan Thrower
In Scenario A, you head out for a one-hour run. Your calf feels a bit tight for the first ten minutes, but then it loosens up and you finish pain-free. A few hours later, though, it stiffens up, and the next day the pain is worse than ever. That’s a clear sign you pushed too hard.
In Scenario B, you keep it super safe and only run for 20 minutes. You feel fine both during the run and the next day. But while this cautious approach keeps you pain-free, it doesn’t do much to help you move forward.
In Scenario C, you run for 45 minutes. You feel a little soreness afterward, but it’s nothing major, and you’re not limping. The next day, you wake up feeling back to normal.
Scenario A was definitely too much, and you’re now facing more downtime to recover. Conversely, Scenario B kept you safe, but it’s not helping you make any real progress. Scenario C, though, is the sweet spot for breaking the injury cycle. You gave your calf just enough of a challenge to help it adapt, without causing more harm.
Keys to managing overuse injuries effectively
The trick here is to introduce a little stress to the injured area. Your body needs to know that a bit of discomfort is okay—it doesn’t mean you’re about to get hurt again. After an injury, your pain response can get overly sensitive. This doesn’t mean the pain is “all in your head.” It means your body is trying to protect you, so it sends pain signals before you’ve done any actual damage. If you can learn to navigate those warning signals without triggering a full-blown injury, your body will start to trust the process again. However, if you stop running at the first sign of pain, you teach your body that’s what it’s supposed to do. By interpreting those signals correctly and easing back into running the right way, you’ll find that your pain-free running time starts getting longer and longer.
When to seek professional help
That said, if your calf is still acting up after every run, it’s a sign that something’s not quite right. Instead of just hoping the pain will go away, or resting endlessly, it’s time to add something new to help your calf handle running better. This is where a coach can be a huge help. They can suggest simple exercises that target those problem areas—muscles and tendons that need a little extra support. It doesn’t take much—just a few minutes of specific work each day can make a huge difference in how well your body handles the demands of running.
And if you’ve tried all this and the pain just won’t go away, it’s time to see a professional. A physical therapist or chiropractor who specializes in working with runners can help you get to the bottom of the issue and give you a plan that’s tailored to your body’s needs.
Don’t let overuse injuries steal your joy for running—listen to your body, trust the process, and you’ll get back on track.
Guy Love is a coach with Team RunRun based in Boulder, CO. He is a long time ultramarathon runner and physical therapist assistant here to coach the whole athlete on the roads and trails.
For me, the days of being able to roll out of bed, lace up my shoes, and head out the door for a run are long gone. The more experienced I get, the more I understand the importance of a good pre-run warm-up routine. I tell myself and my clients that the best way to get better at running is by consistently stringing together days, weeks, and months of training. In order to do that, we need to stay injury-free. This simple pre-run glute activation routine helps me, and hopefully you too, do just that.
What is glute activation?
Think of glute activation as simply “waking up” the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus muscles. Relying too heavily on your calves and quads when running can lead to tightness in those muscles which, in turn, may lead to shin and knee pain. I have had many runners come to me with complaints of lower leg injuries, and adding glute activation exercises into their pre-run routine has often remedied their pain. By activating the glutes, you’re creating a mind-muscle connection that helps “remind” your brain and body to use them to power your running gait.
As you continue to do the exercises below, you might find that you are gaining glute strength and need to upgrade to a heavier resistance band. That said, building strength isn’t the main goal here. Rather, the goal is to simply “wake up” the glutes before you head out the door.
Pre-Run Glute Activation Routine:
For each of these five exercises, you will place a resistance band just above your knees. Pick a strength band that presents a challenge but still allows you to complete the right amount of repetitions for each exercise with the proper form.
Side Steps
Volume: 8-10 steps in each direction
Description: Get in a half squat/athletic stance position for these. Take small, slow, and controlled steps sideways keeping tension on the band.
Clam Shells
Volume: 20 reps on each side
Description: Lie on your side with your knees bent at about a 90-degree angle. Keep your feet together and open your knees increasing the tension on the band. Go slowly on these, making sure you are feeling the glute activation.
Bridges
Volume: 20 reps
Description: Lie on your back with your feet planted on the ground about 12 inches away from your butt. Separate your feet so there is slight tension on the band and keep your heels on the ground. Drive your hips up and pause for 1 to 2 seconds, return to the ground, and repeat. Keep your knees apart with tension on the band the entire time.
Kick Backs
Volume: 10 reps for each leg
Description: Go onto your hands and knees, engage your core, and drive one leg back pushing your heel up to the sky, pause for 1 to 2 seconds, and return your knee to the ground. Repeat for 10 repetitions, then switch to the other leg.
Fire Hydrants
Volume: 10 reps for each leg
Duration: On your hands and knees, lift one leg out to the side with your knee still bent, pause for 1 to 2 seconds, and return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 repetitions, then switch to the other leg.
Final notes on glute activation for runners
Take the extra step this week and try out this glute activation routine for runners daily. Being intentional and warming up properly could make a difference in your ability to stay healthy and train consistently! Pair this glute activation routine with your coach’s training plan and you will be on your way to healthy and happy running.
Evan Covell is a Team RunRun coach based in Santa Barbara. Evan focuses on consistency, patience and kindness as he helps athletes achieve their goals while building strength, mobility and injury prevention on both the roads and the track.
As a high school runner, before I knew anything about zone training, my coach would provide me training programs every month. A departure from the tools that we utilize today, these programs were always crafted on pen and paper. Words like “Easy” or “Steady” were used to indicate intensity. Though I had an implicit understanding of what this entailed back then, by today’s standards this language may be seen as vague or ambiguous.
Being a runner in 2024 comes with the opportunity to utilize a variety of tools, built to aid in training and race-day performance. After each run, my Garmin feels compelled to tell me how I’m progressing in my training. Other gadgets on the market, like Whoop’s wristbands and Stryd’s running power meters, add even more layers of information. Gone are the days of pen-and-paper training plans. Today, quantitative data has won the hearts and minds of runners across the globe.
Ryan Woolley racing on the trails with the help of an advanced GPS watch shows how much technology has evolved.
The heart rate zones framework has been a popular reference point for those who are choosing to organize training load according to one particular piece of data – heart rate, collected from either the wrist, upper arm or chest. Heart rate can be correlated with intensity during endurance training. Considering this, coaches and athletes can plan training sessions to fall within a certain intensity range. The desired intensity depends on the goal race, workout purpose and stage in a training cycle. Understanding how to apply these zones is crucial for progressing toward a big race or adventure while managing rest and recovery.
This article is for those who want to make sense and use of heart rate zones. We’ll start by defining heart rate zone training and some it’s nuances. Then we’ll move onto discussing how to apply the framework during your next training block.
What Are Heart Rate Zones?
Heart rate zone training comes from the understanding that the body controls for energy production according to its rate of work. For example, the mix of energy systems used in a 1-mile race differ significantly from those used in a marathon. Heart rate zone training is utilized with the intention of building volume (or time) spent running at race specific intensities. This protocol consists of dividing ranges of exercise intensity into segments that are each associated with a heart rate range. The intensity range goes from walking to maximum sustained exertion running.
The number of zones and how they’re structured will often vary depending on the creator. For simplicity, I’ll reference a 5-zone framework in this article (below). However, other zone frameworks consist of 4 or even 3 zones in association with intensity-related metabolic changes.
Zone
Name
Intensity
Use
1
Active Recovery
Very Light
Hiking, active recovery
2
Easy
Light
Easy days, medium/long runs
3
Aerobic
Moderate
Tempo work
4
Threshold
Hard
Strength-based intervals
5
VO2 Max
Maximum
Power-based intervals
The Wandering Heart and You
Here’s the deal with your heart rate while running: it’s not always a perfect indicator of effort. During long efforts, for example, heart rate can slowly increase over time. This is known as cardiac drift, occurring in response to an increase in the body’s core temperature and sweat losses. As such, running in hot environments can create a bigger discrepancy between heart rate and perceived effort.
Additionally, heart rate numbers during submaximal exercise can be swayed by our emotions – a charged atmosphere can lead to higher average heart rate values due to an increase in sympathetic nervous system tone.
Experience level also plays a role. Seasoned runners are able to pump more blood per beat to the working muscle. This allows them to maintain lower heart rates at higher efforts. In contrast, those who are new to the sport may see higher heart rate values relative to the same level of perceived effort.
Given these variables, it’s clear that heart rate numbers should be taken with a grain of caution. But if heart rate can sometimes mislead, how do we make sense of our training? Connecting intensity zones with target race paces can help to create a more complete picture.
Ryan Woolley running an ultra trail race. (Check out his TRR hat here!)
The “Golden” Zone 2
Zone 2 training is often hailed as the “golden” zone for distance runners. For the past few years, influential coaches, physiologists and runners alike have been taking to social media and speaking to the sweet, sweet taste of this secret sauce. The perfect amount of Zone 2 running (approximately 60 – 70% of maximum heart rate) to add to any training recipe, they say, is 80% of total volume. Regardless of how much time it contributes toward your weekly volume, running within the lower zones of 1 and 2 allows you to build a strong aerobic engine without risking mechanical failure.
What does Zone 2 feel like?
As they say, keep it conversational. Learn how to breathe deep and sink into an easy rhythm. To ensure that you’re not feeling any pressure to maintain a set pace, run to duration on these days. Runners I coach slowly progress up to an hour of running at this intensity before I introduce any harder running. The less experience you have, the more time you’ll need to spend running within this zone each week.
Which Zone and When?
After building a foundation of easy Zone 1 and 2 running, you can start to build volume around harder efforts. The next zone up will typically be the main intensity range that you live in during a marathon. Workouts in Zone 3 might include tempo runs or long intervals at marathon pace, equivalent to a steady, harder than easy but controlled, effort. Start by running for 20 minutes at your target marathon pace, before progressing this workout by adding time, or by slowly increasing your speed towards the end. If you’re really struggling for air at the end of these workouts, adjust your goal times accordingly. Alongside Zone 2 days, one of these sessions per week is plenty.
Once you feel that your body is starting to recover well from Zone 3 work, you can add a little spice with Zone 4 training. Aim to spend more time here if you’re looking to perfect the 5 and 10 kilometer distances.
Zone 4 interval training allows you to safely build volume at this intensity. Considering that you’re likely working within the Zone 4 heart rate range during 5 kilometer and 10 kilometer races, any interval training may be modeled off these target paces. Start with 2 to 3 minute intervals at your target 10 kilometer race pace, before introducing shorter intervals – 300 to 400 meters – at 5 kilometer race pace. Focus on starting small, before slowly increasing the number of intervals while maintaining a consistent pace. Try to keep the recovery to no more than the equivalent of the interval duration. If you find that you need more recovery time to keep a consistent pace, take your foot off the gas and slow down your target times. Treat Zone 4 work as the crescendo of your training block.
During your final weeks of preparation toward a key race, your week will likely include one Zone 3 day, Zone 4 interval day, as well as one day dedicated to running long in Zone 2.
Zone 4 intervals helped prepare Ryan Woolley for a shorter distance XC race.
Final Note on Zone Training
When thinking about the zones framework, context is everything. Three things to consider when organizing your next training block are your:
1) Level of experience
2) Current state of fitness
3) Target race, goal or adventure
Within the design of any program, your progression in training should always be cyclical. At each stage in the cycle of your training block, a different zone will become the focal point. The amount of volume that you work up to within each zone will depend on the intensity range that you’ll be utilizing the most while trying to hit your next running goal. In that sense, heart rate zone training should never exist in a vacuum. Instead, consider the zones as a collection of tools – at any given time, the one that you use will depend on the project at hand.
Ryan Woolley is a coach with Team RunRun based in New Zealand. As a coach, he focuses on strength for performance and injury prevention. He uses his 20 years of competitive experience across many distances and terrains to guide his athletes towards their goals. Ryan also has a strong technical understanding of exercise physiology (BSc, MA) and applies it to his coaching.
Stretching has many health benefits that most of us are already aware of. A stretching program can help with flexibility, improve blood flow, assist in cooling down after a workout, reduce injury risk and even benefit our mental health. Many runners know this but fail to integrate stretching into their lifestyle. But, as runners, do we need to stretch? The answer is a bit tricky.
Ruby Wyles static stretching post run.
Understanding Running Form
Our running form is a product of how our bodies move. Consider this: if you sprain an ankle mid-run, your running form will change to protect that ankle. You might adjust by putting more weight on the opposite leg or shortening your steps because the injured ankle can’t push off as effectively. Your body is signaling to your brain, “I am injured,” and adapting to minimize resistance.
Similarly, your running form is a unique pattern your brain has developed over time based on your strength, stability, power and mobility. This is why running form varies so much from person to person, making the question, “Should runners stretch?” difficult to answer.
The Impact of Modern Lifestyles on Running
In our society, the average person sits for about 10 hours a day. The posture we use while sitting is the opposite of what we need when running. When sitting, our trunk is flexed forward, and our hips, knees, and ankles are bent, putting all the muscles attached in a shortened position. This is worsened when hunching over a computer or looking down at a cell phone.
In contrast, running requires different joints like the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle to move through a wide range of motion. We need to stand tall, look up, and fully extend our swinging leg backward before pushing off to propel ourselves forward. Our body, while running, stores energy much like a rubber band being pulled back and released. If we can’t achieve this range of motion, our body will create compensation patterns, which could result in injury or asymmetries in running gait.
Current research supports that having enough mobility to run is crucial, but more mobility isn’t necessarily better. So, how do you know if you have enough range of motion?
Identifying Movement Restrictions
Movement restrictions can be complex. Let’s say someone visits me, a physical therapist, for calf pain. After an examination, I find they can’t properly dorsiflex their ankle (a term for bending the ankle upwards). This could be due to a stiff ankle joint, inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendon, or an area in the calf where the tissue isn’t gliding properly. It could even be a combination of these issues. Teasing out these deficits often requires the skilled help of a professional.
However, most of us can identify stiffness based on how we feel during daily movements. For example, if you experience stiffness when getting out of bed, tightness going down stairs, or difficulty achieving a full squat, you could likely benefit from a structured stretching program targeting major muscle groups like the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals, adductors and calves.
The Science Behind Stretching
If I bend down and try to touch my toes ten times in a row, I might notice that I get a little further each time, maybe even touching the floor eventually. Does this mean my hamstrings are getting longer? The answer is no; my tolerance to the stretch is just improving.
Research suggests that significant improvements in tissue length occur when a stretch is held for 3-5 minutes, 4-6 days a week, for 10-12 weeks. That’s a long time! Focusing on the major muscle groups mentioned earlier, holding stretches for 3 rounds of 60 seconds, and doing this a few times a week is the key to truly gaining muscle flexibility. This 2021 study concludes that stretching pre-workout can actually improve running economy and reduce the perception of effort in endurance runners.
Ruby Wyles performing another static stretch post run.
This type of stretching is called static stretching, and it’s best done after a run or workout when your body is warmed up. This is because muscle lengthening actually involves pulling apart muscle fibers and causing microdamage (which sounds scary but isn’t). Research suggests that doing this before a run or on cold muscles can do more harm than good.
But stretching before runs isn’t a bad thing! Dynamic stretching, which involves short, quick bursts of light movements and stretches, is a more optimal way to stretch prior to running. It helps improve your body’s perception of tightness, wakes up the nervous system, improves blood flow, and prepares your brain for the effort of running.
Conclusion: To Stretch or Not To Stretch
So, should runners stretch? Unfortunately, the answer is, “It depends.” Do you have the mobility to get your leg behind you properly? If not, you will benefit from a structured static stretching program. While stretching may not be necessary for running, it certainly has other benefits that make it worth incorporating into your weekly routine. I would argue that dynamic stretching is great for everyone before a run. However, stretching alone won’t solve everything; it’s important to be aware of all aspects of running, including strength, power, stability and mobility. As I mentioned earlier, our running form and efficiency are a direct product of all these factors.
TRR Coach Kristen Junker is a St. Louis based running coach and physical therapist. She specializes in any distance from 800 meters to a full marathon on the road. Kristen also offers video gait analysis, where she’ll review a runner’s gait and review everything on a 30-60 minute follow up call, including exercises tailored to any deficiencies she sees.
We recently had a coaches roundtable discussion all about getting off the roads and onto the trails which you can check out here. For many runners, venturing onto the trails can seem quite daunting, while others are just curious about how to get started. Some of the main points from our trail running 101 discussion are summarized below. And if you find yourself trail curious, UltraSignup is your place to go for races, registration and results.
Team RunRunner running tough during a trail race.
How is training for trail races different from road races?
Both road and trail running share foundational principles of fitness and endurance, but training for trail races embraces the unpredictability and challenges of natural environments, and differs from training for road races due to several key factors:
(1) Terrain Consideration:
Trail running involves varying terrain such as hills, technical sections, and possibly altitude. Training needs to include specific workouts that simulate these conditions, focusing on uphill and downhill running techniques, as well as stability and agility.
(2) Time on Feet:
Trail races often require longer durations on unpredictable surfaces. Training emphasizes time on feet to build endurance and mental resilience, preparing runners for the physical and mental demands of extended periods on the trail.
(3) Perceived Effort vs. Pace:
Unlike road races where pace is a primary metric, trail running is more about perceived effort. Runners learn to gauge their effort based on how their body feels rather than relying on pace due to the variability of trail conditions.
TRR Coach Des Clarke believes that “trail running is more about listening to your body and being in touch with your effort than focusing on pace”.
(4) Cross Training and Strength Training:
Cross training and strength training play a crucial role in trail running preparation. Building overall strength and addressing muscular imbalances through specific exercises helps prevent injuries and enhances performance on challenging terrain.
(5) Nutrition and Hydration:
Trail races typically require more attention to nutrition and hydration due to longer durations and varying environmental conditions. Training includes practicing fueling strategies during long runs to optimize energy levels and avoid bonking.
(6) Adaptability and Problem Solving:
Trail runners must be adaptable and able to problem solve on the fly. They encounter unpredictable variables like weather changes, trail obstacles, and elevation shifts, requiring quick adjustments in strategy during races.
(7) Learning Perceived Efforts:
When TRR Coach Brendan Gilpatrick advises athletes moving from the roads to the trails, his focus is helping them “to learn is how their road paces translate to perceived efforts on the trail. For a road focused athlete you can give them repetition work in very specific windows and they go out and tick off a bunch of reps right in that window. With trails, it’s important to learn how to associate how those efforts feel on the road and then how that translates to the trail. Something that has proved helpful is having a handful of specific routes that an athlete can compare over time as they progress in their training.”
Will road running help me on the trails?
Despite the differences, your road running training and fitness will definitely help you on the trails in several ways:
(1) Overall Fitness:
Fitness gained from road running translates well to trail running. Being fit means your cardiovascular system, muscular endurance, and overall stamina are improved, which are essential for both types of running.
(2) Turnover and Speed:
TRR Coach Des Clarke emphasizes this point: “road running helps with turnover and speed, which can translate to faster running on the trails”, especially on less technical sections and downhills, or when you need to push the pace.
(3) Strength Training:
Any strength training you’ve been doing will also benefit your trail running. Stronger muscles and better core stability are valuable for navigating uneven terrain and tackling climbs and descents.
(4) Pace and Effort Understanding:
Road running provides a good foundation for understanding different paces and effort levels. This knowledge translates to the trails, even though your pace might vary due to terrain differences.
(5) Adaptation and Learning:
Transitioning from road to trail running involves some adjustment, particularly in route selection (considering elevation gain and technicality). However, your base fitness from road running will facilitate this transition.
(6) Speed Work:
Incorporating speed work, which is common in road running training, can still be beneficial for trail runners. It helps improve running economy and adapt your body to faster efforts, which are useful on varying trail terrains.
Do I need to choose one: roads or trails?
No! Trail and road running are more similar than different, and you can absolutely race on both trails and roads during the same season.
In fact, TRR Coach Brian Condon said: “I ran my marathon PR in the middle of a training block training for the North Face 50 trail race while training in a city with some trails, but not a ton. You still need to properly space out races based on effort of the race-how long is it, A B or C race, et cetera, but you can definitely do both roads and trails well at the same time. What I tell a lot of my runners is that some of the workouts and long runs need to be specific to the race coming up, but a big chunk of your volume can be on whatever you enjoy and whatever is accessible.”
TRR Coach Genevieve Harrison recommends athletes starting the season with road running “as it fits well with speed and interval training before we get into more endurance and specific training” for trail racing later on.
While general fitness training benefits both road and trail running, allocating time for specificity in your training regimen is crucial for optimal performance in each discipline. Balancing race schedules and training loads with the guidance of a coach can help ensure you’re prepared and peaking appropriately for your targeted races. Ultimately, mixing both road and trail races can enhance overall fitness diversity and long-term enjoyment of the sport, provided that training and race scheduling are thoughtfully managed.
Whether you’re trail curious or not, check out this article “How to Choose your next Goal Race” for top tips on how to do just that!
Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.
Team RunRun Coaches Cheyne Inman, Lindsey Funch, Brant Stachel, and Jessica Hadley came together for a live panel discussion titled “Training Tips for your Fall Marathon” moderated by Kyle Fulmer. Our coaches answered eight of your most popular questions, and Ruby Wyles summarized their responses below. Team RunRunners and Coaches were able to join the live discussion via Zoom and can catch the replay here. We plan to make “Talk with the Experts” an ongoing monthly series, so stay tuned for more discussions coming soon!
1. When should I start training for my marathon? How long should my build be?
Cheyne: There is no one-size-fits-all: it really depends on where you are starting from. Many 16-18 week programs use the first 6-8 weeks to build up mileage and develop your aerobic base. For someone who races and trains year round, they start the build already with a base, so a shorter marathon plan may be more appropriate. For someone who has never run a marathon, I think a 16-20 week build up is necessary to give runners enough time to gradually progress the weekly long run and overall mileage.
Lindsey: It depends! I generally recommend runners already being comfortable running 25-30 miles per week, including double digit runs, before starting a 14-16 week marathon specific block. For runners not there yet, aim for a 20-24 week marathon cycle, allowing you to build mileage and add in intensity gradually. A gradual progression mitigates the chance of overuse injuries!
Brandt: Everyone’s a little different and it depends on a multitude of factors: marathon experience, current fitness and aerobic capabilities, recent injuries, and more. Generally speaking, however, a 10-16 week marathon build is advisable.
Jessica: Some athletes thrive off a short build while some new athletes running a marathon may want a 16-18 week build, depending on what training they have done before the marathon. The bigger their base before starting a marathon specific block, the shorter the build an athlete can do to safely build up for the marathon.
Team RunRun coaches have guided runners of all abilities to successful marathons, including many Boston Qualifiers!
2. Are training races (e.g. a half marathon) a good idea during marathon training?
Cheyne: Shorter races in a marathon buildup are a great way to test the fitness you’ve built in training, dial in your race day routine, fueling, and pacing strategies. The marathon is a long race, and anything can happen on race day –from stomach problems to bad weather and more– so racing a shorter race in your build up allows you to get something out of your training block in case things don’t go perfect on marathon race day.
Lindsey: In short: great but not essential. Training races can be a good way for runners who deal with race day anxiety to feel the excitement and nerves without as much pressure, as well as allowing them to go through the motions of race day preparation. If you plan on racing a half marathon during the build, aim for it to be 4-6 weeks out from your goal marathon so you have enough time to recover fully afterwards. Another option is to use races as aided workouts— rather than running them all-out, the races could be a chance to practice running at marathon effort with the benefits of having aid stations. With the excitement and hype of races, it can be easy to start too fast, so training races can help you practice holding back (and hitting your prescribed paces or efforts) when there’s competition.
Brandt: I like the idea of training races to give athletes practice at their race day routine: portapotty, fueling, breakfast, travel, etc. That said, I’m cautious about using races as a benchmark or measuring stick for marathon performance. While they can be a general guide, they don’t always equate out.
Interestingly, I was looking at the number of men and women at the US Olympic Marathon trials who had hit the Olympic Trials equivalent (based on Jack Daniels’ running calculator) in the half marathon. There were plenty more athletes who hit the equivalent half marathon time to the respective marathon Olympic Trials standards. This shows that even pros don’t always convert their under-distance races to the full distance. If they can’t, then we shouldn’t be so egotistical to think that we must be capable of it every time as well!
Jessica: I often suggest a half marathon in a build around 6-7 weeks out from the marathon for several reasons. Firstly, it helps me get a good idea of where the athlete’s fitness is, and secondly it is a huge confidence booster that they are gaining fitness. It also helps the athlete get in race mode and work on mental toughness. This is a race where they could completely race it for a PR or use it as a workout depending on what they are looking for. I generally don’t like anything too close to the marathon because I don’t want them fully going to the well before the full..
3. Do I have to do my long run on the weekend?
Cheyne: I often have athletes do their long run on other days of the week, and I don’t think that’s a problem. However, whatever day you do, the keys are that you consistently run long every week or two, and that you aren’t running it the day before or after a workout, or else you’re sacrificing recovery.
Lindsey: There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to training plan structure, so find a place in the week that you can carve out 1.5-4 hours— think running time, driving to and from the run (if you don’t run from your door), showering, and grabbing post-run food. Additionally, the long run doesn’t have to be the same day each week. I recommend having 5-13 days between long runs, meaning if one week you get out on Saturday, but the following weekend is crazy, you could shift the next long run to Thursday (5 days) or the following Tuesday (10 days since your last long run) if that works for you. Personally, I’ve coached some runners who found that a 10-day cycle (long run every 10 days) worked best for their schedule and, as a bonus, we could be more intentional about spacing out their hard efforts.
Brandt: We all have lives, work, and families, and sometimes the traditional Saturday or Sunday long run doesn’t fit. I love to put the long run wherever it fits for athletes, and use it as the base of the weekly schedule. So if the long run is on a Wednesday, I don’t put a speed session on Thursday. Instead, I adjust training based on the day of the long run as this really is the bread and butter of marathon training. The mix of volume and intensity both going into and coming out of the long run needs to be just right to ensure fatigue levels are appropriate to hit paces and prevent injury and burnout.
Jessica: One of the great things about having a coach is that we can work with you and your schedule to make it personal for you. I have many athletes that are nurses working shifts that do their long runs during the week, and I actually have to change their schedules weekly.
4. Do I need to do speedwork to run a marathon? Why?
Cheyne: It depends on what you mean by speed work, do you need to be doing 100m sprints every week? No. Could it help? Possibly. It is important to touch on faster paces than marathon pace to make marathon pace feel easier and to also develop different energy systems and strengths. You can do this through faster interval workouts once a week or shorter leg turnover work like 6-8x 100m strides 3x a week. Most importantly, just make sure it isn’t at the expense of your longer, more marathon-specific workouts, or you not recovering and getting hurt.
Lindsey: To complete a marathon, callusing your legs to the time on your feet (read: getting in mileage and some long runs) is more important than incorporating “speedwork”. That said, adding higher intensity training sessions for more experienced runners, can help to improve top-end speed, increase the body’s ability to sustain higher intensities/paces for longer, and give runners a greater number of gears to work from when it comes time to race.
Brandt: Yes and no, it depends. Speed work is great at boosting your neuromuscular system, which can help with running efficiency and strength. However, in my opinion, speedwork is the first thing to be omitted from the marathon build due to time or risk of injury. From talking to experts and leading coaches, it would seem the hierarchy of marathon training is as follows: 1) total aerobic volume, 2) long runs, 3) tempo runs, and then 4) speedwork.
Jessica: Speedwork will help build running economy and improving running economy can have a significant impact on your race. I like to include it once a week. If you are running your first marathon, or don’t have a big base, it’s not as important as building volume and endurance. However, if you want to see a drop in your marathon time, I do believe adding speedwork, combined with marathon specific work in long runs, will help you see fitness gains. For a new runner, speedwork could look like strides at the end of an easy run or power hill strides.
5. When do I need to fuel my runs? What should I fuel with? How do I carry fuel?
Cheyne: Fueling is both individual and universal. Everyone needs to get in calories throughout a marathon to replenish what you use throughout the race, but the most important things are to have a schedule and use fuel that works with your stomach. That takes practice in training to dial in when/ how often to fuel and what nutrition works for you. As far as carrying the fuel, what has worked well for me is tucking gels into tight fitting accessories like arm sleeves, gloves, or short pockets. Another thing I’ve started doing is running with a handheld. Nothing big, just about 10 ounces, and I like to fill mine with liquid fuel like Maurten 360, and often combine that with aid station cups in races too.
Lindsey: The current research shows that YES you do need to fuel your runs, all of them. For endurance runners, running fasted has not been shown to be beneficial. Make sure that you eat some carbs (20-30g) prior to a run, and more if you’re going long or running some higher intensity efforts. From there, in-run fueling is recommended for any run longer than 60-90 minutes, shooting for 50-90g of carbs per hour (so a 20-30g gel every 25-30 minutes). There are a wide variety of ways to carry your fuel, and it really is up to personal preference and the gear you have available. I like to wear shorts that have 2 large side pockets that can fit up to 3 gels each. I also carry a 12-oz handheld water bottle (great for refilling if you’re on a rail trail or passing by a park), which also has a large pocket that can fit 2 more gels. There are also bras (for the ladies) that have up to 5 pockets for snacks, and for carrying fluids, there are lots of belt and vest options made by Solomon, SpiBelt, Flipbelt, UltraSpire, and more. My advice is to experiment and see what works best for you.
Brandt: When running over 100 minutes, the leading research suggests upwards of 100g of carbs per hour. This, however, needs to be trained. I recommend runners pick their gels and fueling source at the beginning of their build, so they can practice it every long run. As much as you’re training your legs and lungs, you need to train your gut to tolerate this as well! Generally, the best fuel is the one you can tolerate best and don’t hate the taste of, given you’re taking in enough carbohydrates. When thinking about the 100g of carbs per hour target, practice fueling every 15 to 30 minutes on easy and marathon paced long runs to ensure the gut is rock solid.
Jessica: Fuel is very specific to the runner – if you are new to fueling I always suggest buying trial packs of different fuel to see what works for your stomach. It can take time to figure out what you like and what doesn’t upset you GI system, but once you do, I recommend practicing with it on all your long runs and during any week day speed sessions. I recommend fueling early and often, generally taking your first source of fuel around 30 minutes into the race. I like athletes to aim for around 50-60g per hour, equating to a gel every 30 minutes. One of the things I see the most is people not being able to handle a gel later in the race which is why fueling early and often can help load up your glycogen stores for later in the race.
Another important factor when thinking about “fuel” is water, electrolytes, and salt. This is also specific to the runner but some runners may opt to carry their preferred hydration in a handheld, take salt chewable tablets for cramps, or salt pills. When training for a fall marathon you are most likely training through brutal summer weather so these are important tools.
6. What are the not-so-little things you as coaches swear by?
Cheyne: I have found that my daily routines have become the most important part of my training as I’ve aged. I do a set of drills daily that I got from Meb Keflezighi’s book “Meb for Mortals”, which has helped with both my form and ability to stay healthy. In the 30 days leading into a goal race, I am intentional about doing everything I can to support my training and recovery: at least 8 hours of sleep, no junk food, doing the little things like stretching and rolling, and no alcohol.
Lindsey: I think many of the listed “not-so-little things” have their place in most everyone’s training, but I think sleep is HUGE. When you’re sleeping, the body repairs, heals, and makes adaptations, so aiming to get MORE THAN 8 hours of sleep each night can be so beneficial. Personally, after a bad night’s sleep or if an athlete’s feeling overly tired, I would rather they skip a training session in service of getting more sleep— running or training while sleep deprived puts you at a higher risk of injury and is also NOT FUN, so getting caught up on sleep and running when you’re mentally and physically firing on all cylinders makes a lot more sense. Fueling and hydrating enough is always important, but especially as the mileage and/or intensity ramps up. It’s totally not a sexy part of training, but making sure nutrition and hydration is on point can make or break your training.
Brandt: Sleep and flexibility – not in your muscles kind, in your training! Just because the plan is written doesn’t mean it has to be followed exactly to the day. The marathon is a grind; sometimes life kicks in and you are under-recovered or not ready for the challenge of the day. A good coach is always in communication with their athletes about their fatigue levels, pain and soreness, so they can adjust their athletes’ training on the fly to save them from blow ups or injuries. Sleep really is the bedrock of our physical and mental health. It’s also when recovery and adaptation truly happen. This is a must to consider when working with athletes. I question whether 10-15 extra minutes running is worth it if it’s forcing the athlete to get up extraordinarily early.
Jessica: I preach that the pillars of a good race are sleeping 8 hours a night, hydration, and nutrition. Sleeping is often harder in the summer because we have so many other factors that keep us from sticking to a regular schedule. I talk to my athletes about what their goals are – if they want to sleep in and run later in the heat that is fine, but if they want to get up early for their long runs they have to go to bed early enough to get enough sleep. Also, because of the excessive amount of sweat most people lose in the summer months during training, it is important to stay hydrated with water and also some type of electrolyte drink. And with nutrition, a great race can come down to a good carb load vs. a bad one; I think most people think a carb load is one day before the race, when actually it should be 2-3 days before the race. Loading up the glycogen stores plus fueling properly on race day will help you not hit the wall and reach your goal!
7. How do I know the difference between expected soreness/ discomfort from training and injury?
Cheyne: I honestly don’t think anyone ever knows for certain, but the way I gauge it is a problem getting worse, staying the same, or getting better. Soreness after a hard workout or race can be misleading. An easy jog the next day can help differentiate between the two: if the soreness eases up during the run, it is likely normal training stiffness; if not, or if I feel a new pain pop up on one of those runs, I will stop and rest a day to see if it was just a little pain or an injury coming on.
Lindsey: A little bit of soreness is normal when you are pushing your body and working to get better. As a general rule, if something is sore post-run, but the soreness wanes after a day of rest or easy activity, that is pretty normal, and not too worrying. If the soreness or discomfort persists, we want to pay more attention to it. As a coach, I am not a physical therapist or medical professional, so it is outside of my scope of practice to diagnose or treat an injury- so if something is very painful (shooting pains, immobile, or causing a change in gait, for example) my suggestion is to get in with your primary care physician, or see a physical therapist or orthopedist that specializes in endurance athletes as soon as possible, so that you can get a diagnosis and a path forward!
Brandt: This is a tough one and often requires the vision and wisdom of someone who has been injured before or seen runners with these types of pains and soreness to help athletes navigate. Generally speaking, though, something that doesn’t return close to baseline after a couple days off running is a red flag for me. If it’s in or near one of the typical troublesome spots such as the ITB, tib post, Achilles, or plantar, I’m also extra cautious. This is an area where good lines of communication in coaching cannot be understated.
Jessica: I joke often that if I woke up and wasn’t sore I would be worried. When you are marathon training you are going to be sore and tired, and little aches and pains may happen. This is normal due to the repetitive nature of running and stress we put on our bodies. However, if you start to feel the same pain repeatedly, and it is hindering your training, changing your stride, or it is more than a 3/10 on the scale of pain, I would like to know as a coach. It may be something we just watch and scale back on harder sessions, or it may be something more serious we need to address.
Team RunRunner Jackson recently ran his first marathon after a successful build with his TRR coach.
8. What’s my marathon pace? How do I work out a realistic goal time?
Cheyne: What has worked for me and some of my athletes is this slightly unconventional method. When starting a new training block after time off, I will have myself or my athlete run a hard 3 mile tempo. Assuming that the athlete has previously run a marathon, their average pace for that 3 miles is a good indicator of what pace they are capable of running for their best marathon. By “best marathon”, I’m assuming the athlete had a smooth 3 month build and a hiccup-free race day. Closer to race day, I also have my athletes do longer repeats like 3-4 x 3 miles at what they feel like is their goal marathon pace. If they are consistently maintaining that pace throughout all the intervals, week after week, feeling somewhat controlled, then we can be more confident that they can run that pace for the marathon.
Lindsey: For the first time marathoner, I generally recommend to worry less about pacing and focus more on finding what feels like a sustainable effort. This principle holds true for most runners, but we can get more specific about pacing as runners gain more experience. I often use previous race results to set some training paces, checking in throughout training to make sure that paces and efforts line up. As training progresses and race day gets closer, it becomes easier to estimate realistically what a runner is capable of- we can use some quality sessions or long runs to assess. If you aren’t working with a coach, using a calculator like VDOT or the McMillan Running Calculator to estimate training paces and race equivalents can be helpful by plugging in a recent time trial or race— remember that longer races like a half marathon will be a better predictor of your marathon pace than shorter distances like the 5k or 10k.
Brandt: You need to consider a variety of factors including: temperature, humidity, fitness. In my opinion, there is a difference between your marathon race pace and marathon training pace. For example, building through the heat and humidity of summer, it’s not uncommon for runners to train at 10-15 sec/mile slower than their race day marathon pace. I also like to start my marathon builds with 45-70 minutes straight of marathon (or “conditions adjusted”) marathon pace. If an athlete can do this comfortably and report they could do this for another 1-2 hours, we likely are close to their marathon pace. If not, then we need to reevaluate to ensure we aren’t overreaching throughout the build. As one of the final workouts of the build 2-3 weeks out, I also like to do 90-120 minutes at goal marathon pace (heat adjusted if need be) as the final test for an athlete. We want to know how comfortable this pace is. Could you do it for another 1-2 hours? Again, if not, we need to reassess an athlete’s goal pace for race day. It’s better to have this information 2-3 weeks out than to discover it 10-15 miles into a marathon! This helps us be data-informed in our pacing decisions, as well as setting athletes up for success.
Jessica: I am a VDOT coach so I use the VDOT calculator to give a “marathon pace”, but that may not be your marathon pace- especially if it is based on a short distance race. This is why I generally like to work with athletes before they start building into the marathon so we can look at their fitness and make any changes. Also, goal marathon pace could change during the build. It’s important to have an open line of communication about goals and expectations for your race with your coach. We are here to help you and guide you to your best marathon by having realistic goal setting and race expectation discussions.
Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.
Running is not just a sport; it’s a way of life for many enthusiasts. Am I right?! Whether you’re a seasoned marathoner or just starting your journey as a runner, staying injury-free is crucial to enjoying the sport and achieving your goals. While pushing your limits and striving for new personal bests is exhilarating, it’s essential to prioritize injury prevention to maintain long-term health and performance. Read on for 10 top tips for injury prevention in runners to help you stay healthy and keep training and racing strong.
Understanding Common Running Injuries:
Before diving into tips for injury prevention, it’s essential to understand the most common injuries that affect runners:
1. Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome): Characterized by pain around or behind the kneecap, often exacerbated by running downhill or downstairs.
2. IT Band Syndrome: Inflammation of the iliotibial (IT) band, causing pain on the outside of the knee or hip.
3. Shin Splints: Pain along the shinbone (tibia), which is commonly the results of overuse or improper footwear.
4. Plantar Fasciitis: Inflammation of the plantar fascia, causing heel pain, especially with the first steps in the morning.
5. Achilles Tendinitis: Inflammation of the Achilles tendon, typically resulting from overuse or tight calf muscles.
Now, let’s delve into strategies to prevent these and other running-related injuries.
10 Tips for Injury Prevention:
1. Gradual Progression
Avoid the temptation to increase mileage or intensity too quickly. Instead, gradually build up your mileage and intensity to allow your body to adapt and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
2. Proper Footwear
Invest in a good pair of running shoes that provide adequate support and cushioning for your foot type and running style. A 2015 study titled “Running shoes and running injuries”, amongst other research, suggests that the shoe that feels most comfortable to you is actually the best when it comes to reducing your individual risk of injury: trust your gut, well, your feet! Additionally, replace your shoes every 300-500 miles to ensure optimal support and shock absorption.
3. Nutrition
Underfueling is one of the biggest causes of injuries. No matter your size or body composition goals, fueling before, during (when workouts exceed 60 minutes) and after workouts is essential, not only to optimize your performance, but also to give your body the building blocks it needs to repair itself: training breaks down the body, nutrition allows the body to build back stronger. Check out this article for more practical advice.
4. Cross-Training
Incorporate cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling, or strength training into your routine to improve overall fitness, strengthen supporting muscles, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
5. Stretching and Mobility
Prioritize flexibility and mobility exercises to maintain proper range of motion and prevent muscle imbalances. Focus on stretching the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip flexors regularly.
6. Strength Training
Incorporate strength training exercises targeting key muscle groups involved in running, such as the core, glutes, and hip abductors. Stronger muscles provide better support and stability, reducing the risk of injuries, as well as better performance!
Strength training is an important way to prevent many injuries. PC: Dave Albo
7. Rest and Recovery
Listen to your body and incorporate rest days into your training schedule. Additionally, aim for 7-9 hours sleep per night too. Adequate rest allows your body to recover and repair, reducing the risk of overuse injuries and burnout.
8. Proper Warm-up and Cool-down
Always start your runs with a dynamic warm-up and/or gradual increase in pace to prepare your muscles and joints for exercise. Likewise, finish your runs with a proper cool-down and stretching routine to aid in recovery and prevent stiffness. This doesn’t need to be complicated, try some leg swings, squats, lunges, and ankle circles.
9. Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to any signs of pain or discomfort and address them promptly. Ignoring minor aches and pains can lead to more serious injuries down the road. When in doubt, seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional such as a PT or physiotherapist, sports doctor, etc.
10. Supplements
While your diet alone should help you meet most of your nutrition needs, certain supplements may be effective at maintaining the health of your muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments. These include: vitamins C and D, calcium, magnesium, iron, omega-3, collagen, and protein supplements. Don’t supplement blindly, and always consult a medical professional first.
TL:DR
Injuries are a common and unfortunate part of running, and while they can’t always be avoided, there are ways to increase your odds of long-term success and enjoyment in running. Trying to tick off all 10 tips immediately may seem overwhelming and unrealistic, instead, focus on one this week, and add another each week. By implementing the top tips for injury prevention in runners outlined in this guide, you can minimize your risk of injury and stay on track to achieve your running goals.
Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.
You’re as old as you feel, right? Maybe. But the physiological aspects of aging, unfortunately, are more than just a state of mind. Do not despair though, not only can you (and should you!) remain active, but, this guide to masters’ running will show how, with a few tweaks and a bit more patience with your body, you can still actively train and chase goals into your golden years.
Rewind time for a minute.
As a younger athlete, you may have felt invincible. Who says you cannot increase mileage by more than 10% at a time? Why can’t runners just run? Too much too fast too soon—come on! Throwing caution to the wind may not have gotten you in trouble in your twenties, but as a masters athlete, those risks are far more likely to end up in injury or otherwise just be harmful to performance.
One of the biggest issues masters runners need to comprehend is that there is a reduced margin for error. Winging it is no longer a viable option. To that end, strength training should be non-negotiable as a masters runner.
One of the most striking effects of age is the involuntary loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. Muscle mass decreases approximately 3–8% per decade after the age of 30. This rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60. Among other hormonal and metabolic impacts, loss of muscle loss leads to reduced running economy.
However, we can counteract that muscle loss via heavy strength training, allowing you to maintain a similar running economy and endurance performance into your later years, which is why this is first in our guide to masters’ running. In addition to maintaining muscle mass, strength and function, weight training is essential for bone health and injury prevention, something especially important for masters women.
If you have a fancy gym membership, great. But if you don’t, no worries as there are many affordable ways to perform strength training, including using dumbbells, resistance bands, or your body weight. That said, as you progress, you’ll need some heavier weights to get the full benefit of your training.
Strength training tips:
Warm up with some dynamic stretching or light cardio exercise.
Pick weights that are challenging, but that you can complete 10-15 reps to start.
Work your way up from one set to three sets, and increase the weight or resistance as you adapt.
Be consistent. You don’t need to spend hours on strength training but getting into a regular routine at least twice a week will make a big difference.
Keeping the hard days hard, and easy days easy. This may mean strength training after your running workout.
When choosing exercises, focus on large muscle groups to get the biggest bang for your buck. Machine exercises may initially help you with the movement pattern and make sure you are engaging the right muscles, but it is also important to add in standing exercises that challenge your stability and balance.
Focus on the lower body and core, but don’t neglect your upper body either, since your arm swing also powers each stride.
Runners doing strength training. PC: Dave Albo
2. High intensity training
In addition to strength training, there is evidence that bouts of higher intensity exercise are especially beneficial for masters athletes. One reason is the link between high intensity exercise and the body’s secretion of human growth hormone (hGH). A 2005 review article by physiologists William Kraemer and Nicholas Ratamess examined almost two hundred scientific studies to uncover the relationship between exercise and hormone levels in the blood, and found four major factors: workload, intensity, duration, muscle mass. Other studies have shown that an exercise intensity above lactate threshold and for a minimum of 10 minutes appears to elicit the greatest stimulus to the secretion of hGH, with effects lasting for up to 24 hours.
Why is hGH important?
Human growth hormone (hGH) is a naturally occurring substance in the body that aids in building and maintaining muscle, among other things. It is so potent that athletes –albeit illegally– dope with synthetic hGH to further increase their muscle mass. However, through high intensity exercise, you can encourage your body to produce more naturally, reducing some of the deleterious effects of aging.
*A word of caution, however, if you are not accustomed to high intensity training, you cannot jump right into it. Work with your coach or a trainer to progress your training to a level that your body can tolerate this type of stress.
3. Protein
Add protein to your diet.
Everyone needs protein, but as you age, your body requires more protein to maintain your muscles, and even more if you are adding in or increasing your strength training. Protein powders and supplements are fine as just that, supplements, but most of your intake should be from lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, lentils, beans and other whole food sources. Most athletes, and most people for that matter, take in far less protein than they should. I encourage you to work with a registered dietician that can tailor your specific needs according to your history and lifestyle. Nutrition as a whole is a critical component to performance and recovery at any age!
4. Recovery
As you age, your body likely will need more time to recover from those harder workouts. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them, but it does mean you need to plan smarter. These small tweaks, in addition to the points outlined throughout this guide to masters’ running, can make a big difference with how you perform and how you feel while performing.
Recovery considerations for masters runners:
Longer rest time between intervals.
Maybe you previously ran mile repeats with 2 minutes rest between, as you age you might bump that up to 3 or 4 minutes.
Alternatively, swap out jogging recovery for walking or standing.
More days between hard effort workouts.
Instead of a traditional 7-day microcycle with perhaps 2 full easy/ off days between workouts/ long runs, consider a 10- or even 14-day cycle where you have 3 or 4 full easy/ off days between to accommodate more recovery.
Pay attention to your nutrition, hydration, sleep, and self-care.
Soft-tissue release with tools like foam rollers, mobility balls, and compression bands, as well as regular stretching often are skipped for lack of time or patience. But these become critical components to allowing your body to move without restriction, and keeping you on the roads or trails..
Running as a masters athlete can be a healthy and fulfilling way to remain active in your later years. If you are already doing all of the things mentioned in this guide to masters’ running, that’s great! If not, there’s no better time than the present to build in these good habits so that you can remain positive, and know that you can achieve your running and athletic goals at any age!
Tammy Cumo is an Albany-based running coach with Team RunRun. She specializes in working with runners on the roads from the 5k up to the marathon, and with a personal training background, Tammy can offer insight into what strength training, mobility and stretching can help to nab that elusive PR.
A few weeks back, we received a race report from Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker that said something along the lines of: ‘I hopped in a 200 mile race, it was fun, wasn’t my fastest or my slowest’. Rebecca’s nonchalance suggested that running super long distances was a relatively common affair for her, and I had to learn more!
Rebecca wading through a creek during the Cocodona 250. PC: Anastasia Wilde
Meet Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker and Coach Greg Ottinger
Coached by accomplished ultrarunner and Team RunRun Coach Greg Ottinger, the pair have been working together for two and a half years and counting. As mentioned, coach Greg is no stranger to 200 mile races or back-to-back ultras, himself targeting the Triple Crown of 200s this summer, which involves running three 200-mile races over four consecutive months! With over 200 Team RunRun coaches to choose from, it’s no coincidence Rebecca and Greg seem to have the perfect coach-athlete match.
According to UltraSignup, in little more than 10 years, Rebecca Walker has 82 ultras to her name, including seven 200+ mile races, which had her running for up to 5 days at a time! Yep, 5 whole days, over 121 hours to be precise! Interviewing Rebecca, I thought I’d start with the obvious question I’m sure we’re all wondering: why? What draws you to these super long events, and why do you keep going back for more?!
Rebecca: “Historically, I chose my races based on places I wanted to visit. My first 200 mile run was the Tahoe 200, which I remember seeing advertised and thought I would like to do it someday. At the time, you had to have completed a mountain 100 mile qualifier race beforehand, so I wasn’t able to enter Tahoe 200 until the prerequisites were met. After completing that one successfully, I realized how much I appreciated the variability of these events, as well as the slower pace – being a slower runner, this was important to me!”
Balancing ultra training with life
As superhuman as Rebecca’s ultrarunning exploits seem, she isn’t a full time runner focused solely on the eat-sleep-train priority triplet that many professional athletes are. Instead, Rebecca balances a full time job in the legal field with family life as a wife, mom to an active teenage girl, plus two cats and dog too! Not your typical husband-and-wife duo, the pair bond over their love of ultras, and actually ran the Moab 240 together for their honeymoon!
So what’s Rebecca’s secret? How can she possibly excel at these ultra ultra distances with so much other life to balance?
Rebbeca: “Greg [Ottinger, her TRR coach] has been AWESOME working with my schedule, and we’re flexible with moving workouts around. My husband typically runs with me on the weekends, but the weekday stuff is all me.”
“Training for 200 milers is not too much different than 100 mile training. Under Greg’s guidance I now run 5 days a week (vs the 3-4 I used to do): 3 runs are usually Z2, easy training; 1 day is typically speedwork and/or hills depending on whatever race I have coming up; and the other day is a long run. Saturdays are always my long days, involving either a progression run if I’m training for something flat, but usually I go on a time-based adventure run in the foothills/mountains.”
Add to that Rebecca’s one day per week of strength training, and training for 200 milers seems almost manageable…?! Rebecca adds: “I just do what I’m told”, not overcomplicating her running, and leaving the X’s and O’s of training science to her coach Greg, a job he readily accepts.
Greg: “As a coach, navigating Rebecca’s race calendar is akin to orchestrating a symphony of commitments, aspirations, and relentless determination. Hailing from the frosty climes of a region that could freeze a San Diegan’s bones, Rebecca juggles the roles of a dedicated runner, nurturing mother, driven professional, and even a devoted dog mom. It’s a balancing act that requires precision planning and adaptability, a task I undertake with both awe and admiration.”
As a runner with a coach myself, I believe this is one of Rebecca’s, and most athletes’, secrets to success: enjoy your running, don’t overthink it, and outsource the programming to an expert, like our band of Team RunRun coaches!
If you want further proof of Rebecca’s mortal and measured approach to training, consider that when the weather is close to freezing she simply doesn’t run. Instead of toughing it out in miserable conditions, or making up mind-numbing miles on the treadmill, Rebecca opts for extra recovery over trying to prove her toughness in training, a fallacy that almost always backfires. Despite preparing to race through all hours of day and night, in all kinds of sleep-deprived, underfueled,and fatigued states, again Rebecca doesn’t make training harder than it needs to be, not losing sight of the fact that running should be (at least most of the time) enjoyable!
Rebecca: “I don’t night run [in training], but I do vary the terrain and elevation, running on dirt roads and trails near my house in Colorado.”
Greg: “Preparing for the rigors of ultrarunning demands a holistic approach that transcends mere mileage. Rebecca’s training regimen revolves around building a robust aerobic base, with 90% of her workouts dedicated to aerobic efforts, Heart Rate Zone II. We prioritize consistency, honing her ability to endure the relentless demands of multi-day races.”
Rebecca’s year-round race schedule means that she is constantly in training mode, save for a taper week prior and recovery week post race.
Greg: “When it comes to setting race goals, Rebecca is quite candid. Whether she’s eyeing a podium finish, leisurely adventure with friends, or simply seeking the joy of crossing the finish line, each race serves a distinct purpose. If it’s a “fun 50,” we integrate it into her routine without the customary taper, allowing her to enjoy the experience without compromising her overall progress or risking injury.”
Without big swings in her mileage, plus her incredible ability to endurance and recover from these long distances, Rebecca maintains an impressive baseline fitness that allows her to race frequently and avoid injury. She reminds us all that the key to any and all running success is consistency, not hero workouts or huge increases in mileage leading into race day; Rebecca, with help from her TRR coach Greg, has found a sustainable level of training for her body and life demands, that she is able to repeat year-round. Now that is the not-so-sexy secret to success!
Running fundamentals: fueling, sleep, and recovery
Fueling, a critical element of any ultrarunner’s performance, is another of Rebecca’s strengths, and she is gifted with an iron stomach that allows her to “eat whatever is available at aid stations”. She jokingly refers to herself as a “trash panda”, recognizing that she is “in the minority of folks who don’t have issues with fueling”. During long training and race days, Rebecca fuels consistently, always carrying extra snacks to ensure she’s never running close to empty.
It’s not just fueling that Rebecca’s dialed in, running through extreme fatigue and sleep deprivation appears to be another one of her skills. Whether honed through parenthood, a highly caffeinated lifestyle, or a rare genetic ‘I-will-run-on-no-sleep’ predisposition, if the princess and the pea is on one extreme, Rebecca is on the far other!
Rebecca: “I can get through night one fine without sleep now that I have nailed down a good caffeine plan. After that first night though, I tend to have issues falling asleep, but taking some time off my feet at aid stations even when I can’t sleep helps. Over time [as Rebecca gets further and further into a race, becoming more and more fatigued] I can usually get about an hour’s sleep at an aid station, as well as 5-10 minute trail naps! If the terrain permits, I’ll just lie on the side of the trail, or sit up against a tree; other times, just closing my mind will usually be enough to keep me going for a few more hours.”
Much to my surprise, and in part credited to great nutrition and smart training, alongside honest communication with her coach, Rebecca isn’t bed-bound for weeks following her epic adventures, and instead is an advocate for the ‘motion-is-lotion’, ‘movement-is-medicine’ paradigm.
Rebecca: “Hydration and sleep are so important, and I aim for 8-10 hours a night the first few days after a big race. I am a huge fan of active recovery. I still take my dog for walks (usually a few miles at a time) and I have a treadmill desk that I walk on while working.”
Greg: “Navigating the aftermath of ultramarathons requires a keen understanding of the body’s signals and rhythms. Listening to her body becomes an art form, as we interpret its subtle cues and adjust our approach accordingly. Rebecca is always clear with her progress and we adjust each week accordingly.”
Rebecca during her Tahoe 200 “honeymoon”.
Ultra racing: highs, lows, and 200-mile memories
A seasoned ultrarunner with over 100 results to her name, I asked Rebecca a very difficult question: what her favorite race has been so far.
Rebecca: “Tahoe 200 will always be very special to me. I ran when it [the course] was still a loop around the lake, and it was just so surreal to be going for this huge, unknown distance. Cocodona 250 was also a wonderful event with very diverse environments” as runners traverse from the desert and cacti in Phoenix up to the mountain town of Flagstaff, with its fir trees and cooler temperatures.
Full of positive regard for these super long races, I imagined there must also be significant challenges and low points that are just par for the course. Yet again, I was surprised and in awe of Rebecca’s response.
Rebecca: “I don’t typically encounter many issues in training, unless it’s weather related or to do with personal things going on outside of running. I am, and always have been, a slower and low mileage runner, but that doesn’t derail me or make me “get in my head.”
That said, races can be a stressful experience for Rebecca, with race cutoffs never far from her mind. Even in the face of uncertainty, she remains remarkably undeterred, reminding us all to continue to chase big goals no matter how unlikely they may seem!
Rebecca: “I know I can complete these distances, but am I fast enough to make cutoffs? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, still I never regret going for big goals.”
Working such an ambitious and motivated athlete comes with its own set of challenges, as Greg attests to, but he, like Rebecca, sees them in a very positive light.
Greg: “Coaching Rebecca is a rollercoaster of exhilaration and anticipation, characterized by the electrifying unpredictability of her ambitions. From impromptu 100 mile races, to last-minute decisions to pace a friend across unforgiving terrain, Rebecca’s spontaneity keeps me on my toes. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of uncertainty, her commitment to the process remains a true inspiration.
The ease of coaching Rebecca lies in her work ethic—a pursuit of excellence that leaves no room for excuses or shortcuts. She embraces each challenge with resolve, transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth.”
I finished off digging deeper into her race highlights, and again, the pure joy she has for running –running very long distances at that– shone through.
Rebecca: “All my ultras are victories! Tahoe 200 being my first; Moab 240 [Rebecca’s ‘honeymoon’] for not pushing my new husband off a cliff (haha, just kidding!); Bigfoot 200 for being the most technical and challenging of any 200 I’ve done; Cocodona 250 – I was a DNF the first time around, then went back for redemption in 2023 and had an awesome experience; and, most recently, the Southern States 200, a race I completed without crew or pacers, barely recognizing anyone on the start list, made for a fun and novel challenge in and of itself!”
At the finish of her most recent 200 mile race that inspired this piece, the Southern States 200.
Top races for new ultrarunners from Team RunRunner Rebecca Walker:
100K (62 miles) distance
Rebecca recommends the Black Canyons 100Kfor its non-technical nature, great organization, and community spirit. In her words: “it’s large enough that you’ll never be alone on the trail”.
100 miles distance
The Lean Horse Ultra in South Dakota and the Javelina Hundred in Arizona come top of Rebecca’s list. The two race courses are non-technical, runnable trails, and the events as a whole are a lot of fun for both runners and crew!
200+ miles distance
“Amazing in different ways”, according to Rebecca, these long ultras are so varied. Cocodona 250, a race that takes runners from Phoenix to Flagstaff, AZ, has quickly become one of the most highly rated and popular events.
Another great beginner-friendly ultra is the Cowboy 200 in Nebraska. Rebecca highlights its “flatter and less technical nature”, and a course that is very crew accessible with good phone service throughout.
Advice for new ultrarunners from Team RunRun Coach Greg Ottinger:
I asked seasoned ultrarunner and TRR coach Greg Ottinger to share some words of wisdom for ultra-curious folk, and what I received was something quite prophetic, not to mention poetic! (Greg, if you fancy a career change, or get bored of running 200-milers, I’d take you on as a TRR staff writer in a heartbeat!).
Greg: “To aspiring ultrarunners, I offer a simple advice: dare to dream, but do so with deliberation and respect for the journey ahead. Embrace the unknown, but temper enthusiasm with wisdom and experience. Seek guidance from seasoned veterans, whether it be through mentorship or the counsel of a trusted coach. And above all, trust in the resilience of the human spirit—to endure, to overcome, and to transcend the limits of what is deemed possible.”
What’s next for Rebecca and Greg?
Unsurprisingly, Rebecca’s mind and body are already preparing for the next challenge: a relatively achievable –only by Rebecca’s standard that is!– series of 100 mile races this summer. Fear not, Rebecca’s 200+ mile days are far from behind her! In fact, Rebecca has her sights set on the Arizona Monster 300, a 309 mile run through the desert of Arizona. And before you ask, yes, I’m equally confused by the race director’s dishonesty: I mean, if runners are already covering 300 miles, why keep the extra 9 miles a secret?!
As for coach Greg, he’s in the thick of training for the Triple Crown of 200s, running three 200-mile races in so many months this Summer, along the way inspiring more runners to give ultras a try!
If you’re curious about ultrarunning and the training it takes to run long distances, check out our group of Team RunRun coaches and filter for ultra and trail specialists.
Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.
Trail running is a sport that requires dedication, discipline, and a lot of hard work. For those who have a passion for running long distances through rugged terrain, the challenge of balancing your training for trail races with family, work, and life can be quite overwhelming. That said, with proper planning and support, it is possible to find a healthy balance and pursue your trail running goals without neglecting other important priorities. No matter what race you have coming up, balancing your training with life demands can be very challenging to say the least.
Ultimately, there are only 24 hours in a day, which is why it is essential that you maximize the time you have available to prepare for races: these tips will help you do just that. The Beast of Big Creek 14 miler and 5 miler mountain races to the summit of magnificent Mount Ellinor in the Olympic Mountains are set for August 3rd! Will you be ready?
5 tips to help you balance your training with other priorities:
1. Effective time management.
Allocate specific time slots for training and stick to them as much as possible. This may require waking up a bit earlier in the morning, running during lunch breaks, or perhaps after work, but it is essential to make running a priority. By incorporating training into your daily routine, you can ensure that you are consistently making progress towards your running goals.
2. Communication with and support from your loved ones.
Have open and honest conversations with your family about your running goals and the time commitment it requires. Gain their understanding and support by sharing with them why trail running is important to you and how it contributes to your overall well-being. Involving your family in your running journey can create a sense of togetherness: encourage them to join you for short runs or cheer you on at races. Who knows, maybe they will catch the running bug if they haven’t already! Read how running became a family affair for coach Laurie, her husband and children.
3. Find a work-life-training balance that allows you to perform well in both areas.
Consider a conversation with your employer about creating a flexible work schedule or finding ways to incorporate physical activity into your workday. Believe it or not, this isn’t all that idealistic! Many companies recognize and promote the importance of employee health and wellbeing, and may even provide facilities to exercise during breaks. Taking advantage of such opportunities can help you stay active and focused on your training goals while still fulfilling your work responsibilities. That said, this is not an option for all occupations unfortunately.
4. Take care of your overall well-being.
Where possible, ensure you are paying attention to your stress levels, diet quality, hydration, and sleep, as well as making time for family and friends. Adequate sleep and a healthy diet provide you with the energy and strength needed to tackle your training runs while juggling your other responsibilities. Additionally, finding ways to relax and destress, such as practicing prayer, meditation or yoga, can help you maintain a positive mindset and avoid burnout.
5. It’s not about perfection, rather about making smart choices and priorities.
Some days, you may have to adjust your training or skip a run altogether due to unforeseen circumstances. Remember, unexpected things pop up from time to time for everyone, and it is important to be flexible and forgiving with yourself and others during these times. Life is full of ups and downs, and it is okay to prioritize other aspects over trail running. In addition, by maintaining a positive attitude and adapting to the challenges that come your way, you can achieve a healthy balance between family, work, life, and trail running.
TL:DR for balancing your training
Balancing your training for trail races with family, work, and other life demands is undoubtedly a challenge. However, with effective time management, open communication, and a focus on overall well-being, it is possible to pursue your running goals while still fulfilling your other responsibilities. Remember to relax, be flexible, forgiving, and patient with yourself and others as you navigate this juggling act. With determination and perseverance, you can strike the right balance between your love for trail running and your commitment to your family, work, and life.
Laurie Porter is a Portland-based running coach with Team RunRun. She is passionate about helping runners improve their skills, both youth and adults, as she’s well-versed on the track and on the roads, from 800 meters to the ultra marathon.
Team RunRun Coach and Marathoner Dakotah Lindwurm made a huge splash earlier this year when she secured her spot on Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Last week, she was featured in Runner’s World and we couldn’t be more excited for her! As a coach, Dakotah also offers her guidance to other runners: below are five training tips she lives by, highlighted in her Runner’s World article.
Dakotah opens up about a rocky upbringing and challenges she faced early on, alongside her running progression from an average high school and college athlete to qualifying for the Olympics. Some of our favorite interview moments include the love Dakotah expresses for her parents, and how, from a very early age, Dakotah supported her mom through health challenges and homelessness. Another highlight is the power of a dream and role models: watching the film Miracle in middle school ignited Dakotah’s desire to make the Olympics one day herself, and after you read up on Dakotah’s unlikely path to professional running, you’ll appreciate why her making the 2024 US Olympic marathon team is nothing short of miraculous!
Here are five training tips Team RunRun Coach Dakotah lives by, highlighted in her Runner’s World article:
1. Persistence Pays Off:
Dakotah Lindwurm’s story underscores the importance of persistence in achieving long-term success. Despite facing homelessness, financial struggles, slow progress, and initial setbacks in her running career, Dakotah persisted. She continued to train, compete, and work towards her goals, refusing to let obstacles deter her. This resilience ultimately led her to a spot on the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team, proving to her and everyone else that consistent effort over time can yield remarkable results in athletics and beyond.
2. Set Clear Goals:
We can all learn from Dakotah’s journey about the significance of setting clear and ambitious goals. From her early days in high school track to her pursuit of qualifying for the Olympic Trials, she had specific objectives that guided her training and focus along the way. Alongside Dakotah’s big-picture goal of qualifying for the Olympics, with guidance from her coaches, Dakotah focused on the small steps along the way that would eventually allow her to turn her aspirations into reality. Clear goals provided Dakotah direction, motivation, and a roadmap for her athletic success.
3. Focus on Improvement:
Another remarkable take away from Dakotah’s story is how she has remained dedicated to continuous improvement in spite of setbacks. Rather than becoming discouraged by her unremarkable high school and college track PRs, as well as the high improbability of ever signing a professional running contract, let alone qualifying for the Olympics, she embraced the opportunity to learn and grow as a runner. Dakotah’s commitment to training, her willingness to seek ways to enhance her skills from coaches and other athletes, combined with her perseverance in the face of adversity allowed her to steadily progress and achieve success at higher levels of competition. Dakotah highlights to us all the importance of focusing on the process rather than the outcome, the daily habits that drive the big changes, and using the small wins along the way as fuel to the fire.
4. Adapt and Learn:
Dakotah’s journey underscores the importance of adaptability and a willingness to learn. Throughout her career, she sought guidance from experienced coaches, adjusted her training regimen based on feedback, and continuously refined her techniques. By remaining open-minded and receptive to new ideas, such as moving up to the marathon aged only 23, as well as dialing in her fueling strategy -the reason for Dakotah dropping out of her first marathon-, she was able to evolve and progress as a runner. The ability to adapt and learn is essential for anyone looking to improve and thrive in any area of life, the ever-changing landscape of athletics being no exception.
5. Believe in Yourself:
Perhaps the most important of all five training tips and most crucial aspect of Dakotah Lindwurm’s success is her unwavering self-belief and the power of a dream. In the face of doubt and skepticism from others, she maintained a strong belief in her abilities and potential, refusing to give up on herself and her miracle. Dakotah’s confidence in herself fueled her determination, resilience, and perseverance, enabling her to persist in spite of challenges and unlikely odds, and ultimately pursue her dreams with unwavering conviction. Alongside the way, Dakotah sought advice from others -coaches, teammates, and her boyfriend- who believed in her potential too, highlighting the importance of who you surround yourself with for success in any endeavor.
Sure, we won’t all become Olypmians, but Dakotah’s story and five training tips offer valuable insight we can all benefit from taking note of: from the power of self-belief and betting on oneself, to lessons on resilience and perseverance, and maintaining loving relationships with family and friends along the way. Dakotah’s unlikely journey from an average high school athlete and unrecruited college walk-on, to qualifying to represent Team USA at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games emphasizes the paradigm that we often overestimate what we can achieve in one year, but underestimate what we can achieve in five or ten. A decade of hard work, motivated by continual self-belief and commitment to the process, allowed Dakotah to steadily progress up the ranks to the top of the podium today.
If you only take away one thing from Dakotah Lindwurm’s story, it’s to never give up on yourself and the goals you have, no matter how improbable they may seem.
Ruby is a runner, triathlete, and passionate coach, who is most fulfilled by helping athletes overcome limiting beliefs with joy. She is also a proud science nerd, and advocate for athletes’ mental and physical health.
