Running Program Not Taking? What is YOUR run week that's most sustainable & can constantly execute?

Balance Your Run Program

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Bulk of training is time on feet - then once your foundation is strong - add in the pace work- not too much!

Instead of winging it or letting motivation hijack your potential, your program needs to balance between how much and how hard.

Compliance to a plan that is written for you.
Showing up on the easy and hard days.

This is where a coach can really help in developing a program that is not only sustainable for your lifestyle but also BALANCES the easy/hard according to the race you are training. I see a lot of athletes who extrapolate their workouts to mimic other athletes who have been running for many more years and miles and with more resources and this habit may work for a hot minute but will indefinitely end in disaster.

Eighty/Twenty

Personally, I like to keep it simple for myself by using the well known 80/20 rule: 80% of running at natural pace runs by effort- nice and easy; time on feet; aerobic benefits; and musculoskeletal loading benefits. These miles will provide me with the strong foundation I need in order to add the proper intensity or hard efforts I need to include if I am desiring a performance gain and a metabolic punch!

In short, 80 percent of my runs are recovery mileage (use effort) and 20 percent of my runs will be more intense mileage that aligns with the specific race demands I am aiming towards. Fun!

Focusing on Effort

I recommend using effort for 100% of your running if you are new to the sport, coming back from injury, or coming back to the sport after a long break. This allows for the tried and true progressive overload works every time: Your coach can explain effort to you with a scale that makes sense to you both. Many use the Rate of Perceived Exertion scale and dial it down to 1-10: 1 being hardly any effort to 10 all out effort.

After at least 1 year of running by effort, and executing several weeks, months, years of mileage, then dialing in a pace is appropriate. Personally, it took me 2-3 years of building mileage and intensity before I actually was ready physically and mentally to execute the pace work required to smash huge dream goals. You can't just decide and do this overnight. You have to make a long term decision. AND, progressively overload. There are many athletes who build and then they never take that next step to add specific pace work that may be scary but necessary for the race demands required to hit big goals like a fast marathon.

Consistency. Patience. Sustainability.

This is definitely me when returning from an injury. Hey, we write about what we needed to hear at some point in our lives.

Zoom Out

I don't care what you can do on any one day I want to know “What is the run week that is most sustainable that you can constantly execute time and time again?" Most likely, you do not live life with the time and resources of an elite runner getting paid to run fast- so be honest with your reality. Set big yet attainable goals and use the tried and true method of progressive overload. Distance running take years and years to develop- there is rarely instant gratification here. This is one of the reasons I love it- it challenges my insticnts to want to hurry up- sometimes you have to take a breath. slow down. and refocus over and over to attain your goals. AND, this is the MAGIC that creates the incredible human being that is YOU. The kind of person who you really want to be- someone who is patient, kind to self and others, hard working, disciplined, social, meditative, of service, free, explorative, inspriing, an energy giver not taker. And more! Running can literally allow you to become the woman or man you desire to be for this world!

If you are interested in a coaching call, reach out- I love talking about all things running, strength training, and athletic performance. Bring your questions, concerns, and dreams and let me help you get there. CLICK HERE.