Preparing for the Run
Hydrate as much, and as regularly, as possible. Hydration's importance can't be stressed enough, as water keeps your strong, safe, and healthy. You should drink 4-8 ounces of water each hour at least two days before a race, along with electrolytes-rich foods like bananas and pretzels to help retain that water. One hour before running, gulp 16oz of water, and keep sipping before you leave. The best practice is to keep a water bottle with you all day, simply sipping throughout instead of trying to chug it down later. Constant hydration will do wonders for your stamina.
Eat a simple, low-fiber meal about 1-2 hours before running. You want food that'll move through your body quickly and provide you with some lasting energy. Try toast with jelly and peanut butter, oatmeal with a bit of fruit, pasta with olive oil and lean chicken, or some granola and yogurt. You want a light mix of carbs, simple sugars, and a little bit of protein. Avoid excessive dairy, greasy or fatty foods, and empty sugars found in candies and sweets. EXPERT TIP Tyler Courville Tyler Courville Professional Runner Tyler Courville is a brand ambassador for Salomon Running. He has run in 10 ultra and mountain races across the United States and Nepal, and won the 2018 Crystal Mountain Marathon. Tyler Courville Tyler Courville Professional Runner Some prefer to eat after their runs. Tyler Courville, ultra and mountain runner, says: “I’m a morning runner, so I try to wake up, have a cup of coffee, and then go for a run the moment it’s done. Before dinner is also a nice time because you have something to run to. The thought of dinner often gets me through that last mile.”
Dress in light, breathable clothing, knowing your body temperature will soon rise. Over the course of a run, most people's bodies heat up 10-15 degrees, so assume it's about 10 degrees warmer outside, even if it means you must warm up while a little chilly. Try to avoid cotton shirts -- synthetics made for exercises are far more effective at staying dry and comfortable. Wet cotton is not only hot and sticky, it can get noticeably heavy. For races or big events, warm up in warm clothing, removing it once you have a light sweat going. This literally helps your muscles get warm, which makes them more pliable.
Start the first 5-10 minutes at a light pace, roughly a third of your top speed. Don't jump out the front door at top speed -- give you muscles some time to prepare themselves for the stress of a long run. A slow, light jog will lightly stretch and warm up your muscles, allowing you to gradually pick up speed. Many runners like to jog for 5-10 minutes, then stop and stretch, allowing them to jump right into their normal running speed right as they start the clock.
Use a dynamic warm-up, not static stretching, to prepare your muscles for grueling distances. Studies show that the classic "stretch and hold" warm-up, performed on its own, can actually decrease muscle efficiency. Dynamic stretches, however, mimic real running more naturally to eliminate injuries and ensure peak performance. Try out at 30-60 seconds of the following exercises, using light stretching at the very end (10-15 seconds) to eliminate any soreness: Lunges Weightless squats High knees and butt kickers Skipping. Side Shuffling Running backwards
Running Effectively
Aim for 50-60% of your top speed during the majority of the run. Even if you feel great at the beginning, be sure to conserve your energy so that you don't get tired later. The more you run, the more comfortable you'll feel setting your own pace, knowing when you can push yourself and still have energy for later. In the first few runs, err on the safe side and conserve your energy until the end. You can always add another mile if you feel great and still want a challenge. Music can be an effective way to keep pace. As you run, take note of songs that fit your gait comfortably, then make up a playlist when you get home full of similar songs.
Stay on the balls of your feet to defy gravity and save energy. Try to place your feet on the ground for as little time as possible. A good way to remember this is to imagine pulling your plant foot backward almost as soon as it lands, really emphasizing the push-off motion to get maximum power and kicking the foot up towards your butt. To stay on the balls of your feet, land with your knee slightly bent, not locked. Don't try and bounce up -- this just wastes energy needed to go forward. Push back with your landing foot, not down. The last thing you want to do is land, stand you body up, then push off. Landing just behind the balls of your feet and pushing back to the toe smoothly will help avoid this.
Aim for a stride rate of roughly 180 steps per minute, which you can easily calculate. To find your stride rate, simply use a timer set to 1 minute and run, counting every time you right foot hits the ground. After a minute, double this number to find you stride rate. You should be between 175-185 strides per minute for the most efficient running. Too low and you're likely moving up and down too much with each step, too high and you need to stretch each stride out a little further. Eight in ten runners have too big a stride, meaning their stride rate is too low. Try leaning forward slightly as you run to naturally shorten your stride. Build up to a better stride, aiming to add 2-3 strides per minute each time you run. Note that there will be some variability in body types -- smaller runners tend to have slightly higher stride counts.
Keep a relaxed but strong upper body to conserve and transfer energy efficiently. You want to keep your chin up and your shoulders back, with loose, relaxed arm and hand muscles. If anything, the only muscles you want to focus on keeping strong and tight are in your core, as this will naturally keep your posture strong and help efficiently channel energy. While you're not tensing your abs, you shouldn't be slouching or leaning back when you get tired, but straight up. Don't neglect your abs and core while training. While not directly used or felt, they are key to running smoothly and efficiently during long distances.
Keep drinking water, especially for runs longer than 30 minutes. As soon as you're thirsty and your throat is dry, you've waited too long. The goal is to use water to stave off thirst, as this means you body has the water it needs to run efficiently. You can carry a water bottle with you, or, in certain areas, learn to plan your route around water fountains. Many running apps that use GPS will even map these out for you. If you bring a water bottle, focus on taking lots of small sips instead of a few big gulps. This helps to avoid cramps and stay hydrated.
Breathe in through your nose & mouth, then out your mouth, keeping a regular pattern. Keeping your breathing calm and regular is easy if you just focus on this simple system. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. It takes some practice, but you'll feel the benefits almost instantly. The goal is to have calm, even breathing, avoiding short shallow breathes even when you're tired. Keep your head up and chest out especially when tired -- it helps you suck in more vital oxygen. Keep your breathing regular and patterned -- try to match it up with your stride if you're struggling.
Eat a small snack, like an energy bar or energy gels, after roughly 45-60 minutes. Your body is crushing calories every second you're running, and you will start to crash if you don't get some form of energy replace what is being lost. Like hydration, the goal is to stay ahead of this process instead of reacting to a sudden loss of energy. If you're running for an hour or less you shouldn't need a snack, but anything longer than this will require refueling to run effectively. Try out: Sports beans and gels designed for running. Half of a power or energy bar Banana Half of a peanut butter sandwich
Listen to your body's signals to stay safe on long, tiring runs. This applies to both races and normal runs. You are you own best gauge of health and energy levels, so listen to your body when deciding the speed and length of the run. If your muscles are shaking, you feel dizzy/light-headed, or want to puke, move to the shade and get water immediately. If you're a little sore or breathing heavily, but can still move, try lowering the pace a bit and seeing if your energy comes back. While setting plans and goals is smart, remember to be a little flexible. If you feel great, add another mile or so. If you're really struggling, try to get home and add more difficulty to the next run. Being in a little pain is different than being sick or woozy. Know that, to truly get stronger, you need to learn to push yourself through some of the struggling sections.
Training for Longer Distances
Follow the "easy-hard" rule of elite runners to grow strength quickly. Many young runners aim for a roughly identical run each time -- challenging themselves about the same amount. But high-level runners tend to alternate very challenging runs with very easy ones, knowing that the truly challenging runs are where they make the most gains. A good way to start is to find 2 routes you love -- one easy and one hard, and then slowly add or subtract distance as you get stronger.
Use plyometric exercises to boost explosive power, maximizing each stride you take. While untrained runners believe they can just run to get better, strong runners know that specific strength training is key to staying fast and healthy. Plyometrics are exercises that require a burst of power, which translates into much stronger, more efficient strides when you run. Try out: Box jumps, both single leg and double. Shuttle runs Squat leaps -- perform a squat without weight, then explode up and to one side. Power skip -- see how high you can get on each leap
Use sprint training to build the speed needed for long runs. The top runners today train for sprints, even if they'll never actually use that speed in a race. That's because sprinting pushes your body to a degree that helps create huge training gains in a much shorter time. Some ideas include: Intervals: Warm up for 5-10 minutes, then sprint for 30 seconds. Jog for a minute to relax, then sprint another 5-6 times. As you get better, cut the jogging portion to as close to 30 seconds as you can. Cool down for 5-10 minutes at the end. Ladders: Warm up for 5-10 minutes, then sprint a lap at roughly 90% top speed. Jog a lap to recover. Then sprint 2 straight laps. Jog a lap to recover. Keep escalating until you can no longer push yourself, then cool down for 5-10 minutes.
Cut fats, excess sugar, and grease from your diet. A strong, healthy diet will have long-term effects on your ability to run long distances. If you're always putting junk into the engine, like multiple desserts, fatty and fried foods, and empty calories like soda, you will have a much harder time efficiently turning that food into energy. While you don't have to be on an Olympian's diet, you can take some cues from them: Keep your proteins lean -- fish, chicken, beans, whole wheat pasta, etc. Make fruits and vegetables a large part of every meal. Snack healthily -- using fruits, low-fat options like pretzels, and yogurts and granola instead of "treats." Drink water all day long -- it will always help your body run more efficiently.
Dedicate 2-3 days a week to focus on your abs, oblique, and core muscles. As mentioned above, your core is the most essential set of muscles to keep an efficient, smooth, and relaxed posture while you run. This doesn't mean you need a shredded six-pack, but you should try out the following exercises. It doesn't take much -- try mixing and matching 2-3 of the following into a 10 minute work out, resting for 30 seconds between each exercise. Sit-ups Crunches Side crunches Planks Side planks Bridges
Trust your body as you train, always trying to challenge yourself in the last few minutes. You'll only get better if you actually push yourself to your limits. Except on the easy runs, make sure you struggle at the end of all your runs. It is this ability to push through the struggle that will make you stronger, making future long runs much easier to pull off. If you feel strong, pick up your pace for the last five minutes, giving yourself a good challenge to end the run on. There is a difference between running through pain and running through a temporary struggle. If you feel sharp pain, wooziness, or sick, you should stop and get water.
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