Pushing your body further than you thought capable. The sense of accomplishment and personal pride when completing your first 5k, 10 or half marathon makes all the training worthwhile. This article will cover what areas to focus on, avoid and how to maximise your running training and experience to make it as fun (and injury free) as possible.
The importance of strength & mobility training
It is a misconception to believe that the only way to get better at running is by running more. In my personal experience I know how much adding strength & mobility training into my program has benefited me so much. The main benefits are:
- Improved form – If you have a stronger core & glutes, this helps you to hold your optima running form even when you start to fatigue.
- Prevention of injury – the more mobile you are, along with having stronger calves, glutes & upper body, the less likely you are to pick up niggling injuries. With myself I used to have tight hips & a painful shoulder when doing long runs, however now these have disappeared, and I put a lot of this down to consistent mobility & strength work
Some exercises that I would recommend to include on your strength training to improve your running are:
Squats – Performing squats helps to strengthen your glutes and quads, muscles that are very important when running
Forward lunges – This one is very good for working the whole leg. They work the hamstrings, quads, calves and glutes, so performing 3 sets of around 10-12 reps each side twice a week will help toward you forming a fine pair of ready to run legs.
Glute Bridge (or Single Leg Glute Bridge) – These exercises really work the glutes and will help to improve your running. To add intensity, you can hold a weight. Always ensure you push through the heels when performing this exercise.
Split Squat – This one is a killer on the legs! Add this into your training program and your leg strength will keep on improving!
Running mindset
You should approach improving your running with the same approach as you would when building muscle, or looking at progressing in anything – Don’t try to do too much too soon. It is very easy to get over excited, try to run 2 or 3 miles further than before and as a result
The best way is to gradually increase your distance. An example could be if you are brand new to running, start off by slow jogging for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds – repeat for 5 minutes, then increase this up slowly. I would advise that adding no more than 10% of your furthest distance weekly, so if you can run 2 miles, increase it to 2.2 the following week, then 2.5 the week after and so on.
Half Marathon & Marathon Training
What not to do:
Wing your training – do 3 runs a week, don’t have a specific structure or distance planned and run as far as you feel on the day.
Avoid stretching – After you’ve finished running, sot down for a couple of hours, don’t move much and put your feet up (you’ve just ran, you deserve to, right?!)
Stop when it gets tough – When you can feel your legs start to ache and your breathing getting heavier, stop.
What To do:
Follow a training Plan – anything from a 12 – 16 week training plan can be sufficient for a half marathon, for a marathon I would advise around 16 – 20 weeks.
Warm up & cool down after every run – This will help your body open up and therefore perform optimally during the run.
When it gets tough, keep going – When running, it WILL get tough, there is no getting away from that. Rather than trying to avoid it, you should embrace this fact, and keep pushing your boundaries, and you will make great progress with this attitude.
Nutrition & Hydration
There is no need to overcomplicate things. It is always a case of trail and error, as some people don’t like eating anything an hour before running, some people eat a banana, or porridge, everyone is different. My top advice in this regard would be not to eat food that is too heavy just before a long run, and to keep snacks light.
If you are going to be running for longer than 45 minutes, I would advise to take a drink with additional electrolytes in. This will make sure your energy levels don’t drop off a cliff, and it will help to reduce the risk of getting cramp during the run.
Three items to include in your running gear:
Comfy Running Shoes – You will potentially be wearing these shoes a lot, so getting a pair that are comfy for YOUR feet is very important. You can get GAIT analysis qt quite a lot of different shops now, and this will help you to find the best pair for you.
Comfy Running Socks – This can be underestimated. If you run in socks that are quite thin and not made for running, it will cause blisters and your feet
to feel uncomfortable. Getting 3 or 4 pairs of running socks will really help you to feel comfortable while running.
Light weight running jacket – This really helps when it is wet & windy outside. If you have one of these you have no excuse to avoid running just because of the weather!
Stronger Glutes!
Your glutes help form a strong running style and form for each individual. If you can add in 2 days a week to work on strengthening the glutes, it will help the body to evenly distribute weight, and avoid any over-usage of the calves & quads.
As previously mentioned in the article, working on squats, forward lunges & glute Bridges are great ways to build up strength in your glutes. This will really help you when your body is feeling tired towards the end of your run and having stronger glutes will help you to keep good running form even when tired.
To conclude, running is a great form of cardio to add into your training, and that feeling of satisfaction when you complete a tough run makes it all worth it. Have a plan, work on your strength & mobility, and most importantly TRUST THE PROCESS!
Website – www.Chris-Dudley.blog
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