RUNNING TIPS
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Motivation Tips
- Sign up for a race as soon as you feel up to it.
- Find a committed running partner. It is much harder to skip a run when you have someone else depending on you.
- Remember that you will have plateaus in your progress and tough days along the way.
- It gets easier.
- Accept and appreciate the fact that not every single run can be a good one.
- Be prepared to remove the words “can’t” and “never” from your vocabulary.
- “Do not compare yourself to others. Run within yourself and for yourself first.
- Don’t expect every run to be better than the last one; some of them will hurt.
- Don’t think too much about it or you won’t do it.
- Even a bad run is better then no run at all.
- If you normally run with music try skipping it and listening to your feet to hear your pace and your gait.
- Don’t be discouraged if you don’t experience weight loss immediately.
- Start a running blog and read other running blogs regularly.
- Running is not an excuse to triple your intake of doughnuts because runners gain weight too.
Nutrition Tips
- Buy the powdered sports drink mix instead of premixed. It’s cheaper and more similar to race drink mixes.
- Each pound you lose makes running a little easier.
- Hydrate. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day.
- If you are running very long distance drink enough electrolytes (e.g. Gatorade).
- On long runs eat something every hour—whether you feel like it or not.
- During longer runs if you don’t like to carry water take some cash in your pocket pouch or a shoe wallet. Run a route where there’s a corner store that you can use as a pit stop to pick up your water and maybe use the bathroom.
- Avoid eating spicy foods before running and the night before your long runs.
- To aid recovery the most crucial time to eat and drink is in the hour immediately after you run.
Prevention Tips
- Wear compression socks. I prefer CEP Compression Socks. (www.sportscompression.com)
- Use Vaseline or BodyGlide wherever things rub. They will help prevent blisters and chafing (guys don’t forget the nipples).
- Do not increase your mileage more than 10 percent per week.
- Guys: Band-Aids before the long runs. Your nipples will thank you in the shower afterwards.
- Log your mileage for your legs and your Shoes. Too much on either will cause you injury.
- If you are prone to shin splints and lower leg pain try running soft trails for your Training runs and save the asphalt for race day.
- Do not run two hard days back-to-back.
- Ice aches and pains immediately.
- Pay attention to your form. Try to run lightly to minimize impact that could lead to injury.
- Cut your Training by at least 30 percent to 50 percent every 4th or 5th week for recovery.
- When trail running don’t forget the bug spray.
- Neosporin (or another antibiotic cream) is good for chafed areas (if you didn’t use your BodyGlide!).
- Make sure you cut your toenails short enough so they don’t jam into your Shoes!
- Put some BodyGlide between your toes on long runs.
- Be careful about running on paths that force you to run consistently on a slant. It’s hard on the hips knees and IT bands.
- Don’t stretch before a run. Warm up by walking briskly or jogging slowly for several minutes.
- Do not ice for more than 20 minutes at a time.
- Do not use the hot tub after a race. It will increase inflammation and hinder healing.
- Frozen peas make a great ice pack for aches and pains. A thin t-towel wrapped around them makes the cold more comfortable.
- Wear compression socks. I prefer CEP Compression Socks (www.sportscompression.com)