Strategy and planning your run for success
The following are guidelines for setting up your running schedule and the dos and don’ts that you should incorporate into your running regimen. Something to keep in mind as you are setting up these workouts for your ultimate goal is that you need to make it fun.
- It’s always a good idea to have a goal or goals. Don’t go over the top. Sometimes it’s better to have smaller goals that will end with a greater result. Examples of this would be to run a marathon in one year. Then work backwards from there. Also be prepared to come up with an alternative if that goal can not be reached. So if you got injured sometime throughout the year, making your deadline may be difficult or not do able. Have a backup plan, but stick to the main plan as your number one goal. Be flexible but don’t deviate from your path. Also set smaller goals along the way. A great example is to run a half-marathon in seven months.
- Think progressively. If you do plan to run a marathon in one year, be sure to assess where you are now and the path that you’re going to take to get to your goal. If you’re just starting out and running one mile is a challenge then, plan over the coming weeks to get to 2 miles and then from there 3 miles and so on.
- Keep a journal. This is one of the hardest things to do. I sometimes will lose track of my workouts or what I’ve done. Now a days, I have a Nike heart rate monitor and I also use the iPod Nano with the Nike plus system. This is great for keeping track of my workouts for me. I just run and fill in the blanks that they provide. Also be sure to graph your progress. This may be discouraging at first but over time you will see that you have really come into your own. See, you thought that you would never use a graph again from school. Smile, now you’re using one!
- Plan your workouts a week at a time. Try and set your hard workouts for a specific day. I like to plan my Hard workouts on Thursday and my long runs on Saturday or Sunday. Everything else is usually an Easy workout or a Medium workout.
- Never plan a Hard workout and a Distance workout next to one another. Also don’t do more than two Hard workouts a week unless you are trying to peak for a race. This also means no two Distance workouts and no two Hard workouts should follow each other. There should be an easy day or a rest day in between.
- Rest days are essential and Easy workouts are just as important as Hard workouts. It’s how you recover that is the most important. Be sure to replenish your body with the nutrients that your body is lacking from the previous workout(s). This means to drink water and some sports drinks (lower the sugar and sodium levels the better).
- Stretch! Nobody likes to stretch, but everyone needs to. There is a huge debate on whether you should stretch before or after your workout. Personally, I think you should do both. However, stretching on a cold muscle is difficult and should be taken with care. Don’t push it, just relax it. I also recommend that you do an easy job for 5-10 minutes before you stretch. This easy run should be “conversation pace”. More intense stretching should take place at the end of your run. This is where you can slightly push your body to where it’s uncomfortable, but not painful.
- HAVE FUN! Remember to have fun. If you’re not having fun, then you’re not going to continue to run. A simple thing to keep your running fresh and exciting is to run in new places. Instead of running the same route day in and day out, try running the route backwards.
- Don’t be afraid to explore, but also be aware of your safety. Also, if you can, drive the route and make sure it’s safe for you. As you drive and do a recce (reconnaissance) make sure that there is good lighting, good running surface (nothing to twist your ankle on or in) and see how busy the area really is.
With these simple rules, you should find that your running experience will become greater with time and more enjoyable. You will also find that your goals will be met with ease and fulfillment.
