As with any new adventure, when you are starting off, it can seem dauting to set a goal. To take some that stress off, we’ve asked our coaches for their top tips.
A goal, no matter the caliber is critical to keep you focused. A goal should be ambitious, but not so wild that it will take you an exceedingly long time to reach it. As a beginner, you will see various levels of successes rather quickly. Use this to your advantage and set several personally relevant goals.
(1) Exercise Regularly – Run consistently
This can be simply to run/ walk/ move your body and sweat 2 – 3 times per week, for a month. Building a routine is the first step toward meaningful change in your life. Your body adapts the more times you teach it to do a skill. Continually running/ walking will improve the response within your body
(2) Run a Specific Distance
Be it one kilometer, mile or 5K – marathon, set a distance that you can be proud of completing. Time or pace is not relevant at this point. This is a personal record of the farthest distance you can cover in one-go.
(3) Run Non-Stop
Set yourself a goal to run on-stop over a realistic distance. At first you can even make it a goal to run around your neighborhood without stopping, then move up to a loop around your local park.
(4) Select a Race
Live events are a rare luxury for now, but you can still register to support a race organization which is meaningful to you. Most virtual races will send you a finisher medal, and other awesome swag. These are treats to reward you for reaching the goal.
(5) Weight Loss
Lots of people start running to lose weight. Just like setting your eyes to run a certain distance, you should set a weight loss goal for each week and each month. Experts recommend 1-2kg (2-5 lbs) as a safe weekly weight loss goal.
So, where do you see yourself on December 31, 2020? 
In a time of chaos, limited social life, increased time spend at home, apparently more "free" time, have you taken the time for some self-reflection. As runners, we are conditioned to set goals based on upcoming races. Well, that's not a sure thing anymore.
Does that mean you shouldn't set goals in favor of not having your heart-broken time and time again? Absolutely not. There is still plenty to strive to accomplish, endorphins to collect, and lifestyle changes to make.
1. Revisit personal annual goals
You may have wanted to run a Boston Qualifier or finish your first ultra-marathon. With both of those events now cancelled, think about why you wanted to reach those goals.
- Set a smaller goal. Think running a personal best in a one mile - 5K or completing your longest long run ever. Things you can control as an individual have a higher chance of success.
- Was your audacious goal tied to hopes of weight loss, or a more consistent running routine? That can still get accomplished. Start by setting up your schedule to allow you to dedicate 20-30 minutes per day to exercise. Repeat this for a few weeks, and you're at the start of a routine!
Once you set and complete smaller goals, you are more likely to remain motivated to reach the big, long-term goals. Otherwise, losing motivation could make your goals seem unattainable and increase the chances of veering off course.
2. Attend to your mental and physical needs
Take this strange “down time” from always needing to be in tip-top shape to rebound physically and mentally.
Aches and pains should not be part of your everyday life. If there is an area in your body that’s troublesome, take the time to rest and heal. Then discuss a plan of attack, which includes specific exercises to strength the supporting muscles and tendon with your coach. Same goes for a mental refresh. Burn-out is extremely common among distance runners. Take some pressure off yourself.
Working toward big breakthrough require both physical and mental energy, so it is important that both aspects are attended to when making an appropriate goal for the next time around. If emotions are high or you are unusually physically worn down, setting a goal will more difficult and irrational.
3. Take inventory about what you liked and disliked about your past races
Did you use to race for charity and find your cause to be a crucial motivator? Did you enjoy (or not enjoy) any travel involved to get to your race site? Were you enthused by the crowds or did you enjoy the solitude of a less populated and more scenic race route? Pick the top three enjoyable aspects of your race experience as well as the three aspects that were most problematic to help narrow down what types of races/ goals will suit your preferences.
Once you have a list and your motivators and dislikes, let’s get to work setting up the next challenge.
4. Use the resources at your disposal
This is especially key when we consider the change of seasons. If you live in a region where the winters are particularly cold or the summers particularly hot, or if you have become accustomed to doing long runs or challenging workouts during hours that can go from light to dark depending on the season, keep these in mind when selecting your next goal.
If it’s difficult to spend a great deal of time outside, then select a goal that’s short and fast, so your efforts can be concentrated appropriately. Remember, improving your speed is a valuable tool for any runner.
What a crazy year this has been. We’ve gone through a pandemic of the century, lost loved ones, observed the pain & suffering of so many, and seen our running industry turned upside down.
I’ve read countless inspirational stories from many across the U.S. and around the world. As I’m hopeful that we may be through the worst, I thought it might be helpful for me to share my experience of the last six months with our wonderful Runcoach customers and anyone else that might find my perspective helpful.
This is a bit selfishly cathartic for me but I’m hopeful my experience and some advice may be beneficial.
This will be a 6-Part Series with the following topics:
Running with Bad Air Quality
Recovery from Injury (My Knee Surgery)
Alternatives to Running with Current Restrictions
Some Perspective on Black, Indigeneous and People of Color from a Running Lense
Running After Coronavirus Symptoms
Our Path Forward to Road Races & What We Can Do Now
Running with Bad Air Quality
Many of us in the northwest part of the country and now with extensions to the midwest, have experienced extremely poor air quality from the tragic fires in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada.
As runners, we always want to push through adverse conditions. I haven’t been running (more to come on that topic) and I’m acutely aware of the detriments of inactivity. However I believe that poor air quality has long-term bad effects. So what can we run in and what can’t we?
Here are my thoughts:
AQI readings above 100 are a non-starter - please find alternatives (see below)
AQI readings in the 80-100 range may have an effect and should be considered with caution
AQ below 80 is probably safe but you should still listen to your personal biometric feedback in this range
Personal biometric feedback is your breathing within and after a run. There is a difference between wheezing and heavy breathing. Think of wheezing as strained breaths where you can feel it down deep in the lungs. You will feel wheezing from asthma and unhealthy air during and after your run. We don’t want to run through wheezing as the lungs are remodeling to transport necessary oxygen and some tissue could be dying.
On the other hand, heavy breathing is normal and we experience this through heavy exertion. A great marker to distinguish between the two is how you feel after a run. You should not have labored breathing or any wheezing within an hour of workout completion.
Here are my favorite sites/apps to check the air quality.
Purple Air - this site uses a community of personal air sensors at residences and businesses to provide a view of your area’s AQI
AirVisual - this is an app available for iPhone and Android users; it uses 10,000 locations to evaluate, predict, and report on current and future air quality
So what to do if the air quality is poor?
Wear a mask?
I’ve been walking in an N-95 mask which seems to keep out many particulates; there are many varieties to choose from
I haven’t experienced the new Under Armour sports mask but heard it is comfortable for runners
Run on a treadmill if possible
Consider an alternative workout indoors such as the Peloton (more on this in an upcoming post), Elliptical, pool for swimming or deep water running, or any of the HIIT or other at-home workouts with a cardio focus
Adjust your plan - ask your coach or look at the forecast and pick a better day to run
The bad air quality won’t be here forever. In these times, it is important to remember those who have lost lives, homes, pets and much worse in the fires. Still the loss of your workout is personal and not to be diminished. I like to think of how much I appreciate running in these times and the hope that I will have the opportunity to run in clean air soon.
Congratulations to all those who have completed their goal virtual races over the last few weekends! Whether you are basking in the afterglow of a milestone reached, or still awaiting the joy of the finish line, it is important to consider the crucial training period of recovery.
Previously on the blog, we’ve covered a variety of topics related to recovery that are worth a quick read or re-read. These include:
Throughout each of these, the main thread is the message is to take recovery seriously. One of the ways runcoach differs from template training plans or social training groups that focus solely on the one goal race is the inclusion of a recovery cycle into your plan. As runners ourselves, we know that running is an ongoing pursuit for many, marked brightly with the signposts of big goals along the way, but more importantly, something we enjoy doing every day.
When you take recovery seriously you can enjoy your daily running without the inconveince of the world of injury or illness.
I know "recovery" doesn't win medals, or get the awe from your friends the way a hard workout or race does. Think of it this way, if you don't recover forget about the next finish line, a new start line maybe further away than you'd like.
Breathing on the Run
Originally written by Dena Evans
Updated by Hiruni Wijayaratne
This is a popular question from our athletes - "How do I breathe while running?
Breathing is important because we feel awful when it is ragged and shallow. Conversly, we feel better when we are running easily enough that we hardly notice it at all.
The faster you run, the quicker you will reach a point where you will have to concentrate on breathing to continue at that pace. That is because the additional strain of the pace over time has caused your muscles to demand more oxygen on a quicker schedule.
So how do you breathe better?
1) Relax
Breathing is an art. Stay as relaxed as possible in your upper body. Drop your shoulder, extend your torso and neck, and drop your mouth.
During hard efforts, your body craves oxygen. So, you will need both your nose and mouth to intake oxygen.
2) Focus on Form
Running posture often falls apart when we get tired – the shoulders hunch over, arms get tense, neck and jaw almost lock.
Remind yourself to draw your shoulders away from your ears and straighten up nice and tall. This allows for your lungs to have the maximum room to pack in more air and may be able to help ease symptoms of a side stitch by stretching out the afflicted area.
3) Breathe deeply
You can practice breathing properly even when not running. Start by sitting in a chair or lie down on a yoga mat. Place you hand over your belly.
Inhale with your nose and feel your stomach/ diaphragm fill with air. You should feel the hand on your belly button rising. Exhale through the mouth. A deeper breath is like sticking your water bottle directly under the faucet stream vs panting is like splashing it with droplets of water. Fill up those lungs so they can do what they do best – get air to your screaming muscles!
4) Find a rhythm
Start by doing this on easy runs/ walks. Count your footsteps. Your breathing pattern may be 2-2 or 3-3, that is, it takes two footfalls (one landing of either foot) to inhale and two footfalls to exhale, etc.
However, when you are tired and air is at a premium, try to spend a bit more time on each inhale than you do on each exhale, for what might end up as a 3-2 rhythm or a 4-3 rhythm. The most important thing you can do is to fill your lungs with each inhale. Take your time, try to relax yourself generally by the almost meditative counting of your breathing rhythm, and / or let a favorite song guide your brain through the pattern. All of a sudden, you’ll be at the next mile marker or water station.
Breathing is different for everyone. All of us from novice to experienced runners, need to practice techniques in low stress situations before taking them to the streets in the big race. Listen to your breathing on easy runs to find out what your natural patterns are. Try to maintain a tall posture and open your chest when the running is easy before forcing yourself to find that position when the running is tough. Test out a 3-2 pattern or a 4-3 pattern on your next interval or tough workout and see what feels right.
Must Have's in the Car
Even if your runs primarily depart from home or office, running or racing will likely take you to points best accessed by car at some point or another. Sure, you may not want to have everything in the car at all times, but a few key items left in the car (rather than trying to remember them each time out) can make a runner’s life a bit easier.
Sanitizer/ Mask
No longer just a suggestion.
There are bacteria killing hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes easy to use and dispose. A little bit goes a long way after an outdoor bathroom stop, opening a cattle gate, high-five given to a friend or stranger, endless scenarios.
Maybe you are going to run some errands right before or after your run. Keep a clean mask in the car to use when entering an indoor public space like a grocery store. Keep your face covering clean and dry using these clean masks tips.
Blanket / towel (or more than one)
One of these items can provide protection and warmth after a surprise cold rainstorm on a November morning, or a layer between you and the driver’s seat when the air is thick with humidity. Having a towel or blanket can also make it more likely you will take a moment to stretch or roll, or spend 5-10 minutes adding some core work to the end of your run when you have a spare few moments. A saved space blanket from the end of a long race can also be an easy to store, useful item as a layer between a gross, sweaty, or wet you and your car.
Fuel
Fueling directly after a hard workout or long run is key to regulating your blood sugar and quickening recovery. Take a moment to stack a few of your favorite bars and some gels for mid run replenishment in the glove box or in a Ziploc in the trunk. This will ensure you can top off the tank at the end of your run and avoid a midday bonk or rash meal decision due to the sharp pang of hunger + fatigue. Sometimes, you are coming from a location where you can’t select or prepare a snack to bring with you for before, during, or after. If you have a snack readily accessible, your chances of success in that workout or run will increase.
Water
Even one spare 16 ounce bottle can be of great help if you exhaust your fluids on the run and arrive back at a trailhead with no facilities and a lengthy drive to the nearest gas station or store. Water can also wash dirt or blood away as needed due to mid-run mishaps. Pack a dissolveable tablet or two of your favorite electrolyte replacement fluid with your fuel stash, and you will be in even better shape.
First Aid Kit
A must. Even if it includes only some bandaids, Neosporin, and some basic gauze, tape, and perhaps an anti inflammatory, the chance to tend to a mishap directly after it occurs makes a huge difference compared to how that same injury might react hours later.
A charger or an adapter
When in remote areas, having a phone charger that works with the car can be of significant help in a tough spot, and with the proliferation of chargers with USB ports, charging a GPS device with the car’s power is now easily possible as well.
Hat with a bill, gloves
A running hat with a bill is compact and crushable, but can help keep water from the eyes in a rainstorm and sun from the face when no clouds are in the sky. Gloves (the cheap throw away kind), can feel like the most precious piece of clothing when they are really needed. Neither takes up very much space.
A Foam Roller or a Massage Stick
Again, if your run is squeezed between other appointments or engagements, or involves a decent length drive to and from, consider keeping a stick in the car. It takes up very little space, and can be used both to loosen up before the run as well as to start the recovery process without some of the stiffness inevitable on the drive back.
Every runner has their particular comfort items, their specific variations of this list that provide peace of mind and care when things haven’t gone well, or even if they have. A bit of forethought to keep some of these items on hand when driving to runs can clutter the trunk, but can also help our bodies handle the rigors of training well, even while in the midst of our complicated lives.
"I took my local coach, Susan (also wife of 45 years!) to the local high school track. As we squeezed through the locked gate, I said "Welcome to my world!"
Summer is the time for colorful, fresh, and fruity.
Fruits are in abundance this time of the year. You should be able to find all ingredients at any local grocery store. The prep for each drink is under 5 minutes!
1) Watermelon Juice - High in vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. It’s about 92% water.
Ingredients
Directions
2) Lemonade - Great source of vitamin C. Also helps to improve your skin and digestion.
Ingredients
Directions
3)Tart Cherry Smoothie - Beneficial for post run/ workout recovery. Tart cherries battle inflammation, while the protein from the Greek yogurt rebuilds muscle.
Ingredients
¾ cup tart cherry juice
1 cup frozen pineapple
½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
Directions
1. Place tart cherry juice in blender. Add frozen pineapple and yogurt.
2. Blend ingredients until smooth.
3. Serve chilled.
Summer is one of the best seasons to be a runner. Enjoy it to the fullest by taking care of these basics.
Winter weather often requires the use of treadmills and other indoor facilities, but summer’s heat or thunderstorms may also force you to the air-conditioned sanctuary of the gym. Here are a few helpful things to remember about how to adjust when running indoors.
Highlights:
- Treadmills are not the enemy
- Bring entertainment (music, movie, book, podcast)
- Bring your own sanitizer (always clean any touchpoint, equipment before use)
- Treadmill belt if softer and less impact that running outside
- Set the incline to 1-2% on the machine
- Ease into the run. Start nice and slow.
- Hydrate well and often. Aim to take 3-4 ounces of water every 25-30 minutes.
If running indoors may not be an option, but running outdoors is not either, you may be in a spot where cross training is in order to maintain fitness. What cross training activity makes the most sense? Compare and contrast the vast array of currently available options available in gyms today.
Heading out on some adventurous runs or driving trips that might include a bunch of miles? Consider this list of things you might not consider, but can be VERY helpful for runners who are spending a lot of time in the car.
All that humidity might leave you a bit sweaty. Before you deal with the after effects of some serious chafing, read our quick Q&A with a dermatologist about chafing and how to avoid it.
While one of the most obvious topics for summer running, hydration is always worth keeping in mind, particularly if your average fluid consumption consists primarily of coffee or diet coke! Use the summer to build some good habits and read about the “art of hydration” here.
