In the five years in which I have worked at the Running Center I have met runners with a wide range of abilities. And while most people do not consider themselves elite runners, that doesn’t mean you can’t think like an elite.

Goals.

Whenever anyone comes to me for running related advice one of my first questions is always, “Do you have any long term goals you are working towards?” Goal setting, in my opinion, is probably the first and most notable difference I have witnessed between elite and recreational runners. I think it is important not only that you make it clear to yourself what it is that you are aiming for, but also that you do not have tunnel vision on only one goal. Try setting several goals: minimal, realistic, and optimal, or set different types of goals. By breaking up your goals, your destination will seem less daunting.

Keep A Training Log.

If you don’t know where you’ve been, how will you figure out where you are going? Too often I have spoken to runners unhappy with their running who are oblivious to how much and at what pace they have been running. At the very least I would suggest jotting down the distance of your runs in your daily planner. The more serious you are about achieving your goals the more vital extra information becomes.

Find A Training Partner.

Many people are under the false impression that Olympic athletes are stoic loners. In reality, nearly all of these world class athletes have at least one, and often an entire group of similarly talented/motivated athletes that aid their training and motivation. If the best athletes in the world don’t typically do it alone, how realistic is it for you to expect yourself to motivate and train yourself solo? This becomes even more of an issue if you often find yourself lacking in time and energy because you have responsibilities with work, school, or family. Find someone to train with who will push you and motivate you on a consistent basis.

Variety.

Both the body and the mind crave variety. Avoid doing the same run, the same place, the same pace everyday. Do one longer slower run a week to work specifically on your endurance. Once or twice a week do a few shorter intervals in which you practice your race pace. Most elite runners also do something called striders a couple times a week. Striders are short bursts of speed typically 50-100 meters in length in a straight line intended to help work out some of the kinks in your muscles. They should be at your race pace or slightly faster, but not quite an all out sprint. Focus on moving your feet quickly while maintaining good running form. Do these on a soft, even surface, and you can even do these barefoot to help build strength in your feet. I like to do 2-10 of these just before a race, just before an interval workout, or just after a long run. Not only will adding variety to your running help you reduce your times if you are racing, and if you aren’t racing they will make the rest of your runs feel easier. Who doesn’t want that?

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