1. Accept the challenge
“Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are training, and some of us are not.”
~ Dr. George Sheehan, runner/writer/philosopher
2. Warm up, don’t wear down
“At most, jog easily for 15 minutes before a race. Then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and lower back. With about 15 minutes to go, maybe do a few strides. But no more—you’ll warm up plenty in the early going.”
~ Mark Plaatjes, 1993 World Championships marathon winner
3. Don’t force the tissue
“Overly aggressive stretching can actually increase your injury risk.”
~ Tim Noakes, M.D., author of Lore of Running
4. Be a minuteman
“The biggest mistake that new runners make is that they tend to think in mile increments—1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles. Beginning runners need to think in minutes, not miles.”
~ Budd Coates, four-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier/coach
5. Go with mind over grind
“Any idiot can train himself into the ground; the trick is doing the training that makes you gradually stronger.”
~ Keith Brantly, U.S. Olympic marathoner
Image: quotefancy.com
6. Look at the big picture
“Whether one shall run on his heels or his toes is hardly worth discussing. The main thing in distance running is endurance—and how to get it.”
~ Clarence DeMar, seven-time Boston Marathon champion and U.S. Olympic marathoner
7. Go steady
“Day to day consistency is more important than big mileage. Then you’re never shot the next day.”
~ John Campbell, former masters running star from New Zealand
8. Step back a bit
“Build up your mileage in gradual increments, but every third or fourth week, drop back in mileage to recover. This will help you avoid your breaking point.”
~ Lee Fidler, coach and two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon qualifier
9. Be a little shady
“Squinting intently requires more energy than you can spare over 26.2 miles. So if it’s sunny or you’re allergic to dust or pollen, wear sunglasses.”
~ Kim Jones, world-class masters marathoner
10. Join the resistance
“Hills are the only beneficial type of resistance training for a runner.”
~ Arthur Lydiard, Olympic coach from New Zealand
Image: quotefancy.com
11. Lean into it
“When going down, I lean with the hill. I know I’m doing it right if I feel like I’m going to fall on my face.”
~ Ed Eyestone, RW columnist, coach, and two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner
12. Take baby steps
“You can’t climb up to the second floor without a ladder. When you set your goal too high and don’t fulfill it, your enthusiasm turns to bitterness. Try for a goal that’s reasonable, and then gradually raise it.”
~ Emil Zatopek, four-time Olympic gold medalist from Czechoslavakia
13. Hone in on the range
“Rather than going into a marathon with just one goal—such as finishing in a very specific time—develop a range of goals so that you increase your chances of success.”
~ Jerry Lynch, Ph.D., marathoner and author of The Total Runner
14. Get over it
“If you have a bad workout or run a bad race, allow yourself exactly 1 hour to stew about it—then move on.”
~ Steve Scott, coach and U.S. record holder in the mile
15. Pamper your muscles
“When I’m training for a marathon, I soak in a hot tub every day, and get a weekly massage.”
~ Anne Marie Lauck, two-time Olympian
Source: menshealth.com
Have any running tips of your own? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
