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| Favorite running shoes, water, Garmin and roller. All important to running. |
I'll call 2017 the year of running. I ran 1,000 miles and learned a ton about running that I didn't know last year. Here are some of my lessons learned
1. Don't run all your miles fast.
A year ago I had one running speed. And occasionally, I'd find a slower speed for a longer run. At about 9 minutes a mile I could run forever, but it took me a long run to find this speed.
This year I learned all about training paces. And that running a long slow run doesn't actually slow you down (I thought every run had to be fast). And it's better for your body to run some of your miles slow (it's not as hard on your body.)
I found training paces online that will tell you your long run speed, your easy run speed, your tempo pace, your training pace and your race pace.
So most weeks, about 80% of my miles are easy miles (around 8:30 to 9:00 minutes) and then 20 percent of my miles are speed work or tempo runs.
And finding your pace is hard. It’s still a struggle, but so worth it when you pass all the people that went out too fast at a race—because you’re consistent and they’re all over the place.
2. Drink water
I've never been more aware of how much water I drink than when I run. If I'm running after work, I make sure I drink plenty during the day. If I'm running in the morning I drink water the night before. I'm always thinking about drinking water. And I have to force myself to drink water at times.
Running dehydrated is no fun. Getting stomach cramps while running is awful.
And drink enough water after you run. Or else you could still get stomach cramps.
And staying hydrated before you run on a hot day is even more important. So stay hydrated.
3. It's okay to take breaks. Especially water breaks.
I remember I ran an 8-miler one night. I told someone I didn't need a water break for an 8 mile run. It was summer in Georgia. And I survived the run. I thought I was tough enough.
Only, a veteran runner told me how important water breaks were to her during races. I listened and started taking water breaks on any run longer than 5-6 miles. And those runs got a lot easier. It's okay to take a short water break. Your body will thank you for it. You don't lose endurance for a 20 second break to replenish fluids. And you're less likely to cramp.
4. Fuel properly before your runs
I'm always thinking about WHEN I'm eating and when I'm running. I like about 3 hours after a meal before a run. I don't want to run on a full stomach. So it's all about timing. And it's also about what I eat. I'll eat pretty clean before a run. But indulge more after a run. Never eat french fries before a run. Running 3 hours after a lunch of fried fish tacos and delicious french fries made me super barfy. It was one of my worst runs ever and I won’t ever do that again.
Snacks are okay before a run. But I'll eat that burger after a run, thanks.
5. Stretch, stretch, stretch
I'm not sure if current research says you're supposed to stretch before or after a run. I do both.
I can't start running cold. I actually like walking as a warmup. An exercise bike if I have it works great. And I like to stretch problem areas—warm up the calves, stretch hips and IT bands.
And always stretch and cool down after a run.
When I'm super busy, I might try to cut short stretching. And I always pay for it later. If I don't stretch after a run, my legs will be sore and stiff. Every single time I skip stretching, I pay for it. So I might drive home in a hurry, but I make sure to stretch and/or roll at home.
Matt neglects stretching and that ended up with him going to physical therapy. Stretch. Your body will thank you for it.
6. Take care of yourself in general.
Stretch before and after a run. Drink enough water. Take some yoga classes if that works for you.
And listen to your body. Take rest days when you're tired. It's okay to miss a run here and there (don't miss 80% of your training miles).
Be kind to your body.
My quads were always really tight after weight lifting. And they stayed tight. Which led to my shins being tight and my knees tracking wrong. All because my quads were tight. So take care of yourself. Because a small imbalance can lead to larger problems if you ignore it.
7. Speed work really helps
I do group speed workouts every Tuesday. I went from running a 7:03 mile to a 6:30 mile in about nine months. I got my 5k down to the low 22s. And it’s from running more mileage and dutifully doing speed workouts. You don’t get faster by always doing the same thing. As in, if all your miles are easy, it’s going to be difficult to bring your 5k time down.
I’m excited to see what I can do in 2018.
8. Don’t race too much
I did 8 races in 2017. I don’t think I’m going to do that many in 2018. I like doing races and I will do some, but I’m going to save my races for when my training cycle calls for it. (And don’t run two 10ks on back to back weekends. So hard). Races are hard on your body. Save the wear and tear.
9. Tapering works
I always have some extra pep in my step after rest days. Tapering for a race really works. You’ll have so much extra energy for a race.
10. Training plans work
I followed my first training plan to run my first 10k. I just wanted to finish. And I did way better than expected. So find a training plan and follow it. It should work.
Other thoughts from running in 2017
I’ve never checked the weather as much in my life. I check the Go Run forecast maybe 5 times a day. Temperature (and humidity) are really important to know for a run. You need to know what to prepare for and what to dress for. My life almost revolves around the best time to run (before work, at lunch, after work before dinner with friends)
Also, I really love Strava. It's awesome. (See my recap post on 12/30.)
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