Good things can come in threes, but then again plenty of awesome things come in twos and fours. Runners have two legs, four laps make that perfect mile…though do those four laps REALLY feel all that perfect when doing mile repeats?? 😉 Brain: “FOUR laps, let’s call a mile one lap!” Juuust kidding.
The cool place all runners get to hang out.
Well good things can come in any number but today you runners are getting a three-pack. Here are some Training Tips in Triple for your Tuesday:
1) Runners Who Skip: Runners can become a little too linear for their own good. Example is looking only at their running workouts to improve and taking that little metaphor to the literal: running is a repetitive, linear, single-plane action. If you don’t work your body in a variety of ways it gets tight. Tight will equal restrictive, bring you injuries and impede your speed.
Offset that by doing things OTHER than running: core work, flexibility, and agility drills. Move in the horizontal, even do some skipping to ‘dilly around’ with your neuromuscular thought patterns. Your brain actually has to be ‘played with’…it gets stuck in a pace/pattern run with just running. So as crazy as it sounds doing things like skipping, backwards skips, crazy feet drills give it a little ‘reset’ and make it more ‘sharp’ when you come back to running steps. Oh, and those fast feet, like chili pepper jump rope things, those will help your neuromuscular training too…get those feet conditioned to FIRE off the ground faster = faster speed and sprinting.
2) Be Quiet I’m Sleeping: Sleeping should really be an Olympic sports…or at least one of everyone’s favorite past times. Want to have a sleep-off? Just kidding. But seriously, for the runner in training you should guard your zzzz’s with just as much ferocity as you do lane one during repeats.
Sleep is where you body does the vast majority of its repair, sleep is a restorative process. But it’s really the deep, REM sleep that you need. That’s why people who are light sleepers or wake up multiple times in the night can still feel so flipping tired later even if they’ve been in bed 8-12 hours…they’re not sleeping continuously or getting a deep enough sleep. Sleep issues are really tricky, I’ve got them, so if you do have trouble sleeping already do the basics: make it as dark as possible, don’t even have the light from your phone on, try a fan for white noise, relax and power-down before bedtime to put your brain in sleep-mode, and from there you may need to seek out some other options and work with a doctor.
For those of you are are lucky enough to NOT have a problem sleeping but just skimp on the hours because you’re busy, I’ll say this: 1) you’re only hurting yourself and your training 2) you’re taking sleeping for granted…trust me, lots of us insomniacs would die to get some extra hours!! haha…take advantage of them and aim for 8-9 hours a night for optimal performance.
3) Laugh: Wow…you think I’m a nutzo for just saying that. I’ll go on record and rattle off just why laughing is a training necessity:
* Running is hard: yea, it’s painful. But misery loves company and laughter. Those slow jogs between intervals is when you and your training buddies should be making fart jokes.
* De-serious: It’s easy to be too serious in life and apply that to training. Ironically getting ‘too’ focused on your workouts and training has a funny way of making you eventually start slowing down. It’s because of pressure and it’ll also rob you of the passion…both recipe for disasters. Make sure you’re excited and focused on your goals…but still ENJOY it. So laugh.
* Running gets awkward: Need I say more? Runners will have to fart, burp, poo, chafe, adjust a wedgie etc. mid-run. It’s just funny, get over embarrassment and do it. Make a joke about it.
There ya go. Take this Tuesday and make it a point to improve your running in three ways. Heck, please apply the laughter part to your overall life too!
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Related Read: My latest article on RunBlogRun: Running the ‘Extras’: Think outside the miles and improve your performance
Another of my new articles on RunBlogRun: Young Runners and the Issues of Volume and Intensity
Need a laugh? My CARTOONS are here for you! 🙂
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Thanks for the tips, Cait! I’m pretty good at throwing a variety of workouts at my body to keep it guessing, but I need to work getting more sleep. Now laughing… I’ve got that one down to a ‘T’!
you’re welcome!! and i KNOW u know how to laugh…keep up the stellar work there!! hehe. And i’m also pleased how you’re embracing workout (and race!) diversity. 🙂
Sleep is my nemesis – I have lots of sleep issues and rarely sleep more than 2 straight hours ever. Oh, well – I tell myself that I’m used to it and that I’ve adapted!
it really has sounded like u and i struggle with the same exact, INFURIATING thing. like u, after more than a decade i’ve sorta figured i’m stuck with this…lol. #adaptordie 😉
Great tips as always Cait! Sleep is a catch 22 for me. In order to get good runs in I need to wake up early in the morning and I don’t get adequate sleep. If I get the proper amount of sleep I usually don’t have time for a good run. Runner problems. lol.
Thanks, David!! Eeek…okay i’m gonna counter with this: early to bed makes Morning Run David a happier boy. 😉
Thank you Cait! I am guilty of not diversifying my workouts enough. I run nearly every day and do yoga maybe once a week. I definitely need to find a spin class or something else to boost my cross training fitness and feel a little sharper. Also, sleep. Oh, sleep. I love the boy, but he is a night owl while I am a 10pm bedtime gal and those things just sometimes don’t mesh. Since he has started wearing headphones and I am wearing an eye mask though, we seem to have come to a compromise.
Love all your tips and writing you smart lady 🙂 Lots of love from this side of the pond xx
hahaha…oh that silly boy messing with my dear chickpea’s sleep?!?! jk. i’m glad u’ve found a way around that one…and i’m a fan of the eyemask too actually. 🙂 it’s like i have to block out every ounce of light to set me up for the best odds of sleep. haha.
you keep working on diversifying workouts, but i want to say that i’m PROUD of how much u’ve done already in that regard. u’re doing more speedwork and strides, so give yourself the credit you do deserve, my friend! 🙂
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