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How Josh Used a Team Approach to Run a Sub 5-minute Mile

In November, 2015 Josh got a wake-up call. He heard what no man wants to hear from his daughter…

It looks like you have a baby in your tummy!

Kids say the darndest things…

Josh knew he was the heaviest he had ever been and now he was ready to do something about it. Despite running in high school and college, he had struggled to get back into a regular running routine.

Josh explains,

As a former high school and collegiate runner that had taken years (17 to be exact) off from any serious training, every time I would try to come back, it would result in injury.

Josh began with regular easy runs to help him lose weight, but knew it would take more than that to keep injuries at bay. So he began to search online for useful advice that would allow him to stay consistent with his running.

Strength Running’s dynamic warm-up and strength routines were exactly what he was looking for to help him stay healthy.

Initially, Josh’s goal was simple. After nearly two decades, he wanted to be able to call himself a “real” runner again. Although his college running days were behind him, he wanted to get back to running consistently and set a healthy example for his kids.

Escaping the Injury Cycle

Runners are plagued by injuries far too often – and they’re the number one reason that many of us are unable to stick with a consistent training schedule. Because of its high impact and repetitive nature, running can quickly cause injuries in runners who are unprepared to handle the stress.

Whether you have been frustrated by injuries like Josh, or are just trying to stay healthy and avoid getting injured, you’ll need to add some preventative work into your routine.

But this doesn’t necessitate hours in the gym every week! One of our most popular routines – the ITB Rehab Routine -typically takes about only about 10-15 minutes (and does not require a gym membership).

“Sandwiching” your runs with a warm-up and strength session can help take your running to a new level. You’ll not only be more resilient and less prone to injury, but your runs will likely feel better from the start with a proper warm-up.

Over time, consistent, injury free running can help all runners pursue their goals.

And Josh was no exception.

A Team Approach

Soon Josh was running more consistently – without any of the nagging injuries that had plagued him in the past. Building on this success, Josh wanted to take his running to the next level.

He believed that the resources and community available through Team Strength Running were the best way to get there.

The success I had with Strength Running’s free tools prompted me to join Team Strength Running to have a community of runners to lean on to share ideas and success stories.

Beyond what is freely available on the Strength Running website, Team members have access to a lot more:

  • Our full collection of runner-specific strength, core, and warm-up routines
  • A full Training Plan Library for 5k – 100 miles, including plans that focus on injury prevention, busy runners, and more
  • Personalized support with Jason during our regular Coaching Calls
  • A private community to share your running stories, exchange ideas, and get support and accountability
  • Monthly interviews with elite runners, coaches, authors, physical therapists, etc.

The variety of material available to team members made it, in Josh’s words, a “no-brainer.” As Josh explained,

The value of the team can be summed up in one word: RESOURCES.

Jason has assembled top-notch content and continually adds value through additional resources like podcasts and training calls.

Jason’s willingness to put the work in to expand the number of resources available to Team SR is the core of why it’s successful.

Having run on a collegiate team, Josh also recognized the value of having a group of like-minded runners to share his struggles and successes. While family members and co-workers may be less than excited to hear the details of your most recent workout, Team SR members are a willing and supportive audience.

The team’s active community is always willing to listen, help, and offer advice when needed. Josh felt that the support from this group was instrumental in keeping him focused and inspired.

Runners from all walks of life, sharing their triumphs and struggles, played a huge role in motivating me to stick with a solid game plan.

Whether you’re new to running, trying to lose weight, or going after a new PR, staying motivated can be a challenge.

A supportive community plays an essential role in stoking the fire that keeps you working hard and challenging yourself, day after day.

A Competitive Fire

Once Josh was healthy and injury-free, running consistently was no longer an issue. With support from Team SR and his continually improving fitness, he found that his competitive instincts began to resurface.

As he explains,

Once I began running races and seeing some success, latent competitiveness rose up and it felt like I was in my 20’s again chasing PRs.

Josh’s racing success was swift and impressive! Since joining Team SR, his racing highlights include the following:

  • He went from barely jogging an 11-minute mile to a sub-19 minute 5K in 7 months.
  • He ran a USATF mile road race in 4:59 at age 40.
  • He routinely places in his age group or overall masters in every race.
  • He joined the Kansas City Smoke Masters team, a highly competitive USATF developmental racing team.

Team SR gives runners the resources to improve their running both mentally and physically, and Josh exemplifies the kind of success that is possible with dedication and commitment.

He told me:

If utilized properly, Team SR can keep members from falling into the injury pitfalls that plague so many other runners. The icing on the cake is getting stronger and shaving time off PRs.

If you have ever doubted that you can run fast well into your 40s, Josh is proof that a well-rounded training plan and team support can push you to personal bests you might never have anticipated.

And Team SR is Now Open!

And the great news is that through Friday, you too can join Team Strength Running!

Team SR helps you be the runner you KNOW you can be, with ongoing coaching support, proven training programs, new educational interviews with world-class experts every month, and a community of other runners.

This is unlike other programs with no support, no new content, or that cost twice as much.

Instead, you’ll finally know you’re doing the right training for you personally, with other runners to keep you motivated and coaching guidance to answer any and all of your questions.

More specifically, this program includes:

  • Live coaching calls so you can ask questions and get answers specific to your goals (we do these every few weeks!)
  • Training Plan Library, with plans that focus on time-efficiency (for busy runners), weight loss, ultra distances, injury prevention, and more
  • Teammates! Meet other runners like you in our private community, stay motivated, and be held accountable
  • New, exclusive interviews with a leading running expert (once you join, you can immediately access past interviews with Amelia Boone, Runner’s World’s gear expert, form experts and more)
  • Bonus Resources: gear and course discounts, team t-shirts, plus extra interviews from world-class experts

The best part? Every month, I’ll be adding more and more resources to help you succeed. So every month, the program gets more and more valuable.

Just imagine if you have the motivational support, coaching guidance, proven training, and deep knowledge to succeed with your goals.

At that point, it becomes very difficult to fail.

We’re offering a special bonus if you join between now and Friday, so check out all the details here.

Run strong!

Get Stronger & Run Healthy

Join our free course to help you better prevent injuries, develop runner-specific strength, and avoid the big mistakes that get runners hurt.

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