Identifying your weaknesses and coming up with a plan to fix them helps runners progress and break through performance plateaus. But how do you find the areas that need improvement?
One of my primary responsibilities as a coach is to locate where runners can improve their training. Because often, we’re only as good as our weakest link.
That’s why you see me:
- Encouraging you to take injury prevention seriously
- Incorporate strength training into all of my training plans
- Beating the drum of consistency, consistency, consistency
- Advising runners to get fast before they run too many marathons
But sometimes it can be difficult to know where you should be improving.
Is your weakness a chronic cycle of injuries? Or a lack of consistent running? Maybe you’re not doing any strength work or have obvious flaws in your running form (like a very low cadence).
Often, it takes a conversation with a coach to understand your history. A coach can help you find the low-hanging fruit that could result in a breakthrough – and give you a plan to improve.
That’s why I love featuring coaching calls on the Strength Running Podcast – like this one about running a faster marathon.
But today I want to tackle this issue from a different angle: by speaking with Dr. Victoria Sekely. She’s a running coach, a certified strength coach, and physical therapist who can help us think more strategically about our training.
Dr. Victoria Sekely on How to Improve
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Victoria Sekely was a varsity tennis player at Georgetown where she got her undergraduate degree in human sciences. She then went to New York University and earned her doctorate in physical therapy.
She’s a USATF-certified running coach, certified Kinesio Taping practitioner, and received her certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) certification from the National Strength & Conditioning Association.
In this episode of the podcast, we’re discussing a variety of weaknesses that are common in runners and how to address them:
- A history of repeated and chronic injuries
- No strength training or a lack of strength
- An inability to run higher mileage
- Poor technique
With races cancelled for the foreseeable future, now is the time to put in the real work of improving (instead of racing). Focus on training, identify your weak areas, and make your comeback to racing stronger than ever.
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.
Show Links & Resources:
- Follow Victoria on Instagram
- Victoria Sekely’s website
- Our best injury prevention advice
- How to improve your running technique
- Create a bodyweight exercise routine
Thank you Victoria for sharing your expertise and helping us stay healthy!
Thanks PATH Projects!
PATH Projects made this episode of the podcast possible. They’re an online-only retailer of high-quality running gear and apparel that I’m falling in love with.
Currently, I’m wearing the Sykes 5″ Shorts (see them in action in this video), the Pyrinees hooded sweatshirt, and the Torch base liner. Their gear is unique, stylish, and a premium quality that feels great to wear. And because there’s no retail markup, PATH is quite affordable.
They’re using new technical fabrics and innovations to create award-winning apparel for endurance athletes. In fact, their Brim shorts and Tahoe base liner won Runner’s World’s 2018 Gear of the Year award. And the Pyrinees hoodie was named one of the best six sweatshirts for running in the cold by Gear Patrol.
Check out their full lineup of shorts, tops, hats, and base liners at PathProjects.com.
