Do you want to improve your running performances? Would you like to run further, faster, and with less effort? Well, of course you would!
Nearly every runner wants to get better. It’s no surprise that in a sport like running, where our performances can be so objectively analyzed with data, that we’d like to improve.
And improvement isn’t just a new Personal Best. We can also focus on “training PR’s” that set you up for racing PR’s. These include:
- Highest weekly, monthly, or annual mileage total
- Running a new distance that you’ve never covered before
- Successfully preventing injury
- Most consistent month or quarter of training
- Completing strength work, a dynamic warm-up, or drills regularly
- Improved nutrition and sleep for better recovery
Setting records in training often lead to setting records on the road, trail, or track.
But how do you optimize “improvement?” How do you continuously get better when it’s not clear what workouts to run, races to enter, or mileage to complete?
That’s the topic of the latest episode of the Strength Running Podcast. I’m discussing the three most important ideas in running – and how to make them work for you.
Consistency, Progressive, and Modulation
To have a chance at improving, your training must follow three simple principles:
- It must be consistent (you can’t improve if your training is always interrupted)
- Training must also be progressive (training must evolve and move forward)
- And it must be modulated (workload and the focus of training must vary over time)
Runners who plan their training appropriately will see enormous progress if these principles are met. Their injury risk will be lower, their performances improved, and they’ll also have a better mental relationship with running.
That’s because our mindset is crucial to how we feel and perform on a day-to-day basis. If your training isn’t modulated, you might run the same runs every week or train for the same 3 races every year. Focusing on the same thing can lead to burnout and a lack of motivation.
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Thank You Elemental Labs
A big thanks to our newest sponsor, Elemental Labs, for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors.
Just today, I drank the Citrus Recharge Mix as a post-ride drink and the flavor and function is just fantastic. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium.
There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense.
And I’m encouraged by the fact that Navy SEAL teams, Olympic teams, and pro athletes have started using Elemental electrolyte supplements to improve their performance. Learn more about what they do at their website.
