Five Secrets to Running Faster Races
The lessons I’ve learned over the years coaching a diverse group of athletes
What You REALLY Need to Succeed
Over the years, I’ve helped hundreds of adult and youth athletes become better runners in preparation for marathons, road races, track, and cross country. The athletes I’ve teamed up with are very different in background, experience, talent level, and speed. But no matter who you are, if you embrace these five secrets you will without a doubt run faster races.
1. Motivation
To run fast, you need to be motivated. Running fast just isn’t going to happen. You need to log the miles. You need to put the work in. More importantly, you need to ENJOY the process of running day in and day out. Signing up for a race is THE BEST WAY I KNOW to put pressure on yourself and begin to get motivated to get out there and train hard. Here’s the key… If you wait for motivation to strike, it never will. Motivation comes from DOING. Get out there and get started. Once you get started, motivation will arise to keep your ball rolling.
2. Smart Training
No matter how motivated you are, without smart training, you are going to go nowhere. Worse yet, you might even regress or hurt yourself by running stupidly. One of the many duties I play as a coach is to give training that is suitable for you. I can give you the best training possible for where you are now and the goals you want to achieve. Trusting your training program takes all the doubt and uncertainty out of your mind, so you can focus purely on completing the training and resting in between hard sessions. It’s still amazing to me how few people actually know how to train properly, but at least this gives me something to do 🙂
3. Consistency
If you want to become a better runner you need to run. Actually, you need to run a lot. Consistency is essential to becoming your best. Building a framework of accountability into your training to help keep you consistent is key. When you go it alone and keep all of your running to yourself, it’s easy to skip a run here or there or not follow the true spirit of your training plan. Most athletes find it much easier to let themselves down than it is to let down others. This is one key reason why athletes who are on a team and get coached see such success. They don’t want to let their team and coach down.
4. Camaraderie
Team sports are more fun. Running is a team sport at the high school and college level, but as adult runners very few of us get to experience the camaraderie of working together as a team. I firmly believe that joining a team is one of the best things you can do to improve your running. When you join forces with like-minded others and work as a team, the commitment you make to become a better runner is strengthened.
5. Support
Running isn’t easy and very few of us follow our own advice. When you work with a coach you give yourself permission to become your best. Your coach will tell you when you need a day off. Your coach can restructure your training when things get rocky. Your coach can give you a straight answer to all your running questions. You build a relationship of trust that is designed to empower you to become your best.
Which of these five secrets do you need to realize and make a regular part of your training towards running faster races?
