- Adopt the attitude of someone who wants to learn, compare yourself with other runners, and take inspiration from them.
- Listen to your body, monitor signs of fatigue, and adjust your training to avoid injuries and constantly improve.
- Be consistent in following a flexible training plan that includes recovery periods.
Running is great because you can do it practically anytime and anywhere. It’s also a simple sport, or at least it seems to be. If you don’t have specific goals, you can even do without a coach and train on your own. However, to do it right, it’s a good idea to follow some guidelines to succeed and avoid injury.
Become a “student of running”
Adopt the mindset of someone eager to learn, like you’re back at school. Be curious, read as much as possible on running-related topics, and seek advice from more experienced people. Talk to other runners, listen to their advice, and jot down the ideas and tips that strike you the most to try implementing them in your training. The best coaches never stop learning, and the same goes for anyone who wants to grow as an athlete.
Run with heart but decide with your head
To train successfully, it’s crucial to make smart, thoughtful decisions about your workouts. Often, it’s hard to be objective: your passion for running might push you to go out even when you shouldn’t, ignoring pain or fatigue. Next time you’re unsure what to do, ask yourself “What would I advise someone else in this same situation?” If the advice you’d give differs from what your instinct is urging you to do, pause and reassess. Use your head to make wise decisions, but always run with passion and motivation.
Learn to listen to your body
Your body is the best coach you can have: it sends clear signals about when it’s time to push and when it’s better to rest. Feeling tired or experiencing some discomfort after a tough workout is normal, but if signs of fatigue persist for several days, it’s essential to stop and listen to your body. A helpful way to monitor how you feel is by keeping a training journal, where you note how you feel before, during, and after your run. You can use a simple system: a green dot for days when you feel on top of your game, an orange one for days when you feel good but could do more, and a red dot for days when you feel tired or exhausted. If you notice many red dots in a row, it might be time to take a few days off and review your plan.
Be flexible
A training plan is a guide. It should adapt to you, your commitments, and your lifestyle, not the other way around. If you have an especially busy day at work, plan for a lighter workout. If you’re feeling tired, allow yourself active recovery days, focusing on lower-impact activities like stretching or a rejuvenating walk. Remember that flexibility is one of the keys to being consistent and preventing injuries. A good training plan can be called that when it evolves along with you.
Don’t underestimate the value of consistency
Don’t channel all your energy into overly intense or long workouts. Focus instead on being consistent. To achieve this, learn to train smart: schedule rest days and resist the temptation to do too much too soon. Patience is a virtue. Rest or active recovery days should always be part of a well-structured plan.
Periodize your training
Accept the idea that you can’t always be at your peak: it’s physiologically (almost) impossible. To reach the peak of your performance, you need to proceed step by step, gradually increasing the specificity of your training. Divide the year into seasons or blocks of two or three months, and focus on different aspects in each. Periodization allows you to vary and balance your workouts, giving your body time to adapt, maximizing, and consolidating the progress you’ve made.