101 Simple Ways to be a Better Runner

by Jason Fitzgerald

Strides are simply 20-30 second accelerations done after an easy run.

Better yet, do some strides barefoot. For more foot and lower leg strength, you can run some or all of your strides barefoot.

Be a “core whore.” My wife jokes that I’m a core whore because I make a 15-20 minute core session an almost daily part of my post-run routine. You don’t necessarily need to do a core workout every day, but start doing one about 3 times per week and you’ll start seeing real results. Focus on whole body exercises that you can do anywhere, like pushups, planks, bridges, and lunges.

Get stronger - in the gym or at home. Once or twice per week you should focus on more than just your core muscles. Overall body strength is important and you should work on it regularly.

Run different types of long runs. Long runs don’t have to be the same pace. In fact, you can squeeze even more fitness out of your long runs by varying the terrain and pace that you run in the later miles.

Three of my favorite types of long run variations include: · Hilly long runs: run several long hills in the final 2-5 miles or run one long hill of 5-10 minutes in the final 1-2 miles of your run. · Long runs with surges: With 1-2 miles left in your long run, start a short fartlek workout. My favorites include 8 x 30 seconds at your 10k pace with a 1-2 minute jogging recovery or 6 x 1 minute at your tempo pace with a 1-2 minute jogging recovery. · Progressions: In the final 2-5 miles of your long run, gradually pick up the pace so you end your run at your tempo or 10k pace. This is definitely an advanced type of workout, but it’ll help you gain even more endurance as you teach your body to run fast when it’s tired. These are slightly more advanced versions of the standard long run, so progress intelligently and start with hills, then do a fartlek long run, and finally end with the progression.

The speed of the track or the strength required by a cross country race can help you discover what you’re good at.

Learn to love negative splits. Running a negative split simply means running the last half faster than the first. You should negative split most of your distance runs, workouts, and races if you can. Negative splitting runs during training will increase your confidence to do it during a race - when time really counts. You also get a better aerobic stimulus (as in, more endurance!) when you teach your body to run faster later in a run when you’re already tired. It’s easiest to do these types of workouts on out-and-back runs where you can time each half exactly. Any workout on the track lends itself well to negative splits since you can monitor each interval time to the second. Have fun with it!

When you sprint at the very start of a race you’ll dig a hole you can’t run out of. Instead, run your goal pace from the very start. And if you feel good, you could negative split the end of the race.

“Run the first third of a race with your head, the middle with your personality, and the last third with your heart.”

A better strategy is to run the same effort during the first half or two-thirds of the hill (even though your effort is the same, your pace will slow down). Then during the last half or third of the hill run hard to match your pace on flat land. When you reach the top of the hill, put in a surge. This is definitely an advanced move, but if you can manage a 10 - 20 second surge at the top of a hill you’ll definitely lose any other runners around you. Save this for when you’re not racing with friends!

Any time you add a new stress, it’s best to do it gradually.

Plan your splits before the race - then run your plan. Before the day of your race, determine your goal time and break that down into mile or kilometer segments. Knowing your splits ahead of time can help you stay on track and pace yourself accurately on race day.

there are better things to focus on - things that you can actually control in your training - so don’t worry too much about your VO2 Max.

Lactate threshold responds better to training and you can improve it more easily than VO2 Max. Your overall weekly mileage, long run distance, and tempo workouts have the most effect on your LT and should be important components to your training plan.

Your half-marathon and marathon pace are also great paces that will boost your aerobic fitness. Each should be slower than your tempo pace, which is about the pace that you could manage for a full hour. Both will help you increase your ability to run faster - and further - without going into oxygen debt.

Practice race pace. It doesn’t matter what race you’re running, you need to practice running at your goal race pace during training if you want to achieve your time goal. Only running intervals at faster than your race pace and easy running isn’t the best way to get in ideal race shape. Instead, plan your workouts so you’re running about the same distance as your race at your goal race pace. A good example workout is 5 x 1,000m at your goal 5k pace, with a 400m recovery jog in between each repetition. This workout is very specific to the 5k race and will give you a good indication of your fitness level. Once you do a few of these types of workouts, you’ll know if you’re ready to run your goal pace for the entire race.

Occasionally wear a pair of minimalist shoes. Wearing minimalist shoes for all of your running is probably a bad idea. Most runners don’t take enough time to transition gradually and safely - and they end up hurt. A better idea is to wear a lighter, more flexible shoe for 1-2 short and easy runs every week. You could also wear them for your weekly fast workout once you’re used to the easy runs in minimalist trainers. Wearing “less shoe” will help you develop stronger lower leg and feet muscles while reinforcing good running form. It’s more difficult to aggressively heel strike in light shoes so you’ll be forced to run more economically with lighter, quicker steps.

Wear flip flops in the summer instead of sneakers.

Change into a pair of minimalist shoes when you run track workouts. One of the most beneficial times to run in minimalist shoes is when you’re running fast. This is an advanced technique but will help you build foot and lower leg strength to help you prevent injuries. You’ll also reinforce an efficient running stride, helping you improve your economy. Remember that this is an advanced strategy so if you’re not comfortable with racing flats, spikes, or other minimalist shoes you should first start by running easy in them. Once you’re ready to wear flats for a workout, do your warm-up and warm-down in your regular trainers and reserve your “fast shoes” for the fast portion of the workout.

Wear compression socks. Compression socks work! They can help you recover when you use them after your run or for long periods of time when you’re sitting. They can also be helpful for minimizing damage during long or particularly hard workouts or races. When purchasing your compression socks, make sure that they’re graduated - meaning they’re tighter at the foot and ankle than up near your calf. They can be hard to put on and take off, but the benefits are worth it!

Heart-rate monitors don’t make you faster. Too many runners think they need the fanciest gear to help them get faster. Heart rate monitors aren’t necessary to be a good runner, but they can be a useful training tool for a more advanced runner. There are two specific types of workouts that lend themselves very well to heart rate training: recovery runs and tempo runs. It’s important to make recovery runs truly easy so a heart rate monitor can keep you honest and make sure you’re not working too hard. Tempo workouts are typically run at about 85-90% of your maximum heart rate. You can use a heart rate monitor to determine your max heart rate and then work at the correct percentage. It may not be completely accurate, but it can be a valuable tool to help inform your workouts.

Want a home gym for $20? Gym memberships are expensive. The average person pays about $500 annually to belong to their gym and more than half of people over-estimate how many times they’ll visit the gym when they first sign up. Instead, get a 10-12 pound medicine ball. You can do a full body workout in ten minutes by doing simple exercises like lunges, squats, dead lifts, chest press, and ab work with a med ball. Many exercises can be done standing up -...

My favorite post-workout snack is a protein shake with whole milk and a piece of fruit.

Experiment with energy bars, mini-meals, or shakes to find your perfect recovery fuel. For some, chocolate milk works best.

Coffee (caffeine) improves running performance - plain and simple.

Eat more healthy fats. Healthy fat contains a lot more Omega-3 fatty acid chains than less healthy saturated fat. These healthy fats have been shown to reduce inflammation and your chances of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. You can get yours with avocados, nuts, cold water fish, and olive oil. Start eating 2-3 servings per day and you’ll probably improve your blood panel while feeling great!

Drink a variety of teas. Tea? Yes, tea. There are a ton of beneficial nutrients in tea, antioxidants that help you recover from running by fighting free radical damage.

Especially before long races of 10 miles or more, eating some simple carbs can help improve performance. These fuels are rapidly turned into sugar and provide plenty of fuel to help you finish strong. Aim to drink 4-6 ounces of an electrolyte drink (like Gatorade) in the final hour before you race. You can also eat a gel or similar fueling product about an hour before you run. Experiment with what foods agree with your stomach before the day of the race so you know what you can handle. Then go run fast!

more cold water fish. Cold water fish like wild salmon, sardines, or herring have a lot of healthy Omega-3 fats, lower your triglyceride levels, and have been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, “Ultramarathon Man” Dean Karnazes eats wild Atlantic salmon multiple times per week and attributes his good health to this diet.

As a junior in high school, we had a cross country captain who mapped a handful of trail runs on conservation land in our town over the summer. During the next season, we did almost all of our runs on these trails and had a helluva lot more fun than our old training runs. Getting lost in the woods (physically and mentally) is therapeutic. The Kenyans always say that “roads kill fresh legs.” They do almost all of their training on rolling, dirt roads. There’s something to be said for the rolling terrain that helps them train consistently – it’s easier on the body and builds more strength. Move a few of your runs every week to the trails instead of the roads. The sounds of birds and leaves are better than traffic, right?