Mark Threlfall: One of the beauties of running is its simplicity. All you basically need is a
set of trainers, head outdoors, and off you go, it really is very accessible. However, have you ever
thought that some of the things that you are doing on your runs could in fact be ruining your runs?
I'm going to put my hands up here because I have made countless mistakes over the years. Today,
I'm going to be listing them for you, so that you don't have to make the same mistakes.
[music] The pacing of your run is a
pretty obvious and good place to start off with because if you get this wrong, well, you could
start digging yourself a pretty deep, dark hole very early on very quickly and potentially not
really recover from throughout the course of your run. Initially, when you do head out the door,
make sure that you're not starting off too fast. You want to warm yourself and your body up
nice and gradually, perhaps even for the first five minutes or so start off at a walking pace
before building into a gentle jog, before finding your rhythm and your pace for the rest of the run.
Talking of which, your pays for the run, this is obviously very individual and very personal
but you do need to think about your target for the run. If it's meant to be a nice,
easy, and conversational run, then make sure it is a nice, easy, and conversational pace. It's
very easy, and I see this time and time again, to try and do your runs at a nice impressive
average pace. Now, if you're doing that, for each and every one of your runs,
week in, week out well that is just not sustainable. It's also asking
for injury. Equally, don't start adding intervals and speed work in or something too hard too
soon if your body's not ready for it, because again, that could be the cause of injury.
[music] Another factor
that can lead to injuries is running on new or unfamiliar terrains and surfaces.
This slightly pains me saying this because I'm all about heading off-road and exploring
on my runs but if you're not used to running on some of these surfaces, well you should
be really careful. Again, I'm not saying, "Don't head off-road,
don't explore," just be mindful. Some of these surfaces I'm talking about are rocky, unstable,
slippy, muddy kind of surfaces, anything where you might potentially twist or roll your ankle or clip
your feet, fall over, slip, so on and so forth. Now, if you are new to this kind of running and
running on these kinds of surfaces, then what I say is just shave your runs down by around 20-25%.
Basically, because as you go on through your runs, you will start to fatigue and
that's when you're more susceptible to making these injuries. I've done this on
countless runs in the past, particularly my longer runs as you start to explore and try and find new
routes and towards the end you are tired. That's where the mistakes happen and yes,
I've fallen flat on my face numerous times before. Over time having running on the surfaces,
you do start to build up a certain strength, stability around your joints, particularly your
ankles and proprioception. Hopefully, if you're sensible, you can start to build these runs up
with time and as you goon. [music]
Next one, do you ever find yourself rushing for the loo mid-run or perhaps even mid-race? It's
a bit of an uncomfortable subject for many people, but your eating and drinking habits can play havoc
on your stomach, and yes, it can be incredibly annoying and can ruin some of your runs and races.
Firstly, you want to address when you're eating and drinking. I would always advise having any
bigger, heavier meals a good two to three hours in advance of your run or in advance of your workout.
That just allows that food time for it to settle and to be digested rather than heading out
and that food's still being there because your body is going to shift all its energy towards
your muscles and away from your stomach. That food is just going to slosh around and that's
where some issues arise. You can probably get away with having some lighter, smaller snacks
around 45 minutes to an hour before you run just to keep you going, but bigger meals, just be wary.
If that doesn't help or fix things, then perhaps it's time to take a look at the types of foods
that you are eating and taking on regularly. You of course want to make sure that you have
a well-balanced and healthy diet but some of those foods could be causing GI issues. Common ones are
dairy, gluten, perhaps even too much fiber. Through a bit of trial and error, maybe eliminate
one at a time and find out if they help, if at all. Practice that in your training and then of
course, maybe take that forwards into race day. Finally, what about caffeine? Of course, not
everyone is a coffee addict but for many people out there, it is a staple part of their daily
routine. Could that be essentially triggering things? Again, be mindful of your timing of
having a coffee or caffeine in your daily routine and maybe have a good hour or so in advance and
that will give you time to pop to the loo and have that final stop before you head out for your run.
[music] Another thing
that can certainly ruin a run is your clothing choice, in particular,
your running shoes. Get these wrong and you'll know about it all too soon. Here at GTM, we have
joked in the past about the numerous different stereotypes within triathlon. In particular,
I'm thinking about the magpie today. Those that are attracted to the newest, the latest,
the greatest products that have been released, but with running shoes, they really are very
personal and individual. When you find a pair that work for you, I would really recommend sticking
to them or sticking to that model or similar rather than bouncing around between the newest,
the greatest, and latest stuff, or just something that's got a nice colorway.
Also, the same applies for clothing. Find what works for you and try it out before perhaps
heading out for a race or for a long run because any ill-fitting clothing could end up rubbing,
shaving. Same also obviously applies for running shoes, you want to bet them and
on some shorter runs before heading out for a longer run or in a race.
Finally, running partners. Obviously, these can have a big positive impact on your running because
it makes it more enjoyable. It's someone to run with, and also can make you more accountable to
someone. Getting you out the door and getting that run done. However, they can also have a negative
impact on your running if you're running with the wrong running partner. I'm talking about those
that are perhaps too fast for you beyond your ability level or those that are perhaps too slow
for you. Those that are too fast, are potentially going to push you far beyond your ability and your
normal running pace and therefore overworking you, potentially make you more prone to injury.
Those that are running too slow, less of an issue normally, however, you could end up altering your
former techniques so much to run that slowly that again, could make you more prone to
injury. It's not to say you shouldn't run with people but just find the right running partner
for you. It's another reason why joining a running club or a triathlon club is such a
good idea because you will have more people to choose from, a bigger pool of athletes as such.
I hope you have enjoyed today's video. If so please do give it a like, give it a thumbs up.
Let us know if you've made any of these mistakes today. I certainly have.
If so get involved in the comment section down below. Don't forget to
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