Category: Running

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How to Set Great Goals for Race Day

If you are a runner, you know that we live in a world of PB’s. For those of you who may not know, PB means personal best. We runners love to keep track of our times for specific race distances and then try to beat them to measure our progress. But really, if all we do race after race is chase PB’s, then I guarantee we will not be as happy as we could be. Each race is an accomplishment of its own. And, if you run different courses, there are so many variables that can impact your time. My personal best for a half marathon is 1 hour 40 minutes and 44 seconds. The course was fairly flat and the weather was cold, so I didn’t have to battle heat. Today, I ran the same distance with 1500 feet of climbing steep hills and finished in 2 hours and 14 minutes. Was that a “bad” run? No, in fact, runs like that may prepare me to beat my PB later due to all of that hill work!

So how do you set good goals for each race? I believe that you should have multiple tiers of S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. Let’s say that I am running a half marathon, I will set goals like these:

  1. Have fun and smile no matter what, remember; you PAID to do this!
  2. Run within myself and finish. Period.
  3. Achieve my PB for THIS course.
  4. Achieve my PB for THIS distance.
  5. Place top ten in my age group.

The way that I look at it, if I have trained well and start the race relatively healthy, the first three goals are all very achievable. Sure, as discussed, different variables could impact them, heat, rain, injury, etc. but they are all well within reach. Even if I do not hit a PB for the course, I can achieve the first two goals as long as I do not suffer a serious injury or completely bonk! So I can smile at the end of the race knowing I went the distance! Honestly, even if I do get the dreaded DNF (Did Not Finish), I’ll be happy because I am out there taking a risk and living life! Failure simply means you are pushing your boundaries, and that is never a bad thing.

Those last two goals are “stretch goals”. They may or may not be achievable on a particular day, but when I have one of those magical days where I get one or both of them, I REALLY enjoy myself. I walk around with my head in the clouds for a couple of days and just soak in the moment, because nothing feels better then doing the work and then getting a superb result! But, these are not goals that if I do not hit them, will really bother me. It’s all upside with no downside.

Trust me, if you fashion your goals in this format, you will enjoy your running much more. Having goals such as these gives you the opportunity to enjoy every race that you run. And at the end of the day, isn’t that the most important thing? The next time someone asks “How did you do?” start with “I had a great time and I finished the race feeling pretty good!” Let them wiggle a minute or two and then share your time with them!

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How to Run Faster and Injury Free

“Up to about 10k, speed is fast. Past that, strength is fast. In long distance racing, it is very often a case of who slows down the least.” Joe the Runner

Whether it’s in the running community at Fitbit, or in a lot of the running posts on Instagram, I see a ton of well intentioned bad advice around the simple question “How do I run faster?” The reason for it is that there is not a simple answer to go along with that simple question. Unfortunately, the advice being given could lead to injuries if the runner takes it and they are not prepared for it. That is why I decided to write this post. I want to help people to get faster without getting injured. And to do that, you need to answer a couple of questions.

What are you trying to accomplish? Are you a sprinter and you are trying to improve your 400 meter time? Or, are you a marathoner who is trying to qualify for Boston? As you can see, these are two very different goals and they will lead to very different programs to help accomplish them.

The second and probably more important question is where are you currently as a runner? Are you an experienced marathoner that has a great aerobic base but hasn’t achieved a sub 3:30 marathon yet? Or are you a beginner that cannot run 5k without stopping? Again, these are two very different circumstances that will require different programs to improve.

Be careful when you see things like “Do Yasso 800’s every week.” Or “Do lot’s of hill intervals.” Or “Do 10 sets of 400 meter dashes every week.” All of these in a vacuum will work, but depending on your goals and level of experience could just lead to injury and frustration. I am not a track guy so I will stay away from any type of advice on sprinting, but here are some guidelines for improving your speed based on goals and experience.

Beginners

I’ll make the assumption that as a beginner you are focused on trying to maybe lose some weight and run your first 5k with aspirations down the road to move up to 10k’s and beyond. This is when you need to be patient and careful. If you cannot run 5k without stopping, there is no good reason to add speed work to your routine yet. Focus on running slow enough to run 5k without stopping, and work on your form. Just slowly increasing your weekly mileage and improving your running efficiency will lead to increases in your speed. Work your way up to 4 to 5 days a week of running 5k, and do not increase your weekly mileage by more then 10% in any week. Trust me, if you do this and stay consistent, you will see steady improvements in your 5k time. If you want to run a 10k, use the same process to work your way up to the 10k distance. Focus on increasing your weekly mileage slowly and work on form.

Intermediate

Once you can run the desired distance comfortably, you can add some proper speed work to your weekly routine. NOW, things like 800 meter repeats and hill repeats make sense, and will make a difference. I would start by adding one speed session a week to your routine and make sure that you do a nice little warm up of maybe 1k before jumping in. Start with something like 4 x 800 meters repeats with a minutes rest in between, and add one extra repeat each week until you get to 10. You need to be pushing the pace for the 800 meters so that you are a little uncomfortable. These are faster then your 5k or 10k pace. To keep things interesting, you can alternate weeks with hill intervals. To do these, find a nice hill that gives you 500 meters to 800 meters of climbing, and then run up the hill as quickly as you can, then jog back down for recovery. Start with 4 reps and add 1 rep each week until you get to 10.

There are a lot of different things you can do, fartlek sessions, 400 meter repeats, etc. but the principal is the same. If you run faster for these bursts and hills, you will strengthen your legs, improve your VO2 max, and build those fast twitch muscle fibers all resulting in the ability to run faster longer. I highly suggest that you Google various speed sessions once you have moved from beginner to intermediate and if you can afford it, find an on-line coach who can really help you if you have some big goals like a Boston Qualifier.

Ok, to summarize, don’t worry about “speed sessions” until you can run 5k to 10k comfortably and you are running at least 20k each week. Do not increase your weekly mileage more then 10% each week. During this phase of your running focus on form, running efficiency, and slowly increasing your weekly mileage. You will see an improvement in your speed I guarantee it! Once you are here, add one speed session to your weekly training routine by doing some research on-line, so you can mix things up and keep it interesting! Best of luck!

Put some of your favorite “Speed Sessions” in the comments below!

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5 Must Have Manners ALL Runners Need

“I draw the line on (lack of) coverage when I start to look like a running chia pet.” Joe the Runner

Wash Your A$$

Look, I am a runner too. I know. I know… Our sport is a stinky sport. We run, we sweat, and we even ooze at times. Toenails fall off, we bleed through our socks. I know! BUT, please, wash your clothes, wash your body, and generously apply deodorant every single day. If we all do this, everyone will all be a lot happier and will breath easier too!

Watch Your Snot Rocket

Me, I’m not a snot rocket guy, but I do see the appeal! I mean, when you are just getting in to your stride and really starting to feel it, and suddenly your nose starts to run and it gets harder to breathe… I get it. With one simple pinch of a nostril and a massive blow, you’re clear! Awesome for you; but not so much for the dude or dudette you snotted on. Take a second and make sure you’re clear on both sides and behind before you conduct your emergency blow. Thank you.

Use the F%*&ing Porta Potty

Man, I cannot believe that I even have to say this, but I do. Yes, the lines can be long. Yes, the race director could have put more porta potties out there. Yes, I know you really need to go and the race is about to start. And, and, and… I DON’T CARE. Plan your morning better. Think of it this way, you probably would not appreciate it if someone walking through your neighborhood had to go really bad, so they popped a squat on your lawn. Well, that’s how the host city feels. Pull yourself together!

NO BODY Wants to See All That

One of the best side affects of running is what it does to our bodies. I have massive calves and solid thighs. When I’m peaking for a race, my body fat gets below 10%, not bad for a guy with a dad bod! But trust me, NO BODY wants to see it all hanging out while I run around the street sweating and oozing! I’m not saying to not be comfortable, but if your shorts are so short, that squirrels are paying attention, that might be a problem. I’m a very hairy guy; I draw the line on (lack of) coverage when I start to look like a running chia pet. You get the point. Let’s be a little modest. If you can’t do it for yourself, think of the children!

If You Have Dressed Up in a Full on Outfit, Stay Out of My Finish Line Picture!

This one is probably more on me then the other person. If I haven’t trained hard enough to beat the panda bear that is pushing the wheel barrel for 10k, then I probably haven’t trained hard enough!

PLEASE add your own manners that I may have missed in the comments section below!

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15 Underappreciated Work Out Songs

White Limo – Foo Fighters

What’s the Frequency Kenneth – REM

Going the Distance – Bill Conti

Take Me Out – Atomic Tom

Like I Roll – Black Stone Cherry

Black Skinhead – Kanye West

Float On – Modest Mouse

Sabotage – Beastie Boys

I Wanna Be Sedated – Ramones

Anna Sun – Walk the Moon

One Vision – Queen

I’m Shipping Up to Boston – Dropkick Murphy’s

Tick Tick Boom – The Hives

Last Breath – Future

Shining – DJ Khaled

Follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner to see behind the scenes photos and comments on training and everyday life.

Click here to see my Guilty Pleasure Play List.

Add your underappreciated workout songs in the comments section below!

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Push Up Hack: “Drop and Give Me 20!”

Some of my followers on Instagram: joe_the_runner, see when I post my weekly totals that I may do 1500 push-ups in a week, and they have asked me to share how I do that. I was in the US Navy when I was younger, and I’ll tell you this, during boot camp, the drill sergeants did not allow us to waste a second. If we were waiting for something, like chow, or the next training session, we were guaranteed to here the infamous “Drop and give me 20!” This could happen 10 or 15 times every day. So that was a sneaky 200 to 300 extra push-ups and that added up! I never did the math, but we easily were doing 2000 push-ups a week without even a thought.

It occurred to me, as I was struggling to find time to do core work and strength conditioning due to work and all of my running, that I could apply the same concept to myself and “sneak” in that work through out the week. Being out of shape as I was, I started by building a base. Each night, I would do as many push-ups as I could, which initially was about 10, and then set a timer for one minute and do as many as I could, for five sets. It was a surprisingly quick progression, as within a week or so, I was up to 20 push-ups without stopping!

Once I got to that point, instead of doing push-ups every night, I simply do them throughout the day when the opportunity arises. I literally will “Drop and give myself 20!” Actually now I usually do 35 or 40, but you get the point.

If there is a commercial on TV “Drop!”, food in the microwave “Drop!”, waiting on the wife “Drop!” (I get a lot this way.) This all adds up without even realizing that you’re doing it. And I have seen a huge difference in my strength, my running, and my waistline! So, there you go. That is my push-up hack, and if you do it every day, you will see and feel the results!

For behind the scenes photos and comments on my training and personal life, follow me on Instagram: joe_the_runner

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10 Great Tips for Beginner Runners

  1. Google and find a couch to 5k plan. This will provide you with some structure on how to get to a point where you can run 5k (3.2 miles) without stopping. Once you can do that, you have a platform to work from.
  2. Go to a proper running store and buy the correct running shoes for your gait. This will help you avoid injury, shin splints, blisters, etc. See my post “How to Choose a Running Shoe” for a deeper dive here.
  3. Buy a decent running outfit. This will help you feel better, avoid chafing, and keep you properly cooled down or warm depending on your environment.
  4. Be patient and do not increase your weekly mileage by more then 10% each week. Injuries and pain are generally what cause people to quit. Once you build an aerobic base, running will become much more pleasant!
  5. Do not worry about speed work until you can comfortably run 5k. Your runs should be at conversational pace. In other words you should be able to carry on a discussion. At first you will probably huff and puff, lord knows I did! But if you keep at it, you will get to a point where your conditioning will allow for you to do this.
  6. Learn about proper running form. This will help avoid injuries and make you a more efficient runner which will make your experiences more enjoyable! My favorite book is “Chi Running” by Danny Dreyer and Katherine Dreyer. This technique helped me stop having knee pain during and after my runs.
  7. Sign up for a 5k and represent a charity. This will create accountability and keep you going.
  8. If you like to run with others, look for a local running club and see what types of beginner runner programs they might offer. Your local running store can probably point you in the right direction!
  9. Be flexible. If there is a day where life gets in the way, don’t sweat it. Just don’t let it become two or three days. Or try and move that session to a day that you had scheduled off. You are doing this for you, so don’t turn a positive in to a negative or add stress to your life!
  10. Finally, be kind to yourself! There will be some ups and downs, you are starting something new and challenging, but extremely rewarding. When something doesn’t go your way, reflect, or shoot me an e-mail! When you hit a goal, reward yourself!

If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to starting a life long hobby that has all sorts of health and psychological benefits! Good luck. Remember, I am not a physician, so check with a physician before starting any physical fitness program.

Add to the list in the comments section below!

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Questions, comments, feedback? Please leave them in the comments section and we can have a discussion!