The Role of Rest Days: Balancing Recovery and TrainingSeptember 23, 2024As fall brings cooler weather and exciting races, runners often ramp up their training. But while increasing mileage is key, rest days are just as important to staying strong and injury-free. Understanding the role of rest days can be a game-changer. So, what exactly are the benefits of incorporating rest days into your schedule? Here are some points to consider: Rest Days Aid in Muscle Repair Recovery days allow your muscles to repair and rebuild, making you stronger for future runs. Prevent Fatigue and Injury Skipping rest can lead to burnout and injuries, hindering your progress. Frequency of Rest Days While every athlete is different, 1-2 rest days per week is a good baseline. Listen to your body - take more rest if you’re sore or overly tired. Active Recovery Options On rest days, you can consider low-impact activities like walking or yoga to promote blood flow without strain Rest in the Taper As race day approaches, rest becomes essential to allow your body to recover and perform at its best. Post-Race Recovery After the race, give yourself time to rest before resuming training to avoid injury. Rest is Part of Progress Rest days are not a setback; they are a vital component of a successful training plan. By balancing rest and training, you’ll stay injury-free and strong, setting yourself up for success on race day.
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Training
From Non-Runner to Marathoner: Crushing a Sub-5 Goal
Major milestone: First Marathon at 40+!! Non-runner. Goal - sub-5 Actual- 4:52:44. Mind blown!! My half PR- 2:08:23! Simply stoked! What is the secret to your success? Consistency, patience, and grit!! What is the most rewarding part of training? Keeping on target range per Runcoach!! Absolutely fantastic plan! Cally you go girl!! What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Discipline, go easy on days you can’t control.
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Runcoach Success Stories
Runcoach Athlete Breaks 5-Minute Mile for the 38th Consecutive Year
Major milestone: Recently ran sub 5:00 in the mile for the 38th consecutive year. What is the secret to your success? Commitment to do something every day. Writing each workout in a training log. Having a goal to chase. What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Sleep. Staying healthy. Cannot take as many hits as I used to. Have to train smarter. Listen to my body. Incorporate cross training (i.e. bike). What is the most rewarding part of training? I still love the feeling of hitting exhaustion after crushing a tough workout. The level of satisfaction on the cool down is still magical. It still feels amazing hitting it each year. What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Stay consistent. Set a goal and go after it. Sacrifice for the goal.
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Runcoach Success Stories
I started working with a nutritionist after bonking one too many times in a marathon. What I learned was not surprising, but also not common knowledge when trying to do your own research. The longer the distance, the more important the fueling!
1. Carbohydrate Intake:
Written by Coach Alex
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Nutrition
Beat the Heat: Hydrating Summer Drinks for RunnersJuly 24, 2024Running in the summer heat requires you to pay extra attention to your hydration strategy. To help you maintain your energy levels, we've rounded up some of our favorite products: 1. Nuun Sport Electrolyte Tablets NUUN tablets are a convenient way to ensure you're getting electrolytes without excess sugar. They dissolve easily in water to provide a quick and delicious solution. Coaches favorite flavors: Strawberry Lemonade, Tri-Berry How to use: Drop one tablet in 16 ounces of water. Ideal for drinking during or after your run.
2. Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Mix Skratch Labs prides itself on using real fruit for flavoring, ensuring a natural and refreshing taste. This hydration mix balances electrolytes and carbohydrates for optimal hydration and energy. Coaches favorite flavors: Lemon Lime, Pineapple How to use: Mix one scoop with 12-16 ounces of water and consume during activity.3. Vital Proteins Hydration + Collagen This product uniquely combines hydration with collagen peptides, which can support joint health - a great benefit for runners. Coaches favorite flavors: Lemon Lime, Tropical Blast How to use: Mix one stick pack with 12-16 ounces of water, ideal for post-run recovery.4. Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Liquid I.V. offers a range of electrolyte drink mixes for different occasions, such as sugar-free energy, immune support, gut health, and sleep. Coaches favorite flavors: Cotton Candy, Pina Colada How to use: Mix one stick with 16 ounces of water and drink as needed for rapid hydration.5. Coconut Water Coconut water is a natural electrolyte powerhouse, perfect for rehydrating after a long run. Coaches favorite flavors: VIta Coco Coconut Water - Pineapple, VIta Coco Coconut Water - Mango How to use: Open and sip! :) These drink options from trusted brands provide the necessary benefits to keep you running at your best.
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Training
Discipline and Routine: NYC United Half Marathon Keys to Success
 Major milestone: NYC United Half Marathon What is the secret to your success? Discipline and routine. Working out the same time everyday with the same cadence week in and week out. Monday speed, Tuesday easy, Saturday long run, etc. What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? To relax, not worrying about missing a workout, or hitting each interval time. Enjoy the process. What is the most rewarding part of training? The race! What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Play the long game. Don’t get into race shape in a week. Plan it out, create the routine and give yourself time, and mostly celebrate the small wins.
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Runcoach Success Stories
Mental Strategies for Hot Weather RunningJune 16, 2024Running in hot weather brings challenges that can test the most dedicated runners. The sun, humidity, and increased fatigue can make it difficult to stay positive. However, with the right mental strategies, you can conquer the heat and enjoy your summer runs. Here are some tips to help: 1. Adjust Your Expectations Understand that running in hot weather is more demanding on your body. Your pace may slow down, and that's okay. Instead of focusing on your speed, concentrate on the effort you're putting in. 2. Set Small, Achievable Goals Breaking your run into smaller, manageable segments can make the task seem less daunting. Instead of thinking about the entire distance, focus on reaching the next landmark or completing the next mile. Celebrate these small victories along the way to keep your spirits high. 3. Stay Hydrated and Cool Proper hydration is so important. Make sure you're well-hydrated before, during, and after your run. Additionally, find ways to stay cool, such as running in shaded areas, wearing light-colored clothing, or using a cooling towel. 4. Visualize Success Visualization is a powerful mental tool. Before your run, take a few minutes to visualize yourself running strong despite the heat. Picture yourself finishing your run with a sense of accomplishment. This mindset can boost your confidence. 5. Practice Positive Self-Talk Internal dialogue plays a significant role in your performance. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Instead of thinking, "It's too hot, I can't do this," remind yourself, "I am tough, and I can handle the challenge." 6. Run with a Buddy Running with a friend can provide a morale boost - distracting you from the discomfort, helping to keep your pace steady, and offering encouragement when you need it most. If you don't have a running buddy, consider joining a local running group. 7. Embrace the Experience Shift your perspective and appreciate the opportunity to push your limits. Every run contributes to your overall progress and resilience! By adopting these mental strategies, you'll not only survive the summer heat but you’ll thrive in it!
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Training
10 Years Later: A New Personal Best
Major milestone: New 8k PB running 2024 Chicago Shamrock Shuffle (10 years after running the last one and post-kid pause). What is the secret to your success? Gradual build-up to stay injury-free. Running majority of weekly mileage slow. Pushing limits during weekly tempo run. Scraping and foam rolling. Listen to body first even if that means missing a run here and there or going slower. Focus on better quality sleep and hydration. What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? Finding the time for base building and marathon build-ups with two young kids and a demanding job. I changed the way I train and now doing most of my miles on my treadmill at home (instead of group runs outside pre-kids). What is the most rewarding part of training? Putting it all into action during a race and seeing the progress made. What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Choose the training method and volume/running goals that work best for your circumstances. What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
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Runcoach Success Stories
Motivational Summer ReadsMay 27, 2024Whether you're lounging by the pool, enjoying a cool night on the porch, or taking a break between training sessions, a book is a great way to find some extra motivation! Check out our curated reading list:
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Training
Breaking Barriers: 17-Minute PR at Big Sur Marathon
Major milestone: 17 minute PR at Big Sur Marathon What is the secret to your success? Running two workouts a week helped me get faster and more comfortable with being slightly uncomfortable. What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it? I have a psycho neurological disorder that is as yet undiagnosed. Under stress, I get episodes. Running long distances brings them on but I love to run long distances. It is an art I’m learning to time preventative medication taking while I run. This marathon I was able to stave off episodes until mile 25 when I ducked into a portapotty for 9 minutes to compose myself and wait for the medicine to kick in. My training was enough to have set a 26 minute PR but until I get a diagnosis I also have episodes to contend with when running distance. What is the most rewarding part of training? The mile time trial was rewarding for me. I ran faster than I knew I could. Hitting paces during speed interval, tempo, and threshold runs easily as the training progressed showed me my progress as at first I could not hit the paces prescribed. Long runs always made me feel proud of myself. What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community? Runcoach is an excellent program. Having a coach is very helpful. As things come up and you need to adapt the plan, your coach can do that. The unconditional positivity Cally shined on me throughout training really boosted my spirits and confidence. Follow your plan as best as you can but know you don’t have to be perfect. Other aspects of life demand our time and I couldn’t accomplish all my runs. The program still worked to get me to the finish much faster than before. Anything else you would like to share? Cally is kind, knowledgeable, encouraging, and a runner I look up to. She’s a wonderful coach. She took the time to adapt my plan many times.
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Runcoach Success Stories
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