"You're only as good as your training, and your training is only as good as your thinking." -Lauren Oliver
Article written by Neely Gracey
Updated by Rosie Edwards

If this is your first race ever, or your 1,000th race, in running, there are times where it gets tough while racing. Especially in the longer races. The doubts, negative thoughts, and emotions can sneak in and take over. Training your mind to focus on positive things will keep you moving forward towards your goals. The mantra you need today may change or evolve, or perhaps you need a few to get you through different parts of the race. Here are some ideas to get you started! 

Stronger Every Mile

Run Grateful

Chase The Dream

Attitude Is Everything

Every Mile Is A Gift

I Can, I Will

Fit, Fast, Fierce

You Are Strong

Focused Every Step

Embrace The Struggle

Breathe

Trust The Process

Be Strong

Attitude Determines Direction

Focus Ahead

Never Give Up

Relax

Be Fearless

Run Hard, Be Strong, Don't Quit

Chase Progress

Run With Ambition

Feed Your Focus

Run Inspired

Believe In You

Focus Determines Reality

One Foot In Front Of The Other

Conquer From Within

Relentless Spirit

Tough Times Don't Last

Enjoy The Journey

Strive For Progress

Positive Mind, Positive Outcome

Tips for the Taper

In running, the final phase of training is where you get sharp, peak, and taper. The last 1-3 weeks prior to a big race is where the emphasis is on all the fitness coming together at the right time. This part of training helps your body to mentally focus,  gives you time to hydrate, fuel, and rest in preparation for your big goal. Here are some tips to maximize the final phase of training to get the most out of yourself on race day!

Training

Cut back some of the miles, but still keep some turnover workouts in the training that final week. This will keep your muscle tension in a good place so you don’t feel “flat” or heavy legged on race day.

Psychological

Take some time during the taper weeks to get your mind in the right place for race day. Look back at all the training you have done to prepare for your goal, and gain confidence in yourself and your fitness.

Hydration

Start an emphasis on hydration during your taper. This will help your body perform on race day!

Fueling

It is important to not over eat during the taper phase. However, be certain to get in good nutrients the few days leading into the race. You want to have all your energy stores filled and ready to carry you to a strong finish.

Relax

Focus on sleep, propping the feet up, and encouraging your muscles to repair and freshen up prior to race day.

When you put all these tips together, it can bring you more confidence knowing you are trained, mentally prepared, hydrated, fueled, and rested… the key components to taking your goals from a dream to reality.

Are you heading to the beach for a final summer vacation? Or maybe you just want to spend some time relaxing by the pool, or lounging in the AC. No matter your intentions, if you want some quality reading, look no further.

Peak Performance by Steve Magness

Insight into the commonalities of success. From athletes, to CEO's, to musicians, what drives performance?


Run The World by Becky Wade

The story of pro marathoner Becky Wade when she traveled the world to explore what it's like to live and train in other cultures and landscapes. 


Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor

The American record holder for the Marathon, Deena Kastor, shares the story of how she achieved great things once she trained her mind to stay positive.


Endure by Alex Hutchinson

Learning to endure is a key trait to success. Using the mind to push a little further and a little faster.


Pepper Jones Series by Ali Dean

Sports fiction author and runner Ali Dean brings a high school runner girl to life in this easy-to-read story about the highs and lows of success in sports at a young age.


How Bad do you Want it? by Matt Fitzgerald

Mind over muscle is the mantra in this book as you learn to push your limits further than you thought possible.


Running with the Buffalos by Chris Lear

The true story of the 1998 men's cross-country team at the University of Colorado and their relentless focus for an NCAA victory. 


Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

A talented runner forced to forego his Olympic dreams when drafted for WW2.


Grit by Angela Duckworth

Insight into the combination of passion+perseverance=grit and grit is one of the key ingredients to success.

We want to introduce you to your coaches! At Runcoach, we strive to provide you the best virtual coaching experience possible, and that starts with having some of the best coaches! Tom, Hiruni, and Neely are all certified coaches with World Class running credentials. They are here to support you because they understand first hand the highs and lows of running, and now, you can utilize their expertise to help you towards your goals.

Tom is the founder and CEO of Runcoach. He is a lifelong runner, 3 time Olympic Trials Qualifier and respected coach. In short, Tom is passionate about running and more specifically, helping runners improve and achieve their personal goals. He wanted to build a tool that adapted with the infinitely changing needs of each athlete. Armed with a set of principles inspired by his time as a professional runner and his firsthand knowledge coaching Nike Farm athletes, Tom created Runcoach.

Through Runcoach, Tom has helped thousands of runners set new PR’s. He has trained marathoners ranging from 2:15 to 8:15 and remains convinced that anyone can improve their running and avoid injury with the right approach.

As a Runcoach gold member, you’ll be able to ask our coaches, like Tom, questions about your training, race preparation, injury prevention, and nutrition and get expert level advice and guidance to help you get to the next level.

Hiruni is the first to point out that we all have one thing in common. Regardless of fitness level or accomplishments, we are all trying to become the best version of ourselves. At a quick glance, you might not think you have much in common with Hiruni. Between her 10 national records for her home country of Sri Lanka and her impressive collegiate career at the University of Kentucky, she has accomplished things many of us may never achieve. Yet, Hiruni is a huge advocate of personal development through goal setting.

At Runcoach, Hiruni helps our runners set realistic goals, manage hectic schedules, avoid injury, and get the most out of every run. Each runner is different, and Hiruni loves unlocking the potential of runners just like you.

As a Runcoach Gold member, you will have access to people like Hiruni, coaches who know exactly how to help you become the best version of yourself.

Neely started running competitively in her early teens and just kept getting faster. She won eight NCAA DIV II Championships in college, and continued on to represent Team USA in five international competitions. In 2016, she was the first American finisher at the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:35. She is a master at juggling a busy life; rigorous training, wife, full time coach, and mom. She’s fought through illness and injury along the way but knows what it takes to persevere and stay mentally strong and focused.

As part of the Runcoach team, Neely shares her love of the sport and affinity to helping runners like you persevere through challenges all while balancing the many demands life throws your way. She is passionate about coaching athletes as well as offering up some of the insight she’s learned along her journey on the Runcoach blog and social media channels.

As a Runcoach Gold member you will have access to coaches like Neely who can help you balance your hectic lifestyle with the rewards that come with improving your running abilities.

• 
  We are so thrilled to be a part of Melinda's Marine Corps Marathon success.
  Her attitude of setting big goals that are scary, and then putting in the work to make them reality by pushing herself beyond her comfort zone, is what the journey of running is all about! From those who just ran their first mile ever, to the greatest Olympian, every runner goes through these same emotions so we wanted to share this story with you so you know you're not alone!
  
  
• Major milestone:
  Finished the Marine Corps Marathon 2017
• What is the secret to your success?
  Patience with myself, discipline & I trusting my training. I put my training in the hands of others that know better than I do.
• What is the biggest obstacle to reaching your goals and how do you get over it?
  The mental challenge!! I have a busy life makes it pretty normal to have days where you just don’t want to...(enter whatever here. Run, Gym, Work, Clean the house) Getting over that goal defeating monologue that can run through my head. I remind myself daily I am pretty sure that is just part being human. It’s Okay to feel that way but I am not going to achieve what I want if I give into it.
• What is the most rewarding part of training?
  Sense of personal achievement. I am a slooow runner, I am never going to win any races, get any trophies...I am okay with that. Running has always been a challenge for me, I have to push myself daily physically & mentally to do it. There is nothing more satisfying than completing something that I don’t think I can!
• What advice would you give to other members of the Runcoach community?
  Be gentle with yourself & Trust your training. Take each workout as it comes and do your best at that moment. It’s cliche but if this was easy everyone would be doing it, so embrace that fact, celebrate it, celebrate your training!
• Anything else you would like to share?
  I have always had a image of what a runner is. I don’t fit that picture. I am super slow, I am not skinny, I have thick legs, I carry extra weight. I like sweets and pizza...I can go on and on with my “doubts” on the fact that I am a runner. What’s the truth is I have completed a marathon & 10+ half marathons. I have logged thousands of miles in training and I love to run. That is what makes me a runner.
  
  
• What feedback would you offer on the Runcoach experience?
  Runcoach has been an awesome tool for training. It takes the guesswork & “my way” out of the equation. Left to my own devices I would probably over or under train. Last year was a great experience.
  
  Tell us your story!

We are excited to welcome Neely Spence Gracey to the Runcoach/Movecoach team.

Neely was born into running, as her father was racing the Boston marathon the day she was born. Steve, her dad, has a bronze medal from the 1991 World Championships in the Marathon, and was on the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Team. Because of watching her dad's success, Neely grew up believing that anything is possible.  She puts that belief to the test as she balances her own running career, coaching, and a baby on the way. 

Neely was the top American finisher in the 2016 Boston Marathon. She has run her way to a sub 1:10 Half Marathon, and has hopes to qualify post pregnancy to run in the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. More importantly, Neely loves helping runners like you achieve things you never thought possible.

We are thrilled to bring you her expertise and positivity as she joins our staff. If you follow us on Twitter, enjoy our Instagram photos, send us messages on Facebook, or find the blog tips helpful, there's a good chance you have already had the opportunity to interact with Neely. We encourage you to join us in welcoming her to the Runcoach/Movecoach team.

Follow us and learn more from Neely!
Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
@runcoachsays @movecoachsays

The goal of a training plan: To take you from where you are, to where you want to be.

A good training routine encompasses fitness, mental focus, and good habits that get stronger with each week. First, you start to build a foundation, or base, that will hold up and support the entire pyramid. From there, the focus is to consistently meet your daily goals as you progress towards the peak. With each run, you train your body and mind to handle the workload, and you adapt your lifestyle and schedule to support your daily efforts.

Ultimately, your pyramid will be completed in the peak week, which is your final goal of the training cycle. To accomplish this, the Runcoach vV0₂ algorithm helps you along the way with pace and workout adjustments as you progress. The goal of this training philosophy is to keep injuries away with appropriate stress and recovery.

The ability to train consistently, and without injury, always results in higher fitness and better mental focus.
With a well constructed pyramid, you will be ready for whatever race day brings.

Modified by Cally Macumber

The number one rule for race day fueling; Don’t do anything new. Training with a race goal in mind, means that every run you do is practice for the race. You are training your muscles, your body, your mind, and your stomach. Learning to fuel and hydrate to get the most out of your training and racing will make a huge difference in the outcome of your performance, and it all starts in your daily practice.

Pre-Race Routine. For any run over 60 minutes, you will want to eat and hydrate beforehand. (See blog on Pre-Run and Post-Run Nutrition). This is a great opportunity to eat and drink the same thing you will on race morning. Once you know what sits well in your stomach, and fuels you for your miles, then stick with it! A standard pre-race breakfast is coffee (or tea) for a little caffeine, a bagel/toast/oatmeal and banana for carbs and fuel, and 16oz of electrolyte mix for hydration. Have this about 3 hours prior to the start of your race of any distance. Try this protocol before workouts and long runs and see how you feel! Adjust accordingly to determine what works for you, and then, don’t deviate.

Mid-Race Protocol. If you are doing a training run or race longer than 60 minutes, you may need to fuel and hydratethroughout. Look up what electrolyte fluid and gels the event will provide. It is very common in half marathon and marathon distances to offer gels on the course, but you want to know the brand, flavor, and if they contain caffeine. Then you will practice with those fluids and gels leading into the race to confirm they work for you. If they do not, you will need to carry your own. In training and racing, take gels every 35-45 minutes. Get the gel in right before a water station, and then drink water to wash it down (do not take electrolyte fluid with a gel). In between, you can take water and electrolyte fluid to stay well hydrated. If you are racing less than an 60 minutes, you will need nothing, or only water to get through the distance.

Practicing your Pre-Race Routine and your Mid-Race Protocol will help you figure out what your body needs to be successful and run strong the whole way!

Written by Neely Gracey
Updated by Cally Macumber

The main way to meet your goals is to follow your training plan, but it never hurts to put a little thought into what could help support your active lifestyle! Recovery, Strength Training, Consistency, Hydration, Mid Run/Race Fueling, and Pre-Run /Post-Run Nutrition are all important details that will help you feel stronger and healthier. There will be a series of blog posts on each of these topics, stay tuned!

Pre-Run and Post-Run Nutrition

When it comes to good eating habits, the number one thing to remember is moderation. Unless you have an allergy, or know certain foods don’t sit well in your stomach, then nothing is off limits. It’s all about the timing, and learning a good routine that works well for you. There are two key times when nutrition is critical during training; pre-run, and post-run. Let’s explore these in more detail.

Pre-run fueling is critical to dial in, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. If you’re a morning runner, you may not have much time to grab a snack before heading out to get in your training. Try something light, easy to digest, and carb focused for quick fuel. A banana, piece of toast, granola bar, sports chews, electrolyte mix, etc. All followed by water to wash it down and kick start your hydration for the day. Getting in some calories and fluids before a morning run is really important because you haven’t eaten for many hours, and you may have become dehydrated throughout the night. Fueling up beforehand will help ensure the success of your training efforts.

If you’re an afternoon/evening runner, than you have a day of meals to plan before your run. The morning isn’t too specific, but the meal/snack 3 hours prior to your run is very important. You will want to stick to something bland and not too heavy. A giant burrito may not leave you feeling great on your upcoming workout. Instead, try a sandwich, soup and side salad, sushi, etc. Good choices are things that are low in fats, easy to digest, and include no ingredients that irritate your stomach. Having a meal 3 hours before a run allows the body time to process and use the food as fuel. This will also help prevent cramps from eating too close to exercise.

Post-run fueling is all about starting the recovery process. In a run, your muscles are put under stress, and afterwards, they need protein to rebuild. Having carbs with your protein helps expedite this process, and according to the Olympic Training Performance Center, can also help boost your immune system. If you struggle to eat solids after running, you’re not alone! Try yogurt, smoothies, popsicles, or protein enriched milk. Whatever you consume post run, focus on carbs, proteins, antioxidants, essential fats, and fluids. The suggestion is to get in 100-200 calories within an hour of completing your run. You then have enough fuel to kick start recovery, protein synthesis, and rehydration before you get in your next full meal.  Finding a routine that works for you will allow your body to function at it’s best and be ready to nail those workouts as you chase your goals.

We know not every goal ends in a race, so don’t worry, we got your back. Our New Goals list has been updated to better suit your training endeavors as you progress from where you are to where you want to be.

While you can still sign up using a race as your goal, these four New Goals options help you find the perfect amount of training and intensity you want in your personalized fitness program.

1-Get Started! A 12 week plan to get you moving and in a new lifestyle routine. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

2-Get Faster! A 24 week plan to get you more active towards long term goals. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

3-Get Fitter! A 12 week plan to get you from your current fitness to the next level. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

4-Go Further! A 24 week plan to get you more miles and intensity. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

Happy Running!

Sign up here!
Runcoach
My Run Plan
Movecoach