Tips & Tricks #1 To Help YOU Run Better
“Real athletes run, others just play games”
Let me get you tips & tricks to help YOU run better!
Nate & Craig here.
You know we get a lot of emails from runners all over the country, and now all over the world. But you know what? Most of you who write to us are asking about the same thing. Well two of the same things.
In fact, it usually boils down to something like this:
- help me run farther, pain free!
- help me get stronger and faster!
We LOVE these requests because virtually every runner has them and we have some great content that can help.
Even before we get into our 2 favorite running tips, we want to personally invite you join our regular LIVE Coaching Calls.
We love these calls but WE get to connect with YOU. We answer your questions on running, racing, injuries, programs, gear, and whatever else you can throw at us, LIVE.
So take the guesswork out of your training by joining the TRE Coaching Call Crew. Click here to sign up (it’s easy!).
So here you go! Because we love you, we’ll be sending you tips & tricks on how to get a little bit better right now on these two burning pursuits!
“I want to run farther (pain free).”
Running far is all about paying attention.The things we have to pay attention to on one level are quite simple. We all know how to stand up straight, right? But here’s the thing: simple does not necessarily mean easy! In fact, these simple things are anything but! They represent our long messy history of daily habits and ingrained motor patterns all geared towards sitting–in our cars, our offices, and at homes–all the while slumped forward staring at some device or another.
In short, our posture needs a little help! Fortunately you can do something about it starting right now.
For one hour set a timer to beep every 5 minutes.
The beep is a cue to make sure you’re sitting (or better yet standing) tall, your shoulders are rolled down and back, and you’re breathing into your belly.If you make 5 minutes without losing your posture, congratulations give yourself a little smile and a little pat on the back. If you get distracted and slump back into…well…slumping…you owe yourself one jumping jack right then and there (literally stand up and do one jumping jack). Then sit down (or keeping standing!), refocus, and get back in the game.
Try this exercise one hour a day for one week. If five minutes becomes easy, set the alarm for 10 minutes. Can you last for longer periods of time without having to be reminded? If you can you’re slowly rewiring your brain and your body for a “new” normal. And you better believe, the more ingrained this “new” normal becomes, the easier it is to apply it towards the things we really carry about, like ½ marathon, marathon, and ultra running glory!
“I want to run stronger (for a PR).”
Running strength is not always about fancy single leg movements pulling cables from different directions all the while balanced on a bosu ball because it supposedly “mimics” something you saw in a magazine.
Too often, (ok..ALL too often) we lack schooling in the classics! So this week your goal is to learn everything you can about the pushup and to add it into your running repertoire. If you’re anything like 90% of the running population we work with on a regular basis, you’ll quickly discover this very important movement is (ahem) missing from your quiver.
No sweat however! Check out the video below, breaking pushups down into digestible chunks along with a one week challenge helping you get them back into your routine:
The 7 day pushup challenge!
Try 5 flipped hand pushups a day for 7 days in a row and see what happens with your posture (you’ll be more upright), your breathing (your rib cage won’t be collapsed), and your core strength (you’ll be engaged like none other!). You don’t even have to do all 5 in a row. You could space them out throughout the day. And of course since you’re down there, you can always get free upgrades, i.e. more reps 🙂
Regardless of how many you do and when you do them, all we ask is that they are 5 of the most beautifully aware pushups you’ve ever done!
We’ll check back in next week with your progress! And remember, post your comments and questions on our Facebook page!
Still looking for more engagement and run coaching in your life? Sign up for our regular Coaching Calls. Here’s the deal (it’s quite simple): you sign up, you ask questions (on running, gear, training, injuries, strength, race strategy), and we answer them LIVE!
Nate & Craig