5 Hard Truths Every Runner Must Hear
You won’t reach your ceiling until you realize this
Let’s face it. Running is hard. Really hard. Not only does it require discipline and consistency, but it forces you to be patient far more than you’d probably like to. The line between maximum performance and injury is so fine that you must master all three elements of training to get the most out of yourself.
To help you get there, I want to break down 5 hard truths that most runners choose to ignore. As cliché as it sounds, reaching your true ceiling will only take place once you put your energy into training smart, not just working hard. Not only will this blueprint help with injury prevention, but it can also decrease the amount of hours you need to be running (time on feet as marathoners like to say) to achieve the same level of fitness. Finally, it will set you up for a brilliant performance on race day as you prioritize what will actually move the needle.
Are you ready to take your training to the next level? Then it’s time to address some hard truths once and for all.
The Running Reality Checks You Need
Before we dive in, please be aware that everyone responds differently to training strategies as our fitness, goals, and priorities all vary. To get the most out of your journey, take everything below with a grain of salt and apply what you feel to be most relevant and helpful to where you’re at. What works for one may not work for another so don’t be afraid to experiment until you build a robust system that supports your running and overall health!
Now without further ado, let’s dive into the things that you don’t want to hear as a runner, but need to. In no particular order…
1) You’re pushing your tempo workouts too hard.
Tempo sessions are supposed to be uncomfortably comfortable. Think 20–30 minute sessions at 25–30 seconds per mile off of your 5k personal best (if you don’t have one just estimate). The whole purpose here is to train underneath your lactate threshold 2 so that you build speed endurance. If you want the sciency stuff check out my article here.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a hard session…but it’s not all out. What I’ve seen many people struggle with (including myself) is starting at an appropriate pace, but closing the last 5–10 minutes at a rate closer to race pace. This session should be consistent all the way through unless you start too slow or fast out the gates! I’ll say it again, this should be uncomfortably comfortable. Be disciplined with this! As long as you stay in that perceived zone of effort, you will push your physiology and running performance forward.
2) Heart rate doesn’t matter as much as you think.
Heart rate is a great guide, but that’s all it is. It shouldn’t govern where your maximum effort is on race day, nor should it stop you from dialing back or pushing on when you feel like a workout needs to be modified. For one, heart rate monitors aren’t as accurate as you think. This is especially the case for smartwatches and armbands. During those times when tech fails you, it’s key to have a secondary method for judging effort.
In my opinion, the best skill a runner can develop is being intuitive about pace and effort. Instead of always chasing after mile splits and heart rate values, take a couple of days per week to not look at the watch and listen to your body. Once you begin to do this, you’ll have an intrinsic sense of where your ‘Zone 1–5’ lies without having to check any screens or monitors.
Again, heart rate can be used as a guide, but it shouldn’t control every aspect of your training, especially not your racing.
3) Race day is 90% mental and 10% physical.
Being disciplined with your training doesn’t automatically make you a great racer. Just as you’re putting your legs through the miles, you must also train your mind to be strong when it matters most. I once heard Steven Scullion talk about this 90/10 rule and it’s stuck with me ever since. Just think about it. You’re not going to get any fitter while running your race! That occurred over your last training block, and the one before that…and the one before that.
What will set you apart from having a decent day and a GREAT day is how much you're willing to build psychological strategies to endure pain and get the most out of your physiology. Some helpful tips in this arena include setting A, B, and C goals, making mantras to repeat when the going gets tough, writing out targeted time splits on your arm, and scouting out the course in advance so you’re familiar with aid stations, mile markers, etc... The easier you can make the race on your mind, the better the day will go!
4) You have to train race pace…and beyond.
If you have a target pace in mind for your next race, you must spend a decent amount of time running at that pace during your harder sessions. I’d argue that at least 10% of your training should be at this specific pace (or at least perceived effort), with 5–10% even faster to develop your anaerobic engine and V02max work. This can take the form of doing track sessions, implementing longer interval work on the road, inserting race pace miles into long runs, and more! Even if you’re running a marathon and beyond, taking time for speed will be relevant and helpful.
While there’s an obvious physiological reason for running at race pace, an overlooked benefit to this part of your training is allowing your mind to know what the pace feels like. This will boost psychological toughness and can help you lock into a more consistent pacing strategy on the day as you know exactly what your body needs to be doing to achieve your goal.
5) The best injury prevention tool is strength work.
While monitoring your volume to avoid overtraining will help you stay injury-free, you won’t be able to reach your ceiling until you take time for resistance training. While it doesn’t need to be much, try aiming for a 20–30 minute session 2–3 times per week. Prioritize work around the hip flexors, hamstrings, soleus, and feet, as these areas are often neglected by runners. If you’re new to resistance training and want help building a plan, I have you covered here. Just remember, a little bit goes a long way!
Before wrapping up…
If you haven’t already heard, I’ve recently launched personalized running coaching over at my website! 🎉 With spring races just around the corner, this is the perfect opportunity to dial in your training and get some accountability going.
We’ll work together to create a hyper-personalized training plan tailored to your specific goals and current fitness. This allows you to take the guesswork out of training and focus on getting the best out of yourself! With my expertise in kinesiology and S+C, there will also be a huge element of injury prevention and strength programming to ensure you stay on track. Round that out with weekly text support to modify workouts and keep life balanced and you have a recipe for sustained success!
I want to emphasize that this is for all abilities, regardless of if consider yourself a ‘runner’ or not. Whether you’re stepping outside for your first run or you’re looking for a new half-marathon PR, let me help you achieve your goals! If you’re interested, you can find me here.
In Closing,
Everyone has the ability to work hard, but very few runners choose to master the balance between pushing the envelope and being patient. This sport is all about training like an animal on the few days you’re supposed to and holding back the rest of the time. If you can nail this rhythm while maintaining balance in all aspects of life, the skies are the limit for how fast and strong you can be.
Are you ready to take the path less traveled and maximize your performance? Your best running is ahead of you!
