Accessible and free, running is one of the most popular activities. The reason is obvious: running is practicable by everyone, whatever the level. The advantages of running are numerous and, when you run, the room for improvement is very motivating.
You can practice running in different ways: one or more outings per week, trying to lengthen the distances or work for improve your pace. Running works the heart and the body fully while burning a maximum of calories.
If you’ve been running for a while, you may feel like you’ve stalled. It is common to reach what is called a ‘plateau’, to stagnate in your practice.
Running can be repetitive if you practice the same distance on each outing, for example. To progress, it will not be enough to perform a few runs a month. In running, there are a few keys to progress.
What goal should you set?
To progress, nothing like having a goal in sight. Many runners draw the motivation in having a specific goal in mind. Most often, registering for an official race is an excellent leitmotif to give yourself room for improvement.
If, for example, you are used to doing 5 km runs, look for a 10 km race near you and register. The prospect of hanging up a bib, of running with other people will push you to reach this distance in training.
You can also set yourself a time goal: reduce your time over a specific distance, or achieve an exit length never before achieved. The goal should be far enough away in time to allow you enough practice.
A workout plan
Once you have your goal in mind, and a date to achieve it, you have to train properly. Put on a schedule the number of outings to be done per week and the days of training. Think about alternating outings of different types to progress.
For example, a short run like jogging, followed by interval training on the track and a long run at a moderate pace. If you work a particular distance, it is useless to want to achieve this distance every time. If you manage to run the distance once or twice while preparing for your race, you will be ready on D-day.
The benefits of interval running
Splitting, what is it? It is a training method that consists of alternating target paces over a very short distance with so-called ‘rest’ jogging paces, and this on several circuits.
The split allows challenge your fundamental speed, to increase the cardio successively and thus improve your time on your usual outings. However, split sessions should not be abused: to be effective, once a week is enough.
Avoid injury
If you’re working on a running goal, it’s tempting to multiply your workouts. In the race, injuries happen quickly (strains, joint and knee pain, etc.). Most of them are due to equipment that leaves something to be desired. Equip yourself with running shoes, adapted to your stride. Choose your model according to your practice terrain (track, path, road etc.).
If necessary, then take a checkup with the podiatrist to see if you need insoles. You should also choose comfortable running clothes that adapt to your type of practice. For women, we recommend running bras with good support and breathable running leggings.
Don’t forget, after your workouts, to stretch yourself and complete your sessions with muscle strengthening. Too often forgotten, the exercises of sheathing and abdominals help you have good running posture and improve your performance.
Don’t hesitate to practice your strengthening exercises with light weights, or fitness bands, as well as monitor your performance with a connected object: this is one of the other advantages of running!
