27 Ways to Run Better Every Day

By Runner's World editors
Runner's World

Mark Covert doesn't have to think about his run today. It's a given; he's going to do it. After running for 12,480 days in a row (through September 30, 2002), Covert isn't about to miss today. Or tomorrow. Or the day after.

You, however, probably need a plan for today's workout. Without a plan, it's just too easy to skip a run. You've got pressures in the office, errands to do, classes to take, things to deal with at home.

And more. Always more. Which makes it tough to put together a consistent training program.

Yet consistency is the most essential piece of every training program. It's the one thing—perhaps the only one—that every coach, physiologist, and medical expert agrees on.

Without consistency, you aren't going anywhere. You're not going to get faster. You're not going to run farther. You're not going to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, finish that marathon, or achieve your other running goals.

With a consistent training program, on the other hand, the sky's the limit. You'll feel better and run better every day. So let's get with it. Here are 27 ways to add more consistency to your running.

1. Run with others. To make sure you do a workout, there's nothing like the social pressure of knowing someone else (or a group) is waiting for you. Bonus: It's often more fun than running alone, especially if you're doing a long run, or a speed workout on the track.

2. Try something new. The fitness world is full of new and fun-filled events, and they don't all require a 3-week trip to Borneo and a survivor diet of grubs and lizards. Don't let yourself get bored with an endless string of 5-K and 10-K races. Cary Stephens, an attorney in Corvallis, Oreg., found himself drawn to "scrambles," an off-road running adventure. (To learn more, visit www.bigredlizard.com.)

3. Run like a tortoise. We can't lie to you. This isn't a sport of instant success and miracle shortcuts. Patience pays off, often in a very big way. At the beginning of a marathon training program, many participants can't imagine themselves running more than 5 miles. Twelve to 16 weeks later, voilà: the cheering crowd and unbelievable exhilaration of reaching a marathon finish line. Stick with the program. Repeat: Stick with the program. Prepare to be amazed.

4. Take a break. To every thing, there is a season. You don't have to run every day, every week, or even every month. Many top runners visualize their training year as a mountain range. It has peaks and valleys—recovery periods when they let their running taper off, so that they can build all the higher in their next training period. For healthy, consistent training, your body needs regular—that is, weekly, seasonal, and annual—recovery periods.

5. Eat a healthy breakfast. We can't emphasize this one enough. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it fuels you for the entire day. To skip breakfast or eat a skimpy one is like failing to rehydrate and refuel after a marathon. You wouldn't do that, would you? Well, your night's sleep is like a marathon to your body, because you don't get any fuel while you're sleeping. So carbo-load at breakfast. And add a little protein.

6. Get cozy with frozen vegetables. This isn't a nutrition tip. It's an injury-prevention tip. If London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe can take ice baths after a hard race, you can stand a bag of frozen peas against your sore knees for 15 minutes. Nothing reduces inflammation and holds injuries at bay like ice. Result: You stick to your training program. Don't like veggies? Fruit works, too. Try a small bag of frozen blueberries or strawberries. Or one of the many commercial ice wraps, often with handy Velcro straps. (You can find a good one at www.contourpak.com.)

7. Find a coach. Maybe the kind who yells at you every once in a while. (But probably not.) Point being, a coach's first job is to motivate you in a way no one else can. Second job: To lay out your training program. Third job: To prevent you from straying from the program, probably by running too much or too fast. You can find a coach by asking around, calling running stores, and checking the Internet.

8. Join the "X" revolution. Despite the many proven benefits of cross-training, we still know too many runners who only run. C'mon, folks. We love running, too. We know all about the "specificity-of-training" rule, but we still skip the occasional running workout to get in some cross-training. Mainly strength training, bicycling, elliptical training, yoga, stairclimbing, pool running, rowing, and walking. Why? Not because we think these routines will make us faster in our next half-marathon, but because they make us fitter and less prone to injury.