Tag Archive for: running tips

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Excuse Busters That’ll Keep You on Track

These 5 excuses busters will keep you on the path towards your goals

We’ve all been there. We have the best intentions of following a workout routine, but sometimes life gets in the way. Next thing you know we’re skipping more runs and workouts than we should. There’s good news, you’re not alone and these excuse busters just might be what you need! The goal is to anticipate these situations and be prepared. Below are 5 excuse busters to the most common reasons for skipping your run or workout. Pro tip: include this effective 10-minute warm-up before your next run or workout.

  • You’re too tired

Taking time off when you’re tired is important, but sometimes a workout is just what you need to get a boost of energy. Exercise increases blood flow and the release of serotonin and dopamine. All of which will help make you feel better. 

Solution: Maybe your regular workout is not ideal if you’re tired. Try less-intense exercise such as yoga or walking. They can be just as beneficial. You’re getting outdoors, enjoying fresh air, and increasing your blood flow. Pro tip: speed up the recovery process when you follow this long-run recovery timeline.

  • Not fun anymore

Getting out the door for your next workout is easier to skip when it’s not fun anymore. You can justify skipping that run or ride because you don’t get the same type of enjoyment. Chances are high that you’re getting burned out.

Solution: There are some options to making your workouts fun again! Try updating your playlist. These tunes might be just what you need to get going again. Plus, you’ll look forward to the next song. Switch up your routine. If you run on the roads, try the trails. If you ride the same loop on your bike switch it up. Lastly, meet up with a friend or two. Working out with friends is a great way to pass the time during your workout. Pro tip: check out these hilarious running memes and remind yourself why you love to run.

  • Not enough time

Life can be crazy sometimes. When we look at our packed schedules we might think the last thing we have time for is a workout. Try this, instead of finding time to work out, make time to work out.

Solution: You don’t need to work out for an entire hour to get the benefits from exercise. Sometimes 30 minutes can be enough. Try waking up 30 minutes early to exercise. Take some time off during your lunch break to ride your bike. You can also multi-task. For example, how about doing some body-weight exercises while you binge-watch your favorite series? Also, if kids are preventing you from working out, you can get them involved in your routine. Schedule family walks/runs/bike rides around the neighborhood.

  • Just not motivated

Sometimes improving our health or getting a PR in our next race is not motivating enough to help us stick to a workout routine. 

Solution: Set smaller, short-term goals that are realistic and achievable. While setting big goals is important, it might take a long time to accomplish them. You might become unmotivated over time. For some people, having someone else to exercise with can be very motivating. Finding yourself an accountability partner can be helpful. Lastly, doing something that is not fun is definitely not going to be motivating, so find a type of exercise that is fun for you! 

  • Missed the last run or workout

It’s easy to justify passing on a run or workout when you missed the last one. But don’t! You don’t have to necessarily make up what you missed, but continuing with your plan is the best choice for you.

Solution: If you missed a morning run, try completing it in the evening. If you miss the run entirely you have some options. You can move forward and continue with your training plan. Another choice is to switch the missed run with your rest day since you essentially had a rest day. Both of these options help you stay on track with your training. 

Whether it is a lack of time or motivation, we’ve all made some excuse to skip a workout here and there. The good news is that there is always a way to defeat our excuses. Make it a priority, and prepare to crush your next run or workout with these excuse busters! No more skipping your run or workout with these 5 solutions.

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3 Ways to Improve Your Downhill Running Technique

Advice to prevent injury and improve your downhill running technique

Jogging uphill can be a difficult feat from a cardio perspective, but running downhill is a lot more challenging for your body. Why? Muscles shorten and lengthen or contract concentrically and eccentrically. Eccentric contractions require more energy and experience more wear and tear. The downhill running technique uses a lot of eccentric contraction, especially on the lower leg muscles and quadriceps. By mastering your downhill running technique, you will improve your form and put less stress on your body. Pro tip: make sure you complete those hill workouts with this advice to maintain your training during the holidays.

Tips to improve your downhill running technique

Remember, it’s important to properly warm-up before any run, especially a hill workout. This 10-minute warm-up will get you started!

Look ahead, not at your feet

The human brain is adept at instantly interpreting what the eyes see ahead. Proprioceptors in muscle, fascial, and connective tissues send direct signals to the brain about where you are on the hill. When you look ahead, it gives your body and brain enough time to respond. This allows you to use gravity to your advantage. Take a few seconds to stand and look six feet ahead of you. Now look down at your feet and get a sense of what’s happening to your hips. They’re probably behind your center of gravity. Benefits include:

  • contract and shorten the quad muscles before movement
  • strengthen big muscle groups like hamstrings, glutes, and quads
  • strengthen hips to stabilize joints and maintain alignment

If you look ahead and engage your core your hips will stay in your center of gravity. It’s easier to absorb force, propel forward, and stabilize from this position while running downhill. Pro tip: running downhill provides a great opportunity to recover and build your mental toughness.

Engage your core

What is the core and what role does it play in your form? The core is a set of muscles that connects the lower and upper body. From the deepest to the top layer: transverse abdominus, internal obliques, rectus abdominus, and external obliques. These muscles work together to provide you with stability while helping you propel forward in your running technique. If these muscles are not working properly, the large muscles try to offer stability but with a lot of tension and alignment issues. This can worsen your injuries. When you have a strong core, you will develop a good posture. This can help maintain your center of gravity as you dart down the hill. Keep in mind, running surfaces change as you stride downhill, especially on long runs. A strong core will help you move nimbly. Pro tip: recover faster with this long-run recovery timeline.

Perform running downhill drills

Forward or lateral hops

This drill will help you develop a stable core and quick tempo. Try to stay tall the entire time while keeping your feet together. Begin by practicing for 20 seconds and work to 45 seconds.

Grassy hill

Go to a grassy area such as a park or golf course. Start with a hill that’s easy to tackle. Run down this hill with quick feet. Begin with quick repeats, anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds. This will give you more confidence and help your brain build new movement patterns.

Supine marching

This exercise engages and strengthens your core. While lying on your back, pull your belly button in, toward the spine. Engage in marching steps.

Mastering the downhill running technique is easily accomplished if you practice downhill drills, engage your core, and practice forward gazing. Better your technique and incorporate these 12 tips to make running that much easier.

7 Valuable Tips You Need to Know to Run Your Best

These 7 valuable tips will help you run your best and get the most out of training

Run your best when you follow these 7 tips! There are some things that are out of our control, like the weather. But when you execute the things you can control, you truly run your best. These tips are as easy as relaxing while you run and as technical as checking your cadence. Keep these tips in mind when you’re training during the summer months. Need a reminder? Click the infographic below to download for yourself. Take your training to the next level when you take care of yourself with this vital advice!

Relax

Downloadable infographic highlighting 7 tips you should follow to run your best.Sounds simple, but we can unknowingly put a strain on our body in an effort to produce mileage or a certain pace. Really focus on relaxing your body. Unclench your fists and loosen your shoulders and jaw. You can even begin your run or workout at a slightly slower than normal pace to really dial in your breathing. Slowly increasing your heart rate at the beginning will help with relaxation.

Check your cadence

The average runner’s cadence should be 160-170 steps per minute. You don’t have to count this in your head! Every runner is different, especially if you’re just starting out or have been running all your life. Under Armour makes knowing your cadence seamless. Their Bluetooth connected shoes, like Under Armour’s HOVR Velociti 2, send the information from your run directly to their MapMyRun app. The app even provides personalized coaching tips! Tracking your cadence, mileage, pace, and other running-related data will help you see improvement.

Focus on your stride

This coincides with the first tip to relax. Your stride improves when you relax. Don’t overstride or run on your tippy-toes. You want your stride to be smooth and comfortable. This better optimizes the energy your body uses and helps avoid injury.

Take time off

Listen to your body, whether you suspect an injury or just don’t feel good. The last thing you want is to have something minor become a major issue. If you have to take more than a day or two off, visit a specialist at the Ascension Seton Sports Performance and get checked out. If you think something is wrong get it diagnosed so you can build a plan to get back to running. 

Get more sleep

Feeling a little sluggish since you’ve increased your mileage? Add one extra minute of sleep per night for every mile you run that week. If you run 30 miles per week, add 30 minutes of sleep. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Make sure you give your body enough time to recover when you begin asking more of it.

Hydrate

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s extremely vital. At a minimum, you should drink 60-80 ounces every day. The more active you are, the more you should increase that amount. Make sure you have a good balance of water and an electrolyte-infused fluid, like nuun hydration.

Cross-train

Don’t run every day, mix it up. Cross-training is important to prevent overuse injuries. Try swimming, cycling, yoga, lifting weights, or online workouts. You’ll work different muscles and build strength. When lifting weights, focus on a lighter weight with more reps. Here are 8 reasons to include cross-training with Camp Gladiator!

You will ask more of your body as you increase your mileage. It’s important that you take care of your body. Incorporate these tips so that you can run your best. Do you have a tip that helps you run your best? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Continue to Grow as a Runner with this Helpful Advice

5 blogs that will help you continue to grow as a runner

Sometimes all it takes is a new tip or some helpful advice to help you grow as a runner. And this isn’t just for beginners. This blog is for runners of all ages, speeds, and abilities. From different types of runs to understanding the data behind your run, this compilation blog post has what you need to continue to grow as a runner and see improvement.

7 Types of Runs

Creating structure around your workouts helps you get better. This means knowing what type of run you’ll execute the next time you lace up your shoes. Normally you don’t follow up a long run with another long run. You follow it up with a recovery run. Make sure you know what you’re running and how to execute the specific run. This will allow your body to get stronger and recover when needed. Remember: knowledge is power.

6 Tips to Make Your Morning Run

Hitting the snooze button is oftentimes easier than getting out of bed and knocking out your morning run. But there’s no better way to start your day than with a good run! If you have trouble getting up in the morning for your run implement one or all six of these tips!

Analyze the Data

In order to grow as a runner you need to understand the data behind your runs. How far did you go? What was your pace? Did you start off too fast? Did you negative split? This is where Under Armour’s MapMyRun app comes into play! This app provides many benefits, from tracking to seamlessly syncing with your Under Armour shoes. Plus, it can track your pace, route, distance, calories burned, and elevation gain. Start digging into the data and discover what works for you!

4 Downhill Running Tips

Becoming a better runner means understanding how to prepare for certain runs and different routes. You’ll run faster downhill than you will running uphill. But you can also blow up your legs if you don’t run downhill properly! This could negatively affect the rest of your run and potentially cause injury. These downhill running tips will improve your form and save your legs.

5 Vital Taper Tips

If you want to grow as a runner then you need to fully understand The Taper. Whether your first race is approaching or your 20th, you can’t approach race day full-steam ahead. You need to have a plan leading to the start line, just like your training. Executing The Taper will keep your body fresh for your event and allow you to follow your race-day plan.

You’re now armed with what you need to continue to grow as a runner. Utilize one of the morning tips to make your morning run. Begin analyzing the data behind your runs to see improvement. Keep pushing, even when that little voice tells you it’s okay to stop. Is there something specific you do to continue to grow as a runner and get better? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Daylight Saving Time Ends – 5 Running Tips to Keep You Safe

Running tips that can keep you safe now that daylight saving time has ended

If your clocks didn’t do it automatically, then you just made every clock you own “fall back.” Whether you like it or not, daylight saving time has ended and the sun will set much, much earlier than normal. In general, this means colder temperatures and less sunlight. But like they say, the training must go on! If you’re training for 3M Half Marathon or the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, these 5 running tips will keep you safe now that daylight saving time has ended. If you’re out driving, watch out for runners and cyclists!

Wear reflective clothing/lights

Reflective clothing is a must! In addition to reflective clothing, bright colors work too. Make sure you’re seen by everyone, from drivers to cyclists. Take your safety a step further and add lights. They’re lightweight and can ensure you’re seen from farther away. Depending on your preference, lights can be worn on your shoes, legs, arms, or your head.

Dress in layers

If it’s chilly outside, dressing in layers can help your body maintain its core temperature. This is critical in ensuring you don’t get sick. It also allows you to take off layers if you get too warm and put them back on when you cool down post-run. When dressing in layers, make sure the layer closest to your body has sweat-wicking material.

Adjust your schedule

Whether you like the time change or not, you should adjust your schedule now that daylight saving time has ended. If you can, run when the sun is out, coming up, or going down. This increases the chances that you’re seen by others. You also avoid running during the coldest parts of the day, especially early morning. You should always check the weather before you head out for a run.

Run defensively

Running defensively doesn’t mean you have to run slower. This could mean wearing reflective clothing/lights (like above), avoiding busy roads, or running in areas with high foot traffic. If you do run near busy roads, make sure you run against traffic. Expect the unexpected and briefly slowing down at intersections, parking garage entrances, and apartment/business driveways. As the amount of daylight diminishes, you need to protect yourself from others who aren’t paying attention or might want to cause harm to others.

Tell someone your workout

Before you take off, tell someone (loved one, co-worker, or roommate) your planned route, mileage, and when they can expect you back. Or ask them to run with you! If they don’t, knowing your route and mileage provides an idea of when they can expect you back and where to check should you not come back on time. Turn on the setting that allows someone to know your location, most smartphones have this.

Take your safety into your own hands with our tips. By being proactive, you increase the chances of completing a successful training run. With drivers paying less and less attention, runners need their safety even more seriously. We want you to make it to the 3M Half Marathon start line on January 19th fully healthy! Is there something you do that we didn’t list? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.