8 Tips to Help Improve Your Running

I say it all the time . . . running is not my favorite form of fitness.  

I run because it's good for my heart, for my physical and mental health, and I love being outside.  Plus, let's be honest, the older I get the more challenging it becomes and I actually like that!

Whether your goal is to log more miles, decrease your mile time, or just stay injury-free, it's important that you are taking care of yourself.  

It's not always about what we do during our runs that make us better runners, it's also how we spend the rest of our time.

Start with stretching!  Do not skip this step.  Stretching helps increase flexibility and range of motion. Limited range of motion can lead to other muscles attempting to overcompensate, causing unnecessary aches and pains. 

Form is key to staying injury free.  Sitting at a desk all day (aka Dead Butt Syndrome) will affect your running form.  If you Start with good posture at your desk to improve your running form.  [keep your feet flat on the floor, relax the shoulders and avoid hunching forward, sit straight, and look forward at your screen without straining your neck] 

Make that foam roller your new BFF!  Foam rolling is a great resource to help reduce tight quads, preventing Achilles or plantar issues, sore glutes, hamstrings, and calves.  

  Speaking of form and good posture . . . building a strong core can help with both of those issues.  Build a stronger core.  Having a strong core will help you move faster.  Some of my favorite ways to help my clients build up their core - planks, deadbug, and bird dog.   

Cross-training is great for runners!!  

• Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and improves bone health - both super important for women over 35, and helps prevent injuries. 
• Balance work, yoga and Pilates will help build a strong core, improve flexibility and mobility, and can help reduce tightness, increase cardio, breathing, form, and endurance. 

Fuel your body properly. Knowing what to eat before you run and what to eat after a run will help you recover faster, plus it will improve your endurance and overall mental and physical health.  Before a run, eat a snack of easy-to-digest carbs, protein, and fiber, which will give the body energy.   Running depletes our glycogen stores and we need to repair the muscles that were just broken down during the workout, a post run snack of protein and carbs will help you with recovery.  And don’t forget to hydrate!! 

Hydration is also an important part of fueling your body properly — not just right before and after a run, but throughout the day. Not drinking enough water will affect both your run and ability to recover afterward, she says. (BTW, here's how much water you actually need to drink each day.)

Invest in a good pair of shoes!   

Prioritize rest and recovery