Summer’s in full swing and likely you’re out there running (or riding, or swimming, or hiking…) more with the long days and beautiful sunshine. It’s fun to imagine all the summer training translating into a fabulous fall marathon PR or an epic finish at a longer-distance event you’ve never tried. Keep these tried-and-true tips in mind to keep improving your performance, while ditching these common bad habits endurance athletes tend toward.
You Don’t Have to Feel Great to Perform Well
Some days that fire to get out the door, or the usual enthusiasm on race morning, is mysteriously missing… Do you call it before toeing the line, or do you get out there anyway, with curiosity and openness to see how it goes? Clearly, times of sickness or true injury require us to miss a day of training, but often those pre-run feelings are not a reliable predictor of how we perform that day. If you are disappointed with the pre-race warm-up - or even with your entire training build - don’t write off an upcoming performance. Brad Stulberg argues that in running, and in life, “One of the best things that can happen is that you feel horrible before you start something that matters, and then surprise yourself during the activity itself: The great race after a warm-up filled with dread.” You’ve done the work, expect positive results.
There’s a new player in the shoe market that is making big waves with both road and trail runners. Mount to Coast designs light but durable shoes for long distance that are built to last more miles than we usually expect. To note is the brand’s innovative lacing system and ultra-light midsole material for comfort as well as efficient energy return. Check out their road marathon kicks as well as a recent entry to their line-up, the T1 trail shoe.
Top 3 Long Distance Running Shoes for Marathon Enthusiasts
Mount to Coast T1 Reviews
Earlier this month, another American record was broken at the Oslo Diamond League. Watch Nico Young achieve a time of 12:45.27 for the 5K outdoor record here. Skip to about 12 minutes into the video to see the final laps and Nico’s impressive finish.
Nico Young Takes Down U.S. Outdoor 5K Record at Oslo Diamond League
Finally, a good reminder here about taking care of your body while training hard. I’ve certainly experienced my share of disappointing bone injuries over the years and I'm constantly living in fear of another. Thankfully, after several seasons of taking measures described here, and more cross-training on my bike, I’ve managed to run stress fracture free since 2019. Please be sure not to ignore those early niggles and do prioritize the extras outside of daily runs to stay healthy.
