March 17, 2025 • 19 mins
Drawing from 20 years of running experience, I share the lessons and insights I wish I'd known earlier!
The Wrinkled Runner Website:
7 Reasons to Use a Running Coach (and 3 NOT to)
The Road to Improvement: How Consistency in Running Yields Results
Rest and Recovery for the Masters Runner
The Wrinkled Runner Podcast:
How Can I Effectively Strength Train as a Runner
Run Your Own Race: Don't Let Running Bandwagons Paralyze You
Using a Running Coach (Even if You're a Beginner)
Rest and Recovery For the Runner
The Wrinkled Runner YouTube Channel:
Beginning Running: Guide to Choosing Running Shoes
Consistency is One of the Best Ways to Get Better at Running
Symptoms of a Running Slump: Burnout and Overtraining
Finding the Motivation to Go For a Run
Rest and Recovery for the Runner
If you are looking for a coach to help you reach your running goals, even if it's just to start to run, take a look at my Coaching Services page on the website. I do virtual, in-person (Buffalo, NY area) and also offer single zoom sessions for those would just like to chat with a coach one time.
I am also a Personal Trainer, and offer virtual training as well, in addition to Nutrition Coaching.
Find my additional outlets over at the YouTube channel and at wrinkledrunner.com. Sign up over on the blog for the once-a-month newsletter! If you would like information on utilizing a running coach, check out what I can do for
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today I'm going to dive into a topic that every
runner, no matter theirexperience level, can relate to,
and that is what we wish weknew when we first started
running.
If you've been running for awhile, you've probably had a few
moments where you thought, ah,I wish I had known that earlier,
or, you know, years ago ormonths ago.
And if you're just starting,this episode might save you from
(00:22):
making some of the samemistakes that we all do.
So, looking back, for myself,there are so many things that I
would have done differently.
When I first started running, Iused to think that running hard
all the time meant that I wastraining well, and it was like a
decade that I thought this.
Like so many beginners, Iignored recovery and strength
(00:43):
work and varying the workoutsthat I was doing.
I remember when I first startedmy blog to document training for
my first marathon, which was,like I said, over a decade after
I first started running, and atthe time I only did it for
myself, not realizing that otherpeople would actually find it
and read it and start to askquestions.
(01:04):
The blog world was somethingthat I never like.
I didn't follow blogs.
I actually thought I was goingto be very unique in having a
blog, not realizing that thereare thousands of them.
I didn't follow people likerecipe people or whatever.
So the blog world really to mewas just like an online diary
(01:25):
and so I started doing that andall.
But then people found me andthen I started getting emails
and people were asking mequestions about running, and
those questions were veryhelpful to me as a runner
because they made me dig deeperand research the answers and
find out that a lot of what Iwas doing with my running just
(01:49):
wasn't actually productive.
So I was getting my liketraining online and it would
basically be a sheet of paperthat I could print and just tell
me run this miles, run thesemiles, run these miles.
There were no workouts oranything like that with it and
it didn't talk about you know,running your long run super easy
(02:10):
.
I was trying to do it because Ihad a sort of goal in mind and
figured out how, what my paceper mile was supposed to be and
would really beat myself up if Iwas running 18 miles and wasn't
running that in the beginningof my training.
So I really did not know a lotabout running, but then I was
running 18 miles and wasn'trunning that in the beginning of
my training.
So I really did not know a lotabout running.
But then I was kind of forcedto because people were asking me
(02:30):
questions and I'm like, oh, Iguess I better know the answer
to this.
Also, because people werereading my blog and reading what
I was doing, I didn't want toput something out there that was
actually counterproductive torunning.
So when I finally startedlearning about this stuff is
when I started to see realimprovement in my running and
(02:54):
that led me to get my runningcoaching certification, because
enough people were reading theblog that I really wanted to
feel like the answers that I wasgiving had credibility behind
them.
So now I have two runningcertifications a personal
training certification and I'mlike continually gathering more
and more knowledge throughdifferent classes and
(03:15):
certifications, which I apply tomy own running and to, now, my
business my clients.
So my point is even if you'vebeen running a long time, you
don't know what you don't know.
So I'm going to talk about someof the things that I took a
long time to learn and thathopefully you can apply now in
(03:37):
your own running.
So one of the biggest thingsI've learned over the years is
that consistency is moreimportant than intensity.
When we first start running, weoften feel like we have to push
ourselves every time we lace up.
But running isn't aboutcrushing every workout.
It's about showing up regularly, building a strong aerobic base
and allowing progress to happenover time.
(03:59):
A few easy runs each week willdo more for your long-term
improvement than occasionallygetting out there for, like you
know, really really running asfast as you can.
Which leads to another lessonwhich easy runs should actually
be easy?
So many runners especiallynewer runs, but even older, even
(04:21):
ones who have been running fora long time as well they push
too hard on what should be arelaxed easy run day.
They don't feel like they'retraining unless they're gasping
for breath or seeing fast splits.
But the truth is most of yourmiles should be at a comfortable
pace.
If you can't hold aconversation, you're probably
going out too fast.
(04:41):
Keeping those easy days trulyeasy allows your body to recover
and build up endurance withoutunnecessary fatigue.
Now fatiguing your legs likeI'm in marathon training right
now and fatiguing your legs isimportant.
That's part of the training.
But you don't want to get themso tired that you can't move off
(05:02):
the couch later in the day thattomorrow's run just can't
happen because you're too sore,those kinds of things.
So if it's supposed to be aneasy run and you're gasping for
breath and you can't talk, youcan't speak a sentence, you are
going out too fast.
Rest is another thing that Icompletely overlooked when I
started.
I thought that the more days Iran, it always meant more
(05:25):
progress, but that only led toburnout for myself.
It can lead to injury in a lotof other people.
I've been kind of blessed inthat, and up until this past
year I really haven't felt anyinjury stuff going on.
I had one stress fracture in2012.
But other than that, I've notreally ever had any sidelining
(05:49):
injuries.
But I have had sideliningburnout before, and so I had to
learn that rest days, recoveryweeks those are adding to your
training, not taking away fromit.
It's not a sign of weakness,it's not a sign that you're not
doing your running properly.
It is a sign that you'reactually putting in the training
(06:10):
.
You need to give your body timeto absorb the work that you've
put in, and that is when youactually improve.
And I've said over and overagain that bodybuilders have
this down pat.
They understand that if theywant to have really big arms,
they can't work those arms everyday.
They need to give those musclestime to rebuild and build up on
(06:31):
that muscle, and in runningit's the same thing.
We need that recovery time toget those adaptations that we
want in our bodies, whichhappens during our rest and
recovery days.
So if you're running your easydays easy though, another lesson
learned is make sure you'rerunning your hard days hard.
(06:52):
That's the time to feel out ofbreath and that you gave the
workout what it asked of you.
This balance is oftentimeswhere a running coach can be
such an asset, because they cantell you which days to go out
for easy runs.
They can tell you the paces youshould be doing that at, or
giving you an RPE, which is arate of perceived effort, so on
(07:14):
a scale of one to 10, usuallyhow you're feeling, and an easy
run should be two, three, maybea four, depending on different
interpretations of what that is.
But your coach can tell youwhat those are and how you
should be feeling, or, like Isaid, the paces, so that when
you go out for that hard workoutthat they give you whether it's
(07:35):
intervals or hill sprints orwhatever a tempo run.
They can also give you the RPEsand or the paces that you
should be feeling as you'regoing hard for those runs.
Now, every runner is going toexperience aches and pains, but
there's a difference betweennormal soreness and the kind of
(07:55):
pain that signals an injury.
If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it.
Small issues can turn into bigproblems when we try to push
through the discomfort.
So taking a few days off ismuch, much better than being
sidelined for weeks or, in somecases, months.
(08:15):
As an older runner, I amdefinitely starting to feel
things that I have never feltbefore in my running.
Some of that is happening dueto being hit by a car, and I'm
going to talk about that in afew weeks my being hit by a car,
but things that have neverbothered me before, I'm starting
to be aware of.
(08:36):
Definitely, from the waist down, the impact from the car
hitting me is something I haveto be aware of and something
that I may need a day or twomore of rest than I used to have
to take.
Another thing that I've learnedover, you know, many years 20
years of running is that shoesare very important, obviously,
(09:00):
but sometimes we don't payattention to that and we're just
looking for what's cute or whateverybody else is doing, or we
get caught up with the ads andthat kind of thing, and so it is
really important that you finda shoe that is good for you, no
matter what it looks like foryou.
(09:26):
No matter what it looks like, Ialways call it my, that I'm in
security guard mode because Ihave wider feet.
I carried five children, and soI think part of that is why my
feet might be wider, even thoughI'm only five foot one and so
in wide.
A lot of times, shoes only comein black or like a dark gray,
and so I always joke that withmy the black track pants that I
(09:47):
use, that I just look like I'mbe a security guard somewhere.
I've actually found I the shoesI'm in now actually does have a
color to them, and I was veryexcited for that.
But wearing shoes that arecomfortable for you is what is
most important.
It can affect your form and itcan also lead to injuries.
Now I was trying to get intosome less cushioning.
(10:10):
I don't know why I just decidedI was going to try that and I
had to go back to a morecushioned shoe because I was
suffering greatly, especially inthe piriformis area, because my
shoes were not what was rightfor my body.
So if you go to a running store, you're going to find that
you'll be able to get properlyfitted.
(10:32):
For myself, that means being inone size larger than what I
normally wear and having peoplethat hopefully know about
running fit you and I also havea podcast episode and several
resources for what to look forin a running shoe and how to
navigate going to a dedicatedrunning store for the first time
(10:54):
, in case that's intimidating toyou.
Now, if I could go back to thebeginning, I would start
strength training much earlier.
Strength work, especially forthe core, the glutes and the
legs, helps prevent injuries andit just makes you a more
efficient runner.
And you don't have to spendhours in the gym.
But even a couple of shortsessions a week can make a huge
(11:16):
difference.
Runners have a tendency toreally hate strength work for
some reason, probably because wesee bodybuilders or gym bros
and think we have to do the same.
But really, a couple of 20minute sessions a week can do
wonders, and I will link you tosome resources below about
strength training as well.
Something else I wish that Iknew is that not every run is
(11:37):
going to feel great, and that'sokay and that is normal.
Some days you're just going tofeel slow and sluggish or just
like off.
The key there is to just keepshowing up.
Progress is not linear when itcomes to running, so you have to
learn to just shake it off whenyou have a bad run.
Another thing that new runnersor even runners for a long time
(12:00):
can get caught up with iscomparing yourself to other
runners.
I do not do Strava.
Social media is damaging enoughin my eyes that to then be
putting all my running out therefor everybody to comment on or
look at or whatever Strava does,is just not healthy for me,
(12:20):
probably not healthy for a lotof people.
I have heard elite runners saythat they have gotten off Strava
because people who don'tunderstand running some of whom
have been running for a long,long time would comment on well,
that wasn't very fast.
Well, that run, you know whatis something wrong with you Not
understanding that it wassupposed to be an easy run or an
(12:43):
easy long run or whatever, andso they've actually pulled back
from that because it was, eventhough they knew they were doing
what they were supposed to bedoing, it was still
psychologically damaging to them.
The only person you need tocompare yourself with and
compete with is yourself.
Some runners are going toimprove quickly.
(13:03):
Others are going to take longer.
It doesn't matter, it's okay,no matter where you are on that
line.
Progress isn't about how youstack up against others.
It's about becoming a betterversion of yourself and,
honestly, there are a lot ofinfluencers on social media that
have no idea what they aretalking about.
(13:24):
When it comes to nutrition orfitness or running anything
that's out there, anything thatthere's influencers about A lot
of them have no idea whatthey're talking about.
I am so glad that when I was ayoung mom, I did not have social
media.
That wasn't a thing.
Facebook didn't come out untilmy daughter was in college, and
(13:47):
I did not certainly need anybodyelse telling me how to raise my
kids besides myself.
The pressure that I feel likemoms feel is unbelievable
because of social media, sodon't let that pressure dictate
your running, in addition toeverything else that maybe it's
dictating.
So again, I'm going to insert aplug for a running coach,
(14:10):
somebody who knows what they'retalking about, somebody who is
certified.
They're the ones who are goingto be able to tell you how to
make yourself a better runner,more competitive, a better
version.
Whatever the goals that,whatever you're thinking of
doing, just don't be comparingyourself to just randos on the
internet that you don't evenknow.
So that leads me to runningshould be fun.
(14:33):
When we start, we're often sofocused on getting faster or
stronger or running longer andfor a lot of us, especially
women, getting into running, thereason we did it was for losing
weight.
So all that can come to a headand running can start to feel
like a chore.
Change things up, I'm tellingyou, or you're going to quit.
Try a new route.
(14:54):
Run with friends, sign up for afun race.
Even take a short break and inthe middle of your run and look
at something closer that you run.
By all the time I have learnedthat running in place at
stoplights, never stopping foranything, ignoring something
beautiful so I can keep onrunning, is not worth it.
I'm not being paid to run.
(15:16):
I have no delusions that anyonewho does is listening to my
podcast anyway.
So stop and smell the roses.
Listen to music if that is whatyou want to do.
Whatever makes your run funCarry your is what you want to
do.
Whatever makes your run fun.
Carry your phone if you want to.
I was listening to a podcast theother day that I've listened to
for years and it was two guystalking and the one guy was
(15:40):
talking about, I think,listening to music and that was
in his phone and carrying hisphone.
And the podcast person who wasthe interviewer was like you,
take your phone, becauseapparently that's a big thing
that you're not a real runner orsome ridiculousness if you
carry your phone with you andagain, as someone who has been
(16:01):
hit by a car, I will not ever beon a run without my phone and
without a means for people tosee my emergency information,
for a means to contact myhusband immediately if something
happens.
Whatever, if you want to carryyour phone, carry your phone and
don't let anybody tell you thatyou can't carry your phone or
(16:21):
you can't listen to music or youcan't stop at a stop sign or
you're not a real runner.
It is ridiculous.
I'm ranting a little bit andI'm getting mad, but it is
ridiculous.
You run how you want to run.
You run how it is fun for you.
There is a place for hardtraining, so don't get me wrong.
(16:41):
You know I definitely will behard training because of
marathon.
But if there aren't at leastsome days that that sun is
shining and you can't wait toget out there, change something
up.
One thing that I recommend forrunners to do, if getting out
there is always a chore, is totake a week or two off, which I
(17:04):
know sounds like sacrilege, butit really can help to create a
sense of urgency to get back toit.
You get excited again to getback out there for a run, and
especially in this change ofseasons.
Finally, in Buffalo I'm gonnabe going out for a run in a
couple of minutes and it's gonnabe like 50 degrees, and this
winter has been horrific.
So I am so excited the sun isshining to get out there for a
(17:26):
run, and sometimes, during thistransition period, that's also a
great signal for your brain toget excited about it again.
So a reset is sometimes all ittakes to be able to get out
there and have fun with your run.
So I would love to hear fromyou about one thing that you
(17:49):
wish you knew when you firststarted running, because for
everybody it might be adifferent thing.
So send me a message because,like I said at the beginning of
the episode, the stories andquestions from others helped me
so much.
I will also be doing a video onthis topic for my YouTube
channel and I'd love to includesome of your responses in that.
Today I'm going to dive into a topic that every
runner, no matter theirexperience level, can relate to,
and that is what we wish weknew when we first started
running.
If you've been running for awhile, you've probably had a few
moments where you thought, ah,I wish I had known that earlier,
or, you know, years ago ormonths ago.
And if you're just starting,this episode might save you from
(00:22):
making some of the samemistakes that we all do.
So, looking back, for myself,there are so many things that I
would have done differently.
When I first started running, Iused to think that running hard
all the time meant that I wastraining well, and it was like a
decade that I thought this.
Like so many beginners, Iignored recovery and strength
(00:43):
work and varying the workoutsthat I was doing.
I remember when I first startedmy blog to document training for
my first marathon, which was,like I said, over a decade after
I first started running, and atthe time I only did it for
myself, not realizing that otherpeople would actually find it
and read it and start to askquestions.
(01:04):
The blog world was somethingthat I never like.
I didn't follow blogs.
I actually thought I was goingto be very unique in having a
blog, not realizing that thereare thousands of them.
I didn't follow people likerecipe people or whatever.
So the blog world really to mewas just like an online diary
(01:25):
and so I started doing that andall.
But then people found me andthen I started getting emails
and people were asking mequestions about running, and
those questions were veryhelpful to me as a runner
because they made me dig deeperand research the answers and
find out that a lot of what Iwas doing with my running just
(01:49):
wasn't actually productive.
So I was getting my liketraining online and it would
basically be a sheet of paperthat I could print and just tell
me run this miles, run thesemiles, run these miles.
There were no workouts oranything like that with it and
it didn't talk about you know,running your long run super easy
(02:10):
.
I was trying to do it because Ihad a sort of goal in mind and
figured out how, what my paceper mile was supposed to be and
would really beat myself up if Iwas running 18 miles and wasn't
running that in the beginningof my training.
So I really did not know a lotabout running, but then I was
running 18 miles and wasn'trunning that in the beginning of
my training.
So I really did not know a lotabout running.
But then I was kind of forcedto because people were asking me
(02:30):
questions and I'm like, oh, Iguess I better know the answer
to this.
Also, because people werereading my blog and reading what
I was doing, I didn't want toput something out there that was
actually counterproductive torunning.
So when I finally startedlearning about this stuff is
when I started to see realimprovement in my running and
(02:54):
that led me to get my runningcoaching certification, because
enough people were reading theblog that I really wanted to
feel like the answers that I wasgiving had credibility behind
them.
So now I have two runningcertifications a personal
training certification and I'mlike continually gathering more
and more knowledge throughdifferent classes and
(03:15):
certifications, which I apply tomy own running and to, now, my
business my clients.
So my point is even if you'vebeen running a long time, you
don't know what you don't know.
So I'm going to talk about someof the things that I took a
long time to learn and thathopefully you can apply now in
(03:37):
your own running.
So one of the biggest thingsI've learned over the years is
that consistency is moreimportant than intensity.
When we first start running, weoften feel like we have to push
ourselves every time we lace up.
But running isn't aboutcrushing every workout.
It's about showing up regularly, building a strong aerobic base
and allowing progress to happenover time.
(03:59):
A few easy runs each week willdo more for your long-term
improvement than occasionallygetting out there for, like you
know, really really running asfast as you can.
Which leads to another lessonwhich easy runs should actually
be easy?
So many runners especiallynewer runs, but even older, even
(04:21):
ones who have been running fora long time as well they push
too hard on what should be arelaxed easy run day.
They don't feel like they'retraining unless they're gasping
for breath or seeing fast splits.
But the truth is most of yourmiles should be at a comfortable
pace.
If you can't hold aconversation, you're probably
going out too fast.
(04:41):
Keeping those easy days trulyeasy allows your body to recover
and build up endurance withoutunnecessary fatigue.
Now fatiguing your legs likeI'm in marathon training right
now and fatiguing your legs isimportant.
That's part of the training.
But you don't want to get themso tired that you can't move off
(05:02):
the couch later in the day thattomorrow's run just can't
happen because you're too sore,those kinds of things.
So if it's supposed to be aneasy run and you're gasping for
breath and you can't talk, youcan't speak a sentence, you are
going out too fast.
Rest is another thing that Icompletely overlooked when I
started.
I thought that the more days Iran, it always meant more
(05:25):
progress, but that only led toburnout for myself.
It can lead to injury in a lotof other people.
I've been kind of blessed inthat, and up until this past
year I really haven't felt anyinjury stuff going on.
I had one stress fracture in2012.
But other than that, I've notreally ever had any sidelining
(05:49):
injuries.
But I have had sideliningburnout before, and so I had to
learn that rest days, recoveryweeks those are adding to your
training, not taking away fromit.
It's not a sign of weakness,it's not a sign that you're not
doing your running properly.
It is a sign that you'reactually putting in the training
(06:10):
.
You need to give your body timeto absorb the work that you've
put in, and that is when youactually improve.
And I've said over and overagain that bodybuilders have
this down pat.
They understand that if theywant to have really big arms,
they can't work those arms everyday.
They need to give those musclestime to rebuild and build up on
(06:31):
that muscle, and in runningit's the same thing.
We need that recovery time toget those adaptations that we
want in our bodies, whichhappens during our rest and
recovery days.
So if you're running your easydays easy though, another lesson
learned is make sure you'rerunning your hard days hard.
(06:52):
That's the time to feel out ofbreath and that you gave the
workout what it asked of you.
This balance is oftentimeswhere a running coach can be
such an asset, because they cantell you which days to go out
for easy runs.
They can tell you the paces youshould be doing that at, or
giving you an RPE, which is arate of perceived effort, so on
(07:14):
a scale of one to 10, usuallyhow you're feeling, and an easy
run should be two, three, maybea four, depending on different
interpretations of what that is.
But your coach can tell youwhat those are and how you
should be feeling, or, like Isaid, the paces, so that when
you go out for that hard workoutthat they give you whether it's
(07:35):
intervals or hill sprints orwhatever a tempo run.
They can also give you the RPEsand or the paces that you
should be feeling as you'regoing hard for those runs.
Now, every runner is going toexperience aches and pains, but
there's a difference betweennormal soreness and the kind of
(07:55):
pain that signals an injury.
If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it.
Small issues can turn into bigproblems when we try to push
through the discomfort.
So taking a few days off ismuch, much better than being
sidelined for weeks or, in somecases, months.
(08:15):
As an older runner, I amdefinitely starting to feel
things that I have never feltbefore in my running.
Some of that is happening dueto being hit by a car, and I'm
going to talk about that in afew weeks my being hit by a car,
but things that have neverbothered me before, I'm starting
to be aware of.
(08:36):
Definitely, from the waist down, the impact from the car
hitting me is something I haveto be aware of and something
that I may need a day or twomore of rest than I used to have
to take.
Another thing that I've learnedover, you know, many years 20
years of running is that shoesare very important, obviously,
(09:00):
but sometimes we don't payattention to that and we're just
looking for what's cute or whateverybody else is doing, or we
get caught up with the ads andthat kind of thing, and so it is
really important that you finda shoe that is good for you, no
matter what it looks like foryou.
(09:26):
No matter what it looks like, Ialways call it my, that I'm in
security guard mode because Ihave wider feet.
I carried five children, and soI think part of that is why my
feet might be wider, even thoughI'm only five foot one and so
in wide.
A lot of times, shoes only comein black or like a dark gray,
and so I always joke that withmy the black track pants that I
(09:47):
use, that I just look like I'mbe a security guard somewhere.
I've actually found I the shoesI'm in now actually does have a
color to them, and I was veryexcited for that.
But wearing shoes that arecomfortable for you is what is
most important.
It can affect your form and itcan also lead to injuries.
Now I was trying to get intosome less cushioning.
(10:10):
I don't know why I just decidedI was going to try that and I
had to go back to a morecushioned shoe because I was
suffering greatly, especially inthe piriformis area, because my
shoes were not what was rightfor my body.
So if you go to a running store, you're going to find that
you'll be able to get properlyfitted.
(10:32):
For myself, that means being inone size larger than what I
normally wear and having peoplethat hopefully know about
running fit you and I also havea podcast episode and several
resources for what to look forin a running shoe and how to
navigate going to a dedicatedrunning store for the first time
(10:54):
, in case that's intimidating toyou.
Now, if I could go back to thebeginning, I would start
strength training much earlier.
Strength work, especially forthe core, the glutes and the
legs, helps prevent injuries andit just makes you a more
efficient runner.
And you don't have to spendhours in the gym.
But even a couple of shortsessions a week can make a huge
(11:16):
difference.
Runners have a tendency toreally hate strength work for
some reason, probably because wesee bodybuilders or gym bros
and think we have to do the same.
But really, a couple of 20minute sessions a week can do
wonders, and I will link you tosome resources below about
strength training as well.
Something else I wish that Iknew is that not every run is
(11:37):
going to feel great, and that'sokay and that is normal.
Some days you're just going tofeel slow and sluggish or just
like off.
The key there is to just keepshowing up.
Progress is not linear when itcomes to running, so you have to
learn to just shake it off whenyou have a bad run.
Another thing that new runnersor even runners for a long time
(12:00):
can get caught up with iscomparing yourself to other
runners.
I do not do Strava.
Social media is damaging enoughin my eyes that to then be
putting all my running out therefor everybody to comment on or
look at or whatever Strava does,is just not healthy for me,
(12:20):
probably not healthy for a lotof people.
I have heard elite runners saythat they have gotten off Strava
because people who don'tunderstand running some of whom
have been running for a long,long time would comment on well,
that wasn't very fast.
Well, that run, you know whatis something wrong with you Not
understanding that it wassupposed to be an easy run or an
(12:43):
easy long run or whatever, andso they've actually pulled back
from that because it was, eventhough they knew they were doing
what they were supposed to bedoing, it was still
psychologically damaging to them.
The only person you need tocompare yourself with and
compete with is yourself.
Some runners are going toimprove quickly.
(13:03):
Others are going to take longer.
It doesn't matter, it's okay,no matter where you are on that
line.
Progress isn't about how youstack up against others.
It's about becoming a betterversion of yourself and,
honestly, there are a lot ofinfluencers on social media that
have no idea what they aretalking about.
(13:24):
When it comes to nutrition orfitness or running anything
that's out there, anything thatthere's influencers about A lot
of them have no idea whatthey're talking about.
I am so glad that when I was ayoung mom, I did not have social
media.
That wasn't a thing.
Facebook didn't come out untilmy daughter was in college, and
(13:47):
I did not certainly need anybodyelse telling me how to raise my
kids besides myself.
The pressure that I feel likemoms feel is unbelievable
because of social media, sodon't let that pressure dictate
your running, in addition toeverything else that maybe it's
dictating.
So again, I'm going to insert aplug for a running coach,
(14:10):
somebody who knows what they'retalking about, somebody who is
certified.
They're the ones who are goingto be able to tell you how to
make yourself a better runner,more competitive, a better
version.
Whatever the goals that,whatever you're thinking of
doing, just don't be comparingyourself to just randos on the
internet that you don't evenknow.
So that leads me to runningshould be fun.
(14:33):
When we start, we're often sofocused on getting faster or
stronger or running longer andfor a lot of us, especially
women, getting into running, thereason we did it was for losing
weight.
So all that can come to a headand running can start to feel
like a chore.
Change things up, I'm tellingyou, or you're going to quit.
Try a new route.
(14:54):
Run with friends, sign up for afun race.
Even take a short break and inthe middle of your run and look
at something closer that you run.
By all the time I have learnedthat running in place at
stoplights, never stopping foranything, ignoring something
beautiful so I can keep onrunning, is not worth it.
I'm not being paid to run.
(15:16):
I have no delusions that anyonewho does is listening to my
podcast anyway.
So stop and smell the roses.
Listen to music if that is whatyou want to do.
Whatever makes your run funCarry your is what you want to
do.
Whatever makes your run fun.
Carry your phone if you want to.
I was listening to a podcast theother day that I've listened to
for years and it was two guystalking and the one guy was
(15:40):
talking about, I think,listening to music and that was
in his phone and carrying hisphone.
And the podcast person who wasthe interviewer was like you,
take your phone, becauseapparently that's a big thing
that you're not a real runner orsome ridiculousness if you
carry your phone with you andagain, as someone who has been
(16:01):
hit by a car, I will not ever beon a run without my phone and
without a means for people tosee my emergency information,
for a means to contact myhusband immediately if something
happens.
Whatever, if you want to carryyour phone, carry your phone and
don't let anybody tell you thatyou can't carry your phone or
(16:21):
you can't listen to music or youcan't stop at a stop sign or
you're not a real runner.
It is ridiculous.
I'm ranting a little bit andI'm getting mad, but it is
ridiculous.
You run how you want to run.
You run how it is fun for you.
There is a place for hardtraining, so don't get me wrong.
(16:41):
You know I definitely will behard training because of
marathon.
But if there aren't at leastsome days that that sun is
shining and you can't wait toget out there, change something
up.
One thing that I recommend forrunners to do, if getting out
there is always a chore, is totake a week or two off, which I
(17:04):
know sounds like sacrilege, butit really can help to create a
sense of urgency to get back toit.
You get excited again to getback out there for a run, and
especially in this change ofseasons.
Finally, in Buffalo I'm gonnabe going out for a run in a
couple of minutes and it's gonnabe like 50 degrees, and this
winter has been horrific.
So I am so excited the sun isshining to get out there for a
(17:26):
run, and sometimes, during thistransition period, that's also a
great signal for your brain toget excited about it again.
So a reset is sometimes all ittakes to be able to get out
there and have fun with your run.
So I would love to hear fromyou about one thing that you
(17:49):
wish you knew when you firststarted running, because for
everybody it might be adifferent thing.
So send me a message because,like I said at the beginning of
the episode, the stories andquestions from others helped me
so much.
I will also be doing a video onthis topic for my YouTube
channel and I'd love to includesome of your responses in that.
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