All great runners do THIS one thing
Today you’ll get a tip that goes completely against the grain to what most people think the secret to running success is.
I ignored it for years. But these days, I say it to anyone who will listen because it’s helped me run some crazy miles (without getting injured).
So let me tell you about the day my dad had a heart attack.
The Mistake Most Runners Make
When I was a kid, my dad worked as a co-founder of a medical device company.
His job was high-stress and required long hours.
He had a heart attack when I was 5 years old.
It was one of the most terrifying times of my life. But thankfully, he pulled through, and after he recovered, he got into running.
He went from hospital bed to marathon finish line.
And it was all because of this one piece of advice.
See, if you’re struggling to run, you’re probably making the same mistake I did when I started.
I’d try to run as far and as fast as I could.
I always wanted to “beat yesterday.”
And I never did the right exercises to support my running (by the way, if you’re interested in strength training for runners, keep an eye out for my email in a couple of days).
After a few weeks, I’d break down:
- Feet aching
- Shins on fire
- Knees busted
- Hips hurting
- Ankles throbbing
Or just completely wiped out. Exhausted.
I’d always end up back on the couch.
I’d recover and try again, only to repeat the pattern.
It went on for decades.
I started to believe that I wasn’t a runner.
But then I thought about what my Dad told me as a kid:
“The slower you run, the farther you’ll go.”
Most people push themselves too hard when they run.
This will sound crazy my friend, but a great rule to follow when you’re running is this, you should be able to have a conversation.
If you look around at runners, everyone is gasping for breath.
But trust me when I tell you the best way to run long distances is to stop beating up your body every single time.
When you slow down, you’ll:
- Go farther
- Stop injuring yourself
- Become incredibly fit at running long distances
Don’t get me wrong. I love a challenge. David Goggins is one of my heroes. And ultramarathons are where I push myself to the limit. But you don’t need to run with that intensity every single day.
In fact, aim for 80% (or more) of your running to be easy running.
So here are 3 simple ways to make sure you’re running (or walking) slow enough:
- Conversational Pace: You should be able to speak (in complete sentences) on all of your easy runs.
- Nasal Breathing: Breathing through your nose while running is the ultimate humbler. Start with a few minutes at a time, but if you can’t breathe through your nose, you’re running to fast.
- Heart Rate: The simplest method to calculate your target easy heart rate is the Maffetone method. Just take 180 – your age. If you’re really unfit subtract another 5-10 beats per minute. If you’re really fit and have been running consistently for a while add 5-10 bpm.
That’s it for today.
Jeremy
P.S.
Slowing down is the first principle of running, but it’s not the only one.
So I put together the Running 101 eBook, which includes:
- The 7 core principles to help you run farther
- The 6 workout types that’ll help you avoid injury and go the distance
You can grab your copy here: