Hope you all had a great weekend! With training in full swing for me, I wanted to share some things that have helped me become a better runner. When training for a race, one would assume that all it entails is lacing up and running as much as possible. Logging mileage is important but there are also other ways that I like to train which really helps when it comes to race day. These are some things that I have learned along the way which have been super beneficial to help me to cross the finish line at my best.
Strengthen glutes– Cross training is important for runners! Building booty strength leads to less wear and tear on the body. You dont necessarily want to over do it, but weak glutes can create tension in the lower back, quads, and hip flexors, putting you at risk for injury. I love a good leg/glute day at the gym and like to incorporate lunges, squats and kick backs to build strength.
Strengthen the core- Core strength is important because it helps keep correct running form. You should have a tight core, tight glutes and your hips should push forward. For this to happen it helps to strengthen your core. I especially love ending my workout with a long plank or two.
Learn to breathe- Breathing can seriously affect your running. Until I learned to breathe I was able to finally increase my endurance. I personally like to inhale and exhale deeply through both my nose and mouth at the same time. I also like to be in total control of my breathe and think about how I am breathing often. I like to match my breathing with my steps. For a slower pace, I inhale for 3 or 4 steps then exhale the same. Obviously as you run faster your breathing gets more intense. Here I like to breathe in for 1 or 2 steps and out the same. For me, its all about rhythm and control.
Foam rolling and stretching– I am horrible at remembering to stretch, but I try to foam roll after every run to loosen up tight areas and prevent injury. My foam roller has been a lifesafer! Highly recommend, also great to increase mobility and range of motion.
Ankle mobility- This is a weird one, but I’ve had a lot of ankle pain in the past and decided to research it. Its actually super beneficial to have good ankle flexibility. With decent flexibility, you can push off more forcefully, which means more ground covered with the same amount of work. The exercises are simple and I try to do them both pre and post run. The first, I lay on my back with one leg down and one bent at 90 degrees. I then bend my ankle to bring my foot back as far as I can, then point. I usually do about 20 reps on each foot. The other, is a simple circular motion of the foot while flexing at the ankle. These simple exercises have helped ease my ankle pain!
Rest and Recover- Running is super hard on the body. I like to push myself as much as possible, but if I dont rest my results definitely suffer. Whether it be taking a day or two off, getting better sleep, soaking in an epsom salt bath or getting a massage, all will help!
I hope these tips help! It’s taken me quite some time to figure out what’s right for me, but after a lot of trials and research this list pretty much sums it up!
I am super excited to run the Run Wine Country Healdsburg Half Marathon this weekend! And if I can’t get enough of beautiful Healdsburg, I am also running the Destinations Races Healdsburg Half on October 29th.
If you are interested in running the half or 5k at the end of the month I have a $10 off code! Use code: DRJENNA for any Destination Races events! I will also be running Santa Barbara and Sonoma to Napa half coming up this year and you can use my code for those as well. Would love to have you come run with me! 🙂
