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Running is excellent for numerous reasons, especially for cardiovascular health. If you’re interested in healthspan, improving your VO2 max (the body’s oxygen utilization ability) is crucial. Running is a simple way to boost your VO2 max. Research indicates that runners generally have healthier knees and hips than non-runners, dispelling the myth that running is detrimental to your knees. It’s worth noting that movement is particularly beneficial for individuals with arthritis.
Aside from physical benefits, running also offers mental advantages by getting people outdoors and close to nature, which is known to enhance well-being. Exposure to sunlight is important for everyone daily, and running (depending on your local climate) provides an opportunity for both exercise and sun exposure. The popularity of run clubs is increasing, making running a great way to build and sustain a social network. One of the beauties of running is that it requires minimal equipment to start, and you don’t need extensive training, although gait analysis could be beneficial for many new and existing runners. For those mindful of calorie expenditure, running burns more calories than many other activities. Lastly, running can be an enjoyable activity – those who claim otherwise may not have given it a fair chance.
However, there are certain habits that can make running harmful. Here are six mistakes to avoid.
Being a Weekend Warrior
In our busy weeks filled with work, meetings, kids, and various obligations, it’s common for people to postpone workouts until the weekend and then attempt to cover too much distance too quickly. This approach often leads to injuries and limits progress compared to those who can fit in a couple of sessions during the week, incorporating intensity and recovery appropriately to allow for muscular adaptations.
Wearing the Shoes Everyone Else is Wearing
Your foot, gait, and injury background are your own. You should choose a shoe that fits your run style, the terrain you cover, and your own biomechanics. These days, there is no break-in period for shoes. If they don’t feel good in the store, then they won’t feel good after 50 miles of wear. It is worth it to go to a store where you can try on a variety of shoes and run in them. I will even put one brand on my left foot and another on my right foot then run to see how they feel.
Not Having More Than One Pair of Shoes
Just as bad as wearing what everyone else is wearing is only having one pair of shoes. For many people, they will have two days when they run back to back. The foam in today’s shoes needs time to rebound (over 24 hours). If you run in the same shoes every day, they will not offer the same ride, nor will they last as long. If there is inclement weather, you will want a dry pair for your next run. Many people toss their shoes in the dryer, but that can break down the glue used in the shoes.
Always Listening to Music or Never Listening to Music
Enter any race, and you’ll see earbuds in most runner’s ears. Music can definitely help with cadence, motivation, and perceived exertion. I like using music to help runners with their cadence. Blinding Lights by the Weeknd is great for holding 180rpm. Create a playlist with songs just above your current cadence and work on holding the beat. If you have a hard workout, then go ahead and play some tunes that will help you get through it, but make sure you are also doing hard workouts without music.
The same goes for the daily run. Having earbuds in or headphones on means you can’t hear what is going on around you. Based on where you run, this can be dangerous. It also prevents you from letting your mind go. Running is a great time to think. Give yourself the opportunity to embrace time with your thoughts. I often find that people who wear earbuds are loud runners. What does that mean? They hit the ground hard. Maybe they started listening to music to drown out their own footfall, or maybe they don’t know. Listen to your running; how is your footfall, and how is your breathing? Running without music gives you a chance to work on your mental game.
Focusing Too Much on the Numbers
Today, people are posting their runs on Strava, going longer to close their rings, and setting goals to run X miles in Y time. While I think it is great to have time goals and hit paces in certain workouts, you also need to know your body. What does a 6 min pace feel like versus a 9 min pace? What is your body telling you on a specific day? Yes our watches will take into account sleep and recovery, but off of data you have put into the watch. That doesn’t account for work stress or what you ate (or didn’t eat) two days ago. It can be really hard to get high school kids to bring a watch to practice. They naturally go on to feel something many older runners have forgotten how to do. On the flip side, sometimes people keep the ‘feel’ constant, so they never really push themselves. Those runners are often surprised they actually hit a faster pace, and having the watch there as proof can be powerful. Keep a healthy focus on the data.
Drop the Fear of Failure
Too many people won’t sign up for a race. They don’t want to be last or not hit a time. So what. So what if you don’t hit your time? Create a process goal. Maybe you want to feel stronger in the middle of the event. Maybe you want to enjoy the finish line. Maybe you want to run more than you walk. That way, you will feel successful no matter the time on the clock. If you fail, then stop and think about what you have learned. What would you change and then sign up for another event to see if you can make that change. We don’t grow without failure. There are literally thousands of great quotes about failure. The reality is you can’t fail unless you try. What fun is it if you never try? So, drop the fear of failure and embrace the opportunity to learn about yourself.
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Kristen Hislop, CPT, Certified Coach, USATF Official, Positive Performance Mindset Coach
