I started running in 1999 - as a freshman in HS - and I didn’t run my first marathon until 2019.

As you can see, I was in no rush to check that box.

But now I’m running another one! And many of you are as well.

In this post, I’m going to assign you some homework so that when you line up for your next marathon - whether it’s later this year or in 20 years - you’ll have a game plan for success.

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1: Shorter Races 🍰

To PR in the marathon, you’ll need to focus on your race distances below the marathon.

It is typically quite hard to set a PR at a longer race distance while also PR’ing en-route. What I mean is this: you don’t see very many runners running a half marathon PR in the middle of their marathon PR.

To get the most out of your marathon, you’ll want to work on setting quicker 5k, 10k, or half marathon distances so that when you move up in distance, you have a buffer between your best at the shorter distance and your race day effort at the longer distance.

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2: Easy Runs 🍳

Running a marathon requires lots of easy running. The more mileage you are able to run, the bigger your base will be. While cross-training definitely supports the cardiovascular system, nothing truly replaces running from a marathon plan.

Once you’ve built up a good base, you’ll be able to add in quality workouts that the easy running supports.

A bigger base allows you to run longer and harder workouts, compared to a runner with a smaller base and a smaller weekly mileage. If you’re only running 25 miles per week, it’s harder to add more quality runs to your week compared to someone who’s running 50 miles per week.

Can you run a marathon on 25 mpw? Sure, but it’s more likely you’ll run faster with more volume at easy running pace.

3: Up Your Volume 🔊

For you to continue setting a PR at the marathon distance, it’s important that you continue to build on what worked for you in the past.

You’ll want to consider running more miles per day and/or more days per week.

Figuring out how to add more volume (cross training does count) while also focusing on recovery will help you run a faster marathon.

4: Mix Up Your Training 💫

Not everyone has the ability (or the desire) to add cross training to their training plan, but it is a great way to add more cardio to your plan (without beating up your legs).

Cross training is great for changing up your running as well. Healthy cross training [cross training when you want to instead of when you have to] is good to keep you motivated, recovered, and consistent with your running mileage.

Even 2 sessions of 20 or 30 minutes a week can add huge fitness gains to your aerobic capacity.

5: More Rest 💤

If some is good, more is definitely better.

More rest, that is. While you are increasing your mileage, you’ll also need to increase your rest. That means taking out some of, if not all of, the things that don’t improve your ability to rest.

As non-professional runners, I know we can’t drop everything, move to the mountains, and focus on our running, so we have to be reasonable. Focus on what you can control and make sure you are making healthy decisions that positively impact your training.

Think about what you could be doing better and start to implement it during your training cycle.

If you aren’t sure what you should do and need some guidance, reach out to me! I write training plans so you can focus on the running.

You need to plan and test out what you think will work best for you so race day is as easy-peasy as it can be.

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Not only will you want to know what to do on race day, but you’ll also want to know what not to do on race day. I’d argue that knowing what not to do is as important as what to do.

In this post, I'm going to flip over the stones that will help lead you to your next marathon PR. 

Even if you don’t plan on running a marathon any time soon, this post can still help you. You’ll want to be your best on race day - and just because this is a “marathon post” - doesn’t mean you can’t take something from this post.

Knowing what works for you and what doesn't is the name of the game.

Fresh Legs 🦵

Just how fresh do you need your legs to be to still race well? A two-week taper or a three-week taper? You’ll need to know from practice just how fresh you need to be. While some runners may benefit from higher mileage for longer, others will seek out that extra week of rest.

Race Nutrition 🫗

Dial in your race day nutrition.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to try the food and drink you plan on using during race day while you’re training. If you haven’t tried a specific gel in training, you risk ruining your entire race.

Practice with the flavors and brands that you plan on using during the race while on long runs and workouts, so you have an idea how your body will respond.

Race Day Gear 👕

Sure, you want to look good on race day. Who doesn’t?

But you also want to make sure that the gear you choose is not going to chafe or ride up your bum on race day either.

Wear that gear in rain, on cold days, hot days, and every other type of day so you can find the perfect race day gear that will hold up in any condition.

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Shoe Dog 👟

You don’t want your shoes to be dead, and you don’t want them to be brand new either.

Dead shoes won’t offer you the cushion or support you are looking for on race day, and brand new shoes might give you a blister (if they rub).

1 month prior to the race day is a good time to start trying out your race day shoe. And when in doubt, replace your current shoe in enough time to make sure the new one works for you.

Pre-Race Meal 🍽️

What works for you so you feel satisfied, but not so full that you need to poop on the run?

Food is tricky to talk about because what works for me might not work for you. This is why practice and trial and error are your best friends.

Race Strategy 💡

Use common sense, talk to your coach or mentor about the best way to cover the race distance. Know what you are capable of running based on science, workouts, and history.

Warmup Routine 📜

Your warmup is the bridge between not running and running fast. You NEED to have a warmup routine. You can find mine here.

Pre-Race Mileage 💫

Some bigger-mileage runners will run a lot more miles the day before their race than most, while others may need 20 minutes super easy. Pre-race day mileage is very unique to the individual, and that’s something you need to practice.

As the saying goes: “the hay is in the barn” - so you need to do what is right for you.

You need to have a plan for your racing - whether it’s your peak race or not. The points above will help get you to your start line firing on all cylinders.

Be smart with your training and take into account everything you can, and your race will go well.

Racing is more than showing up. Plan for what will go right, but also what will go wrong.

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It takes a bit of pre-planning, of course, but setting up your watch to take splits for you - just as it probably does on an easy run - can help you focus on the workout while the watch does the rest.

Here’s how it works (if you didn’t already know):

Garmin has a feature that allows you to plug in your workout - no matter what it is - into your watch. Personally, I find it just as easy to do on my phone as on my computer, so choose what works best for you.

Then you get to building the run you want to have. Include a warm-up and a cool down, the intervals you plan on running (by time, by distance, etc), and the recoveries you want after each of them. This works for ladder workouts, intervals, tempos… You name it.

Sync it to your watch, and when you start your run, find it in the Training section of your watch, and you’re good to go!

Garmin Watch Auto-Splits

Garmin has a feature that allows you to plug in your workout - 12 x 400, a ladder workout, 6 x 1 mile, 5 x 1200 + 5 x 200… You name the workout, you can program it into Garmin, sync your watch, then do the workout and your Garmin will take splits (and recoveries) for you!

Magic.

What’s So Cool About Auto-Splits?

When you’re out on the roads doing a workout, it’s not ideal to always be looking at your watch for when you need to split your watch.

One of the goals of a workout is to get into a flow and you can’t do that nicely if you are always checking your watch to hit the split at the right time.

This feature is really useful if you are doing a road workout because you don’t have set markers like you would on a track.

How to Program the Watch

Go to Garmin Connect, then More, then Training, then Workouts. Go to Create a Workout. From there, you’ll want to hit Run. I always include the warmup and cool down.

If you are running repeats, like 6 x 800 you’ll hit Add Repeat.

If you are running various distances, like a ladder or a combo workout, you’ll want to hit Add Step.

Remember to include rests (time or distance).

Hit Save at the top. Then sync your watch.

I tend to call workouts by either the date or what the workout is so that it’s easy to find it on my watch.

Friday’s Action Plan

Use available tech to make your running life easier. Garmin’s Run Workout builder is definitely one of them.

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What Has My Attention:

Video: All 13 Golds from Team USA at the World Championships

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The Top Everyday Neutral Running Shoes

How to Increase Your Stride Rate

What to Pack when you are Traveling for a Race

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Reaching for Your Fall Goals

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Quote of the Week:

You must tell yourself, no matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets, I'm going to make it.

How to Connect with Me:

Thanks for reading until the end. You can certainly get a hold of me in any number of ways, but if you have a comment about this post, click below.

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Get Running with Marc

Did you really just love this post? Awesome and thank you. Go ahead and share it!

I was definitely nervous when I signed up in April, and even more so when I strained my hamstring in the early weeks of training.

But now?

I’m excited.

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Longer runs are coming along nicely - both in terms of how long I’m able to go and how I’m recovering from both workouts and long runs.

The nervous energy I felt when I signed up has mostly evaporated. You always sign up thinking you’re going to have your best day ever.

And it’s possible, sure. I’m not relying on chance though, so I’m doing all the things that will help me run fast on race day.

• Stretching (especially pre-run)

• Strides

• Strength work

• Sleeping

After I wrote these out, I realized that they all begin with S. Funny.

I’m also increasing my smileage (wait, that doesn’t begin with S)…

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In the spring, I hovered around 35 miles per week and while that did okay for the results I got, I’m asking my body to jump up to the 50s to give myself a good chance at running a big PR.

I need to do it safely and in a way that keeps me healthy.

So yes, I’ll be incorporating lots of cross-training (and while that isn’t “running miles”, it’s still quality work).

Since recovery is my biggest Achilles heel, I’m moving to a 10-day-a-week cycle.

In it, there will be some staples, like a long run and two workouts. And following each of those days will be a recovery run, an easy day, and potentially an off day.

The first few weeks of this have been really good for me. Normally, I’d take Monday off every week, but in my new 10-day cycles I’ve taken off different days based on how I feel and what I need.

What a typical 10 days might look like:

LR - Recovery Run - Basic Run - Workout - Rest Day - Recovery/Easy Run - Easy Run - LR/Workout- Rest Day -Recovery/Easy Run

This will allow me to push the distance on the hard days (long runs and workout days), while also allowing me to recover hard as well.

The key for me will be getting in quality work while increasing the volume on my easy/recovery days.

Right now, those recovery days are 30ish minutes, and for the summer into the Fall, they will have to be 45-50 minutes. This is where cross-training is going to help. I’ll be able to log more minutes without the pounding from running.

Have you ever tried a non-conventional training block? Did it work for you or make things more complicated?

Leave a comment and let me know!

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

Sometimes it’s a comeback from a bad injury. Other times it’s from a pregnancy. And more often than not, it’s after years away from the sport.

Once running becomes part of who you are, does it ever really leave you? I don’t think so, but that’s up for debate. Even the people who swear they’re done forever usually find their way back when the timing is right.

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Over my 27 years of running, I’ve spent time on the sidelines battling different injuries.

• Stress fractures

• A pinched nerve in my foot

• Major calf strains

• IT band issues

• And plenty of other bumps and bruises along the way

Every setback has taught me something. Each one forced me to adjust my training, rethink my approach, and learn what my body needed to stay healthy.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that coming back from an injury or time off isn’t about picking up where you left off.

So whether you’re returning after an injury or getting back into running after months - or even years away - the temptation is the same: train like you used to.

Resist that urge.

Instead, take a smarter approach. A few simple strategies can help you stay healthy, enjoy the process, and keep you running for years to come.

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Don’t Rush Back

Once you’re good to resume running, you might think you can jump right back into training. You shouldn’t.

Instead, you need time to reacclimate your body to running. Play the long game and take your time building your routines again. Start by stacking easy, slow miles and focus your non-running time on recovery.

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Do Wait Until You’re Ready

You might be pain-free for a day, but that might not be enough to start back up. Be patient and don’t jump right back in. Use cross-training to start ramping up your training until you can incorporate more miles into your plan.

Don’t Forget What Got You Here

You’ll want to avoid that long layoff again, so start analyzing what got in that situation in the first place.

At the same time, spend some time building your fitness with non-running activities. Cross train like you love it. Because you will.

Don’t abandon the cross-training and the strength training, though, once you’re back to healthy running.

Keep it in your training plan to see major gains in both recovery and fitness.

Do Be Patient

The time you spent not running is behind you, and there’s not a lot you can do about it now. Maybe you cross-trained to stay fit, and maybe you had a completely different life. It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that you found running again.

Instead of trying to play catch-up on all the training you didn’t do, focus on setting good goals that incorporate your entire well-being.

You aren’t going to make up for missed time, so the next best thing you can do is be grateful for running.

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

I’ve been in my “how can I optimize myself” era and I’ve done a few changes that I’m quite proud of.

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• Updated my phone to have multiple “focuses” forcing me to stop the mindless scrolling, including a focus for coaching, my smart house, being creative, and lastly, for letting my kid use my phone.

• Updated my house to continually be a “smart” house. Built with routines and automations, I’m letting my home adapt to the needs of our family.

• Last, and what I’m going to talk about now, is using Garmin Activities for different types of runs.

Now, to be honest, I’m not a huge data-consumption guy while running. I collect the data, sure, but I’m not analyzing it mid-run. I look at pace and distance while on easy runs and heart rate while I’m working out, but outside of that, I’m quite a minimalist.

After watching The Running Channel’s video on YouTube, I realized that my watch can be as functional for me, as my phone and my house. This made me super excited.

Normally, any non-workout I did would start with me heading to an Activity, hitting run, and starting. Which, again, nothing wrong with that at all.

But I’ve realized that the data didn’t match the type of run I do.

So, after watching her video, I’ve made some changes to my watch screens and the data that I consume while I’m out running.

Easy Days

On easy days, I don’t really care about anything other than covering distance and staying on my feet (literally and figuratively). So the data I want, needs to match that.

1. Timer, Distance & Average Pace

2. Performance Condition, Heart Rate & Load (don’t know what load is yet, so that might end up getting axed)

3. HR Zone, Average Cadence

4. Clock

That’s it. And, it might even be parsed down even more after this is published.

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Non-Easy Days

On these days, where a bit more data might be necessary, I’ll include these data screens.

1. Timer, Distance, Avg Pace & Elapsed Time

2. HR Zone Gauge (not sure this is what I want and may get nixed when I use this setting next)

3. Steps, Avg HR, Load (same as above, may get cut)

4. Clock

5. Elevation, GPS Heading, Active Calories & Performance Condition

So far, I have two Run Activities and I’m working on a third (for race day), but I’m not racing for a while, so I have some time.

On that Run Activity, I plan on having more Distance Until metrics, HR metrics, and Lap Pace metrics. And I’ll remove Performance Condition, Calories, Load, etc so that I have a clear and clean watch when I need the data I really need.

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How To:

Knowing this is great, if you’re a nerd like me, but actually putting it in practice is the next step.

On your phone, connect via Bluetooth, then head to your watch setting. From there, hit Activities and Apps. Run is most likely in Favorite, so tap it. Then in the top right, you’ll have the three dots. Click that and hit Copy Activity.

You’ll rename the activity [I used Run, Easy Run Day, Race Day] and create the data fields you want/need.

You can add it to your favorites or leave it with the rest of the cross training activities you never use.

From your watch, hit the top right button, then scroll up to find “Add”, then “copy activity”. Copy your run and put the data fields in that you’d like.

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

If you don’t know me, I’m Marc. I am an often-injured runner who found success in high school and went on to run track and cross country at Villanova.

After an up-and-down collegiate career, I moved to the roads where, you guessed it, I battled back from multiple injuries.

I’ve been officially coaching since 2009 and started my business, TrainwithMarc, right at the end of 2010.

I put two stars in my logo to represent the two Meet of Champions titles I won, but it could just as much represent the two kids I have.

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Racing Updates

It’s been a little bit since I last raced - I did Broad Street and then two weeks later a road mile (where I broke 5 minutes for the mile for the 24th different (not consecutive) year.

My athletes have done really well lately, despite the tough summer conditions we’ve already had.

Thanks to all the runners who’ve trusted me with training this summer:

• Jeremy & Karam are training for their upcoming cross country seasons

• Michael & Amee are training for the NYC marathon

• Lisa is training for a big PR in the marathon

• Lauren is gearing up for a PR in the half marathon

• Austin & Bill are getting their feet wet in distance running and learning how to pace themselves

Tips and Advice

I’m moving into a marathon block of training - my first since the winter of 2018/2019 - and I’m nervous, but also excited. I am in the middle of some pre-training (getting back in shape and building a routine for future marathon work) and came down with a bit of a hamstring issue.

While it’s never fun to be injured, this is rather minor and more of a nuisance than anything. I’ve seen a specialist, have dropped my mileage, taken extra days off, and I hope to add some cross training in soon.

I thought about whether a setback now (before training really kicks off) is better than a setback when you’re really fit. I don’t know which I prefer. I know the real answer is neither, but that’s not the question… What would you choose?

Running Scene

USAs - the meet that typically selects the top 3 athletes to run at Worlds or the Olympics is happening in NYC this year in a little more than a week. While it’s a great change of pace to have it on the East Coast (it’s normally held at the University of Oregon), I’m not sure a competitive 5k or 10k in NYC in the summer is the right move either.

If I get the chance to go, I’m not even sure I would.

What I’m Working On

I’m currently working on two different apps (vibe coding. Yes, I have very few coding skills.) One is a training log that helps keep your plans, races, and goals all in one place. It’ll track your mileage and give you some pace calculator options.

The other is an app for our club team. Being the president means I have to keep track of a bunch of different spreadsheets, and I’m thinking that an app that organizes everything would be so much simpler.

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Upcoming Events

Fall races are still a few months away, but training for them needs to happen now. If creating a training plan for yourself doesn’t appeal to you, let me handle that for you. I have space for only a few more runners, so you’d have to move fast.

Contact Me

If you’d like to reach out for coaching questions, you can reply to this email.

Thanks to everyone who continues to read my newsletter. I appreciate you all. I am excited to share my marathon journey with you, and I look forward to seeing you out on the roads!

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

You thought - and I suggested to many of my runners - that a race this weekend was a good way of figure out what kind of shape you’re in. And normally, yeah, it would be a decent idea to get in a hard effort and get the competitive juices flowing again.

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An early summer race is the perfect way to judge where you are, what work you’ve done, and what is still left to do before real summer training starts.

This 4th of July, however, is probably not the time to be “seeing what kind of shape you’re in”.

It’s been a heatwave, and it is not only miserable out, but sorta dangerous to be trying to run hard or fast when the sun is up.

Why 4th of July Races Are Good

• Summer races have a different feel to them. Definitely low-key and with less pressure and stress of an A-goal, these races offer a good opportunity to log high mileage, get in a solid effort, and enjoy the post-race festivities.

• A July race is also a great way to break up the monotony of training and get miles in with other people.

• A hard effort is a hard effort. Whether it’s in ideal conditions or terrible ones, you can build on your fitness and take some positives away from the race.

The Issues with 4th of July Races

I do love a 4th of July race. I’ve usually run the one in Marlton as a mini-homecoming, but I’ve also done the Haddon Heights 5k because it’s a fast course. No matter where you race on the 4th, though, these races are not really catered to running fast times. Instead, runners are really forced to focus on competing (with themselves and the people suffering while running at similar paces).

And so my issue with 4th of July races is the time that they start. The Marlton race starts at 8:30, and the Haddon Heights race starts at 8. I get it - the majority of the racers are not logging serious mileage and are considering these 5k races as runs, but for those that are seeking a true litmus test of where they stand, these types of races are not them.

As a seasoned runner who does most training runs early, the thought of running a hard 3 miles at 8:30 am sounds miserable. It’s way too hot this week - but really any summer day - to be doing hard efforts that late into the morning.

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How to Adjust for This Particular Weekend

This weekend calls for adjusting your expectations. You are not going to sniff your personal best unless you’re just getting started with running.

You’re likely going to experience the feeling of going out too hard (you probably haven’t done much hard work yet) and the heat catching up to you. You’ll slow down a bit in the second mile, and by the third mile, it’ll be a death march back to the finish line.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t run hard this weekend, but you do need to be aware of what heat and humidity will do to you (and your race efforts). Instead of aiming for your A goal - a goal you’d normally set on a decent course with ideal weather - you’re best to settle for your B- goal.

The time will be slower than you expected, for sure, but you can still leave the race feeling good about how you competed and how you prepared.

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What I Suggest:

• Run a mile or two when you’d normally run. This might not be ideal for you, but getting in some “normal” miles before it gets too hot is a decent way to get mileage in and not be terrible.

• Do a slow, easy warmup, covering 1.5-2 miles. Find shade, stay hydrated, and then get some drills and strides in.

• Keep your core cold. Icing/cooling your wrists and neck can keep your core temp down, even for a bit.

• After the race, sip on water while cooling down. Find sprinklers and keep splashing water on yourself. You can still get in a decent cool down despite feeling like a drowned rat.

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

If HS running has done something similar to you, we can be friends.

But because we are no longer HS athletes, there are training mistakes that older runners are currently making simply because they haven’t evolved since their HS running days.

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I’m telling you: it’s time to adapt and adjust. Simply doing what you did in HS won’t cut it anymore.

These are the mistakes I see across the board from runners who ran in high school and picked up running (or never left) now that they’re older.

Data

If you’re at all like me and grew up without GPS watches, then you are likely old and also really lucky. You learned to run by feel. Running by feel is one of the truest forms of self-pacing and a godsend when workouts or races require effort-based running rather than data-based running.

Workouts

It might seem like the world is built on one good workout, but I promise you: having a single good workout will not make you race well.

But running one workout too hard [going too long, too fast, or before you are ready for the workout] could break your season.

Learn to know when to push, when to back off, and when enough is enough. It takes more skill and talent to punt a workout than it does to crush it because it’s on the calendar.

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Directionless

In HS, you had a coach. They might have been amazing (like mine), or they could be a dope. Chances are, yours was hopefully a little knowledgeable and could guide you in the right direction. You might not have maximized your potential, but the coach was serviceable.

But now, as adults, everyone thinks they can coach themselves.

Without seeing the big picture, a coachless runner is often chasing after friends or picking random workouts and calling it a training plan.

What might be worse is using AI to put together a plan for you. *Don’t get me wrong, I love AI, but AI doesn’t adjust with feedback and will always tell you how amazing you are. Sometimes, you don’t need to hear that.

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Warmups

When you were younger, you might have been able to roll out of bed, have your shoes on, and your watch started all within 5 minutes. Ahh, to be young!

That is not you anymore!

Your body needs warming up before you can jump into any kind of run.

That might be activation, skips, active stretches, drills, plyos, or prehab [foam rollers, massagers, scraping, etc].

You cannot go from sedentary to moving without some sort of bridge. The bridge is, of course, some easy movements to get your body prepped for a run.

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

As much as I love the summer and everything that is associated with it, it’s a bit of a chore to run super early to beat the sun or run really late once the sun has lost some of it’s heat.

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And knowing how the heat and humidity suck the life out of us - whether we are running or just sitting by the pool, we need to have a hydration strategy in place for when we are training. Since hydration and performance are closely tied together, the more well-hydrated you are, the less severe the drop in performance we see!

So we need to do all we can to hydrate properly.

Below, I’m sharing some hydration tips just as a reminder for all of us who are about to embark on some summer mileage. Whether you’re just casually logging miles or gearing up for a marathon like I am, we need to do our individual parts to stay hydrated so we don’t shrivel up like a raisin.

Tips to Help You Hydrate:

• Drink when you’re thirsty

• Drink throughout the day and don’t wait until you are in your workout to worry about drinking

• Eat foods that contain water (fruits like watermelon)

• Before and after your run, hydrate with water or your favorite electrolyte drink.

• Drink a healthy smoothie

• Avoid the midday heat to minimize dehydration

Signs You’re Already Dehydrated:

• If you’re thirsty, you need to hydrate

• If your urine color is yellow or dark yellow

• If you are flushed

• If you have a high heart rate

• If you are dizzy or feeling light headed

• If you have a headache or are fatigued.

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Friday’s Action Plan:

Run early or run late and unless you are training for a race that requires day-time racing. And you are going to get your best training done if you avoid the midday heat and humidity.

If you must run when the sun is blazing, expect your effort level to increase, your pace to decrease, and your energy levels go way down.

There you go. We all want to be at our best when we’re training and one way we can do that is by hydrating throughout the day. If you’re waiting for just before or just after your run to hydrate, you’re leaving a lot of performance gains on the table.

Leave a comment and tell me what tip you’ve found has helped your running the most.

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What’s Got My Attention:

Give my club team a follow on Instagram. And if you fit the profile for our team, consider joining us!

Quote of the Day:

Competing at the highest level is not about winning. It’s about preparation, courage, understanding and nurturing your people, and heart. Winning is the result.

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An efficient runner is a runner who doesn’t waste energy doing things that don’t help them run fast.

An efficient runner focusing on what they can control and maximizes those efforts.

No one wants to be, metaphorically speaking, a car with a leaky gas tank. That would be a considerable waste of energy.

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So what can you do to be more efficient as a runner?

I’m going to break down some strategies that you’ll be able to follow to improve how efficient you are - whether you are out on a training run or lacing up to race.

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Running Form Drills

Honestly, running drills has made a world of difference for me with my running, and I know they can for you, too. 10 minutes. That’s all it takes. Do drills before a run, a workout, or a race, and you’re going to see improvements to your running.

Since I was lucky enough to have one of the best HS coaches in NJ as my coach, drills were a staple before every run I did for the first 3.5 years of my running career.

That kind of motor pattern doesn’t just evaporate overnight. I can do these drills in my sleep.

If I were to only suggest a few drills for you to do, it would be these

• Practice a forward lean

• Pull heels to your butt (butt kicks and with a lean)

• high knees and A-skip

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Mental Prep

• Not sweating the small things leaves mental space for the things that matter. If you struggle with psyching yourself out before a race, you definitely should consider seeing a sports psychologist, as they can help untangle your thoughts.

Lifestyle

We can improve our running efficiency by how we treat our bodies when we aren’t running

• Drinking alcohol more than occasionally is a killer of how we recover at night.

• Not getting quality sleep (TV, sports, life, whatever) all prevents us from fully recovering.

• Skipping/not prioritizing recovery. Simply forgoing appropriate recovery in between sessions because we’re always on the go.

Training Days

• I love this one to help maximize a day off. Run in the morning on day 1, take day 2 off, then do a night run on day 3. It’s like having 50+ hours between workouts.

• You can also maximize your potential by taking your easy days easy (doesn’t mean they can’t be long, especially for those who run a lot of miles), so you can run your harder days harder.

There you have it. We’re all trying to get all we can out of running, so mastering this list will help you save time, energy, and a few places!

Leave a comment and tell me what tip you’ve found has helped your running the most.

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What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

I didn’t take the time because I was injured, but because I felt I had done all I wanted to accomplish during the time I was running.

A hard reset (one where you choose the start and end date) with running is so important. If you never take that time off to reboot, you can never really hit that high peak that you’re after.

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Time off from running might sound a bit odd to you - why would I voluntarily take time away from running to make myself a better runner? It’s true, though. Everyone needs a break from time to time, and mine came after running a really good string of races.

Plus, it’s better to take time off when you’re healthy and done with your racing season, rather than be forced to take time off because you were burnt out or injured.

So, what did I do during my week away from training??

I slept in when I could.

I stayed up later than normal.

I spent time with my kids and my wife.

I did a bit of walking and played some sports with my son.

But I wasn’t thinking about running in the sense that I had to get a run done. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always thinking about running…

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But not running for a week doesn’t make me not a runner anymore. In fact, the notion that I did take a week off affirms that I absolutely am a runner.

A lot of runners believe that if they aren’t training, their VO2 is dropping off a cliff. That’s just not true. It takes a much longer time for you to really get out of shape. A week off is just a blip, not a life sentence.

This week off isn’t going to erase the fact that my body just covered 1 mile in 4 minutes and 44 seconds. I’m not all of a sudden out. of. shape.

When I did finally lace up, I was sluggish, for sure. Some aches and creaks, but generally speaking, by day 2, I was back to normal. Refreshed. Fired up. Ready to get back into the grind.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your running is take the time off when you need it and not when you’re forced to take it.

I know it’s not cool or clickbait worthy, but it’s what you need. No one wants to be reminded that a week off after your season is good for you. But it is.

Everyone wants to know the magic secret to training…

It’s rest. And recovery.

So if you’ve been thinking about taking time off after your racing season, absolutely do it.

Your fitness will be there.

Mine is going to come back, and so will yours.

Have you ever taken a full week off from running? Leave a comment and tell me what happened when you started back up.

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Consider Going Paid

What’s even better than going paid? Starting a training plan with me.

I’m on a break from training and racing after a very successful spring. This is by far the best I’ve run in a really long time, and so, as one might suspect, you may think that I’d want to ride that hot streak into more races.

But instead, I’m taking time off.

📌 Before we continue - I…

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I’m not sure I knew what I was thinking.

I wouldn’t say I hated my first experience in Atlanta, but I think I’ve had enough time to let that feeling subside.

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This sp…

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This is a “I’m too busy for that” kind of post where I’m going to tell you that no, you aren’t too busy. It’s just that it’s not a priority for you. Yet.

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There has always been that saying that the more you run, the fitter you’ll be. But what if we just can’t simply log any more miles?

Whether it’s because of our schedule, our risk of injury, or we just don’t want to run more, we then have to find another way…

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This is a great question for so many reasons. While getting older has a lot to do with why we slow down, it’s not the only reason why we aren’t getting faster.

It’s also because what you used to do (not stretching, skimping on recovery, or blasting out of the door for a r…

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That’s right: racing fast.

If running a fast race is high on your priority list (I mean, why train so hard if you aren’t going to race fast? Right?), then it’s time to slow down and simplify your training.

Knowing your goal is to race fast, here’s what needs to happen during race week so yo…

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I wouldn’t even know where to begin if track and field athletes were treated on par with even the lowest-rated sport on ESPN. The coverage would be amazing, the fans would care, and the casual viewer would be hooke…

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This week’s newsletter post is set to give you 6 ways to safely add mileage to your weekly plan without causing burnout or injury.

It’s safe t…

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