9 Secrets Runners Should Know But Probably Don't

If running was easy, everyone would do it! But it's not, and we still do! But as a newer runner, a lot of advice can feel like a secret when you first start. So we're breaking down the barriers and sharing those "secrets" for you.
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[@oristhisjustfantasea]

@ 3:29😆😅 I absolutely love it when people laugh uncontrollably like that. So genuine and so pure to watch

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Ha ha it’s one of my favourite things when Mary loses it! It’s like my oxygen 😂

[@christinaclementson]

Mary running strides 😂 best bit of the whole video 😂 Brilliant (but of course I still took note of all your serious advice Ben 😬)

[@ericsauers5170]

Best advice here...... Listen to your body. The more in tune you are to how you feel on specific runs, days etc the more you can figure out how to work through those times. Sometimes your body just needs a break. The 10 minute rule on a previous video was also great. Wanna do a long run and not feeling it after 10min turn it into a 5K. You're still out there doing something which is more than most people can say. Keep Hammering!

[@Hana_shorts8436]

My problem with your videos are I first click "LIKE" button and start watching.. Am I too quick to judge? please clarify 😜

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Absolutely not! 😂

[@DistantStorm]

Great video. I’ve been watching for a couple months now and I really appreciate how approachable and informative all your content is! I finally squeaked out a 5k just under 30 mins, and now I learn that the female average is nearly six and a half minutes slower than my best. Absolutely walloped me upside the head with the facts. 😂 But seriously, thank you for the reality check!! Cheers!

[@lydiachong1274]

Thank you for mentioning the downhill part. I dont know if i have a cerebellar lesion but going down steep hills on a trail makes me so scared i sometimes have to get down on all fours sometimes 😅 it’s so much harder than going uphill.

[@edladd212]

Totally agree with 'run fast to get fast'. I spent my first 9 months as a runner only doing slow runs. I made OK progress, but I was beginning to plateau and get bored. A few months ago I started adding some speed work and boy I've seen a big jump! The base building was important, obviously, but the speed work is like opening a valve and letting all that built up potential out to play.

[@davidrogers7787]

Brilliant guys. My 23yo nephew is just about to start his running journey, and we’re heading off to buy his first pair of trainers today. I’ll be telling him your videos should be the first place to go get inspiration, practical advice as well as a heavy dose of realism borne through experience!

[@samanthacable3954]

Hi Ben and Mary, my partner and I are remote working in Chiang Mai at the moment, and always watch your videos before our runs to get pumped! You bring so much joy. Thank you for everything you do. The runs here are a little hotter than Australia (home), so we purchased our first hydration vest and felt super professional while out on our run!❤

[@cars92dtb]

Nice to see you in the UK for a bit! The more I got in to running, the more I realised that downhills are challenging. Did a trail race recently where I made gains on the uphills and lost horrendous amounts of time on steep descents. What I lost in confidence, I more than made up for in pain 🙃

[@emericlaskar7894]

Many thanks for all the videos!!!

[@rob.gr.1377]

You are 💫💫 that info … priceless!!

[@grantchanin2878]

Hi TMH, thank you so much for a superb informative upload. Quality information and presentation.

[@adventuredogs8773]

Thanks Ben & Mary 😊

[@jassaljs]

🤗Nice to see you back in UK🤗

[@PranganD]

Great lesson Ben and Merry.. Tou guys are just amazing 👌😊 Your videos have made a lot of improvement on my running in last few years. Thanks for sharing all your experiences 😊

[@paulj6637]

Good to see you in Tunbridge well area again! Reminds me of the early days 🎉

[@irawhitlock1084]

Ty! GB lookin beautiful. Great to have a classic laugh session with Mary!😂

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Ha ha my fave 😊 thanks

[@andys121.]

great video :)

[@zacsborntorunrunningadvent3441]

Nice collection of tips. The beauty of keeping a reasonal aerobic volume only slowly tapering helps reduce immune system / hormone signalling from an Abrupt halt in volume. No long hardruns in the 2wks out helps. A final stimulus about 12-11days out is great for super compensation timing for a peak performance. Cheers 🎉 love the channel

[@irish03gator]

Excellent information and well put together video as usual. Have come to expect nothing less. Question, do you have a link where merchandise can be purchased? To support your efforts. Cheers!

[@scotchbarrel4429]

I love my SIT (sprints) on grass, or on a stationary bike if its raining, once a week, max heart rate training for 7 repeats. Starting to enjoy this training, its only taken 1.5 years to get there. Still prefer resistance yraining over cardio, but its growing on me, almost reached my goal of 10km in an hr, atm currently at 9km in an hr, might get there next year, no rush for me, just enjoying the fitness life.

[@RobertBurton-sb2jm]

Great video guys; where did you get the training adaptation figures from? Would love to see the research on that. Keep up the great work!

[@bobkrogh1670]

Good vid and applies to experienced runners also. For 20 years constantly measuring performance (HR based) and still constantly screw it up. As my numbers improve I get excited and add more volume because if what I'm doing is working, why not add more. Stupid is as stupid does... The wheels eventually fall off and rinse and repeat. At least I'm aware enough to not completely wreck my body and eventually cross train back into good form.

[@blopacerezo9116]

Great video! Thank you! Could you provide a link to your video on Heart Rate Variability? Thanks!!!

[@rafaleo2154]

tq

[@pinkusujit]

Running downhill was an eye opener for me.

[@Desperate.Daniel.24-7]

At some point I need to move to a place near a park or faraway from the traffic zones. So I can run however many and whenever the hell I want 😂 But for now, I can only do morning runs (5-7am) as the dust here is terrible after 8am.

[@leonardmilcin7798]

Biggest "secrets" I learned (from a point of view of an amateur 40 yo guy who likes to run but has no ambition to win races and does it mostly for own health, pleasure and satisfaction): * *running slow better than running fast* -- learn to recognise the correct intensity at which you should do most of your runs, * *absolutely important to not ignore signs of injuries* -- now whenever something is hurting me I assume I did something wrong and immediately start investigating to learn about body part that is hurting, what makes it hurt, how to avoid making the problem worse, how to strengthen it, etc. * *running is not good enough to strengthen your muscles, joints and tendons on its own* -- if all you do is running you are going to have injuries because running will only strengthen these things to be just strong enough to widthstand the *usual* loads, but not strong enough to widthstand *exceptional* loads (like when you lose form or do a longer race). The only way to prevent injuries is to start doing exercises to strengthen your body well beyond what running would do -- weight training, mobility, etc. specifically targeted at your feet, ankles, knees, your tendons, your core strength, etc. * *you can quickly get injured if you lose good form during your run* -- if you start moving differently during your runs, for whatever reason (new shoes, a blister, tired core muscles, etc.) your weight can shift around and can suddenly cause some muscles or tendons to get loaded even by multiple of their normal load -- quickly causing an injury. It is vital to keep good form during run, make sure you have nice even stride and to stop your run when you can no longer maintain it, for whatever reason. Weight training can help maintain your form for longer! * *fuelling during runs does more harm than good* -- whenever you eat carbs during runs you will spike your insulin and this will prevent your body from reaching for your fat stores. Eating before runs, sports drinks, gels, fruit -- if you only ever run under influence of these things you will have severely underdeveloped ability to burn fat for fuel. I can now run marathons without fuelling and all this thanks to doing most of my training in the morning *before* breakfast. * *don't avoid running in the sun* -- I was always trying to avoid running in the sun. And whenever it was hot I would be seeking an air conditioned space. When I decided to start taking long walks mid-day in full sun I learned that body can adjust and you can start feeling comfortable. Then I tried running and I learned running regularly in full sun can make you adjust to it and also feel much better for the rest of the day. * *consistency is more important than the quality* of your workouts * *walking daily is extremely good exercise and cross training, especially when you can't run* -- I injured my foot and I could not run, but I could walk. I slowly ramped up to 25k steps a day and slowly started walking faster. When I started running 5 weeks after I got injured I found I not only did not lose any performance, I actually gained -- I was able to do my easy runs significantly faster at the same heart rate. * *walking daily is extremely good to offset your running mileage* -- I now try to do at least 25k steps every day. When I do more running volume -- I walk less. When I run less -- I walk more. All this makes it much easier for me to ramp up and down the volume of my training. One day out of a sudden I decided to run 10 miles a day for a week -- and was able to do this without problems, thanks to my body being used to be on my feet for long stretches of time.

[@darringrey4329]

This is invaluable advice , carbs are a myth we need to be fat adapters like you say , have you any thoughts on the carnivore eating??

[@outerheaven8797]

Yep thank you another great video. I've never quite understood the need to do "strides" because I'm practicing my technique while running anyway... but yeah I'll do the rest.

[@easyeddie2377]

Give it a month and you'll never start a run at any distance without strides, ever again. That feeling of being "warmed up" doesn't happen at mile 1.5 to 2, it happens at the start of your run. Do 3 drills and 3 strides after an 8-10 min slow warm up jog and you'll seldom be injured and find PR's are in play every single race you run depending on heat and humidity that day, regardless of your ability level.

[@MrAwseal]

@TheMessyHappy do you have any videos on coming back into after Covid? I dodged this thing for 3 1/2 years and caught it form a new trail running group 😢 now I’m considering on the possible effects it will have on me.

[@ADAMBLAZEVIC]

I always have a warmup part at the begiining of my runs and I always have a recovery part at the end, these help me with muscle recovery. How doing strides would affect the muscle recovery? My idea was I do strides with warmup and recovery as well as a separate session, what you mention is just a couple of strides just to shake up a bit and get the fast running form a go?

[@AguanProductions]

What kind of Salomon running backpack/vest are you currently using?

[@wunderlichdrive]

On the topic of listening to your body, I was doing my long run today (27km and I was supposed to do 16km at marathon goal pace. But, just wasn't feeling right. I was still a bit sore from the week with already 70 km behind me and a couple of strength workouts. Then, the heat, gravel path, weight from the hydration vest, and a headwind all seemed to add up. I wasn't sure what to do. As I was running, I could tell that I couldn't pull of the plan for the day without going into serious pain or hurting myself. So, I was thinking of doing a compromise, but I didn't know what to compromise. Should I shorten the distance, take out the speed work, take lots of breaks? I ended up doing only 4km at marathon goal pace and adding in about 4 breaks of 1-3 minutes. What do you think?

[@dresden_slowjog]

We've got only exactly one life and one health and cannot buy a spare set. Your tactics sound *very* reasonable to me. I always struggle ramping up mileage according to the training plan. Had several square zero resets due to long injuries (and COVID). Only then I realised my POLAR plan doesn't know my body - *I* am the caretaker of my health not "the plan" and If I cut back or omit a run then I happily will. My buddies with 50 km or 100km weekly mileage...it took them years or decades to get there and I'm just too impatient. I'll get there. Injury free. It will take years. I'm reconciled and happy. My hack, I added 2-3 weeks of buffer weeks to my standard 16 week 10 k PB training plan. Just used one of it for a week of a summer cold :-) so I'm still ahead of track.

[@davidfisherbarham6215]

Thanks guys, some nice ideas. Any tips for the downhill or is it just practice?

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Thanks David. Yes I’d say repetition and actually running not walking the downhills. They can mash your legs in races if you’re not prepared! 😂

[@DurstDevel]

Went to an hill race. Picked up the pace downhill. Fcked up my joints. Could not train weithin 3 weeks. Massive knee and hip pain. Learned it the hard way

[@ThisMessyHappy]

Ahh I feel your pain. It’s what smashed me in the 100k. Not the up! The down!! 😊😂

[@mindsaway]

My question is: Do you check your watch during a race for data or you just concentrate to finish the run and then check the data after that?

[@MTBEAST007]

She laughs like Norman Wisdom. So funny.

[@vicoka81]

Hi Ben, are you sure about this 0% effect of 0-2 weeks training block ? just wondering if you are going to do a trail race and all your training was on flat, but on the last 2 weeks you add hill trainings. is it will be still same like you continue the "all flat" training until race ? To be honest its hard to believe that there 0% difference :)

[@vicoka81]

Hey Ben, looking forward to your answer ! thanks in advance

[@drone9082]

✍️ . . . ix 📝🤗

[@ThisMessyHappy]

😊

[@Spartan117FS]

A "training mistake" for one runner, might be a way to train for a PR for another runner. I want to make my own mistakes, to figure out what works for me.

[@damongt4]

I always hammer downhill

[@eunicegabriellatan9140]

"Throwing distance to the problem" 😂💯