Are You Sabotaging Your Running Progress?

Not improving and getting faster as a runner and can't figure out why? Here I'll explain 4 likely reasons.
Study I cited about easy running to improve aerobic capacity: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
Looking for coaching? I'd love to help you on your running journey. Learn more or reach out for a free discovery call here: readysetmarath...

[@kingtrumpet123]

oh WOW, that's a very convicting video today ((but I went out and did my 4 miles, in the cold and wind before I typed this reply)): One thing I'm certain of: when your kids, husband, and friends/students give you "that look" of dismay when you put the hard truth in front of them --- THEY all are gaining admiration, love and respect for you. THAT I KNOW !! cause I think I rolled my eyes about halfway into the vid. Lots of excellent points. Thanks Always for making these vids for us. Boston is coming soon, keep at it, YOU are going to do AWESOMENESS.

[@runningwithjane]

Such kind words, Ken, thank you so much! Awesome work getting out for that 4-miler even when it was cold. I admire each and every runner who gets out there in less than ideal conditions, doesn't make excuses and gets it done! Killing it one run at a time, Ken💪

[@kingtrumpet123]

@@runningwithjane LOL -- I was going to make an excuse, but I ran to make sure, before I replied to you

[@VietBotPDX]

great last point! I like to shut things down after october. I'm a firm believer in having an offseason to reflect and to rest my legs and brain. But I still like to keep an aerobic base with some running. But typically during the winter months I hop on the row machine and crosstrain like a madman. I pray that crosstraining gains will set me up with a good enough base to start up the season again! Unfortunately the season starts around January for me because i sign up for Spring races and I love punishment and grinding in the cold dark winter mornings when theres no sun lol

[@runningwithjane]

Cross training is a great way to give your body and mind a break for sure. And then keeping running mileage at a steady and very manageable level allows you to move into a training cycle easily. I feel you on the cold, dark winter mornings...it's where we find out what we're truly capable of!

[@Wings_nut]

Best explanation yet. Thanks Jane

[@runningwithjane]

You're so welcome - glad it was helpful for you!

[@MrShanebizzle]

Thanks for the video, Jane! Terrific as always

[@runningwithjane]

Absolutely! Thanks for the kind words and appreciate you watching!

[@KevinHoegler]

Awesome tips. I really resonate with tip #2. I was strictly running slow and had some gains but I really started feeling the gains when I started to add in 1-2 runs per week that were a little bit more of a tempo run. I use MAF training so I was hesitant to add in speed work, but when I did it made a great difference.

[@runningwithjane]

Hey Kevin!! That would definitely be an adjustment. I was the opposite...running hard all the time so that mind shift of running slow to run fast was so hard to wrap my head around. I can imagine going from easy to hard would have your body and mind saying OMG!! Now I embrace the 80/20 balance and love it. Curious...do you look forward to those tempo runs now or still kind of dread them?

[@KevinHoegler]

@@runningwithjane It’s funny you were the opposite! I prefer 80/20 now too! Seems to be the best route to go! I don’t mind doing tempo runs, I don’t know if I’d say I look forward to it, but I don’t dread them haha. I guess I’m in the middle! Lol

[@runningwithjane]

@@KevinHoegler haha yeah, I'd say that's mostly me too. I love tempos, but anything faster and I have to give myself major pep talks beforehand.

[@KevinHoegler]

@@runningwithjane haha I totally get that!

[@markg99]

A lot of excellent tips here, Jane, thanks 👍🏻 I'm good at running consistently all year, except when those pesky niggles and injuries show up 😬🏃‍♂️

[@runningwithjane]

If running didn't have to be so dang hard on the body sometimes, right??! There are definitely times when you just don't have choice to take a rest and that's ok! Thanks for watching, Mark.

[@KoriRuns]

This is great! I definitely made the first mistake for a looooong time. It wasn't until I tried heart rate training that I really understood what easy pace should feel like.

[@runningwithjane]

I am SO happy I have a watch now that pretty accurately measures heart rate. As much as I try to listen to my body sometimes I need keeping in check. My long runs this year were the slowest they've ever been and resulting in the fastest race times...it works! Glad you got it nailed down, too, Kori!

[@runscottyrun5297]

Another awesome video, thank you so much! I would say #4 (consistency) has been my biggest challenge, although now that I have a treadmill, I can't use weather, icy roads, etc as an excuse! ;) I'm starting my half marathon training block on Monday and have used your video on planning out a week of training as a guideline, I'm excited to get started. I'm also going to be incorporating 3 sessions of strength training through the week and maybe 3-4 yoga sessions as well to keep me strong and (fingers crossed) injury free. :) It will be 6 runs a week with one complete rest/self care day :) Thanks again and I hope your Boston training is going well, I thought I saw on IG it is 100 days away now? Cheers, Scott

[@runningwithjane]

Wow, Scott, I'm super impressed with how well you've laid all of your training out! Sounds like a recipe for success. I'm definitely a proponent of one full rest day for both mind and body. 100 days til Boston??! That sounds right! Look for a video next week about my first week of specific training!

[@runscottyrun5297]

@@runningwithjane thanks so much for your kind words, Jane, I look forward to following along on your journey to Boston! Cheers, Scott

[@VietBotPDX]

speedwork is a lot like hot sauce. A little goes a long way. Don't run too spicy

[@runningwithjane]

Love it!

[@yasamanvatankhah]

I really needed this video. Thank you so much ❤️

[@runningwithjane]

Absolutely! I'm so happy you found it helpful, Yasaman.

[@halael-murr6890]

It doesn’t make sense that people take a lot of time off running based on whim if they are not injured and if they’re serious about seeing results. You’re right. Consistency is key. Down time is scheduled and planned well when you have a good coach and when you communicate with the coach.

[@runningwithjane]

Could not agree more! It's one thing if you're running simply for enjoyment, but if you want to improve, you have to keep going. I think getting back in a disciplined routine can be a struggle for people once they take that first big break, too. Thanks so much for your input!

[@maxaandesson]

I have a marathon in October so will be running a lot from June. Right now I am on a break from running (sort of), I’ve gotten really into cycling, many many hours a week but I try to run at least twice a week just so that my legs are used to running when I begin training for the marathon. God bless endurance sports! Hello from Sweden!

[@runningwithjane]

Yes, keeping the consistency is key...but all the endurance sports help, too. You will be amazing!

[@davidbabalola5585]

Great video! Thanks so much. Jane, may I ask, how do you know/fell the differance of "just being tired" and when actualy being over trained? Hello from Germany :)

[@runningwithjane]

Hi David - I'm glad you asked that and there is definitely a difference. When I say tired I'm really talking about those random days where you just feel a little blah or maybe didn't sleep that well one night and so you convince yourself your too tired to run. Overtaining is usually defined by sustained fatigue over several days or weeks that you can't just can't shake. You may not feel recovered even when you take a day or two off. Additionally, I would say look back on your weeks of training. If there's been several in a row of hard training without proper recover days or a cutback week, overtraining could be the culprit in which case - it's best to rest for a few days and reset or you may get injured.

[@craigl7773]

Thanks. I needed to hear that.

[@runningwithjane]

Absolutely, Craig, glad it was helpful. I know I needed someone to tell me these things when I was training for my first marathons way back!

[@ThePsants]

Thanks for this!

[@runningwithjane]

Absolutely! Thanks for the question and will explain more specifically in a future video.

[@Miguel197323]

Hello Jane! Great video! I´m 49, getting ready for my 6th marathon, 3h30m under marathon runner and this year I want to become a 3h15m marathon runner. I know it´s a silly question but what´s the easiest way to get there. I´m not a beginner but I´m very disciplined. Next marathon is 6 months from now. Thanks and all the best!

[@runningwithjane]

What a great goal!Not a silly question. Number one tips are: build mileage safely up from what you've done in the past, run most of your mileage at easy pace to build aerobic endurance and get comfortable running at marathon pace in your long runs (get comfortable being uncomfortable). The last one is where I know I need to be better.

[@Miguel197323]

@@runningwithjane Thank you so much Jane. O will try the easy Pace. Sometimes i push a little to much, you know what I mean. All the best for you.

[@jamstaa69]

Thanks for the video Jane, I noticed my plateau over the last 6 months even though I was being more consistent , and I’ve definitely slipped into every run is a tempo run.. thanks to lock down, where we only had a hour to get out for exercise, so to complete the route I ran faster, and that has become normal.. very difficult to slow down, and even walk up hills, I know I can run up, but need to keep the hr in the green.. even resorted to gym treadmill work where I have no choice but to run at an easy pace. As a trail biased runner it’s definitely some kind of hell. Now just have to tackle the impatience waiting for change. 😬 How long do think it takes to see adaptation? Thanks

[@runningwithjane]

I feel you with the treadmill. I'm also thankful to have mine at the same time. As far as how long new adaptations will take, if you are truly taking an 80/20 type of approach where you are keeping 80% of your runs below a 75% max HR and that's a new for you, gains in the next 6 weeks or so are likely. Of course there are other factors to consider (one long slow run over 90 minutes per week really helps), but that would be a good starting point and then check in every 6-8 weeks after. And then stay consistent with that approach. Hope you see new progress very soon!

[@jamstaa69]

@@runningwithjane Hi again.. just wondering, if you don’t mind me asking.. what would you rank more important in the process, time or distance? I mean a long run at the weekend would normally take me hours any way to cover 16miles and would take longer, but you kind of factor in the time for those, where as the shorter ones in the week, 6 or so miles, would normally take up to an hour depending on trail conditions, but heart would be well over the green zone.. if I slowed down, itd take longer maybe harder to fit in sometimes.. so would maxing out at 90 min per run be preferable, than covering the needed distance but possibly running a lot longer than normal? Hope that makes sense? Thanks for advice you have. 👍🏼🤜🏾

[@runningwithjane]

Great question - I plan to cover in a future video. If you only have a set amount of time, don't hurry your pace to try to fit in more mileage - with a tight schedule I would just go by time. (I personally like to use mileage myself and set weekly goals that way.) And 90-minutes isn't the max...going up to 2.5 hours or more depending on what you are training for is highly beneficially provided you've worked up to that time/distance. Hopefully that helps! I also think this video might help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6mYq5-IfJmliZY

[@dilawarmultani]

Excellent vlog

[@runningwithjane]

Dilawar - thanks so much! Glad you found it helpful!

[@AmandaMullinsArt]

What would you consider as “taking time off”? Sometimes I’m not sure what counts as “off” for us constant runners haha. Is it 0 running? I do not have a race in immediate future but I am running easy mileage - about 25-30 miles. To help keep baseline and mostly to just let myself enjoy it without training. No speed workouts. Maybe I could work in some fartleks just to spice it up.

[@runningwithjane]

25-30 mpw of just easy mileage is perfect. You are in a great spot to up it or add in speedwork when the time comes. Off seasons are all about basking in the joy of running! When I say time off, I'm talking about people who literally don't run at all or it's just really sporadic.