By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

When I started running over four decades ago, there was very little literature on the sport. A new book here or there, mostly from runners sharing their own experience; or a subscription to Runner’s World or The Runner magazine, was it for sources of knowledge and inspiration?

Well into the second running boom, with the internet in play and billions of Dollars to be made, companies started investing in science, research, and development. Colleges and Universities began promoting their exercise physiology departments, and suddenly, we have more information than we can digest.

Many bad habits and myths remain from those prehistoric running days. There are still runners who believe that consuming the 7th serving of pasta the night before the marathon will give them an edge. We still have those who prefer collapsing rather than chop a mile from their long run on a mid-summer day.

Below you will find six basic strategies to unlock your training, especially now that racing season is almost here.

1 – It is about consistency: Hitting all those splits is awesome, but it is not what’s going to make you better. You hit the splits because you are better. There is no magic workout that will take you over the top. Good and bad workouts are part of the mix, and if you have more good ones than bad ones, you are on the right track.  Every time you perform, you get a little bit better. All those little bits eventually fill the bucket. That’s where your PR lies. Not on that PR 400-meter repeat in training. Focus on the long game as you train as often as your body allows. You will see the difference.

2 – Progress smartly: There are no shortcuts in running. Sure, you can run a marathon while untrained, but at what price? Is getting injured through a sufferfest worth a medal? What got you to the marathon will not get you to the 100-miler. What got you to the 5K PR won’t get you to the marathon PR. You must have a plan to get from Point A to Point B and then to Point C. If you plan to keep running for a long time, you must play the long game, and that requires smart progress.

3 – Accept the runner you are and train for it: You are not Eliud Kipchoge, and most likely you won’t be in the leading peloton at the Boston Marathon. Regardless of whether you are a local semi-elite or a back-of-the-pack runner, accept it so you can become the best runner you can be. If you are a 5-hour marathoner, it doesn’t matter how much you train; you will not make it to the Olympics. But you can go sub-5. Focus on what will help you improve your journey, not through the pressure of Instagram make-believe lives. Eliminate external, unnecessary pressures and pursue the big goal that aligns with your reality.

4 – Variety is the key: Long-slow running is good. Zone 2 is good. Intervals are good. Cross-training is good. Goal pace runs are good. But you need to mix them up the right way to give your body enough recovery time to adapt to the work. In a recent article I read, Will Lennox wrote in GQ Australia: “Taking a leaf from the Bible and training for 40 days and 40 nights in a row in the hope some biblical-level miracle will happen to you is not going to get you into running heaven.” Rest. Give your body the chance to recover so it can do it again and guarantee your progress.

5 – It is not about gear and technology: While running on the wrong shoe can certainly be detrimental and even harmful to a runner, it is never the shoe that makes you faster. It is all in your preparation. A pair of super-shoes will give you an edge to shave those last few seconds from a 5K, but it’s not what will get you from a 3:30 to a Sub-3 marathoner. The same applies to the GPS watch. Don’t let it rule your life. Turn off all the indicators of parameters you don’t understand and/or distract you. Let them be tools, not the beacon that guides your running.

6 – Don’t forget to have fun: Nothing kills the joy of running more than comparing yourself with friends and influencers. While the reasons for running vary for every athlete, running because you like it makes it easier to stick with it. Rebounding from a bad race or an injury will be easier. Accepting your limits instead of quitting will be a given.

In conclusion, we should simplify our running. This doesn’t mean taking it easy, nor working hard, nor forgoing progress. It means unlocking the running potential you have today, smartly. This is what will keep you running for years to come.

Share your favorite running training strategy in the comments. Which one works best for you?