If you are a professional athlete or are trying to qualify for the Olympics, feel free to skip this post. If you are still with me, maybe running is your passion, your escape, your health/therapy plan, and/or your social club. And even if some of us would love running to be a more prominent part of our lives, the activity that pays our bills and allows us to afford it must (and should) take priority.
Understanding what you want to accomplish from your run is key (Image by ChatGPT)
This is why we tend to overlook certain aspects of our daily life that, by now, should have become ingrained habits. Such failures keep some of us in a stale or unproductive state, which eventually may develop into frustration.
Behavior becomes a habit through repetition. When we perform the same action repeatedly in response to a specific cue, our brain gradually automates the behavior, requiring less conscious effort each time. According to a 2010 study published by University College London, the average time for a behavior to become a habit is 66 days.
So, it will take some work, but once it is ingrained, you are on your way to becoming a better runner.
Here are 5 conducts that should become habits for every runner:
âș Preparation Before Every Workout â Just like in every aspect of life, preparedness is the key to success. Just as having water and a dry shirt after your run is essential, knowing what you want to accomplish before every workout is a key to success. The time to learn what you are doing today, or to realize you have not eaten in the last 12 hours, is not when your watch searches for a satellite. Every workout has a purpose, and understanding what that is will give you a better chance of realizing that gain. Preparation encompasses the mental and physical aspects of your running.
âș Focus on Improvement, not Just Results â In the instant gratification age of Strava and Instagram, many runners tend to focus on what they did today, forgetting that running is a long game. Try this experiment: Donât post a run. Or two. And count how many of your online friends text you asking if you are OK. Then realize how trivial this is within the context of your daily life and refocus your energy on achieving your real goals. Revolutionary thought. I know!
âș Embrace Failure as Part of Growth – Failure is an opportunity to learn, adjust, and improve. Every athlete who has ever achieved anything meaningful has experienced setbacks along the way. Missed goals, bad races, disappointing workouts, and unexpected obstacles are not signs of a lack of talent or potential. They are part of the process. When things do not go your way, resist the urge to make excuses or focus solely on the result. Instead, take an honest look at what happened, identify the lessons, and apply them moving forward. The most successful athletes are not the ones who avoid failure. They are the ones who fail and use it as fuel for future success. Click here to read my blog post on this topic.
âș Reframing Your Self-Talk â The conversation you have with yourself matters. While negative thoughts are inevitable even for elite athletes, the key is not to let them take control. Instead of dwelling on “I can’t do this” or “I’m falling apart,” strong athletes consciously reframe those thoughts into more productive ones, such as “I’ve handled this before” or “Just get to the next mile.” Positive self-talk is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about choosing thoughts that help rather than hinder performance. Over time, this habit builds confidence, resilience, and the ability to stay focused when training or racing gets difficult. Click here to read my blog post on this topic.
âș Mastering the Breathing â When you start your run, your oxygen intake can multiply from 15 to 20 times. This is why you feel winded as you get started, and the reason why warming up properly during this transition is critical for the rest of your run. From there on, settling into a controlled breathing pattern is critical. I personally recommend the 3-2 rhythm, which distributes the most vulnerable part of the breathing cycle evenly. Click here to read about breathing patterns.
For some, these five habits may feel like stating the obvious. And they are. But I see so many seasoned runners failing due to a lack of basic habits. Not because they are lazy or because they donât care, but because life gets in the way and they donât know how to handle it. Once you are purposeful in your behavior, habits will take root and set you on the path to success.
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I joke (partially) with my running buddies that the day I ran against Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin (2017), he needed a world record to beat me. Sure, I started in wave 4 and was 15 miles behind when he crossed the finish line, and while I certainly had no chance of beating him, the statement is still 100% true.
All you need is the will to go for a run. Everything else is additional (Image by Grok)
Consider this: what are your chances of standing in the huddle in a Super Bowl, strategizing the next play? When will you face Shohei Ohtani on an MLB field? How about your odds of standing with or against Lio Messi during the World Cup? Driving in an F1 Grand Prix? US Open. Golf or tennis?… Anyone?
But running is different. When the marathonâs 2-hour mark was broken, a runner I trained was there. When Kipchoge broke his last world record (Berlin 2022), another runner I trained was there. During the epic battle between Alberto Salazar and Rodolfo Gomez at the 1982 NYC Marathon, my dad was there. A close friend crossed the finish line in Boston, 10 minutes before the bombing. The last time the immortal Bill Rodgers won a marathon (Orange Bowl 1983), he had to beat me, too.
So, you get the point. Running is the most democratic of sports. The one with the most open access, equal opportunity to participate, low barriers of entry, and outcomes driven mostly by effort rather than status.
Remember dreaming of running, or lacing your shoes for the first time? Or how you felt after a long hiatus? Remember the struggle to finish that first long run? Have you checked the back of the packers at a race? Have you taken the time to watch the videos of the last finishers at a big-city marathon? Is there any other sport where regular people, even with a variety of disabilities, can beat the odds by finishing the biggest and most iconic races in the world?
Sure, only a selected few will run in the Olympics or the world championships, but even you, dear reader, can run the mythic Boston Marathon, even if you donât qualify. We know you have a better chance of hitting the Powerball than the London Marathon Lottery, but the chance is there, and you still have charity entries. And if you are not into multitudinous mega races, there are local 5Ks everywhere, every week.
In his book âWhen Running Made Historyâ, literature professor and former elite runner Roger Robinson said: “Being a runner (this sounds naive but isn’t) gives you direct and unfiltered access to all other runners. That’s one thing that makes running so remarkable; it is an intensely competitive sport that is also an egalitarian community. Just put your shorts and shoes on and if you’re fast enough, you can run with, befriend, and, if so inclined, interview the greatest celebrities on earth.”
In running, you will only get out what you put into it (Image by Grok)
Think about it: when it comes to running, you donât need an opposing team or a field. Let alone a golf course. You donât need a court, like tennis, basketball, or pickleball. You donât even need a group of friends or a rival. All you need is the will to run. Everything else, everything, is extra.
You can run in the crappiest of shoes, or even barefoot. You can run in jeans and cotton socks if that is all you have. You donât need a watch, you donât need company, and you donât need a dedicated surface or place. The comfort of a good pair of running shoes, a tech shirt/shorts, moisture-wicking socks, and a running path with good friends will surely make it more enjoyable, but as for requirements, none beyond your willingness to go out for a run.
Biologist and 2:22 marathoner Bernd Heinrich wrote in Why We Run: A Natural History: “Running is perhaps the most fundamental of all sports… it is the most democratic and most competitive of all sports because individual merit can prevail despite economic equality. It is a sport for everyone, the whole world over.”
Meritocracy in action. What a beautiful concept!
The great running author and philosopher George Sheehan said, “Life is a positive-sum game. Everyone from the gold medalist to the last finisher can rejoice in a personal victory.”
Fred Lebow, the father of the NYC Marathon, said, “In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.'”
Beyond the health and social benefits, running is a sport where you can only get out as much as you put in. The one sport where we have the chance to participate in the biggest local, national, and international competitions. The one we can practice at a moment’s notice, just when we need it. Yes, need it. The one where the winner and the last one across the finish line get the same medal. The one where we can make friendships to last a lifetime.
Letâs go for a run, then. What are you waiting for?
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The last handful of weekend runs around my South Florida home area have been a brutal prelude to what the upcoming summer may be. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, it is only a matter of time before it reaches you. It depends on your latitude.
Both running injuries are very serious, but one of them may be fatal (Image by ChatGPT)
A running buddy recently invited me to join his team for the upcoming âInferno 25K Club Championshipâ on July 18th in Southwest Florida. I was honored to be asked, but with that name, on that date, at that location, I happily declined.
Running safely in summer is feasible if you play it smart. You can plan accordingly, continue training for fall races and enjoy the process, or hibernate until October. Your choice. So, get acquainted with the signs of heat injury so you can act quickly for yourself or others.
The information in this blog post should not be considered medical advice. I am not a doctor or licensed healthcare professional. Always consult a qualified medical professional before making decisions related to health or treatment. With that out of the way, letâs go!
Understand the signs and symptoms of heat injuries, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Both are serious, but the latter can be fatal. A close friend survived heatstroke after final preparations were being made at the hospital.
According to the Mayo Clinicâs website, heat exhaustion is caused by exposure to elevated temperatures, particularly when combined with high humidity and strenuous physical activity. Without prompt treatment, it can turn into heatstroke, a life-threatening condition that can be prevented by avoiding entering the heat exhaustion zone in the first place.
Heatstroke, the most serious of heat injuries, is a condition caused by your body overheating, usually resulting from prolonged exposure to high temperatures and physical exertion.
Certain conditions and medications can increase your risk of heat-related illness. Ask your doctor whether any part of your medical history or current prescriptions could make you more susceptible to these conditions, given your level of physical activity during the warmer months.
Recognizing the symptoms of heat-related syndromes is crucial to avert tragedy.
Heat Exhaustion Symptoms
The evaporation of your sweat regulates your body temperature. However, when you exercise strenuously or otherwise overexert yourself in hot, humid weather, your core temperature (the body’s heat combined with environmental heat) fails to be regulated, preventing your body from cooling itself. A normal core temperature is around 98.6°F (37 °C). If you donât address this situation immediately, it may progress to a dreaded heatstroke.
The symptoms of Heat Exhaustion are:
Cool, moist skin with goose bumps
Heavy sweating
Faintness
Dizziness
Fatigue
Weak, rapid pulse
Low blood pressure upon standing
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Headache
What to do if you feel any of these symptoms? Stop running immediately, move to a cooler place, drink cool water and/or sports drinks, and rest. If these symptoms donât improve within an hour, contact a medical professional. Avoid an escalation into heatstroke at all costs.
Make sure you are aware of what this image states. It could save a life. No exaggeration
Heatstroke Symptoms
Heatstroke can quickly injure vital organs and requires immediate attention. Delayed treatment may cause extensive damage or even death.
The symptoms of Heatstroke are:
High body temperature (over 104°F or 40°C),
Altered mental state or behavior (Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures),
Alteration in sweating (skin feels hot and dry to the touch),
Nausea and vomiting,
Flushed skin. (Skin may turn red as the body temperature increases),
Rapid breathing (rapid and shallow),
Racing heart rate (Pulse may significantly increase),
Headache (Throbbing).
How to Prevent Heat Injuries?
Be proactive for yourself and your running mates. Always err on the side of caution. Mayo Clinic recommends:
Wear loose-fitting, lightweight clothing,
Protect against sunburn,
Drink plenty of fluids,
Take extra precautions with certain medications (ask your doctor),
Take it easy during the hottest parts of the day,
Get acclimated to the new weather conditions.
During my seven years of blogging in this space, Iâve written many times about this subject. I urge you to revisit some of these writings, so you may prepare for the upcoming weather conditions. These are the links:
Last weekend gave us runners a preview of brutal summer weather in South Florida. It wasnât as bad as mid-July, but in mid-May, it signaled what’s ahead. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, expect this soon.
Hydrate, sure, but don’t overhydrate (Image by Grok)
The line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin, and if you cross it, you can get seriously hurt. So, my yearly blog post urging runners to stay on top of their training during the summer has been forced to be published earlier than expected.
Adjust your training and expectations for survival, not just performance. Heat injuries can permanently impact your health and your running future.
Here are five adjustments for safe training during the summer.
1 – Know whatâs happening – You canât fight the weather; you can only adjust for safe running. Two basic things occur:
1A â When air turns humid, it feels thicker, making each run more effortful. Running at the same speed takes more work.
1B – The second one is basic biology: The human body cools off by sweating, and the blood is about 92% water. The more you sweat without replenishing fluids, the more water gets sucked out of your bloodstream, and the thicker the blood becomes, the more difficult it is to circulate. This spells deep trouble.
2 – Adjust your running time – If the brutal summer is an unavoidable part of your home zip code, your options for outdoor running are reduced to: A- adjusting to run in the heat/humidity, or B- not running at all. If you choose A, you must do so at the coolest time possible, when it is gentler to the body. The basic choices are before sunrise or after sunset. Wake up earlier or wait until later. If you canât, there is always a frightening Option C: The dreaded treadmill.
A good hack is to keep a running shirt and hat in the freezer and put them on right before you hit the road. This will cool your core and provide you with a few comfortable initial miles before the inevitable sets in.
3 – Slow your pace â Do you know why mainstream races take place in the fall or the spring? Who wants their goal race in the thick of a scorching summer? This is the time to get ready for the upcoming season; the time to tackle strength training and base building. The latter is achieved by running at a lower effort level, regardless of speed. Your fall and spring PRs are built during the summer. Donât worry about what âthe fastâ people may think. Stop posting on Instagram if your followers’ opinions matter.
4 â Overhydration is a real danger – Your body is designed to lose fluids as you run, without replenishing every single drop of sweat. So, donât fall into the temptation of overindulging in water or sports drinks. Hyponatremia is a serious condition that happens when too much fluid is ingested, diluting your sodium levels to the point that it may cause seizures, coma, and even death.
Hydration is not just about what you consume while running. Hydration is a 24/7 habit that has you ready to go by the time you press start in your GPS watch.
5 – Beware of the signs â The challenges of summer running go beyond training earlier, later, or slower. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are among the most serious dangers in inhospitable climates. Itâs each runner’s responsibility to recognize the symptoms and adjust before it becomes a 911 call. With luck, a mishap may keep you out for a few weeks; without it, it could kill you. In a previous post, I wrote about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. I invite you to revisit it by clicking here.
In Conclusion
There are no medals or podiums during training. Be smart and remember you are only getting ready for next season.
Running in heat and humidity is doable if you prepare properly. Never lose sight of the fact that you need to live to run another day. As stated earlier, the line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin, and if you cross it, you may get seriously hurt.
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If you have any interest in the sport of running, you already know the mythical 2-hour barrier for the marathon has fallen. As this blog is not for news reporting, and this happened barely 36 hours before this writing, I want to share a reflection and perspective on what these results at the London Marathon mean for our sport.
Sure, super shoes help, but they are not what make Sebastian Sawe an elite runner (From RW Instagram feed)
When I ran my first marathon in 1983, the world record was 2:08:34 (Derek Clayton, 1969). Then, it started falling little by little. First by a few seconds, then surprisingly faster. As it approached the 2-hour mark, Nike put on the Eliud Kipchoge show in 2019, where he ran 1:59:40. Sure, it wasn’t official, and it wasnât supposed to be. But it proved that a sub-2 was physiologically possible. And now it has happened in competition.
Was it the Super shoes?
Some would like to think that with shoes acting like springs, these new records mean nothing. As a purist, I would love to think that too, but we live in a world where progress, innovation, and new technologies are an intrinsic part of our lives, and we must accept it. If we didnât, Formula One races would be on horseback, the Tour de France would be on bikes with no gears and iron frames, and running shoes would still be made of leather. The regulatory entities have taken measures to ensure certain basic conditions are met, so it is not a free-for-all. It is a step in the right direction, so we may avoid grey areas bordering cheating.
We must understand that super shoes will not make you, or me, a world-record contender. These runners are the best the world has ever seen. These shoes only provide the edge they need to get that little extra that puts them within the realm of possibility. They were already great runners before they tied those $500 Adidas at the start of the 2026 London Marathon.
Whatâs next?
Back in May 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-4-minute mile. It was a matter of time before he, Wes Santee, or John Landy got there. Bannister did it first. And once it was proven physiologically possible, the sub-4s started piling up. Landy shaved 1.4 seconds off Bannister’s record just 6 weeks later. And two months later, he lowered it again. 72 years later, over 1700 runners have gone sub-4. Still an elite group, but not that exclusive.
Why am I bringing this up? Because it has now been proven possible, expect the record set by Sebastian Sawe to fall again shortly and often. Just as Bannister, Sawe will always be remembered as the first. He is the Neil Armstrong of the Sub-2. Yomif Kejelcha made his marathon debut going sub-2, but 11 seconds behind, so he will always be the Buzz Aldrin of the sub-2. Impressive achievement, but not the first. This will not be an unbeatable record. Quite the contrary, it just established a new benchmark from where to keep improving.
I venture to predict that by the end of the year, after marathons like Valencia or Chicago, the record will fall again. And by the end of 2027, there will be 5 to 10 runners under 2.
Boston: Nike Sign Controversy
Since I am reflecting on recent events at Marathon Majors, I want to chime in on the Nike fiasco at the recent Boston Marathon. For those who donât know, Nike set up a huge sign stating âRunners Welcome. Walkers Toleratedâ, which sparked severe backlash and was quickly removed.
This is the controversial sign placed by Nike in Boston during Marathon week.
Was it insensitive? Was it stupid? Did Nike assume responsibility? Can you do something about it if you were offended? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
First: No race states that you canât walk. Until then, walk all you want. Orlando Pizzolato won the NYC Marathon in 1984 and walked. Nobody cried foul. Gelindo Bordin slowed down, walked, and was not stripped of his Olympic marathon gold medal in 1988. Want to walk? Walk! And donât give a s*#% about what Nike has to say about it.
What really bothered me about this fiasco was the âoffended professionalsâ taking it to social media. Those who enjoy feeling upset on your behalf so they can feel morally superior as they fight for âwhatâs rightâ. Most of those calling for the pitchforks had no stake in running, Boston, or Nike.
Just like you and me, Nike is protected by the First Amendment to make as many stupid statements as they please. Offended? Act. Donât purchase a Nike product ever again. Show up at their headquarters in Beaverton and picket. A friend of mine didnât like it and sold her Nike stock. She didnât pout on Instagram; she took a stand.
Conclusion: Feel offended? Act or shut up! Pouting on social media is not taking action.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below.
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