Chasing Perfection Sabotages Your Running

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

I talk to lots of runners, and it still amazes me how much, especially newbies, focus on the measurement of every detail. And then, they correlated it with how certain parameters affect their performance. And then, they run to the internet searching for answers. And then, they tweak their training to gain a slight advantage. And then, you ask them what that parameter measures, and they don’t know.

These days, when every tidbit of information is available 24/7 and all you need is a phone and a social media account to spread your gospel, any charlatan looking for a following has a tribune to state whatever they want, regardless of credentials to back it up or facing any consequences. I am not stating that everyone online is a quack; I am urging you to be aware of who you listen to.

The one that irritates me the most is when someone tells me they have been running in Zone 2. I follow up with: Do you know what Zone 2 is? They seldom do. The next question is: Have you set up your watch for your training zones? The answer is invariably no. Sure, Zone 2 training is great, but you need to do it right for it to be beneficial.

The same happens with cadence, VO2Max, power output, and other parameters that, though essential and worthy measurements of progress, mean absolutely nothing if not in the proper context or if you have no clue what they measure. Stop Chasing Perfection. Overthinking can and will sabotage your running.

Don’t need to get lost in the details, especially if you are running for health, social relationships, and/or basic competition. Once you have reached a certain level of experience and performance, all these parameters will make sense and become essential to your progress. But you won’t last long as a runner if you stop enjoying the activity because you are overwhelmed with unnecessary thoughts and calculations as you run.

In a recent blog post on The Growth Equation, Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness challenge today’s obsession with optimization and the idea that success depends on everything being perfectly aligned. The reality, they argue, is the opposite: striving for perfection often fuels anxiety and fragility. Real performance thrives in imperfect conditions, when routines are off, sleep is poor, or the plan goes sideways. The best athletes and performers don’t wait for perfect circumstances; they adapt and deliver anyway.

The post also highlights that greatness lies in resilience, not in control. It’s about learning to “take your bad day along for the ride” and still show up. They point to the story of golfer JJ Spaun winning the 2025 US Open after being up all night with a sick child. They conclude that excellence is not about perfection; it’s about persistence when things aren’t ideal.

So, while the pursuit of perfection is a worthy goal and knowledge is definitely a competitive advantage, we must accept that we are not here to qualify for the Olympics. Our paychecks don’t depend on our performance in Sunday’s 10K race. Our families will still love us the same, even if we didn’t set up a PR.

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, an avid runner, put it best when he said: I’ll be happy if running and I grow old together. Let’s focus on enjoying the journey first and on improving it later, without losing that joy.

I am interested in knowing your thoughts on this subject. Please share it in the comment box below.