A beginner runner’s success or failure often hinges on just being able to manage several key aspects of running training.  In this episode Deb addresses several struggles common to new runners.  Preparedness is everything. Seeing the big picture and being prepared for these inevitable challenges may make the critical difference between success and failure for anyone at the beginning of their running journey.    The post Beginner Runner Struggles – BRV 046 appeared first on Mojo for Running ..read more

As we finish 2020, we need to do the right things to prepare to make 2021 a powerful, positive year, despite the pandemic. No one would argue that 2020 has been anything but dreadful, but don’t let it beat you. It’s easy to let running goals slide when struggling with such a crazy year, but this is just exactly when you need to double down and focus on the things within your control, and your fitness, your running is just that. In this episode, I provide advice to help you reach the mindset you will need to start 2021, handle whatever it brings, and persevere in maintaining your healthy by fo ..read more

Running trails requires different technical running skills, a different outlook, and different equipment, but it is so beyond worth it, and if that’s not enough, your on-road running will greatly improve. Why? Because running on off road trails demands more work and more finesse. Your muscles work more and differently. You’ll feel it the next day, that good feeling that you are getting fitter in a new way. You won’t question whether it will pay off. You’ll be confident that it will. In this episode, I break down everything you need to know for off-road running, from running technique to gear ..read more

On and off-road miles are not equal. Off-road miles make you a better runner, make you more fit, and make you more sane. A mile in the woods holds greater value than any on-road mile. Running in the wild, produces startling results. It improves strength by engaging more muscles, especially the small muscles in the feet. It increases agility as each step is placed, avoiding roots or water or slippery spots, and it enhances proprioception as each step varies from the last, forcing constant split second communication between brain and muscles. All this makes better runners. All this will translat ..read more

Most people know about the hard easy principle of training. Goodness knows, I’ve talked about it on this podcast enough, but in practice, many runners don’t enjoy the benefits because they run their easy runs at the wrong pace. That can easily sabotage a runner’s training. In this episode, I explain how to determine the right easy run pace, and I have a couple of tips for maintaining the right pace. The result will be a much better payoff for training and much more effective  speed work. The post MFR 145: How to Make Your Easy Runs Work for You appeared first on Mojo for Running ..read more

Every single runner of every level is struggling right now, stressed, some more than others, but living during this pandemic has shaken us all. We need our running more than ever; it’s our therapy, right? Our running behavior has been extremely restricted and may continue to be restricted for months. Our races have been cancelled, and we don’t know when they will happen. Sure, many have been rescheduled, but experts are saying things may be worse rather than better in the fall. That is not the focus of this podcast; this podcast is about how you should and can train, right now. I talk about ..read more

This is it! You’ve been learning about what to do for nine days. Think of this as graduation day, the day you get the last, but most critical, piece of the puzzle. Today, you find out exactly what you should do, and I mean you, personally, should do on Day 1 of your running journey. Today, is your diagnostic run. In this podcast, I explain what to do to find out how far you should run during each running segment of your walk to run mile, which is the distance you should start with.  I also explain how to progress from there, the three variables, and the details regarding the decisions yo ..read more

I’ve been hearing the phrase, ‘turtle power,’ for years, always from slower runners, usually in an upbeat, positive way, an “I’m fine with that” way, but sometimes they utter the words apologetically, and that makes me sad. Often, these are beginner runners, but not always. It is my hope that after listening to this podcast, no one listening will ever feel bad, in any way, about being a slower runner. What is slow, anyway? It’s all relative, isn’t it? When an Olympian runs a 6 minute mile, it’s an off day. Most runners will never see the faster side of 9 minutes, and some will always run 12 ..read more

Weight loss – or management – plays a role in the life of virtually every runner. Either they start running to lose weight or they’ve already lost weight, and they want to become a runner to help them maintain that weight loss. Too, some runners run because they’re worried that their weight will gradually creep up if they don’t get lots of exercise to offset the calories of the food they consume. Even the most fit-looking, slender runners will often say that maintaining a desirable weight is one of the key reasons why they run. Bottom line, many runners are running to lose weight. It works. R ..read more

When beginner runners don’t succeed, it’s usually the result of one of two problems: They get injured and conclude their bodies can’t handle it. They don’t enjoy running; they dread the workouts. When you do it the way I’ve set out in this series, there is no doubt but that you’ll feel good during and after the workouts, mentally and physically. That’s a given, but I’m sure you’re wanting to know what you can do to run healthy and prevent running injuries. That is the topic of this episode. If you’ve gotten to this point, you’ve heard me say, repeatedly, that you must progress at a gradual ..read more