By Marnie Kunz

These running tips can help you run stronger and faster and enjoy your running program more. I'm including the best advice from the experts at Custom Performance physical therapy in New York City and from my own experience as a running coach and trainer. Whether you're a beginning runner or a seasoned ultra runner, these strategies can help you excel at running.

Top Running Tips for Training

Build Gradually

For beginning runners, following some basic training principles and gradually building your endurance is essential. Follow the Principle of Progression and increase your miles by up to 10 percent each week to improve your fitness level while minimizing your risk of injury.

Follow a Plan

Following a training plan is the most critical component of your running success. As a coach, I have encountered many runners of all levels who run without a plan and get frustrated when they get stuck in a fitness plateau. A good running training program will consider your fitness level and goals and challenge you to get better while keeping you from overtraining or getting injured.

Pick a Goal Race

Signing up for a race is one of the best ways to stay motivated and keep pushing even during strenuous workouts. First, pick a goal race or run that has meaning to you. For example, it could be for a charity you care about or around your birthday.

Listen to Your Body

This is one of the most popular running tips for good reason - it works. If your body is asking for a day off, take it. Make sure your rest days are indeed REST days. Cross-training, yoga, and other fitness classes do not count as "rest."

Track Your Runs

Keep track of your runs, advises Custom Performance. Whether you track them by time or distance, it will help ensure you build your program gradually. For tracking, you can use a smartwatch or fitness tracker such as a Garmin or a running app on your phone.

Resist the Urge to Compare Yourself to Others

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Social media can connect runners but also encourages comparison. New runners often get intimidated by other runners' miles and races, and advanced runners can feel bad about missing big races or events. Resist the urge to compare yourself to others and focus on only one person - yourself.

"Never compare yourself to others," Custom Performance says. “Everyone was once a beginner, and running is a completely personal experience.”

Warm Up and Cool Down

The warm-up and cool-down are just as important as the run itself! Do dynamic stretches before your run and 5 to 10 minutes of light jogging before speed workouts or races. After your runs and races, stretch with static holds.

Take Care of Your Shoes

Get the right running shoes. Worn or poorly fitted running shoes are among the most common causes of injuries. So go to your local running store to get fitted for shoes. And change your shoes every 300 to 400 miles to prevent impact injuries.

Join a Running Group

While it's great to do some runs alone, it's also a lot of fun to run with others and make friends. Whether you're concerned about running safety or want to make friends, you can find local running groups all over social media or sites like Meetup.com. If you're a beginning runner, find a group that welcomes new runners.

Fuel for Your Runs

It's important to have enough energy for your runs. Once you start doing runs of over an hour in length, you'll need to take some running fuel to keep your energy up. Find a mix of carbs, protein, and fats you enjoy eating to ensure you have enough power to support your runs. PBJ or PB banana sandwiches are also great options!

Have Fun!

Enjoy your runs and your health. Don't let running stress you out; use it as a break from your regular stressors.

Running Tips for Racing

Racing is an exciting way to push your body and mind to new performance levels. It's also a social experience demonstrating how people can come together and achieve their goals. Here are some running tips for racing:

Train Your Mind

Mental training is just as necessary for runners as physical training. Running can be a challenging and solitary sport, and your mind can spiral into negative thinking if left unchecked. Practice some running mantras to give yourself short, powerful phrases that you can repeat to yourself during challenging workouts and races. For example, you may say, “I am strong. I run far,” or choose from many running mantras that help focus your mind and empower you. The more you practice mantras in training, the more they can help you in your race.

Try Visualization

Another way to step up your mental game for race day is to practice visualization. To try this, you will need to get into a meditative state with deep breathing and then use all of your senses to immerse yourself in the experience of an incredible race day where you feel powerful and fast. Check out our Tips to Visualize Running Success for more help with visualizing.

Plan for Race Day

One of the most practical running tips for race day is to plan ahead. Decide what you will wear, what running fuel strategy you need, and when to leave to get to the race early. Set your clothes out the night before and pick up your race packet before race day to keep your pre-race duties short and manageable. Allow extra time to get to the start line in case you need a restroom break or encounter traffic or subway delays on the way to the race.

Dress for the Weather

Check the weather before race day and before leaving for the race. Wear moisture-wicking layers and dress for the weather.

Have a Plan for Race Day

Make a plan with your family and friends if they are cheering, and let them know what you're wearing and where to meet after the race. Also, set a race strategy for yourself. I encourage runners I coach to have goal numbers - such as a goal race time - and a process goal, which you can control. This may be something like you will push hard to sprint the last 100 meters, or you will run harder at every downhill, etc.

Enjoy the Experience

Racing and running are a privilege that not everyone can do, so enjoy the experience. Support other runners, and thank fans for coming out to cheer. And, of course, thank your body for putting in the hard work to get to the start and finish lines.

Happy running to you!

Do you need a training plan for your next big race goal? Check out the Runstreet Training Center for customized training programs designed by me, a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach. Here’s to crushing your next run!😊👟

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, a dog lover and Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

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