7 Habits Of Highly Effective Runners

As runners, we all have unique backgrounds and different reasons for getting into the sport. The following seven habits are behaviors the most highly effective runners—not necessarily the fastest runners—have in common and practice every day.



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Making Running A Habit

Follow these 4 steps, and gradually exercise will become a no-brainer. After a few weeks of running, you'll begin to believe that there's something to this “runner’s high” thing.



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10 Healthy Habits of (Insanely) Passionate Runners

What are the common bonds that runners share? Here’s a good starting point.



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Fitness Is a Skill, Not a Talent: Here's How to Develop It

As a fitness coach and the co-founder of Fitocracy, I've been exposed to the success stories and fitness challenges of countless people. When they fail to meet their fitness goals, people often tell me that they don't have innate talent.



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10 Healthy Habits of (Insanely) Passionate Runners

What are the common bonds that runners share? Here’s a good starting point.



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5 Habits To Get You In Shape Quickly

With so many outdoor activities, summer is a great time to workout in new and adventurous ways! These summer activities will strengthen you muscles, stoke your metabolism and burn fat almost Read



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Building a Habit

I end up speaking a lot about HABIT when I discuss consistency and the deep necessity of using constant workouts to build healthy, sound, and fit lifestyles.

Everyone who wants to be fit and healthy can start down that path, but even reaching the 'middle' distance of it takes a repetition and constant action.

For some of us, luckily I am included here, consistency is not so difficult to achieve and requires little from us but doing and almost no thinking.

But for others, it takes, demands, a strategy. Below are a few actions to help you turn a desire into a habit. Though I concern myself with running, these techniques are usable for other areas of interest.

Now, turning a desire into a ritual requires willpower. As I have said for some this is no problem, but here are some ways to supplement your willpower.

Use these steps to optimize your routine:

Start slowly: Go to bed and wake up fifteen minutes earlier for a few days until this new schedule seems doable.

Monitor your energy: Building a new habit takes effort, so take care of yourself while you’re trying. Eat right, eat enough, and surround yourself with supportive people who want to see you succeed.

Choose one new habit at a time to introduce: If you want to run, pray, and write in a journal, choose one of these and make it a habit before adding another.

Chart your progress: Habits take weeks to establish, so keep track of how you’re doing for at least thirty days. Once skipping a session feels like you forgot something—like forgetting to brush your teeth—you can take your ritual up a notch.

Feel free to use bribery: Eventually habits produce their own motivation, but until then, external motivations like promising yourself concert tickets can keep you moving forward. And keep in mind that your morning rituals shouldn’t be of the self-flagellation variety. Choose things you enjoy: your before-breakfast ritual has the potential to become your favorite part of the day.

 

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3 Mistakes We All Make

• Wearing Sneakers For Too Long

The lack of cushion and shock absorption that comes from wear and tear can result in foot pain or a more serious injury, so make sure to retire an old pair every 200 to 350 miles (about four to six months, depending on how much you run).

• Skipping the Postrun Stretch Session

It’s hard enough squeezing in a run during your busy day, and something I am very familiar with, but stretching those muscles you worked so hard is a must. Increasing flexibility in often-tight hamstrings, calves, shins, and quads can prevent shin splints and runner’s knee, as well as lower back pain. A good stretching session can also prevent tomorrow’s soreness.

• Being Obsessed

Even if you’re training for your first marathon, running as your sole form of exercise is a big no-no. Since overusing the same muscles can cause repetitive stress injuries, incorporate other forms of exercise into your routine. Biking, swimming, yoga, and strength training are perfect complements because they’ll strengthen other muscles, which will make you a faster runner with better endurance. Not to mention, taking a break from running makes you love it even more.

 

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Building a Habit, or Getting a Backmonkey

I end up speaking a lot about HABIT when I discuss consistency and the deep necessity of using constant workouts to build healthy, sound, and fit lifestyles.

Everyone who wants to be fit and healthy can start down that path, but even reaching the 'middle' distance of it takes a repetition and constant action.

 

For some of us, luckily I am included here, consistency is not so difficult to achieve and requires little from us but doing and almost no thinking.

 

But for others, it takes, demands, a strategy. Below are a few actions to help you turn a desire into a habit. Though I concern myself with running, these techniques are usable for other areas of interest. The below steps I will reference my own life, which has a running-based habit.

 

Now, turning a desire into a ritual requires willpower. As I have said for some this is no problem, but here are some ways to supplement your willpower.

 

Use these steps to optimize your routine:

 

Start slowly: Go to bed and wake up fifteen minutes earlier for a few days until this new schedule seems doable. (It's easier to get a running habit started in the morning. You start your day with an accomplishment, and feel good endorphins.)

 

Monitor your energy: Building a new habit takes effort, so take care of yourself while you’re trying. Eat right, eat enough, and surround yourself with supportive people who want to see you succeed. (Plenty of rest is necessary when building a running habit.)

 

Choose one new habit at a time to introduce: If you want to run, pray, and write in a journal, choose one of these and make it a habit before adding another. (Concentrate on running and not running plus another sport or sports.)

 

Chart your progress: Habits take weeks to establish, so keep track of how you’re doing for at least thirty days. Once skipping a session feels like you forgot something—like forgetting to brush your teeth—you can take your ritual up a notch. (A running journal, be it a paper journal or an online one, is essential to creating a consistent running schedule.)

 

Feel free to use bribery: Eventually habits produce their own motivation, but until then, external motivations like promising yourself a brownie or ice cream can keep you moving forward. (I reward myself with food: brownies or burgers.)

Motivation Checklist

1. Find a running partner or group. Knowing others are relying on you to show up for a training session can be a great motivator. This is especially helpful for your weekly long run.

 

2. Publicize your training. The more you share your training efforts and goals, the more likely you’ll be to stick to your plan. Start sharing with those closest to you such as family members or close friends.

 

3. Make finishing the race your goal. Focus your efforts on completing the full distance and worry less about your pace in your first race. If running is the right fit for you, you’ll finish the race hungry for the next race and a new PR.

 

4. Find something that makes training enjoyable. Maybe it’s hitting the gym early in the morning or admiring nature while running outdoors, or listening to your favorite music.

 

5. Keep a log. Your log doesn’t have to be detailed, just jot down the distance and how you felt. If motivated to record more, consider additional details such as time, location, and other specific details. Periodically reviewing your entries is a good reminder of the hard work you have already invested in your training.

 

6. Find a simple training plan. Make sure the training plan specifics meet your needs and fit your schedule. Whichever plan you choose, remember to keep your first race goal to completing the race.

 

Running Fact

• According to Runkeeper, more Americans run on Sundays and Tuesdays, with average distances being 3.46 miles for weekdays and 4.3 miles for weekends.

 

Getting a Monkey on your Back

Or... How to Form a Running Habit

 

Human beings are creatures of habits. I am. You are. We all are. Turning your vision of a fit and healthy you into a reality requires discipline and consistency. In short, you need a habit.

 

So here are some guidelines:

 

• Exercise in the morning

According to many studies, the best time of the day to go for a workout is in the early morning when the rest of the world is still asleep. Also, in my experience, it's a great way to meet the day, with some accomplished under your belt.

 

• Commit For 30-Days

The best approach for forming a new habit is by committing to doing the new activity for at least 4 consecutive weeks, non-stop. I usually explain to new runners that they should look to a 6 week approach to habit-forming.

 

• Make your exercise enjoyable

If your exercise is enjoyable and fun, then you’ll be looking forward to doing it. For some of us, running IS fun and enjoyable all on its own. For others, not so much.

 

Nevertheless, not all workouts can be fun, especially if you like to up the ante and push your body to your next level. If you are running a recovery run in fatigue, you will feel less than motivated. But going out of your comfort zone is essential for growing and improving your fitness level. So you need to put some fun into those runs:

 

- Vary your training programs. Instead of sticking to the same routine, try different regimes and break out of the boredom mold.

- Listen to your favorite music and keep updating your playlist with upbeat and inspiring tracks.

- Reward yourself for the hard efforts. Just make sure that the rewards are non-food based.

- Keep track of your progress by taking measurements, before/after pictures, and soliciting appraisements and compliments from your family members for progress.

 

Consistency, as I have written here often, is key to your development as a runner. And forming a habit is essential to gaining that consistency. The above are just ideas and guidelines, you can add or drop or use none of them. But you must form a habit.

 

 

 

 

Acclimate to the Distance

When you begin new distances, your body’s fitness level will drops while you get used to the new demands you’re putting on your body. This is a time, I've read, when most new runners give up. Understand before you take up running that it takes your body about four to six weeks to acclimate to the new demands on your body. Anticipating that “wiped out feeling” can actually make it less of a shock. Just know that you’re going to feel the effects of your new activity. Hang in there. Tough it out. And before you know it, you’ll feel stronger. Also, as I've written before, go slow. Too many new runners experience shin splints, pulled calf muscles, cramping quads, or sore hips from going out too fast or from doing too much too soon.

How to Get a Running Habit

Running is one of the best cardio training programs that can help you lose weight, trim down and get into a better shape. So making running a daily habit will enhance your life.

If your running program becomes a habit you will certainly find it much easier to train and to fulfill other life duties without putting yourself under too much pressure by constantly thinking ahead to your schedule and how you will have to fit your running into it.

Commit Your Decision On Paper (physical or electronic)

If you want your decision to carry more bulk, you need to be more thorough and write down your running goals. This will increase the likelihood of them becoming a reality. But remember that your goals should be specific, measurable, and realistic.

Commit to 3 Weeks

It takes a minimum of 21 days to create a habit. Thus, you should make sure to block out a specific time in your calendar and schedule it for the running exercise and, then commit yourself to doing it no matter what happens in you life. You want to concentrate on that magic number, and let nothing keep you from the road or path. However, if you are tired or injured, you can opt for a cross-training choice such as yoga or swimming or any other cross-training activity.

Start Simple

If you are a beginner, you can use the walk-run-walk method as a training starting point. With this method, you run straight for five minutes, walk for three or four minute so you can recover from the previous run, then run for another four or five minutes and so on. This training strategy ensures you of developing cardiovascular power without risking discomfort or injury.

And once you can run straight for 30 minute without much huffing and puffing, you could make the training more intense and enduring. Also, for most people with no prior physical training experience, 3 weeks is enough time to create an increase in cardiovascular power.

Now beware....

Being a perfectionist can stand in your own way. Giving yourself enough wiggle room and rest days so that you can further your running habit.



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