Fall is an excellent time to lace up your running shoes and hit the trails or streets. Whether you're just starting your running journey or looking to improve your current running routine, below you’ll find my tips and insights to help you become a better runner. So, let's jump into my top 10 tips to enhance your running experience!

Tip 1: Set Clear Goals

The first step to becoming a better runner is to define your goals. Setting clear and achievable running goals can provide motivation and structure to your training. Whether it's completing your first 5K, improving your 10K time, or aiming for a marathon, having goals will help you stay focused and committed.

Tip 2: Don’t Skip Your Warm-Up and Cool Down

Don't skip your warm-up and cool-down routines. My favorite way to warm-up and cooldown is walking! Walking is accessible to all runners (no extra equipment needed), is a similar movement to running, and will help to prep the body for running at the beginning of your workout and cool it down at the end.

Tip 3: Master Easy Running

If you take away only one tip from this article, make it this one. Your easy effort runs are just as important as the hard effort days. But easy runs should be EASY. They should feel like you could run at the pace for a long time. Contrary to what you may think, running slow will not make you slower. Mastering easy runs will allow you to train more days per week while helping to reduce your risk of injury.

Tip 4: Consistent Training

Consistency is key to becoming a better runner. If you want to see improvement, running every now and again isn’t going to lead to improvement. This also doesn’t mean that you need to run 5 days per week. Instead, create a running schedule that fits your lifestyle, makes sense for your goals, and stick to it.

Tip 5: Mix up Your Training

Incorporate cross-training activities like strength training, yoga, or swimming into your routine. These activities can help improve overall fitness, prevent muscle imbalances, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries. You can also try incorporating different types of rungs such as interval training, hill workouts, and long slow runs to challenge your body and its different energy systems.

Tip 6: Nutrition and Hydration

Fuel your body with the right nutrients and stay hydrated. Consume a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Pay attention to your hydration needs, especially on long runs. Hydrate before, during, and after your runs, and consider using energy gels, electrolyte drinks, or snacks for longer workouts (workouts over 1hr).

Tip 7: Rest and Recovery

Rest days are just as important as training days. Your body needs time to recover and repair. Listen to your body, incorporate rest days into your training schedule and consider activities such as yoga, stretching, or other light movement to aid in recovery. Remember, adequate sleep is also crucial for recovery.

Tip 8: Find a Running Buddy

Running with people that more experienced than you is one of the best opportunities to learn and improve. Consider joining a local running group, run with a friend, or participating in virtual running communities. Running with others can also be motivating and provide a sense of camaraderie.

Tip 9: Try Ditching The Music

While many people love to run to music, running without music can be a great to tune into your bodies needs. Rather than focusing on the song that is playing, when no music is playing you can focus on your running and make adjustments as needed. Bonus! On race day you actually be able to hear your friends, family, and other members of the crowd cheering you on.

Tip 10: Hire a Coach

Finding a plan or trying to design one on your own can feel overwhelming. How many days a week should you run? How far or fast should you run? What about strength training or cross training? How many rest days do you need? Hiring a coach is great way to keep yourself accountable, manage your training/programming, and learn! If you’re looking to start running or need help designing a plan, I’m here to help!

Remember, the joy of running lies in the journey itself, so enjoy every step you take. I hope these tips help you become a better and healthier runner. Have a tip that I missed? Leave a comment below to share your favorite tip for becoming a better runner.

Happy running!