Work on your Opportunities

Being a runner, I spend a lot of time running, and I invest hours each week into this sport. Think intervals, tempos, hills, sprints, strides, treadmill, track, road, off road (very occasionally). If you are a runner these words probably all resonate with you, and it’s highly possible that you mix many or all of them into your own training. But are you avoiding the ones that challenge you the most?

It’s likely that if you follow any runner on Instagram, they are showcasing their crazy fast intervals and long tempo sessions. The stuff we all love to feel strong in. But how do you get to feel strong in these areas? How do you do it day in and day out? 

Something that has become huge in my running training recently is being really true to myself on my weaknesses (or opportunities). For example, do you always skip your foam rolling, and therefore often feel like you have wooden legs? Do you back-out of hitting that pace in a tough tempo session, and just cruise along at a pace you know you can sustain? Do you neglect your core exercises? Do you really push on those 100m sprints? 

Have a think about 3 things that you opt out of because they are “hard” or “boring” and have a think about how much your running could improve if you gave these aspects as much attention and dedication as your favourite run of the week. 

I’m probably with the majority in my thinking of you can’t beat that post run feeling, the classic “runners high”. I would be lying if I said I enjoyed working on my weaknesses more than the aspects I am comfortable in. Of course I don’t, but I these weaknesses are huge opportunities for me. Improving these areas will make me better, stronger, fitter, and faster.

It’s time to be really honest with yourself. What do you want from your running, and which areas could do with the much need TLC? Forget looking for that 1% gain, if you are honest and committed to improving a weakness, you could benefit far greater than just 1%!