Leap Ahead: 5 Simple Techniques to Enhance Your Running

There are many types of runners and we all have our reasons for running. Most of us want to improve something about ourselves and running is a fantastic way to do that. But over time, it is easy to fall into a routine where you are more or less doing the same thing and your running becomes somewhat stale.

Below you will find some of the tricks that I use to keep my running fresh and to improve my experience along with my results.

Mix up your runs

It is so easy to get into the same old rut when it comes to running. We all have our favorite loop that we can hit just by rolling out of bed and being done with it. Your body quickly adjusts to this and you will find that although you can see gains with training, the gains are not what you are expecting. To improve your running you need variability, this can be a mix of long runs and short runs, a mix of speed work, slowing down once in a while, or just adding in hills. Your body will appreciate the changes and it will need to adapt, which ultimately will improve fitness. Your mind will also appreciate this as well since you will need to adapt mentally to many of these changes.

Change your pace - Run on the track or introduce speedplay

Some of you will look at a track and think of shortness of breath, physical discomfort and see it as a place you want to avoid. Others may see the track as a place they used to run when they were younger, but don't see themselves going there again. I get that, tracks are intimidating and it can be pretty boring running around in circles. Not quite as boring as training for a marathon on a treadmill, but pretty boring.

On the other hand, tracks can be a tremendous tool for improving your running and offer a number of ways to do that. First of all they are FLAT! If you are working on pacing, running over the same terrain can be a huge advantage in keeping pace and learning about your body. There are no traffic lights, no dogs chasing you and you know exactly what to expect lap after lap.

Speed work can be fun! Tracks don't have to be boring and some of us even like the thought of getting in the work. Having some challenges can help improve a boring track routine. Try things like pyramids or ladders, where you run the same fast pace, but increase the distance for each interval and then decrease back down once you reach a certain distance. These can be challenging but greatly rewarding when improving your running fitness.

You can also change the pace on your regular runs. You can run part of the run at a faster pace by implementing fartleks, the word which meaning "speed play" in Swedish. You can make your own version of this, running 3 telephone poles fast and 4 slow, or 1 minute fast and 2 slow. Try it, and make a routine that works for you. I also have my own personal game to keep me from going out too fast. My rule is that whatever pace I run my first segment at, is the minimum pace for my run. This can make for some difficult days, but at least it keeps me in check on most days and allows for a proper warm-up.

Switch up your terrain

My wife and I spent many years together riding our road bikes. Eventually the terrain became a bit boring as we ended up riding a lot of the same old routes. Still fun but not entirely exciting. Then, one year we discovered gravel bikes and bikepacking. Suddenly a whole new world was opened to us and each ride became exciting again. Running is much the same, where we often cover the same roads and pass the same building and checkpoints. Taking a run in the woods is a totally different experience and can be both challenging and fun.

My first real experience at trail running was in my early twenties where we went to a local park\reservation near Boston where I often mountain biked, and we ran those same trails on foot. Each step required heavy concentration so I didn't fall on my face and every hill used new muscles in my legs that I didn't know existed. Eventually I got pretty good at it and I realized I could run up and down hill pretty fast. I used these skills to win my age group at an off-road triathlon that ended with a run up to the top at a fairly large ski area. Later, when moving to Sweden I was overjoyed to find a 10k woods running path behind my hotel that was even lit up at night. The bottom line is that running was no longer monotonous and actually quite fun and challenging. Today I mix my runs between the road and woods, preferring the slower paced runs in the woods where I can explore a bit and relax at a comfortable pace.

Change your routine

As stated earlier, we are creatures of habit, we run the same routes, often wear the same clothes, run the same pace, listen to the same music etc.. But what happens when we change one little thing? We reset our mind and suddenly we realize a bit more about ourselves. What are some examples of this?

Run without a watch? What???? No way I am running and not recording my pace and stats to Garmin\Strava\Training Peaks etc... Yeah, I totally understand. But what about starting your watch and only looking at it AFTER you are done. Stop checking your pace and just go out and run by feel. The same goes with the heart rate monitor. Eventually you learn that you can become pretty good at listening to your body and the running is natural. Case in point for me when I was recently doing a fitness test as part of my triathlon program and I had to run a 30 minute interval as fast as I could. I hid my watch and ran hard, feeling my breath, fighting my legs, and focusing on keeping my mental game strong. The end result was that I hit each of my intervals within a second for each step in the test. This told me that I am in tune with my body.

Other examples, run without music. I find that when I run without music or podcasts, I can get quite creative and I often develop new ideas and solutions to difficult problems. This is often the case when I train at lunch and break up my work day.

Do you often run alone? If so, consider asking a friend to join or find a running club. Working with others helps with motivation and also provides opportunities to learn and improve. Friends and groups are also great for pacing, as you can learn proper pacing by just keeping up.

Another way to change up your routine is to run without a route. This may sound a bit crazy but it can be incredibly fun. Just start running and go in whatever direction you see fit. If a path looks interesting take it, go off in a different direction and see where it leads. Walk if you need to, stop and take a picture, enjoy the experience.

I once went exploring in Rome and ended up on top of a huge hill overlooking the city, full of sweat and smiling as I took in the incredible view. On another occasion I was staying at a hotel in Torino and I saw the Basilica Superga on top of a nearby hill. I HAD to run there and climb the hill. It was a hot day, and I was lucky to find some water along the way as I navigated through some small towns, always keeping the Basilica in view. I was on the other side of town from where the road was that led up to the church, so I ran there on the faith (no pun intended), that there would be a path up the backside of the mountain. I let instinct guide me as I approached the backside of the hill and wound my way up through small paths on what looked like it was once a hiking path. At times, the path was highly overgrown and I would end up near an old foundation or worse, a dead end. Eventually, through persistence, I found my way to the top and enjoyed a beautiful view of Torino. This is the type of run that you never forget.

Cross train

To get better at running I have to not run? Yes! Both resting, if you are running too much , and other forms of training, can be good ways to improve your running. Running relies on many different muscles in the body and muscle strength can be a great way to both improve speed and endurance as well as protect you from injury. Maintaining a strong core can help reduce back pain and improve your running posture.

Aside from just muscle training, other forms of fitness can complement your running such as swimming, cycling, rowing and Nordic skiing. These sports all offer aerobic endurance but can reduce the impact that running has on the body while complementing your run training. Additional benefits can be weight loss and the ability to train indoors in poor weather.

Conclusion

You may be happy with your running plan, but if you were, I doubt you would have made it this far. Try out a few of these tips and see how they work for you. Everyone has their own thing and I hope these tips help you find your running mojo. Perhaps the best tip is to just get our there regularly and hopefully these tips will help you do that. Lastly and most importantly, have fun!