We see so many athletes finish every run with the tank on empty, taking a lot out of the body.
It is so vital in order to be able to repair, recover, and adapt. “The biggest mistake I see athletes make in training is not fueling on the runs. Proper fueling isn’t just important for competition, it’s imperative for training (and overall health), too. If you’re not replacing the sodium that you sweat out, you won’t be able to use the carbohydrates and water you’re consuming. Make sure you’re getting some electrolytes. As a baseline, we recommend starting with 16-20 oz of fluids per hour of exercise, depending on your sweat rate and environment. The best fueling strategy is the one that works for YOU, and that can take plenty of trial-and-error to nail down. Nutrition can make or break your experience when it comes to long runs and races. Race day is the wrong time to play roulette with your stomach. Everyone’s nutrition plan looks very different, so don’t feel the need to stick to a plan because you think it’s what everyone else is doing,” says Riojas Schnier. Keep track of what you are eating during each long run, so you can recognize patterns with what does and doesn’t work for you. Set out your nutrition and gear the night before so you don’t forget anything in the early morning pre-run preparation. “ During-race nutrition plans should be well thought out and practiced often, to the point where it feels natural on race day. She says she wants the athletes she coaches to treat long runs like races when it comes to fueling and hydration. San Diego-based coach Jessica Riojas Schnier says the worst choice she sees athletes make is not fueling enough during long runs. Practice Your Race Day Fueling On Long Runs When you find the “why” that feels right to you, share it with others to help hold yourself accountable. “Developing a ‘why’ can make sure you are in the sport for your own right reasons and give you something to draw on when things get real.” Even when things get hard, I think there is a playful element to fighting demons,” says Coppi. “I am at my happiest when I am flowing on trails. Coppi’s “why” is the simple pursuit of fun. Your “why” doesn’t have to be huge or noble. It’s unlikely that, after much consideration, your answer will be “Well, an Instagram influencer made it seem really cool” or “Jeff at the office did it.” Lasting, sustainable motivation, the kind that fuels long love affairs with the sport, comes from within, and not (usually) the desire to snag a few more Strava kudos or add another buckle to your collection. Here are a few questions we like considering when it comes to assessing our own goals and motivations: What gives you purpose? What brings you joy or makes you feel truly excited to get out of bed in the morning? What do you value? Who or what inspires you? What are your strengths? How does running connect you to those different pieces? What types of runs do you look forward to the most, and which ones do you dread? Between racing seasons, take time to reflect on what parts of training are resonating with you. It’s a continual process that will shift and evolve, just as you do. You don’t need to spend hours journaling or going to a ten-day silent meditation retreat to find out your “why”. When this inevitably happens, you are going to ask yourself, ‘Why the heck am I doing this?’” But eventually, your goal is going to get hard. “I think it is relatively easy to come up with big goals, whether it’s winning a high-profile race, setting a new PR, completing your first ultra, or even just starting to run.
“The biggest mistake I see athletes making is not asking why,” says elite runner and coach Mason Coppi.
#Element trailrunner body how to#
We caught up with a few elite runners and professional coaches to learn what mistakes they see most often, and how to address them. However, there are some strategies that are decidedly in effective across the board.
Some things work well for some runners, but not for others. Effective endurance training is as unique as the runner undertaking it.