Running | What ACTUALLY Matters…
Running has become the T-Swizzle of Health & Fitness…
From the thousands of different Run Clubs popping up, to the seemingly endless appearance of shoe ads on the social media feed, everyone seems to have dived headfirst into the Beautiful Art of 1’s & 2’s.
And as someone for whom running has provided so much in life, we LOVE to see it
However, with ever-increasing popularity has come the inevitable rise in misinformation on the subject: individuals as influential as they are unqualified spouting various levels of b*llocks across various social & mainstream medias ready for public consumption.
With that in mind, I figured there is a need to differentiate between the sh*t that ACTUALLY matters; and thus thought I would write some of my thoughts as both a Runner & a Coach on what you should spend your mental energy on when looking to embark on your own running journey.
I have split it into 4 larger categories - FOOTWEAR, TRAINING, NUTRITION and CIRCLE; so without furthe ado, lets crack on.
FOOTWEAR
Here goes any chance of lucrative sponsorship, not that there was much craic in the first place…
I put footwear at the top of the list because it is where you’re most likely to get shafted by the Big Dogs thanks to the wonders of predatory social media algorithms.
And I see way too many people forking out 300-400 quid on ridiculous carbon-plated sh*te that look like they were designed on acid.
Money doesn’t buy you speed. The only person you’re kidding is yourself.
What we want to look for is SUBSTANCE over STYLE; FUNCTION over FASHION. In my opinion, most decent running shoes look cracking, but take that with a pinch of salt due to my somewhat dubious taste…
In order to get there, it’s important to understand that everyone run’s differently - something we refer to as our GAIT.
Individual variance in gait means that people require different amounts of support in different areas of the shoe according to HOW you run; factors such as:
Arch Support
Heel Drop
Training Surface/Terrain etc.
I highly recommend going to grab yourself a proper gait analysis so you can get a professional recommendation on the kind of shoe needed to create comfort & maximal output in your running.
For most people, this will be in the region of £80-150. Any more than that, and you’re probably paying more for the label as opposed to functionality…
…and for God’s Sake ditch the Alphafly’s!
For what it’s worth, I wear £65 Barefoot Shoes that are exactly what they say on the tin; and I can still hold a pretty decent pace on the speedy stuff!
WHAT DOES : Specific Support // Functionality // Comfort
WHAT DOESN’T : Overpriced C-Plated Nikes
TRAINING
“Hey Guys, try this interval workout to slash your half marathon time; and it only takes 15 MINUTES!”
Sound familiar?
Now, don’t misunderstand me - interval runs (be that hill reps or speed work) are an awesome tool for improving power, lactate threshold & recovery ability. All of which can massively aid the cause in becoming a better runner.
BUT, my issue lies in the fact that people get so caught up in how they split up their interval work that it comes at the expense of the basics.
There’s a million & one ways to train - be that an event or more generally - but there are a couple of key factors that I consider ESSENTIAL in the training aspect of running.
WEEKLY MILEAGE OVERLOAD - posh way of saying “Run More”.
STRENGTH TRAINING - a stalwart in injury risk reduction & maximising your performance
INTENSITY MANAGEMENT - keeping track of whether you are recovering well from training
Number 1 is number 1 for a reason.
Most people need to stop focusing on doing the latest groovy trend in running sessions, and simply just f*cking run more.
If you run once a week, try twice.
If you run twice & plateau, run thrice.
If you run thrice & plateau, look at whether you are still progressing week on week in terms of mileage and consider increasing distance across sessions.
If you run more, you will get better; and 90% of people would be better focusing on that as opposed to doing funky interval sessions.
Run more, and you’ll get better.
Add strength training, and you’ll be equipped to deal with the increase in loading on the body.
Ensure most of your runs are an easy-moderate effort, and you’ll have the Winning Ticket in Training for your event.
WHAT DOES : Progressive Overload // Running More Regularly // Strength Training
WHAT DOESN’T : The Track Interval session Mr Topless-Abs-Oakleys-And-Alphaflys did on Saturday
NUTRITION & SUPPS
As with any endeavour in the fitness space, diet plays a key role in how much you both enjoy & progress in your running.
Running causes a lot of metabolic & physiological stress on the body; meaning that if you start integrating it into your routine, your energy demands will be significantly higher than before - simply, you're going to need more food/calories in the tank.
Furthermore, your body's need for glycogen (broken down carbohydrates stored within muscles) will be higher for a whole host of reasons affecting both performance and recovery from sessions ¹ . Hence why a typical Runner's diet will look slightly more carby than normal.
During longer sessions/races (60-90mins +), there will also be a need for additional calories/carbs to account for the energy deficit created ² . This means that you will need to take on some form of carbohydrate during your run - be that through gels, sweets, fruit etc - to ensure that your muscles don't leave the building & keep firing on form in the right direction.
Now we've briefly covered the theory, time to address the bullsh*t.
"What I Eat In A Day training for a Marathon" reels. The Pinnacle of Social Media Drivel.
Why? Everyone is different in terms of energy requirements, training volume, BMR, preferences, food availability, speed of digestion, carbohydrate requirements, frequency of meals etc etc...
The variance of what people require in order to appropriately fuel their weekly training regime is unfathomably huge; for example, if I were to swap diets with a 5"3, 55kg female ultrarunner who runs the same amount as me, I would be in a ~2,000kcal deficit & would probably crash & burn within the space of 72 hours.
By all mean turn to social media for meal inspiration, recipe ideas and the like - but do NOT structure your daily diet according to what your favourite influencer eats in a day. Chances are you'll find yourself up the creek pretty quickly.
Gels. Some people love them. Some people hate them. I for one lie in the latter category, having had multiple bad experiences during sessions/races. Experiences that no one wants. Experiences of the Turd Kind...
How individuals' digestive systems react to gels varies - and for some like myself, they get more rejected than a ginger kid at the school disco. Truth is, there are so many ways to skin this particular cat - for example, below are just a few of the things I use during races as intra-workout carbs:
Bananas, dried fruit, mangoes
Squashies, Haribo Starmix, Strawberry Laces
Pretzels, HCB's, Choccy Pittas
I have never used a gel in any of my races in the last 3 years - and I have also never bonked ('the wall' which derives from carb/glycogen depletion). So to sum up, gels aren't the be all/end all - and if you want to save some coin, grab a bag of budget sweets that you can stomach while moving and you'll be well on the way!
I see too many Runners fixating on the latest & greatest in sports nutrition products, when most people should simply have a look at their diet on the whole and just ask themselves the following questions:
Are you eating ENOUGH?
Are you getting enough carbs to fuel your training? (4-6g /kg of bodyweight)
Are you getting enough protein to fuel your recovery/prevent catabolism? (1.4-2g /kg - bw)
Are you drinking enough water over the course of the day? (2.5-6 litres/day)
Are you eating enough wholegrains, fruits and veg?
Some of the greatest runners to have lived ³ come from humble backgrounds where there is a absence of cutting-edge nutrition technology - where their training is fueled by natural, whole foods direct from source.
WHAT DOES : Largely Healthy Diet consisting of Wholegrains, F&V, Protein & enough Calories to fuel training // food quality // intra-workout feeding for sessions longer than 60"
WHAT DOESN’T : Expensive Gels // What Influencers Eat in a Day // Crap Products that make outrageous performance improvement claims (usually endorsed by aforementioned influencers...)
YOUR RUNNING CIRCLE
Who you surround yourself with, both physically in the form of group training, but also those who you follow on social media/articles you read in the paper, matters. The effects of others on your running, even if you are (like me) more of a solo bird when it comes to training, are probably more profound than you think.
Running as part of a collective can be hugely effective in keeping you accountable to regular 1's & 2's, while simultaneously helping to create a positive mindset towards a more active way of life through the medium of running.
One study from the Journal of Behavioural Medicine ⁴ reported "significant improvements in exercise levels, mental wellbeing, self-efficacy, running identity and social physique anxiety" within a group of 63 non-runners who joined beginner running groups, leading to 75% of participants being able to run for 30 minutes continuously after a 10 week period.
The proof is there. Surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals can be a cracking way to get onto the Running Wagon & actually start to enjoy it. Just make sure you pick one that aligns with your values, and one that doesn't have a hidden undertone of product sales beneath the surface...
When we consider our running 'circle', its also important to look at closest friends & family. Having conversations with them to make sure that they understand the positive changes you are trying to make, and thus provide a supportive environment that matches up with what you want to achieve with your running.
You might even convince the other half to get out on the roads with you!
Finally, we want to consider the online 'circle' that influences our thoughts, feelings & actions with regards to our running. Social media can be an awesome place to celebrate individual successes, share experiences that may help others with their own journies, and encourage one another to strive for our best.
However, there is a catch in that there is a literal f*ck tonne of misinformation & negativity that has come with the rising popularity of running in mainstream fitness. My advice would be to have a wee audit of what kind of content you consume when it comes to running, and ask yourself the following questions:
Does this make me feel negative towards my own abilities?
Do I feel self-conscious about how I look when I run after seeing this?
Is this making me question whether I am 'good enough' to be a Runner?
If the answer is 'yes' to any one of these, it might be an idea to have a cull of consumed content so that the stuff you read online will only add to your journey & not take away from it!
WHAT DOES : Being Part of a Positive, Inclusive Collective // Getting Friends & Family on board // Filtering out negative social media figures
WHAT DOESN’T : Running Fashion Parades // Following Shitfluencers spouting clusterf*ck advice to make you feel self-concious
THE FINAL WORD
Running is here, and it’s here to stay (hopefully filtering out the bellends in the process). From Hyrox to Half’s, Tracks to Trails, people are beginning to realise the true superpower that we have as humans to run.
With an influx of Everyday Athletes taking up our beautiful sport, I cannot stress the importance NOT to overcomplicate things - and give yourself every opportunity to actually ENJOY what can be the Ultimate Weapon to tackle poor mental health.
That in mind, take note of the above in terms of what you can put to bed when looking at various articles, posts & reels in the media; and keep the eyes on YOUR prize and your prize only.
Running is incredibly personal. No one else should dictate your experience bar yourself.
Follow the tips above to set yourself up for success & make Running part of your Active Armoury in the Quest for better health!
REFERENCES
(1) Murray B, Rosenbloom C. Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. Nutr Rev. 2018 Apr 1;76(4):243-259. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuy001. PMID: 29444266; PMCID: PMC6019055.
(2) Jeukendrup A. A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Med. 2014 May;44 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S25-33. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0148-z. PMID: 24791914; PMCID: PMC4008807.
(3) Onywera VO, Kiplamai FK, Boit MK, Pitsiladis YP. Food and macronutrient intake of elite kenyan distance runners. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2004 Dec;14(6):709-19. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.14.6.709. PMID: 15657475.
(4) Plateau, C. R., Anthony, J., Clemes, S. A., & Stevinson, C. D. (2024). Prospective study of beginner running groups: psychological predictors and outcomes of participation. Behavioral Medicine, 50(1), 55–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2022.2100865