There’s No “Right” Way to Run… Trust the Process!
“Never judge another knight without first knowing the strength and cunning of the dragons he fights.”
I was scrolling Instagram between classes the other day and saw a story of a fellow runner and coach in Boston who took a selfie and posted something along the lines of, when training for a marathon, all of their miles were done outside. Always. All of them, never on a treadmill.
On the day this was posted, the ground in Boston was an absolute mess. There was ice and salt everywhere, the temperatures had been fluctuating all week between -10 degrees and 32 degrees which created black ice from melting snow and icicles, and sidewalks and roads in the city had been narrowed by dirty snowbanks that seemed to be permanent, creating pedestrian traffic and bottlenecks at every intersection. For the last two weeks, trying to run outside in Boston had been a nightmare, and almost every one of my running clients (myself included) had been struggling to find clear, safe routes and motivate themselves to get outside in brutal temperatures.
When I saw this post, I honestly became angry. The insinuation that this runner was “better” than others because all of their training was done outside, while others were struggling to find ways to run outside safely or effectively, was incredibly annoying to me. Which immediately brought me to my next question I had to ask: why do some runners act like there is only one “correct” way to train, and shame others who follow plans that are structured differently?
Running is NOT a one-size-fits-all sport.
One of my favorite parts of my job as a running coach is the wide range of athletes I have the opportunity to work with. I have some clients who are just working on running a mile or a 5k without stopping, and some athletes who are working to break three hours in a marathon. And on top of that, even with runners who have the same goal (running a first marathon, qualifying for Boston, etc.), each athlete’s approach and abilities in the sport are drastically different. For instance, I am currently training a full-time fitness instructors who is training to run their first Boston Marathon and has access to weights, treadmills, and lots of free time during the afternoon, but teaches 20+ classes a week every day and has limited time and energy to train in the mornings or evenings. I am also training a first time Boston Marathon runner who is a nurse, who works multiple overnights a week and has a sporadic schedule of days off on which she gets her workouts and long runs in. The main reason I became a coach is because of this variability; I firmly believe that a canned program or pre-made full training plan does not work! It doesn’t take into account a runners’ life, schedule, commitments, work, and physical abilities. Trying to decide between a “beginner,” “intermediate,” or “advanced” running plan does not include the necessary flexibility a runner needs when trying to juggle work, life, and training.
Take the last couple weeks in Boston, for instance. Out of the fifty runners that I am currently training for spring races, I must have fielded at least 35 emails from panicked athletes asking about modifying training schedules due to the snow and extreme cold temperatures, wondering if the two weeks of terrible weather and changes to their plan would completely derail their progress. I had to assure them all that I build in extra mileage throughout the weeks when the weather is dry and the sidewalks are clear and the temperatures aren’t dangerously cold to account for weeks in which the opposite is true. But that doesn’t always completely eradicate runners’ fears. When you are (literally) hitting your stride during peak weeks of training, being derailed and having to find creative ways to get the mileage in (usually having to pull back in mileage or hop on a treadmill when available) can be scary and anxiety-provoking. And in addition to having to pivot on a training plan, seeing posts on social media about other runners crushing miles and pushing their way of training vs. everyone else’s way of training can add to the stress.
So what is the best way to approach this? First of all - as I have said many times on this blog—don’t believe or buy into everything you see on social media. The influencer shaming runners for getting their miles on a treadmill vs. outside in the cold or snow or ice or heat may also end up injured or sick. The influencer pushing a certain type of running shoes because the company sent them for free may end up with plantar fasciitis from running in a product not suitable for their feet. The influencer pushing for multiple back to back marathons may never hit their goal time because they are spending too much time running marathons they get free entries to instead of focusing on building a training plan that actually works for them.
And outside of social media, it’s also time to really lean into the whole “trust the process” idea. Something to remember when training: the process is long, and hard, and you have to believe in the notion that your plan is working (and your coach knows what they are doing) before you see results. For instance, while it’s easy to track progress, it can be hard to understand that progress is not linear. One week a fourteen mile run may feel fast and fun, and the next week a ten mile run could feel like the hardest thing you have ever done. But remember; this sport is supposed to be hard. When you are huffing and puffing during a workout, know that’s the point—this is how you know progress is being made (but remember, if you’re huffing and puffing during your easy long runs, it’s time to rest and recover or slow down on your comfortable pace miles). And winter has its own separate challenges. Just because you’re not sweating bullets and dealing with heat-related issues like in the summer doesn’t mean your body isn’t working overtime. When you run in the cold, your body is working extra hard to keep you alive. Not to mention dodging snowbanks, jumping over black ice, running long distance in frigid temps and cold weather fatigue in general can make you feel extra sluggish. There’s really no perfect season to run in.
Remember—if you’re feeling tired, stuck, fatigued, or burned out, don’t turn to social media or compare yourself to what others are doing. Remember that you are putting in work and making progress no matter what, and one week of adjustments (or having to scrap running altogether) will absolutely not erase your base or derail your training. If running was easy, everyone would do it. And if running was easy, a one-size-fits-all plan would work for everyone. And that is, thankfully, not the case. Trust the process and trust your body—you’re a lot stronger than you probably even realize you are!
Xo