How To Measure Your Effort: A Performance Skill for Runners
Runners are racing (virtually, in most cases) almost every weekend to test their fitness. They have been training hard and want to see what they’re capable of, and the only way to find out is by committing to 100% effort.
“Just do your best” sounds simple enough but getting the most out of ourselves takes practice and finesse. Here’s what I’ve learned about trying to reach my potential.
Gas in the Tank
As a pro runner, I thought of all my energy as gas in a tank and the aim was to completely empty the tank at the exact moment I reached the finish line.
Realistically, this is very tricky to do. Even very experienced runners will often feel they had “just a bit left” in the tank after the race and wish they had pushed themselves a bit harder.
Equally common are runners who go too hard too early in a race and run out of gas before the race is over; fading to the finish.
Practice, Practice, Practice.
One of my favourite phrases as a running coach is “Measure your effort.” It simply means: Knowing how much gas you have in the tank, and rationing it over the course of the race. We measure our effort to reach the finish strong instead of staggering across the finish on fumes.
I encourage runners to measure their effort in every workout and run, adjusting their pace and effort level to suit the goal of the day. Only with experience and trial-and-error can we learn what it feels like to have half-a-tank or 1/8th a tank left.
Not Going to Empty
We rarely (almost never) want to empty the gas tank on training days. But even when the goal isn’t to empty the gas tank, we can aim to finish a hard workout with just a little bit left in the tank. We practice running hard but not to the max. This also requires measured effort.
On an easy day, we can set our focus on covering the distance in our run using as little gas as possible. Walking breaks can also be a very effective way to practice measuring effort, but only if the walk breaks are planned.
Full Send
Race days are our opportunity to see what it feels like to use up that last 1/8th of a tank of gas.
By doing hard workouts without going to the max, we’ve learned what it feels like to have 1/8th left in the tank: it’s the feeling we have when the workout is over. In a race, it is ok to feel that way as the finish line is nearing, but we don’t want to feel that way halfway through the race!
Even when the goal is to “empty the tank” we need to start conservatively and push ourselves just enough but not too much, so when we’re getting close to empty, the finish line is in sight.
Nicole Sifuentes is a full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. She is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.