Running Advice: Who Can You Trust?
If you’re a runner, you’ve probably had questions about running. And there is a lot of information about running available…but not all information is good information.
How do you know who to ask? How can you get the best advice possible?
There are 3 things to look for when seeking running guidance:
Broad Experience
Qualifications
Awareness of Limitations
Broad Experience
The reason I put “broad” here is because experience alone is not enough. For example, before I became a running coach, I was a very experienced runner. I had 20 years of my own personal experience. I had no understanding of how other runners would be different from me in both mindset and physiology. I didn’t understand very well how other people could thrive off different kinds of training than I did.
We think that if someone else has had a similar pain or injury as we have, they can tell us how to work through it.
We think that if someone has run a marathon, they can tell us which gels are the best.
We think that if someone has self-coached to a new PR, we can trust them to give us workouts.
This is problematic because every individual has only their own experience and it’s hard to imagine different perspectives if all you’ve ever been exposed to is your own.
Now that I’ve been coaching (and learning) for 6 years, my experience includes knowledge of how to help a huge range of runners improve. Every time I work with someone new, my experience grows.
Experience and education are what allows someone to seek the big picture, ask the right questions, and think critically. For example, if you ask a friend for a marathon training plan, they will probably tell you what they used. If you ask me for a training plan, I will ask you how old you are, what your injury history is, and a long list of other questions before I can write the training plan.
Qualifications
As a running coach, I give a lot of advice— it’s part of the job. But let’s be clear: I’m not qualified to give guidance on a lot of the things.
For example: If you ask me how to manage your plantar fasciitis, I can tell you what I did for my PF. But PF happens for a variety of different reasons (like all injuries). The body is complex and everything is connected. I’m not qualified to help people with injuries because I don’t know what the cause is. I don’t have the knowledge to ask the right questions. I’m not even aware of the extent of my ignorance. I’m constantly recommending people connect with a Registered Dietitian, or to see a Physical Therapist or Doctor.
Everyone knows it’s best to ask a qualified medical professional for advice on injuries or pain. Everyone knows it’s best to ask a registered dietitian for advice on nutrition and fueling.
But even thought we know better, we tend to ask the people around us. We take advice that is easily accessed and free — advice from run club friends, or google, or whatever gets served up to us from influencers on social media. But if you want good advice, you may have to put real effort into seeking it out and it may not be free.
Awareness of Limitations
There are also a lot of questions that I don’t know the answer to, or that I believe have several possible answers or solutions.
In my opinion, “knowing it all” is a red flag. No one is qualified and experienced in everything, and hearing someone say “I’m not sure” is often a good sign, especially if that person helps you find someone more knowledgeable to help.
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.
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