Secrets of Running Professionals- Part II
Just because you’re not a professional runner doesn’t mean you can’t train like one. Read Part I here.
Race Course Recon
Professional athletes go to great lengths to run the course of their big race well ahead of the race day. While this may not be feasible for recreational runners (for variety of reasons) it’s still really helpful to learn as much as possible about the racecourse in advance.
If your race is far away, research the race course online. Read race reviews at raceraves.com and study the course map and elevation profiles. Once you arrive at the race destination, jog part of the course the day before if possible. Choose either the last few miles or any part of the course that seems particularly challenging, or that you’ve had trouble visualizing from reading about it.
There’s so much uncertainty when it comes to race day that knowing the course and eliminating as many unknowns as possible is helpful. Race course recon helps you mentally prepare for race day.
Get Injury Advice Quickly
Very often I work with clients who (if injured) first go through the doctor, get a referral to the PT, and by the time they actually get treatment they’ve already taken several weeks off running just waiting to get seen. This is typical with the hoops we jump through for insurance, and can be frustrating. It’s helpful to find a therapist who can see you quickly, without having to see a primary care doctor first. Massage and chiropractic are available. There are many PT and Athletic therapy clinics who offer drop in consultations (within days or same-day) to help you get direction and advice quickly.
Related: Your Running Injury Needs Treatment
Know Your Treatment Options
One thing the pros do really well is learning about the treatments that are available for an injury, and then proceed without delay when injured. Depending on the injury, massage may be helpful, stretching may be helpful. Other options include graston, shockwave, ultrasound, taping methods, chiropractic and more. Injuries get better faster with treatment.
Treatments vary in cost, and sometimes it doesn’t make sense to invest in costly treatments for recreational runners. However, understanding the options will allow you to weigh your decisions about what treatment you may want to pursue. You can also opt out of treatment with confidence, if you’re not urgently needing to get better, or be ready to pull the trigger with knowledge if you are under a timeline and trying to get healthy in time for for example, go race.
Related: Training Lessons from an Olympic Runner: Plantar Fasciitis
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.