Correct running here does not mean "heel or toe" and not a magic formula that allows you to determine how much you need to run and at what heart rate. We are talking about boring habits that should be developed by those who want to run for many years, developing and progressing with health benefits.

Usually, when it comes to running goals, something like: "run a marathon", "run a half marathon under two hours", "improve a personal record" and everything in that spirit comes to mind. On the one hand, this is logical: goals as a result are specific, easily measured in numbers and have clear deadlines.

Here are some examples of such goals from my experience.

Many amateur runners associate success solely with results: the time shown in competitions or training, or the place occupied. It oppresses, causes unnecessary tension and dissatisfaction with oneself if the goals cannot be achieved. When the fun factor disappears from your favorite activity, and it turns into just a race for the result - it's not healthy. Effective runners enjoy the process of both training and competition.

Jogging in the forest, new routes, sunrises and sunsets, good company, the thrill of being in a healthy active body, a cleared brain - surely you will find something special for which you love running.

The surefire way to become better at anything is to do it consistently and systematically. It sounds easier than it is in practice. It's not just about running regularly, it's about developing healthy habits that will become part of your running approach and lifestyle.

Choose an exercise program that suits you and stick with it instead of chasing every new fad. Make a realistic weekly schedule that you can definitely follow without having to look for excuses in the form of a lack of time. Do not make sudden jerks and attempts to make up for lost time in a short time: it is much more effective to advance in small but regular steps. Success is the result of actions in the right direction, repeated day after day, week after week.

Don't always run at the same pace: Even if you don't intend to compete and consider yourself a turtle, it's worth getting out of your comfort zone several times a week by training at different levels of intensity.

Intervals bring special joy after their completion

Moderate strength training aimed at strengthening the muscles helps the runner to balance the load, reduce the risk of injury and improve the form. You won't have to turn into a "duck" and disappear in the gym - functional exercises (squats, push-ups, pull-ups, planks, etc.) with your own weight or a small weight are much more beneficial. If there is an opportunity, he does exercises with stairs, running up and down

The minimum program: a complex of six ZFP exercises performed 2-3 times a week in several approaches.

Dynamic articular warm-up before running helps to prepare the body for more intense loads, light static stretching after - to return the muscles to their usual length, relieve tension. Training should be started and finished with a slow jog, so as not to put a sharp stress on the cardiovascular system.

Now things are like this:

The most effective and perfectly practiced training is nullified by insufficient recovery. It is during recovery that the very progress we seek occurs. If you do not rest enough, the body does not have time to adapt to stress and instead of improvements, fatigue accumulates. This leads, at a minimum, to the impossibility of performing the next difficult training session well, and if the case is advanced, then to injuries, reduced immunity and diseases.

When we rest, we get what we earned during hard training. Damaged muscle tissue, "tired" parts of the locomotor apparatus, exhausted energy system are restored, becoming stronger and more adapted to the next load - this is the idea of ​​adaptation and gradual improvement of form.

My best practical teacher in this matter was my own rake, which hit me hard on the head - overtraining and the subsequent marathon-suffering. After analyzing the flights and analysis, I am guided by the principle "it is better to undertrain than to overtrain". I learned to listen to myself and distinguish well between the states of "the body does not want to run, and it has good reasons" and the usual whining of the brain, when you just need to tune in, be patient and work.

But with sleep, everything is simple for me: a couple of days of lack of sleep is enough, and I stop functioning normally, whether it is work, training or any other daily tasks, probably old age. So all you have to do is stick to your sleep schedule. During peak workloads during preparation for a marathon, the rate of sleep increases - you have to sleep an hour longer than usual on average.

More is not bad, but it is always the best option. Running races almost every week, long 30s, and impressive weekly volumes certainly encourage improvement (as well as social media bragging rights). But in the end, the most important thing is the quality of training and starts, and not their quantity.

When planning your racing schedule, focus on a few key starts per year to be in peak shape for them. Regardless of your experience and training, it is impossible to constantly be in optimal competition shape, just as it is impossible to improve your personal record every time.

When it comes to training, effective runners don't put in mileage for mileage's sake, and they don't squeeze out a tenth rep on intervals if the pace has already started to drop by ninth. Every kilometer and every workout should have a purpose. To choose the most suitable combination of volume and quality training for you, focus on your experience and self-observation in previous training cycles. Here everything is individual, there is no universal formula for everyone.

A watch with GPS is definitely a useful tool for training. But everything is good in moderation, and excessive fixation on the clock readings leads to the fact that the important ability to listen to your body, run freely, at a natural pace and rhythm, and feel speed is lost. At least once a week, try to run without equipment, not focusing on numbers, but on sensations.

The same situation with music, which drowns out the ability to hear your running, and artificially increases the tempo. By the way, at many big races, headphones are officially prohibited for safety reasons, and this is written in the regulations. Usually the ban is violated en masse, but the fact remains: the organizers have every right to disqualify violators if they wish. So if you are too dependent on music in your ears, you should keep this in mind and at least sometimes train to run without it.

Another type of training that is not tied to the pace is hilly forest trails. I don't even look at the clock to be upset, but it seems that the pace is in miles on the screen? I also often do easy runs by feeling - sometimes it turns out faster, and sometimes closer to jogging. But I have not yet tried a competition without a watch and pace control - it would be interesting to run by feel, intuitively.

Do not devalue what has already been done. Every time you cross the finish line, even without a personal best, be grateful for the work you did. The result is partly a lottery, but every finish is worth celebrating. This also applies to training: even if everything didn't go as planned, you were able to go for that run, which is a good thing.

Everything is strange for me with this item. On the one hand, of course, I realize that I am well done, the progress compared to the past and all things are clearly according to the instructions for slow runners. And on the other hand, my idea of ​​a good result and a decent level is constantly pushed back. And even after successful races, the thought often comes that it could be better. For example, I am very satisfied with the result of the marathon in Berlin, and a year ago it seemed to me that "fast" people were running with such a time. And now a good time looks like 3:35 or faster, but not a minute more. Grandpa?

And how are you doing with proper running habits?