THE running tips!

Did you see my (perhaps annoying) running tips on Instagram?  Did you take issue with any of them?  Did you want a bit more information on any of them?  Well look no further!  Here's a complete list of THE running tips (copyright Doug McAbee 2023, of course) with a few extra words tossed in:

1. Start today.  Tomorrow never comes.  Put on your shoes and go run.  Now.  You will never regret running.

2. Your brain is 100% of your run.  Yes, you CAN run that mile.  Yes, you CAN breathe.  Yes, you CAN go a little further.  Control your brain and you’ll control your entire body.

3. Don’t walk.  It’s cheating.  You’ll confuse your body.  If you keep stopping, you body will expect to stop.  It’s called “running” for a reason.  Don’t walk.  However, if you are starting out from never running it's totally cool and perhaps even a good idea to walk a bit.  Try a 30 minute work out.  Set a timer for 30 minutes.  Run .5 miles and then walk until the timer goes off.  Keep stretching that running distance each workout until you're running the whole time.

4. Run every day.  It’s not bad for your knees.  It’s not bad for your body.  These are excuses made by people who do not run.  No one cares what they think anyway.  Seriously, don't take running advice from anyone who doesn't run.

5. Drink water.  Not chemicals.  You don’t need that sports drink or additives to your water unless you’re running a marathon.  You know what’s in water?  Water.  Especially if you live in the country.  Water is good for your body.  

6. Eat smart.  If it makes you feel bad when you run, it’s bad for you.  I know you love ice cream.  Me too.  But it makes you feel terrible the next day.  That means your body is not easily processing it.  Let it go.  If you can’t let it go, minimize it.  Decrease your fried food intake.  Decrease your sugar intake.  You will feel better, look better and BE better.

7. Never drink another carbonated beverage.  Soft drinks are absolute poison.  Cut them out of your life completely and see how much better your body feels.  Do it today.  

8. Get good shoes.  Shoes impact every part of your body when running.  This is basically the only expense related to running.  Try on the good ones.  Splurge.  (I was happy to be corrected by my female running friends.  If you're female, please get a couple of good quality, perhaps even expensive running bras.)

9. Run outside.  Don’t pay to run in a gym.  Find a trail or route that is safe and run outside.  Breathe the air.  Listen to the trees.  Seriously, that fresh air is a major part of why running is healthy.  Your lungs will thank you.

10. Music is a distraction.  I know all you can hear is yourself gasping for air.  Don’t use headphones, earbuds or anything.  Just listen to what is around you.  You will learn to be in your head and it will be the healthiest thing you’ve ever done.  Full disclosure, it took me almost 30 years of running to be able to run without music but I'm so happy that now I only hear natural sounds.  Please try it.

11. Really?  Every day?  Yes.  Even when it’s raining, snowing, hot or cold.  Being truly committed to something difficult will change your life.  Show me someone with an extensive running streak and I'll show you someone you can depend on when things get tough.

12. Running will change your life for the better.  You will be healthier physically and mentally.  It may change how you look but the most important part of running is how it will change how you act, think and feel.

13. People will like you better if you run.  This has nothing to do with how your body looks.  Yes, running will make your skin/face glow but it will also make you more relaxed and better able to deal with stress.  This will make you nicer, kinder and more pleasant to be around.  

14. It’s ok to wash your running clothes with your regular clothes.  Some people will tell you it’s gross but if your laundry doesn’t stink, you’re fine.  I took a lot of heat for this one but I stand by it without smelling gross.  In fact, I usually smell like detergent.

15. Take care of your feet.  That means, wash them every day and trim your nails properly and regularly.  Not sure if you know how to trim nails properly for running?  Google it.  Happy feet, happy runner.

16. Don’t wear your running shoes to do anything other than running.  They’re running shoes, not walking shoes.  Treat them as if they are special.  Putting them on is a treat because it means you get to go running.  Quality running shoes should be good for 300-500 miles.  When you retire a pair, keep them for rainy day runs or wash them well and use them for daily wear sneakers.  Better yet, donate them!

17. If you have to drive somewhere to run, fine, but if possible, run by starting at your front door.  You’ll have fewer excuses if you just have to walk outside to run.  Need to do a quick run because you’re late?  No problem, just go outside.  Think it might storm?  You’re close to home.  Maybe it’s not your everyday route, but a home route is great for success.

18. Unless you’re on a team or trying to outdo your neighbor, running isn’t a competition.  Running is a contest between your body and your mind.  Leave the others out of it on a daily basis.  If you want to race someone, cool, do that occasionally.  Your regular runs need to be between you and you.  This is an individual sport and you're only competing with a past version of yourself.  

19. Progress is never a straight line.  You will have a good run followed by a terrible run.  It means you’re human.  Some days your legs will feel like concrete.  Keep running.  Want to know how you’ll feel after completing a bad run?  Amazing.  Exactly the same as you feel after completing a good run.

20. Running doesn’t get easier.  You get better.  Running is hard.  Don’t lie to yourself and think it will be easy one day.  If it’s easy, you’re probably doing something wrong.  It will always be hard, but when you’re in shape, eating well and taking care of yourself, you’ll be so much better at it.

21. You can run faster.  Your body will naturally settle into routines that feel safe.  You’ll get a normal pace and your body will want to run that every day.  That’s fine, but if you want to get faster, you CAN run faster.  Try it.  Start sprinting for a few seconds then run normal pace again.  Keep doing that and increase the intervals.  

22. You should run first thing every morning.  Within an hour of waking up, your run is done and you’ve already accomplished more than most people will during that day.  You don’t have to think about it again until the next day.  If you must run at another time, do what works for you but a “first thing in the morning run” is always the best idea.  Full disclosure:  I was in my 40s before I could even entertain the idea of a morning run but I'm so glad I made the switch.  You will see a difference in your brain activity after a morning run.

23. Run on vacation.  The best way to explore a new place is by running the streets.  You’re going to want to eat unhealthy food and be extra lazy on some vacations.  Running will help to offset those tendencies.  Keep in mind that you GET to run so it's not something you'll want a vacation from.

24. Running makes you smarter.  There’s science to this but just on a common sense level your brain will benefit from the increased blood flow and from having time to think things through in your head.

25. Running is NOT punishment.  Running is something you GET to do.  You don’t need to run because you ate a doughnut or because you had a beer.  You need to run because you can!  To celebrate what your body is capable of doing.  Running is a gift.

26. Something hurts.  No it doesn’t.  If you focus on every little ache and pain, those will become bigger issues.  If the pain is actually excruciating and makes you limp or change your running form, you should stop.  If the pain gets increasingly worse and causes you to change your running form, you should see a doctor.  If your foot, hip, back, shoulder, toe, calf, thigh, or butt hurts after you run, that’s just normal.  Keep running.

27. You run with your brain.  Focus on the positive.  If you’re counting every step, thinking about how terribly hot it is or thinking you’re dying, you’ll have a terrible run and you’ll likely stop.  Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be able to walk, much less run?  Do you have any idea how lucky you are to be healthy enough for exercise?  Focus on everything that is going well and your run will go well. 

28. You’re not dying.  You don’t have to worry about breathing.  If you’re not really getting enough oxygen, you’ll pass out and while you’re on the ground, you’ll breathe normally again.  It really only feels like you’re dying when you’re starting out.  No lie, when I started running again in my late 20s my out loud mantra was "don't die, don't die, don't die" because I felt like I was dying.  The truth is, we're all dying.  Eef Barzely wrote, "Death is just the moment when the dying ends."  Ponder that on your run.

29. Sweat is sexy.  It makes you more attractive.  I have zero evidence to support this claim, but it’s not like you’re going to fact-check a statement you read on Instagram anyway, right?  Just go with it.  Embrace your sweat and be proud that you worked so hard.  Actually, if you care, there is scientific evidence to support this claim.  Feel free to fact-check it.

30. You are a runner.  There’s no such thing as a runner’s body or a person who just isn’t designed to run.  If you are physically able to run, you’re a runner.  Just go run and see.

31. No one cares if you’re slow.  No one cares if you’re fast.  People care that you have a healthy heart and body.  Just run.  Do you know how far a 5K is for slow runners?  Exactly as far as it is for fast runners.  Run and be proud of what you did.

32. No one cares what you look like when you run.  Maybe you run like a zombie.  Maybe your legs swing way out.  Maybe you make terrible faces.  You’ll be healthy enough to outlive everyone who may notice.  

33. If it was easy, everyone would be running.  Easy is the couch.  Easy is obesity.  Easy gets winded walking up the stairs.  Easy has a lot of doctor appointments.  Do the hard thing.  Go for a run.

34.  Runners are THE MOST encouraging and supportive humans on the planet.  This is fact.  The people I have met through running are smarter, kinder and healthier than most people, but they are all super-supportive.  Get you some running friends.  I'll volunteer to be your first one.  Then go on Instagram and find a few aspirational running friends and watch your life improve.

Of course I have to add the disclaimer:

These tips are my personal opinions based on 30+ years of running.  I am not a medical professional nor am I a running coach.  I'm just a guy who has logged over 14,000 miles running since 2010.  You may disagree with my advice but I practice what I preach.  Happy to discuss.  Go run!