Consistency is the most essential piece of training program. It's the one thing - perhaps the only - that every coach, physiologist and medical expert agrees on. Without consistency, you aren't going anywhere You're not going to get faster. You're not going to run farther. You're not going to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, finish that marathon or achieve your other running goals. With a consistent training program, on the other hand, the sky's the limit. You'll feel better and run better everyday.So, let's get on with 27 ways to add more consistency to your running: (by Runners World editors)
- RUN WITH OTHERS - To make sure you do a workout, there's nothing like the social pressure of knowing someone else (or a group) is waiting for you. Bonus: It's often more fun than running alone, especially if you're doing a long run or a speed workout on the track.
- TRY SOMETHING NEW - The fitness world is full of new and fun-filled events and they don't all require a 3-week trip to Borneo and a survivor diet of grubs and lizards. Don't let yourself get bored with endless string of 5-K and 10-k races.
- RUN LIKE A TORTOISE - This isn't a sport of instant success and miracle shortcuts. Patience pays off, often in a very big way. At the beginning of a marathon training prgram, many participants can't imagine themselves running more than 5 miles. 12 to 16 weeks later, voilà: the cheering crowd and unbelievable exhilaration of reaching a marathon finish line. Stick with the progrm. Repeat: Stick with the program. Prepare to be amazed.
- TAKE A BREAK - To everything, there is a season. You don't have to run every day, every week, or even every month. Many top runners visualize their training year as a mountain range. It has peaks and valleys—recovery periods when they let their running taper off, so that they can build all the higher in their next training period. For healthy, consistent training, your body needs regular—that is, weekly, seasonal, and annual—recovery periods.
- EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST - We can't emphasize this one enough. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it fuels you for the entire day. To skip breakfast or eat a skimpy one is like failing to rehydrate and refuel after a marathon. You wouldn't do that, would you? Well, your night's sleep is like a marathon to your body, because you don't get any fuel while you're sleeping. So carbo-load at breakfast. And add a little protein.
- GET COZY WITH FROZEN VEGETABLES - This isn't a nutrition tip. It's an injury-prevention tip. If London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe can take ice baths after a hard race, you can stand a bag of frozen peas against your sore knees for 15 minutes. Nothing reduces inflammation and holds injuries at bay like ice. Result: You stick to your training program. Don't like veggies? Fruit works, too. Try a small bag of frozen blueberries or strawberries. Or one of the many commercial ice wraps, often with handy Velcro straps.
- FIND A COACH - Maybe the kind who yells at you every once in a while. (But probably not.) Point being, a coach's first job is to motivate you in a way no one else can. Second job: To lay out your training program. Third job: To prevent you from straying from the program, probably by running too much or too fast. You can find a coach by asking around, calling running stores, and checking the Internet.
- JOIN THE "X" REVOLUTION - Despite the many proven benefits of cross-training, we still know too many runners who only run. C'mon, folks. We love running, too. We know all about the "specificity-of-training" rule, but we still skip the occasional running workout to get in some cross-training. Mainly strength training, bicycling, elliptical training, yoga, stairclimbing, pool running, rowing, and walking. Why? Not because we think these routines will make us faster in our next half-marathon, but because they make us fitter and less prone to injury.
- KEEP A LOG - Your training log is a great source of the kind of motivation that builds consistency. It beckons to be filled in, reveals the secrets of your training and racing successes, and provides lots of inspirational quotes and useful tips.
- ENTER RACES - You don't have to race to be a serious runner, but, geez, there are so many good reasons to enter races. Jeff Galloway, RW columnist, says that entering races, especially marathons, "scares" people into training the way they should. That's a good one. But we also like the sense of community you get from races. They help you realize that you belong to something big, and that there are more people than you imagined who share your running and fitness goals. Besides, it's good to go for the burn every now and again.
- PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SHOES - Some things should be obvious, and this is one of them. But it's worth repeating, if it keeps even one of you from getting injured. Most shoes wear out after 300 to 500 miles. You often can't see the wear, but, your knees, hips, back, and Achilles tendons know it. Give your old, worn shoes to a local Salvation Army or similar group, and get yourself to a running-specialty store for a new pair.
- RUN EARLY - You want to get something done? Do it early in the day. Everything gets tougher later in the day when various tasks and responsibilities start ganging up on you. In a recent Runner's World Online survey, the two most popular workout times were 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.
- PRACTICE GOOD POSTURE - Not just when you're running, but all the time. This is especially important if you've got an office job, and are sitting at a computer all day (like us). Make sure your keyboard and monitor are properly positioned, and sit straight but comfortably in your chair. Some of us have recently started sitting on those large Swedish exercise balls, which encourages good posture because you have to use your legs and stomach muscles to keep from falling off. Good posture can improve your running efficiency and decrease injury risk. Ergo, better consistency.
- USE THE FRIDGE - In two ways. First, be sure it's always stocked with those key foods you rely on for healthy nutrition and snacking: sports drinks, low-fat yogurt, fruit, nuts, carrots, etc. Take your pick. Second, put something inspirational on the outside of the fridge: a picture of you and friends at a race, a training plan, a great quote.
- SCHEDULE IT - You've got your Microsoft Office calendar, your PDA, your Day Planner, your napkin with the scrawled list of stuff you absolutely, positively have to get done today. Be sure to write in your workout. Carve out an hour in your day. The experts all agree: Your exercise is one of your most important daily activities. Make it happen.
- SUBSCRIBE TO FREE E-MAILS - Runners World send out several free e-mail newsletters each week, and they're guaranteed to inform and inspire you. (Go to www.runnersworld.com/newsletters, where you can pick the one or the several newsletters that most appeals to you.)
- GET YOUR CLOTHES READY - And your shoes. Root through your closets and drawers the night before a morning run to select and organize the running gear you need.
- RUN ON DIFFERENT SURFACES - See how many different surfaces you can run on in a week: Asphalt, gravel, trail, grass, track, treadmill, beach. Each stresses your leg muscles in a slightly different way, helping to prevent overuse injuries. (If possible, avoid concrete, the hardest and least accommodating surface for runners.)
- TAKE A TRIP - Reward your training and racing successes with a special running vacation. Take in an exotic international marathon; many runners have had good luck with a trusted provider, Marathon Tours (www.marathontour.com), which can offer guaranteed entry into those difficult-to-enter events. Or, organize your running partners into a relay team, and enter an exciting and fun-filled road relay like Hood to Coast (Oregon), the Hana Relay (Maui), the Lake Tahoe Relay (California), the Cabot Trail Relay (Nova Scotia), or the Lake Winnipesaukee Relay (New Hampshire).
- STAY FLEXIBLE - Here, we're talking about a regular stretching program to keep your legs limber and injury-free. Or yoga and Pilates routines, both of which are enjoying a huge surge in popularity. Pick the approach that works best for you. You need to prevent injuries if you want to improve your training consistency.
- RUN BEFORE YOU GET HOME FROM WORK - If you can't run in the morning or at lunch, at least try to run before you get home from work. Stop at a favorite park or trail on your way home from the office, and do a workout there. Or arrange to meet some friends for a run at 5:30 p.m. Once you're at home, it's hard to get out the door again for a workout.
- STAY HYDRATED - Eat your fruits and vegetables. Get plenty of sleep.
- ADOPT A RUNNER - Sometimes, the most motivating and rewarding thing you can do is to reach out to someone else. It could be someone close: at work or even in your family. Or your club might receive occasional calls from new runners, or those who want to begin. Offer to help. Beginners don't need a mentor with a Ph.D. They need encouragement, a personal connection, and the kind of basic training, nutrition, and injury-prevention experience you already possess.
