Run through the puddle and do it now

I just read a great piece from Matt Fitzgerald about self-disqualification, "whereby runners eschew certain practices because they view themselves as unworthy of them." 

He opens with a runner realizing that fast runners run right through puddles to optimize the route and how it didn't occur to her to just run through the puddles. No need to save a few seconds here and there as a "slower runner". I haven't had a term for this before but I see it in two areas for age group athletes and he addresses these in the article as well.

The first is having a coach (or a prepared training plan). Many athletes think that a running coach or purchased plan is only for the fastest among us when in reality, it doesn't matter how fast you are running, if you want to optimize your own performance, a coach or plan is for you. As a coach, I promise you, finishing before the cut off of a dream race or going whatever far means to you is a really valuable and worthy goal.

The second is nutrition. I am serious, if I hear someone say that they didn't fuel that much on a run because they aren't running that fast, I will force them to eat a gel standing there until they fully apologize to themself. Fueling information is readily available but yet so many athletes are leaving performance on the table under fueling, thinking it doesn't pertain to their speed or their effort. I have linked to this post before but it helps you determine how much to use fueling before and during a long run. Hint, it is more than you think and yes, even your run needs it. 

Are you feeling unworthy of finding a great training plan or coach, not fueling enough, not buying yourself new shoes when you need them, thinking sports massage is for someone more serious or refusing to run with a group assuming they are too cool? This is all self-disqualifying behavior and it is time to starting counting yourself in. 

Think strength training is just for strong people? Nope! It is for people just lifting their first weight and people who can deadlift their bodyweight. Need a way in? Come to Strength Training for Runners on Wednesday night and see what it is all about. 

RUNNING NEWS

• UofO researchers find a cool new way to do a gait analysis outside instead of treadmill based assessments.
• If you want all the news from all the people writing about running, here is a directory of running content on Substack. 
• Running tech in your shoes. 

​THINGS I AM EATING

• A salad which has cheese as a main ingredient. YAY.
• Chocolate chip oatballs that are easy to make.
• Salmon. Every week! I ordered my first box from the Fish Princess a fisherwoman in Hood River who travels to Alaksa each year, gets the catch, freezes it in portions and sells it to you in a 10lb box. Totally worth it and so good. Next boxes arrive to a meet up point in Oregon locations in May.