In its purist state, running is a simple sport.<\/p>\n
Put one foot in front of the other and eventually you\u2019ll reach your finish line.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Training to become a better runner, according to ASICS<\/a> running coach Ania Gabb<\/a>, should be equally simple: do the boring things well and you\u2019ll improve.<\/p>\n Latest Videos FromFit&Well<\/p>\n That applies whether you\u2019re working your way up to your first 5K or you\u2019ve been racking up marathons for fun.<\/p>\n Recently, the serial marathon runner highlighted seven boring things that will actually make you a better runner.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n \u201cIn my 30s I embraced them; in my 40s they became non-negotiable,\u201d Gabb wrote on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here, she\u2019s extrapolated on how to apply each one to your weekly workout routine.<\/p>\n Seven boring things that will actually improve your running1. Easy runs<\/p>\n Easy runs drive recovery and adaptation.<\/p>\n These are usually performed at a conversational pace, meaning you should be able to maintain a chat without having to pause to take breath.<\/p>\n \u201cFor beginners especially, easy runs are the best,\u201d Gabb tells Fit&Well.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n \u201cPeople often think you need to run hard and fast all the time, but actually the easy runs are the most effective.\u201d<\/p>\n Easy runs are typically performed at a rate of perceived exertion no greater than five out of 10 so your heart rate stays in zone 1 or 2. They help improve endurance and promote recovery without elevating injury risk.<\/p>\n Protect at least one easy run in your weekly training and enjoy the opportunity to take things slow and steady.<\/p>\n 2. Sleep <\/p>\n Gabb freely admits that she was her own worst enemy when it came to getting her eight hours.<\/p>\n \u201cI would stay up really late, force myself to get up really early and wouldn\u2019t get enough sleep,\u201d she says. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t prioritize it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d go out and do my long run and be absolutely knackered for the rest of the day. Or I\u2019d make myself ill because my immune system was compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the birth of her daughter she\u2019s learned the value of a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I have a long run the next day I\u2019ll make sure to go to bed early\u2014by 9:30pm,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cSleep is the best recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Strength training <\/p>\n Gabb is a firm believer in keeping things simple, especially when it comes to strength training to support running sessions.<\/p>\n \u201cSocial media is flooded with newfangled exercises that promise the world but simple exercises like calf raises, lunges, deadlifts and heel-elevated squats will do the job,\u201d she insists.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re simple. You don\u2019t need much equipment. They work.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabb recommends adhering to the tried-and-tested sets and reps range of eight to 12 reps for three sets per exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cNo need to go to failure,\u201d she adds. \u201cStrengthen your calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes twice a week and build up gradually.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Fuel properly <\/p>\n Underfuelling was the biggest mistake Gabb made when tackling her first marathon.<\/p>\n \u201cThere wasn\u2019t a lot of information out there, compared with now, but my stomach during that first marathon was not good,\u201d she remembers.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother time I only had one or two energy gels on me and obviously didn\u2019t have enough to keep my energy levels up.\u201d<\/p>\n Those tricky experiences taught Gabb to test and learn with a variety of energy gels and breakfast options during practice runs rather than during the main event.<\/p>\n \u201cI always tell my clients to trial and test everything, see what works for you, keep a diary and note how you feel on each run,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Now the day before a long run or race, Gabb will drink lots of fluids and electrolytes throughout the day, then tuck into a bowl of gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce.<\/p>\n Along with a side of beetroot.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it sounds a bit disgusting but I know it works and I won\u2019t get ill from it.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. Recovery <\/p>\n How you recover\u2014like how you fuel\u2014is up to you, so long as you make time for it.<\/p>\n Gabb, for example, swears by wearing compression boots in the days leading up to a marathon.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll wear them every day for about an hour to get the blood flowing so my muscles recover quicker,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Foam rollers, massage guns or getting a specialist sports massage can be equally effective.<\/p>\n \u201cI know these things can cost a lot of money but if you\u2019re in it for the long game, if you want to be a strong runner and recover quickly, then you need to invest in it,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re investing in yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n 6. Rest days <\/p>\n As a young mother and busy personal trainer and yoga teacher, Gabb rarely has time for a day off\u2014but she knows her body well enough to recognize when it needs a break.<\/p>\n She also has more than two decades of regular training under her running belt.<\/p>\n For anyone relatively new to the sport or increasing training volume, rest days are vital to give your body time to absorb the work you\u2019ve put in and adapt.<\/p>\n Typically Gabb will programme these on the days after a long run or intense interval workout.<\/p>\n 7. Consistency <\/p>\n It\u2019s often cited for good reason: find out what works for you and your goals, then rinse and repeat.<\/p>\n \u201cFundamentally, becoming a better runner is about being consistent,\u201d says Gabb.<\/p>\n Make time for your long runs and strength training.<\/p>\n Fuel every workout adequately before, during and after.<\/p>\n Listen to your body and sleep, rest and recover when you feel yourself flagging.<\/p>\n And try not to get sidetracked by the latest fad.<\/p>\n Ania Gabb is an experienced running coach and certified personal trainer. She has taught Les Mills group exercise classes along with pre- and post-natal strength, Pilates and yoga sessions. She has been an elite runner since 2014 and has completed the Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF)<\/a> and Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF)<\/a> training courses with UK Athletics (UKA). Gabb currently heads up the ASICS FrontRunner Community<\/a>\u2014a network of over 500 runners from 31 countries united by one goal: to inspire others to move for a sound mind in a sound body. <\/p>\n