"Ingredients for Successful Running"
by Mindy Solkin
There are three ingredients for becoming a successful runner:
1) Genetics (you picked the right parents who gave you inherent ability)
2) Training (both physical and mental)
3) Nutrition (food and drink before, during, and after your run)
In Jack Daniels' book, Daniels' Running Formula, he points to a few other ingredients:
1) Motivation (inherent and learned)
2) Opportunity (environment, facilities, climate, equipment, time, money, proper competition)
3) Direction (coaching)
He then boils it down further and states that it really comes down to defining four types of runners:
Type 1: High Ability & High Motivation = Champions
Type 2: High Ability & Little Motivation = Frustrating to coaches
Type 3: Little Ability & High Motivation = Easily frustrated individuals who tend to overtrain
Type 4: Little Ability & Little Motivation = In the wrong activity
Do you have the ingredients to become a successful runner? By using the 5W rule of Who, What, When, Where and Why, you will develop the proper characteristics that will help you to achieve this goal.
WHO = Who are the people in your life who will support your endeavors? Professionals such as Coaches? Personal trainers? Nutritionists? Massage therapists? Sports medicine doctors? Or personal friends and family? This becomes your network.
WHAT = What are you training for? Without a specific goal whether it's running a marathon or running for weight loss and fitness, you are aimlessly going through the motions without a true purpose. Choose a short-term and a long-term goal.
WHEN = When is your goal date? When will you set up your training schedule? Having a written training schedule will make it more credible and working with a coach will provide accountability.
WHERE = Where will you train? This includes all running routes, races and health clubs for crosstraining.
WHY = OK, this is the big one. What would you like to accomplish? A time goal for a particular distance? A first marathon? A marathon in every state or on every continent? A more disciplined routine? A social network of friends with similar interests?
And you thought that it was just putting one foot in front of the other?
Mindy Solkin is the Owner and Head Coach of The Running CenterTM. She is
certified by USA Track & Field (USATF) as a Level III Running Coach (the
highest level) and by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a personal
trainer.
Known as "Coach Mindy" to her runners, she has coached thousands of people
over the past ten years, helping them to achieve their goals on the open
roads and the winding trail, whether it is running their first mile or
pursuing their personal best in the marathon.
Mindy was the creator of the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society's Team In Training
marathon program in New York City and served as its Head Coach from 1994
through 2001. From 1995 through 2002 training over 3,000 runners to run marathons in cities around the world, Mindy was the Head Coach at Reebok
Sports Club/NY. She is also the creator of the Polar Heart Bra® and has been
a PowerBar® Team Elite athlete since 1994. She can be reached at www.TheRunningCenter.com.
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