David is wearing the Graves PX 7" Short in Olive Grey, Range Fade T and Big Bend Trucker Cap in Dark Grey.
Our Path Projects community shared many great ways for runners looking to improve. Out of 169 comments, here are some of our favorites.
RUN WITH A FRIEND OR RUNNING GROUP
- Make running friends. Long runs go by much faster with a buddy and they’ll help keep you accountable in your training. - Jesse Costello
- Find a group or two you can meetup to run with. They will keep you honest, they will keep you encouraged, they will push you beyond what you thought your limits were and will become your closest friends - Runningham
MAKE SURE RUNNING IS FUN!
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Focus on enjoying your running. Find routes and trails that you enjoy being on more than overly focusing on statistics, data and overall mileage. - David Fr
- Don’t take it so seriously that it’s not fun. Run with people that make you happy and don’t be afraid to get a little out of your comfort zone. You’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish! - Gary Lampman
- Make sure running is fun. You’re not going to stick with it if you’re suffering. Go slower, mix up roads and trails, run with friends – whatever it takes to have fun while you run. - Brian Parkison
CONSISTENCY / SHOWING UP
- Consistency is key. A great plan “on paper” means nothing if you don’t consistently get out the door and make it happen. Jordan
- Keep showing up and be consistent. Kick things up every once in awhile, by getting out of your comfort zone to test your limits and see what happens. - Joe
Left: Pyrenees MX Hooded Shirt in Heather Grey (Mid Weight) | Right: Pyrenees T19 Hooded Shirt in Black (Light Weight)
SLOW DOWN YOUR TRAINING PACE
- Some advice I would share is slow down to go fast. Work speed in short focused sessions. - Chris Johnson
- Slow down! You’re probably going faster than you need to be. It will help in the long run. - Mendel
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
- Listen to your body and make incremental improvements. Mastery of your running practice will come in time with sustained effort. Be patient. - Russell Kemp
- If you feel some niggles or injury coming on, best to address them sooner rather than later. - Kelly Kaineg
- From my 11 year old daughter just completing her first season of cross country: “When it gets hard, remember to keep your breathing steady” - Paul
Dustin is wearing the Graves PX 7" Shorts in Olive Grey, Pyrenees MX Hooded Shirt in Black (Mid Weight) and Muir Hat in Black
PRIORITIZE REST AND RECOVERY
- Rest and recovery days are key to getting stronger and faster, do not skip them your body needs it! Joel
- Get plenty of sleep and cut down on sugar. Easy to say, but tough to live! - Tim McCleskey
STRENGTH AND MOBILITY
- Take care of your body with strength and mobility work. Staying injury-free is the best way to get in all the training you need to keep improving as a runner. - Edward G Wickham
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I recently added strength training a few days a week. I can’t encourage that enough. That little bit of work pays off, especially at the end of longer runs. - Michael Friesen
Jimmy is wearing Prospect PX2 8" Shorts in Jet Black, Madre Sleeveless T in Heather Grey and Big Bend Trucker Cap in Black
RUN FOR YOURSELF
- Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t worry about what others are doing or posting on social media. Set goals for YOU and take pride in the fact that no matter how small your improvements may seem you are in fact moving forward and becoming the best runner YOU can be!! #RunMichigan - Matt Hughes
NOT EVERYTHING WILL GO ACCORDING TO PLAN
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Not every race will end like you want it and that’s ok. Learn from what you did right and wrong and apply that to the next one. - Drew S.
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S*%t happens (sometimes literally). When something goes wrong, learn from it, and then realize you’ll probably make the same mistake a few more times. - Timothy Dock
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Let go of ego. Have a plan A, B, C, & D in terms of racing AND training. Life is precious so take care of yourself so you can enjoy running as long as possible! - Karleen Smith
Gunnar is wearing a Graves PX 7" in Black, Cascade T in Black and Muir Hat in Black
GRADUALLY INCREASE TRAINING VOLUME
- I’ve found that gradually implementing a plan is best. In other words, don’t be in a rush to crank up the mileage and risk injury/fatigue that will set you back. We all want to be running “for years to come”, so what’s the rush? Kevin Hirt
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My biggest piece of advice is don’t try to do too much too soon. Don’t go run a mile all out. Consistency is more important. Run, rest, run, rest and run. Keep the cycle going and you’ll see improvement! Tim Cigelske
DIG DEEP AND DREAM BIG
- You’re more capable than you can imagine. Dig deep and dream big. - Timothy Nooney
- In the words of Tommy Rivers. “Put in the time. Train hard. Plan smart. Rest often. Eat clean. Love the process. Race when you’re ready, and then fight like hell!” Ryan Brown
Thanks everyone for commenting with your advice.
