Runners' good resolutions

Start GPP

General physical preparation. Yes, I know, it’s not really your thing. But frankly, it would be a good idea to get into it, and you’ll find plenty of benefits. 

The advantages: you can do it indoors when it’s too cold (or too hot), you don’t need much (apart from a lot of motivation), you can do something else at the same time (like watching a documentary on running, a series, or even GPP sessions on YouTube), and the major advantage is that it helps a lot to prevent injuries, and it improves performance by strengthening parts of the body that are generally less used during your training sessions.

The disadvantages: it’s boring, and you need a lot of motivation.

• My personal level of achievement of this resolution over the last 15 years: let’s say a timid 12%… (yes, I’m ashamed)

Do split sessions

After a warm-up, you do fast sets, and slower sets, like 10 times 1 minute at full speed/1 minute jogging (you can also do sets of 30/30 seconds, or at the stadium for example 100, 200 or 400, it’s up to you. It strengthens your body and muscles. 

The benefits: you’ll end up running faster for longer, or faster for longer.

The disadvantages: you’ll say a lot of bad words during the sessions (well, as soon as you catch your breath).

• My personal level of achievement of this resolution over the last 15 years: let’s say 25–30% when I’m preparing for a race and almost 0% otherwise (because of the swear words, I’m polite by nature).

NB: or try the Fartleck, it’s like the split, except that you say swear words when you catch your breath after getting to the big tree.

Stretching

Like PPG, stretching helps to prevent injuries but it’s also essential for good recovery. Static stretching is recommended at the end of the session, when the muscles are warm and allow a better range of movement.

• My personal success rate in achieving this resolution over the last 15 years: almost 75%, but only in the last year…

More info and examples of stretching https://www.nike.com/ch/fr/a/etirements-apres-le-running

Race bibs

To register or not to register, that is the question. 

If you’ve never done a race before, take the plunge. Set yourself a goal, take up the challenge, and get yourself a bib. It may feel strange the first time, but we bet you’ll love it. 

If you’re a bibs addict, resolve to pick up just a few races for their route, their atmosphere or the challenge they represent, but don’t sign up for everything. You’ve already got enough medals and t-shirts, and I’m sure you won’t have the same fun as when you started.

The advantages: you’ll have a clear objective and enjoy the atmosphere, and you’ll get a T-shirt and a medal as well, so you’ll be proud, and it’s totally ok to be proud.

The disadvantages: you’ll get an extra T-shirt and medal, and you don’t have much space left.

• The extent to which I’ve achieved this resolution over the last 15 years: I’ve managed to detox…the last race I took part was Miami half-marathon, and it was an amazing morning.

Rest

Yes, to make progress you have to be prepared to rest, to give up some training. On the one hand, you have to let your body integrate the training you’ve done, and on the other, you have to let it regenerate. It’s even good to take complete breaks for one or two weeks, or even longer.

The advantages: you don’t need to be highly motivated

Disadvantages: you might get a taste for it…

• My personal level of achievement of this resolution over the last 15 years: nil 5%… 

Better eating habits

Yes, for example, fondue isn’t that great for running. Treating yourself with 5 beers and 2 pizzas as soon as you’ve finished as a reward, isn’t great either.

So just be a bit careful, and you’ll see, you’ll soon feel better, in your running shoes and elsewhere. 

In fact, I’d have to try it (I’ve got a big problem with chocolate, cheese, beer and lots of other things, but shhhhht…).

The advantages: you’ll feel better in your shoes, when you’re running and also the rest of the time.

The disadvantages: fondue is too good, and so is the after run beer.

• My personal level of achievement of this resolution over the last 15 years: nil… my lifestyle is totally incompatible with my sport, but I do sport for pleasure, and the rest of it too, for pleasure, so too bad (but don’t do it like me, you’re also more likely to get injured).

Be regular

I think this is the key to any progress. It’s not the quantity, but the regularity. So if there’s one resolution you could try to stick to this year, it’s this: be regular, whatever the time available, the weather, or the time on your stopwatch, try to be regular, every 3–4 days at least, even for just a very short run…

Advantages: it gets easier very quickly, and you’ll miss it if you don’t get going (so you won’t have to worry about motivation).

Disadvantages: you have to be regular… and you’ll miss it if you don’t go.

• My personal success rate in achieving this resolution over the last 15 years: 90% (yes, there’s at least one thing I’m not too bad at).

Keep your mouth shut

Finally, in order to keep the few non-runner friends you haven’t scared away yet (to live with a runner is hard), try not to say (or at least say less): 

• ‘no, I’ve got to go, I’m training tomorrow’.
• ‘the split, the split is the key, the split guys’.
• ‘I’m going to have some pasta, I’m carboloading’.
• ‘no, I’m only going for 12km, I’m tapering’
• ‘ah fuck it, I’m sure I could get this negative split’.
• ‘I’m really hesitating between the vapofly and the adizero, especially because of the drop’.
• ‘it was crazy, I almost had tears in my eyes, it was at the 24th kilometre, or 25th I don’t really know, you know after a while everything gets a bit confusing, when I high-fived this really cute kid (note: he didn’t give a shit, as you were the 2371st hand covered in sweat, drool, snot and effort gel that he kicked, poor kid)’.
• ‘I clocked a 4'15 per km over 5k, too good’
• ‘you should really start’
• ‘no white wine, thanks, it sticks to the muscles’