Preparing for a running competition has a lot of nuances. These nuances affect how efficiently you prepare for the same amount of time you spend training. Therefore, it is important to know and not make basic mistakes that will make your workouts less effective or useless altogether.
1. Constant running for a competitive distance
This mistake is most often made by those who are preparing for distances from 1 to 10 km. In this case, the novice runner tries to regularly run the target distance at the highest possible pace to achieve the results he wants. In the beginning, in literally every workout, personal records are broken. But over time, this no longer happens, fatigue begins, often injuries and a complete reluctance to train.
How to fix: You cannot run to the maximum target distance more often than a certain time. In the article: Control workouts for running, you can find approximate guidelines for how often you need to run the maximum distance for which you want to prepare. And, for example, for a 1 km run, this distance should be run for a maximum of no more than 2 weeks. And 10 km and not more than a month.
2. Irregular exercise
This is common among runners who either work on a schedule that makes it difficult to plan their workouts evenly, or don't have a serious goal and train in the mood. In this case, in one week you can do 2 workouts, in the other 6. And in the third, you can even arrange a day off. This will lead to overwork or injury in the weeks in which there will be most training, since the body is simply not adapted to them. In addition, the effectiveness of such training is several times lower.
How to fix: Choose a certain number of workouts per week that you can handle one hundred percent, and train as many times. If you have more free time, you don't need to include additional workouts. Follow the schedule. And then the training will be most effective.
3. Looping on running volume
This is usually the mistake of runners preparing for a half marathon or longer. The reasoning comes down to the fact that the more kilometers you run, the better the result will be at the finish of the competition. As a result, the pursuit of mileage leads either to injuries, or to overwork, or to the fact that the effectiveness of such training becomes minimal, since neither the IPC nor the ANSP is trained.
The fix: Don't chase the maximum possible distances. If you train for a half marathon distance, then excellent results can be shown at 70-100 km per week. And you can run it even at 40-50 km. For a marathon, the numbers are slightly higher. Around 70-130 for a good result. And 50-70 to run. At the same time, professionals run up to 200 km per week, of which there are many intensive workouts. An amateur will not pull such a volume, unless only a slow run. And this will lead to inefficiency.
4. Ignoring strength training
To run you have to run. So many beginner runners think so. In fact, strength training plays a very important role in running. It improves technique, increases the strength and efficiency of repulsion. It is the prevention of injuries. And if we are talking about trail or mountain running, then it becomes a constant companion of the runner. Ignoring strength will at least prevent you from fully opening up in competitions, as a maximum will lead to serious injuries, since muscles and joints may simply not be ready for a large running volume.
How to fix: in the base period, always perform a strength training complex at least once a week. Or, after light workouts, do basic exercises for training legs and abs (squats, twisting while lying on your back, jumping out, lifting the body on the foot). Closer to the competition, namely in 3-4 weeks, power can be reduced or eliminated.
5. Incorrect alternation of heavy and light workouts
Many novice runners have a principle that the harder the workout, the healthier it is. There is a deal of truth in it. However, after a hard workout, there should always be a recovery workout. It is the recovery from a heavy load that gives progress, not the hard training itself. If, after a hard workout, you continue to perform races of the same load, then the body will not recover, and you will not learn progress. And sooner or later you will lead yourself to severe injuries and overwork.
The fix: Always alternate hard and light workouts. Don't do 2 hard workouts in a row.
There are many mistakes in preparation. But most of them are individual in nature. Someone needs a larger amount of power, someone less. Someone needs to increase the running volume, someone needs to decrease it, someone does hard workouts too often, someone too rarely. But these 5 are the most common. If you make any of the mistakes in the article, then try to fix it so that your training process is as effective as possible.
