Setting a running goal can be an intimidating process. Whether you are aiming to finish your very first 5K, break 4 hours in the marathon, or attain a BQ, the scale of the challenge often makes us hesitant to fully commit. It is easy to keep our ambitions quiet, hiding behind vague aspirations like "I just want to stay fit" or "I'll see how race day goes."
But there is a transformative power that is unlocked when we do three specific things: name the goal, say it out loud, and tell someone else.
Here is what happens psychologically, and the unique power you gain, when you take your goals out of your head and put them into the world.
A goal that isn't named remains a dream. When you explicitly define what you want to achieve, you transition from passive hoping to active training.
In the running world, naming a goal means defining its exact parameters. Instead of saying "I want to run faster," you name it: "I want to run a 1-Mile Time Trial to establish my baseline for my Coach" or "I want to qualify for Boston by running a sub-3:25 marathon."
Naming the goal gives your brain a specific destination. It allows your training schedule and pacing to align precisely with that outcome. On the Runcoach platform, your entire training plan and calendar are built around your specific target, and the plan dynamically stops or resets when the goal is achieved, as explained in our Runcoach Playbook. By giving your goal a name, you give your daily miles a purpose.
What happens when you speak your goal into existence?
Physically saying "I am going to run the Chicago Marathon" or "I am going to break 9:00 in the mile" creates a powerful psychological feedback loop. When you speak, you are not just expressing a thought; you are hearing yourself declare it. This act activates different neural pathways, reinforcing your commitment and helping you overcome the initial fear or self-doubt that often keeps ambitions silent.
It breaks the mental block of "I can't" and replaces it with "I am." It makes the intimidating feel achievable, allowing you to persistently chip away at what once felt like an unattainable objective - a journey of confidence we love celebrating with our team at Runcoach, for more about that see Coach Rosie's Anniversary Document.
The true magic happens when you share your named goal with another person, especially your coach.
When you share your goal with someone else, you gain three critical advantages:
Social Support & Validation: A human coach doesn't just calculate your training metrics; they understand your feelings, acknowledge your daily life stress, and help navigate the mental highs and lows of training.
True Accountability: It is easy to skip a workout when the goal is only in your head. But when a Coach is in your corner monitoring your progress, you stay committed. You build a partnership where "You Never Run Alone," which is the core secret of our training philosophy at Runcoach.
A Strategy to Match Your Ambition: Telling someone else allows them to help you build the physical and mental roadmap. While data and algorithms build the map, a human coach helps you navigate the curveballs- like injury, travel, or busy schedules - to ensure you actually finish the race.
Don't let fear of failure keep your running dreams quiet. Take a moment today to define exactly what you want to achieve in your next training cycle:
Name it: Write down the specific race, distance, or time you are targeting.
Say it out loud: Speak it to yourself with confidence.
Tell someone else: Share your goals with your coach, and let us help you turn that intimidation into absolute victory.
Your running journey is yours to define, but you don't have to navigate it alone. Let's make it happen.
Every runner knows the obvious version of an injury.
You feel a sudden sharp pain. You’re limping. Running clearly makes it worse. Something is swollen. You can’t put weight through it.
Those are relatively easy decisions. 
The much harder ones happen in the gray zone.
Your hamstring feels a little tight, but loosens up after a mile. Your knee aches at the beginning of a run, but then disappears. Your Achilles is stiff when you get out of bed, but you can still run. You have a niggle that’s been hanging around for a week without getting noticeably better, or noticeably worse.
So, do you keep running? Back off? Skip one workout? Take a week off? See a physical therapist?
The frustrating answer is: it depends.
Pain doesn’t automatically mean damage, and being able to run doesn’t automatically mean you should. In many rehabilitation settings, some discomfort can be tolerated while an athlete continues loading the affected tissue. What matters is the type of problem, how symptoms behave during the run, and importantly what happens afterward. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)
Here’s a practical way to make that decision.
Not every uncomfortable sensation needs an injury label.
Normal training soreness is generally diffuse rather than pinpointed, often appears after a harder or unfamiliar training load, and tends to improve as you recover.
A niggle is different. It’s localized. You notice the same spot repeatedly. It may not stop you from running, but it keeps making itself known.
An injury is when the problem begins affecting your ability to train normally - forcing you to reduce your volume, intensity or frequency. That distinction is similar to the one used in running-injury research: a runner can have a musculoskeletal “problem” while continuing normal training, whereas an injury results in a reduction in training. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)
The goal is to react while something is still a niggle rather than waiting until it makes the decision for you.
When something hurts, think green, yellow and red.
You have mild discomfort, but:
it doesn’t progressively worsen during the run
your stride remains completely normal
it warms up or stays stable
you’re not compensating for it
it settles quickly afterward
you wake up the following morning feeling the same or better
In situations like this, continuing to run - potentially with some modification - may be reasonable.
This is particularly relevant with some tendon problems, where complete rest isn't necessarily the answer. Tendons need appropriate loading to regain capacity, and some rehabilitation approaches permit mild symptoms as long as they remain controlled and don't produce a worse reaction the following day. (BMJ Blogs)
The key word is controlled.
This is the true gray zone.
Maybe the discomfort is becoming more noticeable. Perhaps it used to disappear after ten minutes and now lasts for half the run. Maybe you can complete your easy runs comfortably, but faster running aggravates it. 
This is where runners often make the mistake of thinking there are only two options:
Train normally or don't run at all.
There are plenty of options in between.
You might shorten the run, keep everything easy, remove hills, swap intervals for an easy run, add a rest day or replace some running with low-impact cross-training.
And then watch what happens over the next 24-48 hours.
That response is often more useful than judging the injury solely by how it feels once you're warmed up. Pain-monitoring approaches used in tendon rehabilitation specifically consider symptoms during exercise and the reaction afterward. (BMJ Blogs)
If yesterday's run consistently makes today's symptoms worse, that's information you shouldn't ignore.
Some signs warrant considerably more caution.
Stop running and seek appropriate medical assessment if you experience things such as sudden or severe pain, inability to bear weight normally, significant swelling, obvious loss of function, or pain that causes you to limp or substantially change your running mechanics. 
I'd also be much more cautious with highly localized bone pain, particularly if it begins hurting during normal daily activities or at rest, because bone-stress injuries require a different approach from the mild discomfort sometimes tolerated during tendon rehabilitation.
The same applies when symptoms are rapidly worsening rather than remaining stable.
You don't earn extra fitness points for finishing a workout on an injury that clearly doesn't want you to run.
One of the simplest questions a runner can ask is:
How do I feel the next morning?
Imagine you have mild Achilles discomfort.
You run easy for 40 minutes. It stays at a low level throughout the run. You finish, it settles, and the next morning it feels no worse than before.
That's very different from:
You start with mild discomfort. It gradually gets worse. You finish the run anyway. That evening it's noticeably sore and the following morning your first few steps are substantially worse.
The run itself might have been completed in both scenarios.
Your body's response to the run was completely different.
That's why the ability to finish a workout shouldn't be your only test.
One of the easiest traps for runners is:
"It hurt for the first mile, then it went away, so it must be fine." 
Not necessarily.
Some symptoms improve once tissues warm up. That can make the run feel reassuringly normal even when your tolerance to the overall training load hasn't returned.
Instead, look at the whole pattern:
Before → during → immediately after → later that day → next morning.
That trend tells you far more than mile three of one run.
Another important distinction: being able to jog doesn't necessarily mean you're ready to train normally.
Speed increases the demands placed on tissues. Hills, accelerations and sprinting can change those demands further.
Hamstring rehabilitation is a good example. Expert consensus supports gradually progressing running exposure and using symptoms, strength and response to previous loading to determine progression. Pain-free running is generally preferred before returning to sprinting. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)
So your progression might look more like:
Easy running → normal easy volume → strides → controlled workouts → faster intervals/racing
rather than going from three pain-free easy runs straight back into 400m repeats.
This may be the most important part for runners training toward a race.
If you miss three days because something hurts, those three days are gone.
Don't squeeze the missed workout into Friday, move Friday's run to Saturday and still do Sunday's long run.
Your training plan isn't a debt that needs repaying.
In fact, sudden increases in the distance of an individual run may matter. A large 2025 cohort study of more than 5,000 runners found higher injury rates when a single run exceeded the runner's longest run from the previous 30 days by more than 10%. That doesn't mean 10% is a universal safety rule, but it reinforces the importance of avoiding sudden spikes in what you're asking your body to handle. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)
Your Runcoach schedule can adapt. Your hamstring doesn't know that you missed Tuesday's workout.
When you're standing at the door wondering whether to run, ask:
Is it getting better, staying the same or getting worse?
Does running change my stride?
Does the discomfort increase as I continue running?
Am I worse later that day or the following morning?
Can I modify today's training instead of choosing between 100% and zero?
The answers don't diagnose an injury. But they can help you make a much better training decision.
Runners are very good at convincing themselves that missing a workout will cost them fitness. 
Usually, the bigger fitness loss comes from turning something manageable into an injury that requires weeks away from running.
At the same time, treating every tiny sensation as a reason to stop can create its own problems. Appropriate, progressive loading is an important part of rehabilitation for many running injuries. The goal isn't to be afraid of discomfort.
It's to learn the difference between discomfort your body is tolerating and a problem that is escalating.
That's the gray zone.
And when you're genuinely unsure - particularly when pain is worsening, altering your mechanics, recurring in the same location or affecting everyday activities - that's the point to involve a qualified sports medicine professional or physical therapist rather than trying to diagnose yourself.
Train smart enough to know when to push, and confident enough to know when not to.
This article is for general educational purposes and isn't a substitute for individual medical assessment or diagnosis.
Every runner, from the weekend warrior to the seasoned marathoner, knows that specific moment. You’re halfway through your route, your rhythm is established, and suddenly - it happens. Your body sends its first formal complaint.
Maybe it’s a slight heaviness in your quads, a nagging thought that the couch was more comfortable, or a sudden urge to check your watch every thirty seconds. This is the Mid-Run Crisis, and how you handle these first few minutes of discomfort often determines the success of your entire workout. 
Understanding the First Complaint
The first complaint isn't usually a sign of injury; it’s a negotiation. Your brain is a protective organ, and its job is to keep you safe and conserve energy. When you push past your comfort zone, your central nervous system starts sending stop signals to see if you’re serious about this whole running thing.
Recognizing this for what it is, a physiological check-in rather than a physical failure, is the first step toward moving past it.
Three Strategies to Break the Spell
When the crisis hits, don't panic. Instead, pivot your focus with these three techniques:
The 100-Step Scan: Instead of focusing on the remaining miles, focus on the next 100 steps. Use this time to perform a "form audit." Relax your shoulders, un-clench your jaw, and ensure your mid-foot is striking lightly. Often, the "complaint" is actually just tension that can be breathed away. If it’s good enough for Paula Radcliffe it is good enough for us!
The "Why" Refresher: Remind yourself why you laced up today. Is it for clarity? For training? For the post-run endorphins? Reconnecting with your intent shifts the focus from the momentary discomfort of your legs to the long-term benefit of the finish line. If you don’t know your “Why” you now have a new task!
Adjust the Dial: If the complaint feels heavy, give yourself permission to drop your pace by 30 seconds per mile for just five minutes. Most of the time, this small breather is enough to let your heart rate stabilize and your mind reset, allowing you to find your second wind.
The Power of the Second Wind
The beauty of the mid-run crisis is what lies on the other side. Once you navigate that first wave of resistance, your body often enters a state of flow. Your breathing regulates, the mental chatter goes quiet, and you realize that your body is capable of much more than your brain initially suggested.
Next time your body sends that first complaint, smile at it. It’s just proof that you’re doing the work. Acknowledge the feeling, adjust your form, and keep moving. The best part of the run is usually just a few more steps away.
I’ve coached many runners and want to key on one individual who has agreed to share his training data. I’ve actually coached this runner personally for the last 20 years and he had some pretty terrific coaches previously with some strong results.
The athlete has logged 20,000+ miles and approaches his 54th year on this great earth. Injuries have plagued him for the last decade, but he continues to gain fitness quickly (when not injured which is infrequent). Similar to Coach Cally’s post What’s Slowing You Down, this athlete always struggles with peer comparison and past performance as unrealistic measuring sticks.
That’s the background and here are my observations about the athlete who is dealing with a glute injury that shortens his stride.
The runner intends to keep volume relatively high (~35 mpw), while he flosses, rolls and stretches his glutes. On a Wednesday session, I suggested cutting the 9M @ 7:19/M pace to ~ 6M at 7:30/M pace and running progressively to RPE (rate of perceived effort/exertion) = 5-6.
Here’s a graph of how that run transpired:
Notice the athlete did have a nice progressive run shaping up until 5M.
Now let me overlay HR against pace so I can show you where the problem arose:
Notice the gentle cardiac drift initially, which is exactly what we want. Then around 2.5M there’s a steeper inflection with a final mile that looks like a cool down (it was not). Instead the runner over heated and drove RPE + HR too high. In reality it was a hot day in the SF Bay Area. When I say “hot day in the SF Bay Area”, we are talking relative to the typical area conditions. For those of you in the midwest, southeast and Atlantic coast, you are dealing with much worse conditions.
Here’s the synopsis given by the athlete post-run: After 5M I felt hot, heavy and my glutes were tight. I had intended to run a gradual progression, but got ahead of myself in M3 and was tired by the slow last mile.
It easy to see this from the splits:
If we look deeper we see a decline in cadence and a subsequent increase in vertical ratio for M6 (both clear signs of fatigue):
Lastly, we see the athlete spent way too much time in Zone 4, for what was supposed to be an easy run effort.
Ok I’m being pretty critical of this athlete so full disclosure, the athlete referenced = ME.
After my failed attempt at <5:00/M on July 2, I recommitted to making my goal.
The problem is that I’m partially injured and instead of listening to the Angel (coach in me) and slowing down with emphasis on rehab, I let the Ego (athlete in me) take control.
The point is that after coaching thousands of runners and spending myriad time on a track, I still fall victim to the same self-sabotage thoughts that derail us. I ignore the weather and my aches & pains. However, I continue to strive to be better.
So now I need to go into a Do as I say, Not as I do recommendations list:-)
We want a gradual cardiac drift → that’s a good thing and for the most part it should crescendo to the last steps run or final interval (disregard the cool down after workouts).
We want easy runs to start in Zone 2 and gradually move up through Zone 3. Ideally we don’t hit Zone 4 on these efforts.
We should see key metrics like cadence (increasing) and vertical ratio (decreasing) on our easy runs.
We need to consider the heat index and adjust accordingly.
The summer heat has been a challenge for most of the world (Europe included), so let’s consider heat index:
It is calculated in the shade; most estimates increase direct sunshine at +15%
Anything over 80 = Caution → in my opinion this is where performance drops especially if you’re borderline hyperthermic like me
The Rule of 150 = Air Temp (℉) + Relative humidity (%); anything over this undoubtedly affects performance and >180 is dangerous
As I (the athlete) reflected on that Wednesday run I realized the Heat Index was ~ 90. That’s high for the Bay Area and definitely affected my performance. I could’ve stayed at ~ 8:00/M pace and kept HR comfortably in Zone 3, but gee that Ego is powerful and I wanted to run the assigned pace.
So let’s keep easy = easy, adjust to the elements, pay attention to cardiac drift, vertical ratio and cadence (late in our runs), listen to our bodies when we have challenges, and keep that stress/recovery ratio where it should be.
Most runners have one! The workout that makes you hesitate when you see it on the schedule.
Maybe it's speed work. Maybe it's hills. Maybe it's the long run that feels intimidating before you even start. Whatever it is, most runners have a session they would rather skip, shorten, or push to another day. However, the run you keep avoiding might be the one that helps you grow the most.
Why We Avoid Certain Workouts
Usually, it’s not because we’re lazy or unmotivated. We avoid the runs that challenge us. 
Speed workouts can feel intimidating because they force us to run at uncomfortable paces. Intervals require us to push beyond our comfort zone. Long runs demand patience and commitment. Hills test our strength and remind us that running doesn't always get easier.
These workouts expose our weaknesses. And that’s exactly why they are valuable. The areas where we feel the most uncomfortable often reveal the biggest opportunities for improvement.
Find The Run You Avoid
Ask yourself:
Do you dread seeing mile repeats?
Do you suddenly have a scheduling conflict when hills are on the calendar?
Do long runs feel like something you have to survive instead of something you get to experience?
Your answer can tell you a lot about where you have room to grow. Avoidance is a clue. It points directly toward the strength or confidence you need to develop.
Turn Weakness Into Strength
The goal isn’t to force yourself through every difficult workout and make training miserable. The goal is to approach those challenging sessions with a different mindset.
If you avoid speed, try to remember that speed workouts aren't about proving how fast you are. They’re about teaching your body efficiency, improving your running economy, and becoming more comfortable running at faster paces.
If you avoid hills, remind yourself that they build strength and confidence. They improve your ability to handle changes in terrain and teach you how to maintain effort when pace naturally slows. A hill isn't a sign that you're running poorly. It's an opportunity to become a stronger runner.
If you avoid the long run, remember it isn’t just about distance. It teaches patience, fueling, pacing, and mental toughness. It builds the confidence that you can handle challenges when they show up on race day. The long run is where many runners discover they are capable of more than they thought.
Don’t Let Fear Make Your Training Decisions
It's normal to feel nervous before a hard workout. Even experienced runners have days where they look at the schedule and think, "Do I really have to do this today?" The difference is that they don't let that feeling decide for them.
Confidence doesn't come from avoiding hard things. It comes from doing hard things and realizing you can handle them. Every challenging workout you complete gives you evidence that you are becoming a stronger runner.
Start Small
If you've been avoiding a certain type of workout, you don't need to suddenly make it the hardest session of your training cycle. Start by changing your approach.
Add a few short hills after an easy run.
Try shorter intervals before longer ones.
Break a long run into smaller milestones.
Build confidence through small wins.
The goal isn't to eliminate discomfort. The goal is to become more comfortable being uncomfortable.
The Workout You Avoid Might Be Your Advantage
Your hardest workout is your greatest opportunity. The thing you keep avoiding may be the exact thing that helps you become a more complete runner.
So the next time you see that workout on your schedule, the one you hope gets changed, shortened, or canceled, pay attention. It might not be the workout standing in your way.
It might be the workout that helps you move forward!
If you've been running for any length of time, you've probably asked yourself some version of this question:
"Why am I not getting faster?"
Most runners immediately look for physical reasons. Maybe they need more speed work. Maybe they're not running enough miles. Maybe it's nutrition, sleep, strength training, or the summer heat. Those factors of course matter.
But after coaching runners of all abilities, I've learned that the biggest thing slowing people down often isn't physical at all. It's what they're comparing themselves to. Every runner compares themselves to something: a training partner, a runner they follow online, a recent race result, or perhaps most commonly, the version of themselves from years ago.
The problem isn't comparison itself, it's allowing those comparisons to shape your confidence, your decisions, and even your enjoyment of the sport.
The Comparison Trap 
Running is unique because it's so easy to compare. Every run produces data. Pace, distance, heart rate, cadence, elevation, splits. Add social media into the mix, and suddenly you're surrounded by runners posting race medals, workout screenshots, and personal records.
Before long, it's easy to wonder why your progress doesn't look like theirs. Maybe your training partner seems to improve every month. Maybe someone in your local running club just qualified for Boston. Maybe a friend who started running after you is now faster.
It's natural to notice those things. The problem comes when they begin to shape how you feel about your own training. Comparison has a way of making strong, consistent work feel like it isn't enough.
Chasing a Different Version of Yourself
Not all comparisons involve other runners. Some of the toughest ones happen in your own head.
Many runners spend years trying to match a pace they ran years ago. Every workout becomes a comparison to a race result, a season of training, or a version of themselves that felt unstoppable.
But here's the thing: you're not the same runner you were then, and that's not a bad thing.
Maybe you're balancing a demanding career. Maybe you're raising kids, caring for family members, or juggling more responsibilities than you were a decade ago. Maybe you're sleeping less, traveling more, or fitting runs into the margins of a busy schedule.
Those circumstances matter. Comparing today's training to a time in your life when you had different routines, different stress levels, or more time to recover isn't an apples-to-apples comparison.
That doesn't mean you can't run just as fast, or even faster. Plenty of runners set personal bests later in life because they're training smarter, fueling better, or simply bringing years of experience and consistency to the sport.
When you shift your focus from recreating the past to maximizing the present, your training becomes far more productive, and way more enjoyable.
When Your Training Partners Become Your Competition
Training with others is one of the great perks of running. Long runs feel shorter, difficult workouts become more manageable, and accountability is built into every meeting. However, group runs only help if you're still running your plan.
One of the most common mistakes I see is runners turning every easy run into an unofficial race. Your schedule calls for an easy effort, but your friends naturally run a minute per mile faster. Rather than backing off, you match them because you don't want to fall behind.
The run feels manageable that day. The problem shows up later. Your legs stay tired longer. Recovery slows. Workout days become harder than they should be. Eventually, fitness stalls, not because you're training too little, but because you're training too hard on the days that were supposed to help you recover.
Sometimes the smartest runner in the group is the one willing to let everyone else disappear down the road.
Don't Let One Bad Run Tell the Whole Story
Every runner has those days. Your legs feel flat. Your watch shows paces that seem slower than normal. Nothing clicks. It's tempting to assume you've lost fitness overnight. In reality, running doesn't work that way.
Heat and humidity slow pace. Poor sleep affects recovery. Travel, work stress, and accumulated fatigue all influence how your body responds on any given day. One difficult run rarely tells you much about your overall fitness.
Improvement happens over weeks and months, not from one workout to the next. The runners who continue improving aren't the ones who never have bad days. They're the ones who don't let a bad day define the entire training cycle.
Focus on What You Can Control
There are countless things you can't control, but what you can control is really simple!
Did you complete today's run? Did you keep your easy run easy? Did you fuel well before your long run? Did you prioritize recovery? Will you come back tomorrow?
Those small decisions rarely feel exciting in the moment, but they add up over months of training. Fitness isn't built through big breakthroughs. It's built through consistency.
Success Looks Different in Every Season
Not every training block ends with a personal best. Sometimes success means making it through an entire cycle without getting injured. Sometimes it means rebuilding after illness.
Sometimes it's finding a routine that fits around work, family, and everything else life demands. Those seasons matter just as much.
Progress isn't always measured by the clock. Sometimes it's measured by showing up when motivation is low, finishing healthy, or enjoying the process a little more than you did last season.
Run Your Own Race
If comparison is slowing you down, don’t forget, no one else has your story. No one else has your schedule, your responsibilities, your strengths, or your challenges. Your training doesn't need to look like anyone else's to be successful.
Every summer, it happens.
A runner heads out the door feeling fit, motivated, and ready to crush a workout. The pace that felt comfortable in April suddenly feels impossible. Heart rate climbs. Breathing becomes labored. Frustration follows.
The immediate reaction is often, "I've lost fitness." But in most cases, that's not true at all. 
The reality is that heat and humidity place additional stress on the body, making the same pace require more effort. Understanding how to adjust your training during the summer months can help you train more effectively, recover better, and avoid the mental trap of chasing paces that no longer match the conditions.
The Weather Impacts Your Pace
A pace that feels comfortable on a 55-degree morning may feel significantly harder on an 80-degree afternoon. Add humidity, sunlight, and little wind, and the difference becomes even more noticeable.
Your body is working overtime to keep itself cool while also powering your run. That extra workload often means your pace naturally slows down. This doesn't mean you're getting slower. It means you're running in more challenging conditions.
Adjust Your Pace, Not Your Expectations
At Runcoach, we believe pace is one of the most valuable training tools available. Pace helps provide structure to workouts and ensures you're training in the appropriate effort for your goals.
However, pace should always be viewed within the context of the conditions. Think of your training paces as targets, not rigid requirements.
When temperatures climb, experienced runners adjust their expectations rather than forcing splits that no longer match the environment. The goal is still to complete the intended workout. Sometimes that requires making small adjustments to the pace displayed on your watch.
How Much Should You Adjust?
There is no perfect formula because every runner responds differently to heat. Factors such as humidity, sun exposure, fitness level, and heat acclimation all play a role.
As a general guideline:
The key is recognizing that these changes are normal. If you're consistently running slower in July than you were in April, that doesn't automatically mean your fitness has declined.
Don't Chase the Watch
One of the quickest ways to turn a productive run into a miserable one is to force a pace that doesn't match the conditions.
Many runners become so focused on hitting a specific number that they ignore what the weather is asking of them. A better approach is to use your pace target as a guide while allowing for reasonable adjustments when conditions are difficult.
Some days you'll hit every split perfectly. Other days, the smartest decision is backing off slightly and completing the workout successfully.
Consistency beats forcing one workout and needing extra recovery afterward.
Expect an Adjustment Period
The good news is that the body adapts. Heat acclimation typically begins within the first week of consistent exposure and continues to improve over roughly two weeks.
As adaptation occurs, several positive changes take place:
Many runners notice that workouts begin feeling easier after 10 to 14 days of training in the heat. The key is patience. The first few hot runs of the season are often the most difficult.
Summer Fitness Pays Off Later
Here's the part many runners forget. The work you're doing now is still building fitness.
Even if your watch shows slower paces, your body is adapting to the demands of training in tougher conditions. When cooler temperatures return in the fall, many runners are surprised to see their pace improve almost immediately.
The fitness was there all along. The weather was just hiding it!
This is one reason so many marathoners and half marathoners complete the bulk of their training during the hottest months of the year. The miles you log in June, July, and August often show up as stronger performances in September, October, and November.
A Few Summer Running Tips
To make summer training more manageable:
The Bottom Line
If your pace is slower this summer, don't panic. Heat and humidity affect every runner, from beginners to elite athletes. Adjusting your pace for the conditions isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of smart training.
Stay consistent, trust the process, and remember that the goal isn't to win a workout in July. The goal is to build the fitness that will help you perform your best when race day arrives.
And when those cool fall mornings finally return, you'll be glad you kept showing up.
If you run with a modern sports watch, you’ve probably noticed that we are living in the golden age of running data. After a solid long run, your Garmin Connect app serves up a buffet of advanced scientific metrics. But what do all those numbers actually mean for your daily training?
I’ve started to consider what this data might have meant in my faster days (late ‘90s and early ‘00s). At the time, there were limited metrics available aside from a handful of high-end biomechanics labs. The data presently at our finger tips, coming from our wrist, on a daily basis is both pervasive and awesome (in the fear inspiring sense).
For years you’ve heard me and our other coaches stress the importance of pace recognition, Rate of Perceived Exertion which we use as Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE), progressive pacing with some input from heart rate as a % of maximum heart rate.
I’m super excited about all the new data available and believe that proper pacing with recognition along with forms of progressive pacing are still the most important for race and training outcomes.
But. . . the available data can no longer be ignored so let’s start to interpret some of it.
Today, we’re going to look at three of my favorite advanced running dynamics:
Stride Length
Vertical Oscillation
Vertical Ratio
I’ll explain what they are, why they matter, and how we can tweak your form/effort to become a smoother, more efficient, and injury-free runner.
Note: Definitions from Garmin Human Performance Lab are publicly available and included below.
This is simply the distance you cover with each stride. Of course, we don’t want long lopey strides or potential over striding to interfere with our focus. In fact a shorter stride length can be beneficial especially in the early parts of a race. One practical consideration I have with stride length is to consider your drive at the end of races. Often we observe max stride length at 75-85% of race distance. One way to improve the stride length is a concomitant effort to swing your arms with strong force near the end. If you watch World Class Marathon/10K/5K/1500m etc. runners at the finish their arm swing is almost always exaggerated compared to the start of the race. When you swing your arms with force, your legs follow suit.
In simple terms, Vertical Oscillation is your "bounce." It measures the amount of vertical movement in your torso with each step, measured in centimeters.
Ideally, as runners, we want our energy propelling us forward, not upward. However, we frequently see a point of frustration for taller runners here. Because taller runners have longer legs and naturally longer strides, their absolute vertical oscillation numbers are almost always slightly higher than shorter runners simply due to biomechanics. A tall runner might naturally sit around 7.5 to 8.6 cm, which can look high on paper but is perfectly normal for their height.
In my opinion, raw Vertical Oscillation metrics should not be over emphasized. Stride length (especially at the end of a good effort) + Vertical Ratio are better indicators of proper form.
If you’re a taller runner looking at your Garmin data and feeling discouraged by your bounce, don't worry. This is where Vertical Ratio comes to the rescue.
Vertical Ratio takes your Vertical Oscillation and divides it by your Stride Length, expressing the result as a percentage. This metric essentially levels the playing field, factoring in your height and stride to give you a true picture of your running efficiency.
Instead of obsessing over raw centimeters, look at your Vertical Ratio percentage. Here is how the benchmarks break down:
Excellent (Elite): Less than 6.5%
Great: 6.5% – 8.3%
Good (Average): 8.4% – 10.0%
Needs Improvement: Greater than 10.0%
(Note: Many runners find they naturally bump up against "Excellent" or "Great" ratios during fast interval sessions, as faster running promotes better form! This is one of the reasons that here at Runcoach we always suggest one or two quality sessions with intervals at faster paces each week.)
Whether you're a middle-aged marathoner or an infrequent 5K racer, keeping your Vertical Ratio in check provides two massive benefits:
1. Energy Conservation
Think of it this way: over the course of 26.2 miles, bouncing an extra inch per step equates to climbing hundreds of extra feet of elevation. By keeping your bounce down, you are saving precious glycogen stores for the later miles when you really need them.
2. Injury Prevention
What goes up must come down. A higher vertical oscillation means a heavier landing. Reducing your bounce significantly decreases the ground reaction forces on your knees, hips, and lower back. If you want to stay healthy and injury-free through long, grueling training blocks, smoothing out your ride is key.
If your watch is consistently showing a high Vertical Ratio, you don't need to completely overhaul your stride. Usually, corrections only need to be made in millimeters. Here are 5 practical, coach-approved ways to smooth out your ride:
Run "Quietly": We love this mental cue. Next time you run, focus on making less noise when your feet hit the pavement. This naturally encourages a softer, lower-impact, and more forward-driving stride.
Slight Forward Lean: Ensure you are running with a slight, natural lean from your ankles—not bending at the waist. This helps direct your momentum forward rather than upward.
Consider a Low Ceiling as your Guide: Pretend you’re running indoors and the ceiling is only a few inches/centimeters above your head. Try to avoid hitting your head with each stride. (Note: Take this recommendation with a grain of salt because the faster we run, the more bounce we will get from power. The “don’t hit your head on the ceiling” practice is most ideal for long and easy runs not quality sessions).
Increase Your Cadence: The quickest and most effective way to reduce vertical oscillation is to increase your step rate (cadence) by 5% to 10%. Taking quicker, slightly shorter steps naturally flattens out your trajectory and prevents overstriding. (Aiming closer to 180 steps per minute is a great goal, though taller runners may naturally sit a bit lower).
Try a Running Economy Microcycle: Because faster running promotes quicker cadence and better form, mixing in shorter, faster intervals (like 200m repeats) is a great way to set a baseline of strong mechanics. Your body remembers that efficient form, which eventually bleeds into your easy runs. Many of you have heard this suggestion from me in between Marathons and other goal races. If you’re interested in a running economy cycle, please reach out to your coach.
At Runcoach, we believe data is only as good as the human insight behind it. The next time you finish a run, take a peek at your Vertical Ratio in Garmin Connect. If the number is a bit high, try running "quietly" with a slightly quicker step on your next outing. Check out your Vertical Ratio on the intervals of your quality sessions and you will see a big difference.
Want a coach to look at your smart watch and help you build a plan to improve your running economy? Our 1:1 human coaching team is always here to help you make sense of the metrics and achieve your next personal best.
Vertical Oscillation, Vertical Ratio, Stride Length Chart (Note: this table was created with help from Gemini AI and reviewed by the coaches at Runcoach):
|
Metric & Tier |
6' 2" Runner(1.88 m / 188 cm) |
5' 9" Runner(1.75 m / 175 cm) |
5' 6" Runner(1.68 m / 168 cm) |
|
Vertical Oscillation (cm) |
|||
|
* Moderate |
10.0 – 11.5 cm |
9.5 – 11.0 cm |
9.0 – 10.5 cm |
|
* Good |
8.5 – 9.9 cm |
8.0 – 9.4 cm |
7.5 – 8.9 cm |
|
* Elite |
7.0 – 8.4 cm |
6.5 – 7.9 cm |
6.0 – 7.4 cm |
|
Vertical Ratio (%) |
|||
|
* Moderate |
8.6% – 10.0% |
8.6% – 10.0% |
8.6% – 10.0% |
|
* Good |
6.6% – 8.5% |
6.6% – 8.5% |
6.6% – 8.5% |
|
* Elite |
Under 6.5% |
Under 6.5% |
Under 6.5% |
|
Stride Length (meters) |
|||
|
* Moderate |
1.10 – 1.20 m |
1.00 – 1.10 m |
0.90 – 1.00 m |
|
* Good |
1.21 – 1.35 m |
1.11 – 1.25 m |
1.01 – 1.15 m |
|
* Elite |
1.36 – 1.50+ m |
1.26 – 1.40+ m |
1.16 – 1.30+ m |
Available from Garmin publicly accessible information https://www.garmin.com/en-US/garmin-technology/running-science:
Something shifted this spring - and it wasn’t just the weather.
At the Boston Marathon, we saw fast times across the board. Some pointed to ideal conditions - and that’s always part of the story. But then came the London Marathon. No tailwind. No excuses. Just historic performances.
Sebastian Sawe ran 1:59:30.
Tigst Assefa ran 2:15:41, setting a women’s-only world record.
So what connects Boston and London? It’s not just talent. It’s not just shoes. It’s fueling.
The Carb Revolution Is No Longer a Theory
For years, endurance athletes were told to limit carbohydrate intake or “train low.”
That thinking has flipped - completely.
At the elite level, the focus now is maximizing carbohydrate availability in both training and racing. Here’s what we’re seeing:
This isn’t marginal gains anymore. This is a fundamental shift in how endurance performance is built.
Fueling Is Driving the Training
The real breakthrough isn’t just what’s happening on race day - it’s what’s happening in training. Higher carbohydrate intake allows athletes to:
Instead of digging a hole with every hard session, runners are actually supporting the work required to improve. That’s a big shift. Fitness is no longer limited by how much discomfort you can tolerate - it’s supported by how well you fuel.
Why This Changes Everything
This isn’t just about elites running faster times. It’s about why they’re running faster. When fueling improves, everything downstream improves:
We’re seeing it across the board - marathoners, triathletes, cyclists. Better fueling leads to better training. Better training leads to better performance.
What This Means for You
No, you don’t need to jump straight to 120-150g of carbs per hour. But the direction is clear:
The key is doing it correctly for your body and your training.
The Bottom Line
We’re entering a new era of endurance performance.
Records that once felt untouchable are starting to fall - not because athletes suddenly got more talented, but because they’re finally fueling in a way that supports their potential.
High carbohydrate fueling is leading that shift. And for the first time in a long time, performance gains are coming from something that also supports better training consistency and long-term development.
That’s a change worth paying attention to.
