If a runner from 20 years ago was to look at what almost every single one of us has on our wrists and could comprehend all of the data these magnificent watches record, they would be floored.
The irony of this is that many coaches, myself included, are now worried that many runners are too fixated on that data and have forgotten how to listen to their bodies.
So how do you use all of that data that you have readily available in a productive way?
…We’re always looking for a better way to choose the right running shoe. For a long time, it was believed we wanted to find a shoe that would promote “neutral” pronation. That’s the world I grew up in and what I, along with pretty much everyone else during the time, believed.
Then, we realized that using this method didn’t seem to reduce injury risk. So along came the “just find the pair of shoes that’s more comfortable” theory. It’s one I adopted (and, for myself, it didn’t really change the shoes I was picking). I believe it works well but is it really the best? We haven’t seen injury rates drop dramatically, if at all, since switching to this method.
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Recently, I’ve been dealing with an ankle/lower shin issue. I’m on the road to recovery, in large part because I think I found the primary cause of the issue and have corrected it.
However, the primary cause wasn’t where I was expecting it to be and it was where most runners don’t tend to look. It had to do with what I was doing in my leisure time, not when I was running or, for that matter, doing anything physically demanding.
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Minimal shoes. Maximal shoes.
Low volume. High volume. HIIT.
Low fat. Low carb.
Regardless of the topic, it seems like there are trends that will take you on a pendulum. It can be easy to get swept up in these trends. Avoid this temptation.
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Did you do your goal setting for 2021? To be honest, I wouldn’t blame you for not doing so yet as we’re not totally sure what the year will look like yet.
However, I do want to address an issue that I see with some people who are going through goal setting. They don’t differentiate between goals and targets.
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