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Runners World Articles: Archives - October 2002

Run Strong All Fall

Hey, just because we call it fall doesn’t mean we have to fall short on our running program. Below I’ve outlined three common problems that can lead to a seasonal drop, along with a dozen easy solutions.

GOAL ANXIETY
If you’ve been training throughout the summer for a fall half-marathon or marathon, your fall running blahs might be caused by anxiety building before your race.

Here are four easy ways to reduce goal anxiety:
1. Moderate your time goal. You still may hit your original goal time (which would be the icing on the cake), but meanwhile, the pressure to perform will decrease.
2. Select a different goal race. Instead of running a full marathon, run a half-marathon. Or skip your scheduled half-marathon, and run a 10K. All that training you did for the longer race distance could pay off big-time in a shorter race.
3. Give yourself time. If you anxiety stems from needing more time to prepare, look for a race a bit later in the year. Instead of an October marathon, pick one in November or December.
4. Learn from the pros. I know many world-class athletes who allow themselves 2 to 4 weeks of super-easy training to reevaluate their goals when the pressure becomes to great. Follow their lead.

WEATHER WOES
Running through a long, hot summer can take its toll on your body and your motivation. And when you expect cooler fall temperatures to arrive and they don’t, motivation can slip even father. On the flip side, other runners flourish during the summer heat only to become depressed and uninspired as the days become shorter and cooler.Remember these four tricks when the weather gets you down:

1. Run before sunrise on hot days, or breaks up the distance into a short morning and short evening run.
2. Visit a running store to learn about the latest clothes and gear that will make running in any weather more comfortable.
3. Mentally prepare yourself for all conditions. Periodically visualize yourself running in all types of weather, smiling, overcoming your anxiety, and finishing strong.
4. Be flexible with your running schedule. Take extra days off when the weather won’t cooperate. Or head to the gym, and run on the treadmill.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS
After a summer of faster and faster race times,, it’s easy to expect your success to continue. But at some point, those gains slow or even stop. This natural plateau in the improvement process can really depress some runners.

No problem, these four tips will help:
1. Take a 4-week vacation from racing if you don’t perform as well as expected in two races in a row.
2. Remember to celebrate every race you finish. Because there aren’t many days when everything can come together for a personal record.
3. Pick some fun races to run with friends or family so that you focus on your running partners and not on your time.
4. Introduce another runner to the racing experience. His or her excitement will kelp rekindle yours.