Mojo for Running

Sensible Training, Satisfying Results

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Coach Deb
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
    • Mojo for Running Podcast
    • Mojo Podcast Archive
    • Beginner Runner Podcast
    • Beginner Runner Podcast Archives
  • Beginner Runners
  • Contact
  • Coaching Program

Beginner Runner Struggles – BRV 046

By Debbie Voiles

Beginner Runner Village Podcast 46 

A beginner runner’s success or failure often hinges on just being able to manage several key aspects of running training. 

In this episode Deb addresses several struggles common to new runners. 

Preparedness is everything. Seeing the big picture and being prepared for these inevitable challenges may make the critical difference between success and failure for anyone at the beginning of their running journey. 

 

Filed Under: Beginner Runner Village, brv-podcast Tagged With: beginner runner, running journey, running training

MFR 145: How to Make Your Easy Runs Work for You

By Debbie Voiles

Mojo for Running PodcastMost people know about the hard easy principle of training. Goodness knows, I’ve talked about it on this podcast enough, but in practice, many runners don’t enjoy the benefits because they run their easy runs at the wrong pace. That can easily sabotage a runner’s training.

In this episode, I explain how to determine the right easy run pace, and I have a couple of tips for maintaining the right pace. The result will be a much better payoff for training and much more effective  speed work.

Filed Under: mfr-podcast, Training Tagged With: easy run pace, easy running pace, easy runs, hard easy principle, running training

MFR 144: Running During a Pandemic

By Debbie Voiles

Wow! I would never have guessed I’d be doing a podcast on this topic, but here I am. This is not normal, nowhere near normal, not by ay stretch of the imagination. We are all living through this, one day at a time, finding our way, figuring out how to cope. We have no other choice; however, fortunately, ‘we’ have running to ease our trip through this difficult time.

Every single runner of every level is struggling right now, stressed, some more than others, but living during this pandemic has shaken us all. We need our running more than ever; it’s our therapy, right?

Our running behavior has been extremely restricted and may continue to be restricted for months. Our races have been cancelled, and we don’t know when they will happen. Sure, many have been rescheduled, but experts are saying things may be worse rather than better in the fall.

That is not the focus of this podcast; this podcast is about how you should and can train, right now. I talk about your options, ways to maintain your running fitness under current circumstances.

Training during a pandemic is challenging, but it’s not impossible. I have plenty of ideas for you to continue your running training during a pandemic.

Play

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Filed Under: mfr-podcast Tagged With: running behavior, running fitness, running training, running training during a pandemic

Become a Runner Class Day 10: Diagnostic Test – BRV 045

By Debbie Voiles

Become a Runner Class: Evaluation and ImplementationThis is it! You’ve been learning about what to do for nine days. Think of this as graduation day, the day you get the last, but most critical, piece of the puzzle. Today, you find out exactly what you should do, and I mean you, personally, should do on Day 1 of your running journey. Today, is your diagnostic run.

In this podcast, I explain what to do to find out how far you should run during each running segment of your walk to run mile, which is the distance you should start with. 

I also explain how to progress from there, the three variables, and the details regarding the decisions you’ll be making in deciding what to change and when. 

I’m excited for you because this is, of all the secrets I’ve imparted, perhaps the most crucial one, because if you try to start your running training with too much running, you’ll likely never succeed.

Walk to Run to 5k Program

Play

Podcast (brv): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

Filed Under: Beginner Runner Village, Beginner Runners, brv-podcast, First-Timers Tagged With: running journey, running segment, running training, walk to run, walk to run to 5k program

BAT Best Alternative Training – BRV 035

By Debbie Voiles

Beginner Runner Village Podcast 35

No matter who you are or what your situation, there will be times when, try as you might, the end of the day rolls around, and it starts to look like you won’t have time to get in your workout. Has that happened to you?

It’s a sad feeling, not terrible, but it’s not the way you want to end your day. It’s just one reason why running early in the morning makes sense, if you can swing it, because then, if something interferes, you still have options. Maybe it means you go out and run on your lunch hour or maybe on your afternoon coffee break or, hopefully, you have some flexibility in your afternoon time, but all that is really beside the point of this podcast. This episode provides you with a safety net for those days when, no matter what, no matter the reason, you just weren’t able to get out and run.

In such cases, BAT workouts provide mental reasurance because you know a BAT workout will prevent any loss in fitness. BAT workouts are your running training safety net.

Now, what does this have to do with Halloween? Nothing, except that when I was about to record this episode, I got to thinking that bats and Halloween go together; I’ve always called them BAT workouts, which stands for best alternative training, but it was just a coincidence that I recorded this episode the week before Halloween.

By alternative training I mean alternative to actually going outside to do your planned workout. This BAT workout will keep your fitness from sliding backwards. Even if your schedule – and your daily life – results in you only having time to run on two weekdays, if you do this workout on the other days, you’ll be fine. You can still continue to improve your running fitness with just those two running workouts and your two weekend workouts. So, these BAT workouts can be critical.

Two great things about this workout:

  1. It’s completely customizable. Once you understand the structure, you can swap out exercises or change the time frames.
  2. It can be a complement to your running. Feel free to add in one or two BAT workouts per week. BAT workouts don’t have to be just alternatives for days when you don’t have time to run.

Play

Podcast (brv): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

Subscribe with Stitcher Radio

Filed Under: brv-podcast, Training Tagged With: BAT workouts, days when you can't run, running fitness, running training, time to run

What is the Minimum Number of Miles Worth Doing?

By Debbie Voiles

group runDid you ever notice how, sometimes, runners have a bit of trouble with maintaining a realistic perspective? This seems to happen to all runners some of the time and some runners most of the time.

Have you ever said, “I only did 4 miles today” or “I just did 3”?

Most people have. Heck, I have.  It’s easy for runners to lose sight of reality, to undervalue our efforts, to fall into a pattern of subjective perspective, and that is always a mistake.

The words, “I only ran four miles,” may reveal a problem with our perspective on our running training, and it’s my goal to help you to see every day’s training from a more objective perspective.

One of my favorite sayings is “It’s all relative.” That relates closely to this topic.

Back in the day, when I, personally, hosted and lead all my local Run Tampa club’s group runs, I would always make two statements. Before we started, I’d say:

“Go as fast as you want, as far as you want, and turn around when you want.” When I said that, I was giving people permission to customize the run to be exactly what they wanted or needed it to be, and that always worked well.

After a run, invariably, someone would say, “I only did ____ (fill in the blank) number of miles.

When I heard that, I would say this: “I only have one rule at these runs: Never use the word ‘just’ or ‘only’ in the same sentence with the number of miles you ran, because no matter how many miles you ran, today, you ran farther than 99.9 percent of the population, most of whom were either still asleep or sitting on the couch while you were running.”

It’s funny because, over the years, there were times – there are times – when I’ve accidentally slipped and do it, myself, and it never failed, someone in the group would say, “Deb, I can’t believe you said only!” That makes me smile because it means they’ve been listening, and they remembered.

The thing is – and this is what happens to me, personally, on those occasions – the more we run and the longer distances we become accustomed to doing, the more insignificant shorter distances become; that’s where the relativity comes in.

Running Longer Distances

Now, really, running longer distances, in the big picture, is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve said it before, if someone likes to race half marathons, then I think it’s a good idea for that person to do at least one marathon. It will tremendously improve their performance in all future half marathons because, mentally, they will seem much shorter because they are much shorter than a marathon. And the same is true of someone who likes to race 5k’s; they should do at least one 15k or half marathon – or at least a 10k, because after that, a 5k will feel short, and it’ll be easier, psychologically, to run the whole thing, harder.

So, I’m not at all suggesting that you avoid longer runs. Not at all. This is a separate topic. I’m just saying don’t let that warp your perspective, your sense of what distance is worthwhile and valuable, because even one mile is worth doing and valuable. Really, seriously, it is!

Look at it this way: Think of all the times you didn’t have time to get in the miles you wanted; so, you ended up not even going out. You considered the day a missed training day, but in actuality, you could have definitely managed to squeeze in say, two miles, but you felt like 2 miles wasn’t worth it.

One or two miles is very worth doing, and here’s why:

Two miles compared to zero is much much better. I’d like to say it’s ten times better or twenty times or a hundred times better, but it’s more than any of those because zero times anything is zero. This bears out that old saying, anything is better than nothing, and so it is, dramatically better, for several reasons.

For one thing, the entire medical community is telling us more and more than we need to get out and out and move throughout the day. So, even the opportunity to walka mile a couple even once a day is far better than not, and by the same token, running one mile, then, is an extreme improvement on not doing it.

From a running fitness perspective, your body needs to be reminded, very often, that you’re a runner. If you miss one day, no big deal, but when life gets busy, if you’re supposed to run on a given day, then to do even one or two miles is far better than none because your body and your mind need a constant reminder that this is who you are, and this is what you do.

I hope that makes sense to you because it makes perfect sense to me. Running is part of my identity; so, a missed day that was meant to be a running day, is always a disappointment, and if I let time constraints keep me from doing it, then I am disappointed.

Even one mile is better than no miles. At least I can give my body and mind a little tiny piece of what it’s craving.

If I am time-constrained, then that’s always, to some degree, stressful; so, even one mile of running will make all things better. Even one mile will lower my stress, but this may not help some people as much because you have to look at it from a glass half full standpoint and exercise positivity by focusing on the fact that you managed to get out there and get in ‘some’ running rather than focusing on what you didn’t have time for what ever number of miles you would have liked to do. Again, it’s a matter of perspective.

Let’s say every other week something comes up and you end up missing a day of training because you don’t have time to do your whole workout; so, you just don’t do any of it. That, I think, is a huge error. Let’s say you actually could have eeked out time for two miles. If this happens every other week, with 52 weeks a year, that’s 26 weeks times 2 = 52 miles. Is 52 miles worth running? You bet it is, and 26 is too, for that matter.

Any physician will tell you that even brief bouts of exercise, even 10, 15 or 20 minutes is still very much worth doing. It will make that day, healthier. Just getting up from a chair and walking around the office is worthwhile; so, certainly running one mile vs zero miles is a huge difference. So, don’t let the fact that you’re accustomed to running many miles ever stop you from just doing one or two.

That doesn’t mean you should ‘aim’ for one or two miles.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t also make the point that I would never recommend aiming for one or two miles, not if you’re trying to improve at running. Even to just maintain good fitness, I’d say do at least three. Once you are a runner, I think it’s best to aim for a minimum of 3 or 4 miles or more on any given day, unless it’s a rest and recovery day, which is just as important as running on a running day.

But, assuming it’s a day when you’re supposed to run, then it’s better from a health and training perspective to mix it up the distance, better to do 3 miles one day and 5 miles the next, than to do 4 miles on both days. It’s more interesting and will provide a superior training effect.  Any time a running coach creates a schedule using the accepted training principles, it’s always going to vary mileage from day to day within a week.

Any distance is worthwhile, very worthwhile. If you only have time for one or two or three miles, just try to keep things in perspective and remember the time when you were just starting out and you would have felt a sense of extreme accomplishment for doing that. Strive to recapture that. Give yourself credit and embrace that feeling once again.

Filed Under: mental, Training Tagged With: brief bouts of exercise, half marathons, longer runs, maintain good fitness, marathon, missing a day of training, run longer distances, run tampa, running, running day, running fitness, running longer distances, running training

MFR 102: Listener Question Answered – Should I Train for Distance or Speed

By Debbie Voiles

A listener question answeredFor this episode, I’m responding to a question someone asked on Instagram. [Read more…]

Play

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Filed Under: mfr-podcast, Training Tagged With: run farther, run faster, running training

MFR 92: Perspective on a Few Days Off From Running

By Debbie Voiles

Does the idea of a brief running haitus cause you to panic?When you have to take time off from running, you probably freak out; most runners do. Once we’re in the habit, we can’t even imagine not running. After all, it’s part of our identity, a big part. Time off from running leaves a gaping hole in our day, and if it occurs several days in a row, it’s like a crater in our lives, right?  [Read more…]

Play

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Filed Under: mfr-podcast, Training Tagged With: beginner runners, empowered runner, hiatus from running, runners psychie, running hiatus, running training, time off from running

MFR 90: Running Drills

By Debbie Voiles

Add this fun training elementI’m a huge believer in taking into account all elements that might affect your running performance, evaluating it from every angle, not all at once, of course, but I think it’s important to realize that adequate sleep is just as important as the right shoe, and speed work is just as important as the appropriate total mileage. Running drills have a unique effect that you don’t get with any other element of training. Plus, they are great fun.  [Read more…]

Play

Podcast (mfr): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS

Filed Under: mfr-podcast, running technique, Training Tagged With: improve running, injury prevention, run faster, running drills, running economy, running technique, running training

Hard Easy Principle of Running Training – BRV 007

By Debbie Voiles

The Hard Easy Training Principle

I’ve learned that new runners – even the newest runners – will progress more comfortably and with fewer injuries when they apply proven principles that veteran runners use to guide their training. The difference is that they must be modified to be appropriate for beginner runners. In this podcast I  explain one of the hard easy principle, and how to apply it. This one simple concept could be the difference between succeeding in becoming a runner and being relegated to the sidelines. It will keep you healthy and comfortable when you run.

Play

Podcast (brv): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

Filed Under: Beginner Runner Village, Beginner Runners, brv-podcast, Training Tagged With: beginner runners, hard easy principle, new runners, running training

Next Page »
Become a Patron!

What People Are Saying

Michele Eley testimonial“I thank you so much for the knowledge ... and for the inspiration and confidence you have given me.”

- Michele Eley, UK

Michael-Mills_opt“I love your podcasts and have listened to them all and I'm going back and listening to them again; they are that good!”

- Mike Mills, Australia

RRCA

Let's Keep in Touch! You will receive an occasional newsletter.

* indicates required

Copyright © 2021 Debbie Voiles. All rights reserved.