Reaching a running milestone can sometimes feel impossible no matter whether it’s 10K or 40K. We’ve got 12 ways to turn things around and make the impossible possible…

Words: Anna Harding

Longer runs can feel really hard and sometimes completely unachievable, especially when your training plan starts demanding longer distances than you’ve ever run before. As we enter autumn marathon training season, the long mileages can seem daunting but with these tips, you’ll soon be ticking them off, and wondering what you were ever worried about.

Don’t skip the warm-up

One of the easiest ways you can help yourself run those longer distances is by doing a warm-up. Yes, a simple warm-up can improve your running form and efficiency, which can help you carry on running for longer. Your heartrate will speed up slightly during a warm-up, and this will increase blood flow to the muscles. Your internal core temperature will also go up a bit. That slight raise of core temperature means that more oxygen is able to get to your muscles, because it is more easily released by the haemoglobin molecules that carry it. If you’re not sure where to start with your warm-up, something as simple as running at an easy pace for around 10 to 15 minutes will do the trick. There has been a lot of research into stretching before running and the majority of experts suggest ditching static stretching before a run, in favour of dynamic stretches. These are movements that involve a variety of muscles for the stretch and differ from traditional ‘static’ stretching because you don’t hold the positions.

Stay strong

When you get tired, it’s easy to let your running form slip into a kind of hunched shuffle. Try and focus on staying tall, with your shoulders back and your chest out and imagine that there’s a piece of string coming out of the top of your head that is gently being pulled upwards. Another cue that’s really useful when it comes to checking in on your running form is ‘head, shoulders, knees and toes’. Performing a check on each area of your body from head to toes every mile of your long run ensures that you’re running in the most efficient way, so you’re not using up extra energy by running with poor form. Keep your head up, your shoulders relaxed and back. Lift your knees as you run and focus on maintaining a quick cadence, keeping your feet light and fast, with your toes pointed forwards. Support your posture by doing regular strength and conditioning to help you stay strong. Core work is key here.