http://www.nomeatathlete.com/63-running-ideas/

Written by Matt Frazier in Running

Run.  Run a lot.

That's the answer I give to new runners when they ask me how to get better at running.  When they ask how they'll ever be able to run a marathon (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/marathon-roadmap-system/) or an ultra when it kills them to run six miles now, the answer is that simple.

It's like the 10,000 hour rule.  The more you run, the better your body and brain learn to do it.  It doesn't have to be every day, and it doesn't have to involve awful workouts that leave you sprawled out on the track by the time they're done.

But it does have to be consistent.  Every time you get burnt out and take three or six months off from running, you miss hours upon hours of opportunity to build those neural pathways that help you run efficiently, even effortlessly.

The trick then, is to keep your training interesting.  Here are 63 ways to do just that.

1. Bored with the roads?  Try trail running.  For help getting started, check out the Beginner's Guide to Trail Running (http://zenhabits.net/trail-running/) I wrote for Zen Habits, or the slightly lighter-in-tone Indoorsman's Guide to Trail Running (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/trail-running-for-beginners/) on this site.    
2. Pick a huge goal.  Maybe it's a half marathon (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/half-marathon-roadmap/), a marathon (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/marathon-roadmap-system/), an ultra, or winning a race.  Who knows.  Make it one that will make your friends laugh when you tell them about it.  That's how you pick an inspiring goal.  Then focus every day until you make it happen.  One warning: Shoot for the stars, but give yourself a reasonable time frame, be flexible, and listen to your body.      
3. Try an "alternative" running form.  The Pose method (http://www.posetech.com/pose_method/) and Chi Running (http://www.chirunning.com/) both offer what they claim to be more efficient ways of running than the traditional form.    
4. Kill your legs in the gym.  Front squats, cleans, and deadlifts were the lifts we all hated when we were trying to beef up in college, but they're the ones that will do the most to help you get more power from your legs.  There's an obscure routine called Curtis P's (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/mountain-athlete-workout/) that I really like because it blends several of these lifts and can help boost endurance.    
5. Go to a local high school track once a week.  If you've never done any speedwork before, you'll likely see big returns on your track workouts (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/track-workouts/) almost right from the start.    
6. You'd have to live in a cave to have missed the swelling barefoot running movement.  But it's not just barefoot-there are all kinds of minimalist shoes to simulate barefoot running.  From Vibram Fivefingers (http://birthdayshoes.com/) to Newtons (http://www.runblogger.com/2010/06/newton-sir-isaac-running-shoe-review.html), it seems every shoe manufacturer is paying more attention to the minimalist running movement.  Here's my experience with minimalist running shoes (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/my-minimalist-running-shoe-saga/).  But before you buy in, check out this interesting anti-barefoot (http://www.runningbarefootisbad.com/why-are-barefoot-runners-getting-so-many-injuries/381/) site.    
7. Are you carrying around some extra weight?  As long as you're not dipping below what's healthy, you can expect to shave two seconds off every mile for each pound lost.  If you were to lose those extra 10 pounds, imagine what mile splits that are 20 seconds faster would do for your motivation to run.    
8. Our bodies naturally produce some creatine, a compound which helps supply energy to muscle.  We can get a lot more of it from meat, but since we're not about that, supplementing is one option.  Supplementing with creatine has been shown to increase strength in athletes, and most people now believe it's perfectly safe (you should do your own research, of course).   
9. Heart rate training is a fun way to incorporate biofeedback into your runs.  Rather than simply guessing at your threshold training intensity or the proper pace for a long run, for example, you can determine the heart rate zones that correspond to these intensities and shoot to stay in those zones for prescribed amounts of time.    
10. You don't see much written about breathing exercises for runners (http://www.trails.com/list_112_breathing-exercises-running.html), but I've found them to be a great way to pass the time when the miles aren't ticking off quite as fast as you'd like them to.  My favorite is one borrowed from Chi Running-breathe out for three steps, in for two steps.  Out for three steps, in for two steps...  Another one is described in a post about a 30-mile training run (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/my-first-30-mile-training-run/) I did.    
11. Throwing money at the problem isn't a good habit to be in, but forking over some cash for a good pre- and  post-workout drink may help you get out of a rut.  Performance benefits aside, I find myself obligated to work out harder because I want to get the most out of what I spent my hard-earned money on.  Check out Vega Sport (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vega-sport/), my favorite pre-workout drink.    
12. An alternative to #11: You don't have to buy any expensive products to get what your body needs before, during, and after workouts.  With just a little planning and effort, you can make all your running fuel (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/running-fuel/), from drinks to gels to bars.   
13. Experiment with restricting sugar intake before and during your long runs.  New (and old) runners often think sugar = energy, and that's certainly true.  But you can train your body to burn fat for fuel, which lasts much longer since it preserves your glycogen levels.  Check out Greg McMillan's advice on carbohydrate restriction (http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/marathonlongrun.htm).    
14. Get tribal.  By now, everyone knows about the Tarahumara, Mexico's tribe of incredible ultrarunners and the subject of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run. Try fueling with pinole and chia (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/tarahumara-pinole-chia-recipes/), making your own huaraches sandals (http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches/), or running for the pure joy of it like the Tarahumara do.    
15. Read a great running book.  Not another training guide, but a book that will inspire you, a book that will remind you why you dedicate so many hours to this sport.  For me, that book was the aforementioned Born to Run.  For others, it's John Parker's Once a Runner.  What's yours?    
16. Try speeding up your long runs if you're targeting a certain time in your race.  The idea that your long run pace should be 1-2 minutes slower per mile than your race pace is almost gospel, but many find that running faster better prepares them for race day.  Just make sure you're recovering.    
17. When people ask me how to avoid shin injuries (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/running-shin-pain/), something I struggled with for years, the answer I give them is "increase your foot turnover to 180 steps per minute."  It seems fast, but the result is many short, light steps as opposed to fewer heavy ones.  And shins that don't hurt.  This is also the turnover rate favored by many of the world's best runners, so injuries or not, you might find it helps you run faster.    
18. Update your running playlist (http://www.nomeatathlete.com/best-running-songs/).  Of all the ideas here, this may the simplest, fastest way to breathe new life into your training schedule.   
19. Lose your easy run days and cross train instead.  If you're feeling burnt out, physically or mentally, give yourself a break by cycling, swimming, or doing any other low-impact, non-weight-bearing activity.  This controversial approach is advocated by the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (http://www2.furman.edu/sites/first/Pages/default.aspx) in the book Run Less, Run Faster (http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/06/29/book-review-run-less-run-faster/).   
20. Sign up for a race.  We've all talked about races we'd like to do this year, only to slack off and forget about them altogether.  If you want to drastically increase the chances of your following through to train for a race, sign up.  Putting up your money and marking it on your calendar makes it real.