There's no shortage of advice out there on how to get good at running.

From the overly simple ("just run more"), to the overly complicated ("train on a treadmill just below lactate threshold while getting your blood drawn and your VO2 Max measured"), it can feel a bit overwhelming if you are stuck in your running progress.

The truth is there are some basic truths about how to train to improve at endurance running. Nail the basics consistently and you'll improve more than the vast majority of runners.

So what exactly are those basics? And at what point do you need to go beyond the basics to really find your potential?

Let's find out.

get good

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mental strength

"I will be Olympic champion."

Over and over and over again American sprinter Gabby Thomas wrote this prediction to herself. She estimates she did this 500 times in the week before the Olympics.

By the time she got in the starting blocks in the Olympic finals, she had envisioned her future so many times that her brain believed it.

With the calm confidence of someone who had already done it before, Thomas became Olympic champion.

Now, I'm not saying if you write "I will be Olympic champion" 500 times in your notebook that you'll suddenly become an Olympic champion.

But you absolutely can be the champion of your own big, scary goals in life with calm confidence.

What Thomas did isn't woo woo or pseudo-science. It's actually a perfect example of cognitive conditioning in action.

And you can put this into practice starting June 1.

Begin With Ten is structured cognitive conditioning training so you can train your mind just like you do your body.

Not just for runners, BWT is for anyone who wants to rewire automatic thinking to move through life with greater calm, focus, and confidence.

Spots in Wave Two are limited, so claim your spot before they are gone!

(This might just be the most important click you'll ever make.)

I'm in!

P.S. If you are in Wave One, you're ahead of the game, so don't click above! I'll be sending you more info soon.

ask me anything

Q:

I've been running marathons for 15 years. I love the training and putting a goal on the calendar, but as I near 50, it's starting to feel more stressful than fun. I want to keep running, but I also would like to switch things up and strength train more, maybe do a little more yoga. But my identity is so wrapped up in being a marathon runner. How can I wrap my head around training without an end goal?

A: ​

Wow, I relate to this so much.

My entire life revolved around marathon training for years, so I know this feeling deeply.

I worried about what people would think, especially as a running coach, if I didn't continue to race. Having a big race on the calendar was the carrot, I thought, to get me motivated to train really hard.

Until it became the stick.

As a goal-driven, Type A personality, I wondered how on earth could I shift into Type B "go with the flow" training?

The answer is that you absolutely can let go of the intensity and time commitment of constant marathon training without falling apart.

In fact, you might be happier and healthier when you do.

First of all, no one really cares that you are a marathon runner or not other than you. Sure, maybe your running besties do, but they only want the best for you.

Next, marathon running is often an "era" for most runners and there are plenty of other ways to get fit, strong, and feed your need for accomplishment.

So what does that look like practically? Well, you will need to accept that if you're not going to train like a marathon runner, you will lose some of your running fitness. That's often the biggest fear that you have to face.

But that can be replaced with more strength, more agility, better body composition, and for many runners (and I hate that I have to say this), a healthier relationship with food.

Some runners, especially women around menopause, find that shifting to more lifting, jumping, walking, mobility and more just is a better fit for this era in their lives.

The good news is I can help! All of my custom plans and coaching options are just that: completely custom. If you want to do less running but still want the accountability of a plan to keep you on track, I've got you.

learn more

Have a question? Reply and you could be featured next week.

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podcast

Could a few minutes of skips and hops each week actually help you run faster and stronger?

Learn how powerful plyos can be in your run training.

Research continues to show that short bouts of plyometric training can improve running economy, lower leg stiffness, force production, and neuromuscular coordination.

On today’s episode of the Planted Runner Podcast, we’re going to talk about the power of plyometrics. You’ll learn

• why explosive training matters even for marathoners
• how plyos improve running economy and durability
• the biggest mistake runners make when adding them

and my favorite simple way to sneak plyometrics into your routine without turning it into another exhausting workout.

P.S. All of the runners I coach get plyometrics on their schedule and you can check out the routine I’ve made for free on YouTube.

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inspo

"Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges."

—Bryant McGill

Have a great run today, Coach Claire

Thank you for being a part of the Planted Runner community!

My mission is to help runners just like you reach goals they never dreamed possible through science-backed training and plant-based nutrition.

Since 2016, I've helped thousands of every day runners become fitter, faster, and stronger with truly customized training and coaching.

I also love to share what I have learned from my own journey starting as a non-runner to a 2:58 marathoner at age 42, as well what I have learned coaching runners, completely FREE. I do that every week in this newsletter and on the Planted Runner Podcast.

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