Late spring can be a confusing time of year for runners.

If you have already run your big spring race, hopefully you are taking some time to recover mentally and physically.

But after that,training for fall racing is still a good 6-8 weeks away or more.

Some runners are grateful for the break from intense training and let running take a backseat to all the other things going on in life.

At first, the free time and rest are welcome, but there usually comes a point when not running starts to feel uncomfortable. You miss training but you're not sure what to do.

Other runners can't bear taking much time off at all and keep charging forward with the same long runs and speedwork as they always do.

Even in the heat of summer.

Both kinds of runners start to have doubts.

Train too much and you risk being overcooked by July.

Train too little and you lose your hard-earned fitness.

There is a better way (actually several)...

spring into it

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mental strength

"I want to say I really appreciated it, but that's not a strong enough word."

"My job, my personality, and world events all have made me feel on edge lately. This was so unique and appealing because of the athlete structure. After 30 days, I’ve noticed using it in real life. I want to keep practicing!"

"It reminded me that I can do hard things which is something I have struggled with all my life. "

"It was amazing. I already feel like I’m beginning to act on some of this, showing more confidence."

"My brain is a bit ADD so 10 minutes is a perfect little challenge for me to maintain focus. "

These are just a few of the stories I'm hearing from those who completed Wave One of my new cognitive conditioning program Begin With Ten.

This is the first course of this unique mental training series, with more to come.

Consider this your mental base buiding phase.

I will select participants for Wave Two soon, which will be starting June 1.

If you'd like to learn more and add your name to the waitlist, click below.

add me!

ask me anything

Q:

I've signed up for a race in the mountains this fall. The only issue is that I live at sea level. How can I adjust my training so I'm prepared?

A: ​

Short of inhaling xenon gas and sleeping for weeks in a hypoxic tent like you're prepping to climb Mount Everest, you really only have one option.

Get as fit as possible.

The lower oxygen level at higher elevations makes everything harder, especially exercise. Your lungs have to work harder to bring enough oxygen to your working muscles which means you will run slower at any given effort level.

Yes, your body can and will adapt so this process becomes easier, but that takes around 2 weeks.

So unless you plan to relocate two weeks ahead of your race, your best bet is to show up as soon as you can right before the race. (This may prevent some of your body's initial stress response to the lower oxygen level.)

At home, any kind of training that increases your VO2 Max or how efficiently your body uses oxygen can help.

Think short sprinting workouts and hill repeats.

And anything that increases your aerobic endurance in general will help, like long, slow running.

But that's what you should be doing anyway, right?

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

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podcast

It's about to get hot out there. 🔥

All your sweaty work this summer will pay off with faster times in the fall.

But how do you get through those hot and humid races and runs?

On today's encore run of the Planted Runner Podcast, we'll find out.

You’ll learn:

• the science of what is happening when you run in the heat
• how you can effectively manage hot runs and keep up your training, and
• exactly what you do to prepare for a hot race day

You’ll get everything you need to survive and even improve this summer.

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inspo

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing."

—Pelé

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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