Being human is hard.

And yet some people seem to move through life with ease.

They walk into difficult conversations steady. They make big decisions without dragging them around for days. When something goes wrong, they adjust and move forward. When the stakes rise, they do not flinch.

In running, two athletes can hold the same pace. One looks smooth and composed. The other looks like every step is a fight. The effort is identical. The experience is not.

The difference is conditioning.

We train until what once felt overwhelming becomes controlled. The hill is still a hill. The pace is still demanding. But we are no longer battling it. We have adapted.

Now look at the hills in life outside of running.

Hard conversations. Big decisions. Setbacks. Uncertainty.

Have you actually trained to handle life's hills like you train for running?

If not, pressure costs more than it should. Decisions drain more energy than necessary. Setbacks linger. Effort triggers an internal argument before action.

Nothing falls apart.

But it is harder than it has to be.

I am developing a 30-day mental conditioning cycle. Ten minutes a day. Built like a training plan, but for how you respond to challenges beyond running.

The goal is simple: make hard things feel smoother.

This first round will be small. Not because it has to be, but because I want the right people in it. The ones who understand that mastery is built with reps.

If you've ever wanted to be in Wave One, this is your chance to add your name.

Add Me To The First Wave!

ask me anything

Q:

I didn't think my long run on Sunday was too hard, but today's Tuesday and my legs were SO HEAVY on my easy run. Usually, that goes away after a mile or two, but I felt it the whole run. What's going on?

A:

It's extremely common to experience tired, heavy legs at some points during big training blocks.

It's a form of soreness. But even though it's common, it's certainly not something we are trying to achieve.

Soreness is not a sign of a good workout and lack of soreness is not a sign that you didn't work hard enough. But it is a clear sign that your recovery isn't complete.

If you normally feel pretty fresh by Tuesday, something caused an increased recovery time. That could mean that you went longer or faster (or both) than you are used to, and/or you didn't fuel, hydrate, or sleep enough to get the recovery job done in time.

It could also mean that the timing of your strength training is negatively affecting your runs (hint: listen to this week's podcast!)​

And let's not forget the rest of your life. Stress, lack of sleep, illness, and lackluster nutrition can all claim blame.

On the other hand, if you almost never feel good by Tuesday and you are prioritzing recovery, you could just have unlucky genetics (some people are just more prone to soreness) or you need to reorganize your training schedule so you feel better by the time you are running again.

The other thing to consider is that you really don't need to feel perfectly fresh for an easy run. If you are running adequately slow enough, an easy run can help promote recovery, but every step isn't going to feel awesome.

But we do want you feeling fresh to run fast on your speed days, so be sure you plan enough recovery time in between.

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podcast

Nearly as important as strength training itself, the timing of when you lift is very important, especially if you have big running goals.

Time it wrong and strength training can actually hinder your running progress.

But get it right and your strength program will be the perfect complement to what you are already doing in your running shoes.

On today's Planted Runner Podcast, I’ll reveal when to schedule strength training so that it's most beneficial for you and your running.

You’ll learn:

• why alternating running and strength training days is a bad idea
• how to schedule strength if you run in the evenings, and
• how to make it all work when you have limited time

Turns out the two most compelling reasons to strength train are number one, it makes you a better runner, and number two has nothing to do with running.

Strength training makes you better at life.

Just be sure you get the timing right!

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inspo

"Happiness can be achieved through training the mind."

—Dalai Lama

Have a great run today, Coach Claire

P.S. Find your tribe! Get the accountability and support you need to crush your spring goals with the PR Team. You'll get a custom training plan, coaching from me, and my best Planted Runner digital programs and products (like Find Your Flow State) for free. And oh yeah, it's also a lot of fun!

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.

Being a part of this email community ensures that you first access to everything we have coming up – from free running and nutrition guides, to events like workshops and retreats, and so much more to help you get results.

I'm so glad you're here and my inbox is always open. Feel free to reply with questions or feedback!

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