“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned in life, ‘it goes on.’”

-Robert Frost

There is mounting uncertainty in the world. It seems that no ones’ life has remained the same as we navigate a growing crisis and changes to daily life. While the call to hunker down and surrender to the doom and gloom mentality might seem tempting, it is also a time to refocus training and gear up for bigger goals. While, in no way do we want to minimize the discomfort and terror a pandemic may cause an individual, it is important to keep hope for a return to normalcy in the future.

For many athletes, canceled races and the absence of running groups makes training seem like a pointless task. However, this open schedule allows adjustments and growth. While increasing miles can compromise the immune system, or lead to moral delemnas of spending too much time outside, a lot of work can be done within your house, or in under an hour of training.

Here are our suggested ways to refocus your training while complying with the stay-at-home order.

Strength:

Now is the time to cut down slightly on your mileage and increase your strength training. Simple core strength and balancing of muscles will help greatly in preventing injuries and helping you find your full power once the miles start increasing. Many workouts can be done with body-weight only, if you do not have your own weights. For other ideas, follow along every Wednesday and Friday morning as our amazing strength coaches lead an at-home strength training class at 6:30 AM MST.

Fixing Form:

Have you gotten a little sloppy over the years of training hard and returning from injuries? Now is the perfect time to ease up a little and focus on practicing good form. Hill repeats, banded resistance training, and recording yourself running can all be useful tools in correcting form. For more suggestions on fixing your form, reach out to our coaching staff.

A need for speed:

Increasing your speed work and focusing on a fast fall is another great use of time during the stay-at-home order. Speed work can take place along your neighborhood street, or even in your back yard. If you do not already have a day for intervals set aside, make the time and improve your race pace.

Time Trials:

While races might have been canceled, that does not mean you cannot use the time to shatter a PR. Map out a course ahead of time and see how fast you can run a mile, 5k, 10k, half marathon, or even a marathon. While it is difficult to maintain race pace without a crowd, this will help you find your true speed and learn the mental tricks of pushing yourself in a race when the going gets tough.

Fall back in love with running:

If you are accustomed to using groups and races as motivation, now may be the time to fall back in love with running alone. Treat your runs like the self-care that they are. Prepare a new playlist, or challenge yourself to run without music, explore paths around your home, or get creative in your own backyard.

Learn about the sport:

Have you ever been curious about the science of training? Now is the time to read and research the sport! If this sounds like a daunting task, reach out to a coach for guidance and support. Lifelong Endurance holds open office hours every Friday from 12-1 PM MST. Submit your questions and watch for the answers.

To follow up with any suggestions, email using the below link. We will connect you with the appropriate staff member to help you find the strongest version of yourself.