Run Faster.
Run Longer.
Don’t Get Hurt.

I was on a call today with Michael Silva, a nationally known physical therapist, exercise physiologist, and certified strength and conditioning specialist. He told me these three things are the goals of every runner.

Run Faster.
Run Longer.
Don’t Get Hurt.

He’s right. What else is there? More importantly, note that each of these goals is measured not against others, but yourself. The goal is not to run faster than someone else. It’s to be the fastest version of yourself. That’s the right comparison to make.

How do you accomplish these things? My understanding has evolved. Like many things, I wish I had known what I know now at a young age.

You have to have a focused training plan. There’s no question here, and most runners figure this out first. Running and having a training plan will work for a long time in your running career. At some point, the gains will diminish and you’ll need to unlock the next levers of growth. Nutrition is the next key factor. I could talk in length, but I won’t here. Suffice it to say that balanced nutrition and giving your body what it needs to perform and recover is essential. Recovery is a key factor. Most forget that recovery is a part of training. You have to stretch, foam roll, and, here it comes, sleep. You have to sleep to recover from training.

Best wishes to everyone chasing their running goals.