Starting my career at The Running School in London marked the inception of my dedication to running, both personally and professionally. As I learnt more about efficient running biomechanics and injury prevention, I became committed to refining my own running technique. Over time, I’ve realised that the more I invest in my personal running journey, the better positioned I am to support others in achieving their running objectives. That being said, I would like to share the lessons I learned during my participation in #REDJan – a challenge that entailed running every day throughout January.

Surprisingly Achievable
While I expected the challenge to be difficult, by the end it didn’t feel like a challenge at all. The greatest obstacle to my running before January was often finding the motivation to head out the door. Committing to a run often felt more daunting than the run itself. However, during January, that decision was predetermined. Rain or shine, I adhered to my commitment, finding solace in the routine.

Consistency is a Non-Negotiable in Habit Formation
Doing something every day, particularly at the same time each day, is the best way to form a new habit. Taking advantage of our natural circadian rhythm, especially with the example of exercise, our bodies beings to anticipate and crave the new habit. This routine was a big advantage when I started my marathon training.

Holistic Benefits
The benefits of daily running extended beyond physical fitness to encompass mental well-being. Notably, I experienced a reduction in anxiety and an increase in self-assurance. Both my physical and mental energy levels surged, contributing to an overall sense of contentment.

Injury Prevention
Contrary to expectation, the daily running regimen did not result in injury. Unlike my past experience with shin splints during marathon training, maintaining shorter, regular runs proved to be effective in increasing my mileage without the occurrence of overuse injuries. I believe this was largely attributed to maintaining better running technique as I was running with less fatigue.

Setting Realistic Targets
In any consistency-based challenge, setting attainable goals is important. I challenged myself to run a minimum to 2km each day, knowing that this distance was achievable no matter what. While my average distance approached nearly 5km per day, the challenge would have been infinitely harder had I set out to run 5km everyday. Having a minimum to work to made the challenge much more achievable.

In sharing these insights, I hope to provide some guidance and motivation for anyone wanting to improve their running or get more physically active. This goal worked particularly well for me, however it might not be suitable for everyone. For personalised guidance on optimising running performance or refining technique, feel free to connect with me!