You have planned your running  schedule to the finest detail, but you are still not able to maintain, or stick to a routine. Sometimes the biggest problems have the simplest fix.

There is no need to feel disheartened if you cannot seem to be comfortable with your running training regime. Many women struggle, with modern, busy lives, to fit a run in everyday. Whether you are training too hard, feeling too tired, or suffering from recurring injuries you can take a deep breath – there is a solution out there.

Running on empty

Nothing is worse than getting into your gear and finding that you just cannot kick-start your energy levels. There are two possible reasons for fatigue: an unbalanced diet and too little sleep.

Balancing your diet is easy enough. Remember that the energy needed in running training is produced when your body processes complex carbohydrates. In fact, your diet should be over 60% carbohydrates – most of which should be complex carbs. Visit a dietician to find out what the best eating plan for your body is.

Sleep, on the other hand, is one of the very most important parts of pre-run prep. (This applies to race days too, so listen up!) Sleep is the only time your body can go through some of the most important recovery periods needed to repair itself after running training. If you struggle to go to sleep, try unwinding first with a bath, or a good book.

Pushing yourself too hard

While a tough running training schedule is always good, the danger of pushing yourself too hard is still there. Overtraining happens when you run too fast or for too long and reduce your body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to your muscles. Not only does this reduce your performance significantly, it increases your chance of injury. Instead of pushing too hard, run at a comfortable pace that scales over time.

In the same vein, rest is as important as getting out and about in a running training schedule. Give yourself enough time between runs to have ample rest. As with sleep, rest helps to rejuvenate and repair your body. This leads to a stronger, healthier body which can perform better.

Still have questions about your running regime? Visit our Training section.