These were the notes I recorded during our Jump Start Meeting #1 as part of the Women’s FIT Team.  Regardless of who you are or your level of experience as a runner, these principles apply to all:

1.       Foundation/Base Building:  You must have a strong and durable foundation upon which to build your sports training—the broader the base, the higher the peak.  Several months of training will develop your circulatory system, flush out toxins, build a stronger heart, increase blood flow, and condition your joints to the impact of exercise.

2.       Consistency:   helps create rhythm, discipline, and courage.  Schedule time for yourself—a short workout is better than no workout.  Endorphins help relax the body to the point your body craves exercise.

3.       Adaptation to Progressive Stress:  Your mind and body will adapt to your progression.  Workouts need to be intense and often enough to make a difference, but doing too much too soon will set you back with fatigue, stress, and injury.  You’ll experience a lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and lower body weight over time.

4.       Recovery:  necessary to build and repair tissue as well as mental recovery.  Do a running workout one day, then cross training the next (weight training, swimming, yoga, etc.), known as active recovery.  Take off 24 hours to allow a full recovery. 

5.       Specificity:  Train for your sport:  Tennis players play tennis every day, but run for endurance (known as a “secondary sport”).  Train on the actual or similar race course to avoid injury and be able to safely handle the terrain. 

6.       Individuality:  One size doesn’t fit all, so adapt your strengths and weaknesses to the race you’re training for.  Set realistic goals, balance your family obligations, be flexible.

7.       Confidence:  research sports psychology so that you can train to the best of your ability.  Use positive self talk and visualize crossing the finish line.  TELL yourself you can do it, and you WILL.

8.       Patience/Experience:  you MUST go through all the training steps to reach your goals.  This is a lifetime endeavor; nutrition, training, and rest all play a part.  You get experience by doing.

9.       Extended Goals:   Don’t give up after running one race, make this a lifetime commitment.

10.  Moderation & Balance:  Don’t overdo it.  Training must “fit in” with your lifestyle, not take it over, so that you’ll stick with it.