Whether you’re prepping for your next marathon or just dipping your toe into running, one thing holds true: preparation is key. Of course, life happens, and those good intentions to hit the pavement on the regular are all too easily sabotaged by British weather, work, injury, friends and family.
The good news is twofold: not only are there heaps of benefits to taking your training inside from time to time, it’s also easy to do. Here are four ways to train for your next running goal without even leaving the house.
Perfect your plan
Prep is everything when it comes to hitting your running goals, so it makes sense for it to form a key part of your at-home training. Before you even lace up your trainers, sit down and find a training plan that works for you based on your running level and the race time you’re hoping to achieve.
The next bit is sticking to it. It can be a good idea to make it visual, checking off days and run types day-to-day or week-to-week to make sure you’re on track and moving your body in a way that’s appropriate for your goals. It’s also wise to make time for a weekly check-in, noting down your times and anything you’re noticing physically and mentally about your training that can help you personalise your plan and smash your run.
Make friends with tech
Training for a big run doesn’t have to mean being a puritan to the pavement anymore, especially when tech has evolved to the point where it can be a great training companion. Technogym is the pioneer of home gym equipment, and its at-home Technogym Run treadmill is primed to help you run like a well-oiled machine, whether you’re training for your first long run or a biggie like the London Marathon.
Not only is it neighbour-proof, with sound absorbing technology, but in a major first you can also train both power and cardio from your treadmill, with a library of at-home bootcamp and on-demand workouts and guides to accompany your jogging, making sure you have all-round power for race day.
There’s no denying that training for a big distance can mean long stints. The pros of doing that at home with a treadmill is that you can watch Netflix, scroll socials and check out YouTube while you do it, thanks to an inbuilt theatre entertainment system with a 27” Full HD touchscreen LED display. Meanwhile the Technogym app has over 1,000 workouts to help you customise your training to your specific needs and get the most out of your run.
Which all means that whether you’re a gym loyalist looking to bridge the gap between strength and running, or a pro runner looking for ways to optimise your training at home, equipping yourself with the Technogym Run is something for serious consideration.
Nail your nutrition
From Runners World for Valencia Tourism Lily Chapman stresses that thinking about your nutrition throughout your training process, and not just at the end, is of utmost importance. Not only has it been shown to reduce obstacles like fatigue onset and the rate of perceived exertion (how hard you feel your body is working), it can also help you avoid longer recovery times and loss of muscle mass.
She recommends practicing things like mindful eating, where you pay attention to your body's hunger cues and cravings, as well as a more mathematical approach when you're at home. In the weeks before your big run, she advises: "As a rule that suits most people, your daily intake should be devoted to around 50% carbohydrates, 25-35% fat and the rest protein.
"However, this is very generalised. Carbohydrate [levels] may increase if your training load is very endurance-specific, or reduce on rest days where you're not expending as much energy." In that case, she says, you might make up the difference with protein, which will help with muscle synthesis.
When it comes to race day itself, Chapman suggests opting for foods with minimal fat, fibre and protein to help avoid gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, belching, heartburn, bloating or cramps – which will definitely cramp your PB.
Get mindful
Running is often associated with positive mental benefits such as improved mood, stress relief or, if you’re lucky enough, ‘runner’s high’. Something less frequently spoken about is how mental health can impact your running performance. Studies have found, for example, that meditation can reduce high blood pressure, help symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and improve insomnia, all of which have obvious knock-on effects when it comes to your training.
What's more, there's evidence that meditation can lead to a higher threshold for exhaustion and fatigue, meaning you can push that extra bit harder. Best of all, it's easy to do at home – using a guided meditation app or video for five minutes before bed, for example. It’s the two-way street that can tie your physical and mental training together to make sure you give the performance you’ve been gearing up for.
Find out more about how to train for your next run with Technogym Run online Whats more, theres Technogym app.