Did you ever say ENOUGH is ENOUGH? As in this is it. If yes, how did you reach that conclusion? What factors did you consider before you uttered this statement? Oh sorry you thought this is a motivational blog LOL yes actually it will be but you got to first listen to the,

Indeed, H E I K O is my name.A passionate run and endurance coach  Oh did I tell you that for all the courses that I offer, or the books  actually they are all registered under a German brand. Yup all certified  even got fancy documents that proves it used fancy paper, cost a small fortune but yes why am I telling you this? Well because I see, let me start at the beginning.

I have always been blessed really to be a healthy type of runner. And I enjoyed that privilege. Really made the most out of it. Ran as often and as far as I could. Ran since my childhood days, or have been running since then. And somehow merged into a #no excuses runner. See during all those runs, be it on my own on a trail, or during a race, perhaps. 10K or a marathon  the thoughts about running and how to share that with people. It crystallized in my mind. You know how I can give something to those that don’t have that mindset. And hey I am not putting myself here on a pedestal. I am not some hero runner  or ex-Olympic gold medal athlete. No. I am simply reacting to what I heard from so many people across the globe. Oh, I used to run, or yes, I once ran a marathon  out of shape ex runners’, or runners who felt like they must ask me how far I run a week in order to establish or reflect whether they will also call themselves a runner.

Why are you asking me? Tell me about your run. Don’t tell me about your knee, or lack of time. And don’t tell me about your excuses either. It’s like arguing for your limitations. 

That’s when it clicked  we are part of a mass media machine. The whole consumer driven strategy makes us lose sight of the simplest of pleasures. Come on, you know this. Actually, anyone can step outside and if you are somewhat in shape do a 3K. Or perhaps a 7 or 10K. It is possible. Especially to those that abandoned running. It’s something that is holding them back. And seeing that spark in their eyes blogs how that memory of running still has an effect. Great. That’s what I wanted to do something about. Get runners to run further To im[rove, to get the most out of such an easy low barrier entry sport, that actually not only has so many benefits, but also gives you so many life lessons. 

What I mean by that is, the thoughts became totally clear.

And then once I had my coaching certificate I somehow had that feeling that you know  there is something missing. It’s like  all this nutritional advice, all the equipment’s reviews, are they all what it’s about? I mean really for a runner  

Do you really need to spend so much time analyzing and comparing your running gear?  

Of course, nothing wrong if you need some nutritional advice  and you get an answer   but what I want to say is  if you are focusing too much on one thing  it will lead to an imbalance. An uneven level from which you are trying to build and improve your running. 

And no, I am not speaking to you pointing my finger looking down on you LOL nope rather I know what it’s like. 

I remember when I noticed my nutrition wasn’t really giving me the best fueling the best recovery  and no  if you are a newbie listener this is NOT where I place a 4 minute ad about a special ultra-healthy energy gel, and offer you a discount coupon. No no ads here, no bad language either. That’s not what the blog is about. It is really about helping you to become a better runner. And the dangers of diving down rabbit holes, and becoming specialists on the added benefit of a compression shirt, compression socks  That’s a specialty you cannot afford to be specializing in as a runner. 

By the way, not sure if it is true, I don’t recall who said it, but the specialization is for ants. 

OK, but back to focusing too much on one thing. There is an exception to this rule. There is one point you should always focus on. That’s what the whole blog, or the whole Advanced Endurance Coaching setup is about  

To summarize it in one word  it is about attitude. Yup  let’s make that more precise  your attitude.  An attitude that builds perseverance. And I need to quote from the bible here  this verse is a perfect fit, it is another cornerstone on what I personally have felt to be a major the major building block James 1:2-4 – Keep Going To Be Transformed. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Nothing will act more like a turbo boost, than developing a great mindset. Of course, along with training, running, doing stretching when it says doing stretching. Doing a sprint workout when it says so in the calendar. Sticking with the training regime.  This allows your body to transform. 

This mindset, yes it has its roots in the professional side of the sport. And not just running. I have a great example: have you ever seen the Nikolai Jokic  Basketball Player in the NBA, who by the way might end up becoming the MVP of the year. That’s the most valuable player. Actually, I doubt that he ever believed himself that he might reach that level. 

Imagine that. 

When he first started playing for the Nuggets  his right name  is  Denver Nuggets  I am not sure how the story goes, but in the first exercise session he saw his teammates do some or other exercise which. And I don’t remember it correctly, see that’s the downside of not preparing correctly  but I prefer to talk to you as though you are really here as though we are in a running environment. You have picked up on the uniqueness of this blog. 

No uhmms  na aaahms  no awkward movements or silly let us try to fill up that 60 minutes of blog. 

Ok yes back to Denver Nugget, Nikolai Jokic and as he started training with his teammates. He saw XXXX do a set of exercises and immediately decided for himself, NO WAY I cannot do that.

He was or is a tall guy and had some excess weight, just wasn’t in the shape of fitness his teammates were in. 

In the first couple of games he played, the press would joke that when he jumps you could juuuuust or hardly slide a sheet of paper under his feet. LOL  how nasty that is.

But what he did do is  he transformed himself. He still is huge, but he developed his strengths, he increased his level of fitness. This together with the skill he possesses of reading and studying the game, means now he not only excels at reading the current game, the position of where his team players are, and more important where they will be. For those of you that prefer football or soccer, image: A bit like Real Madrid Kroos and Mandzukic. 

Controlling the game by drawing more players on themselves, thereby freeing up or giving more space to the attackers, and then launching a precise pass into an open space and baaam next thing attacker comes, grabs the ball, SCORES.

And you really should go to YouTube, no not now  after the blog, after you have listened to it, given a rating, and then look at Joker’s best moments. Incredible. Oh and whilst you are on YT have a look at some of the videos on advanced endurance coaching  

OK 

Now what has this got to do with running. Well actually the story isn’t finished yet. Nikolai Jokic quickly made a name for himself  and performed well enough to get recognition. I mean imagine it. Basketball players, even a not so famous one, earn more than the average wage earner. I am sure  YES  there must be enough in that salary check to pay for some luxury lifestyles. 

Did Nikolai Jokic stick with it? Did he say enough is enough?

Nope You should see the transformation. 

He changed his nutrition, started training his body more seriously, and started focusing on his level of fitness. Started to reflect on areas he can improve on. 

So what am I saying? Well he changed his attitude. HE could have reasoned with himself, that this is good enough, but no something happened. 

And it wasn’t the gear, it wasn’t the compression shirt  it was the mindset. Inside of himself, something went CLICK. He didn’t settle for enough is enough. 

He like many other pro athletes, and if you don’t like basketball I am sorry to have used that comparison, I never used to like basketball either until I had the chance to visit some live games whilst in the US  what a game, the speed, the power, the skill 

But fine, back to running. Remember the blog about Alberto? Did he say enough is enough? Did he settle for what was an excellent reputation, plus an understandable reason for quitting? Has numerous injuries?  No way, he pushed on through. He had an attitude reset.

Of course, there are some extreme examples, where even I have to just shake my head in awe  And yes, again it is a Comrades marathon example. Fr a second imagine what it takes to run a   or different let me ask you: Would you like to run a 2:20 marathon pace? Whow, I know I wouldn’t mind. 

That would require you to run  5:20 per mile 3:20 per kilometer pace 

Now imagine, Bruce Fordyse, I think it was his 6th Comrades preparation, or in preparation for his 6th comrades (which he won in an excellent time by the way). He had changed his training. 

Now remember he had already won it the past 5 years, he had nothing to prove. But he changed his training so that he could run the last 20KM of the 90 KM comrades at a pace equal to that of a 2:20 marathon time.

How impressive is that? How powerful. What made him do that? What made him resort to pulling that rabbit out of his head? What made him decide to transform his training?

Yup, again, it is a mindset. Not being content with what is but being brave enough to strive for a higher expectation, for raising that bar. 

Now of course you might not be a PRO runner, hey you might feel today like you are not even a PRO in the area you actually are a pro. Having a bad hair day  as a hairdresser  LOL  not good, but you understand what I want to say.

The message is, that the same principles that Nikolai Jokic or Alberto or Bruce Fordyse used, can and should be used by yourself.

To find out what are you thinking about? In terms of your running. Oh, and let me squeeze this in  you can get a copy of Run Brin Training for Runners’. An excellent BOOK, short quick guide to get you access to methods you can use to start your run transformation. Yes, on Amazon  where I have made a useful diagram, a self-assessment test that will give you a reflection, a mirror image of where or what areas you are overlooking. What are the areas where there is room for improvement? Irrelevant of your age, or current run times.

How Much Running Is ‘Enough’? This Simple Thought Experiment Gives You an Exact Number to Aim For.

Have you ever read some article where some extremely determined runner that runs impressive mileage each week, bemoans their running performance, as though they need to run even more. 

It’s ridiculous that anyone could complain about running 50 or 100 Km per week. Unless the runner doesn’t even realize how privileged he is, and out of touch with the normal middle of the pack runner.

But whilst those runners are perhaps a select few, social media does have a pull effect that drives many runners into a dissatisfied state of mind.

But how to snap out of it? Especially if you are in a running group where this pressure to run far has grown out of proportion.

The answer is simple. Comparison is the thief of all joy. Means, look at your status quo, and take a fresh look at your goals. So, how much running is enough?

The science of running and happiness.

The mileage will of course be different for everyone. Well, it’s obvious NOW as you read this. Naturally it all depends on your circumstances and health fitness level. Researchers are still in a debate as to what are limits, or at what mileage should there be a cutoff point.

There are some runners that run every day, be it a mile, or just half an hour. Here the risk of injury is quite low, as the focus is on daily movement rather than excessive distances. Other runners have run a marathon everyday for a whole year. Some runners still run high miles in their 60’s and 70’s. 

Set your Goal.

One way to calculate your ideal mileage is by focusing on two factors. Time & Goal. How much time you are willing to invest in your running, and what your goal is.

Let’s presume you are a Park runner. You enjoy the community and the time and venue fits your schedule perfectly. What is the use of running every day if your aim is to achieve your personal best on a 5K distance? 

If you haven’t yet done so  do leave me a rating. It will take you less than 30 seconds to do, and it will help other people that are looking and searching for content like this to find it.

Thanks for your time  do check out our range of courses on heikostribl.com 

A bit of a longer blog today, but it’s a complex story. Not just something I can share quickly,  you know, it’s like a motivational pitch, and then you fall into a hole, and actually take two steps back. That’s what a low level motivational video, or blog for that matter will do for you. Hey, and if it helped you get out of the door, fine. But if you really want to become a better, stronger and smarter runner  this is the place. I look forward to hearing about your transformation.

God bless you, share the blog, give it a like, and remember to take it easy.

Make Every Step Count, a running guide that changes your attitude?

And if your first thought is “I doubt it” then definitely you should get the book. Doing the basics, is the best place to go to once you are in a negative rut once your minds cruise around the same negative thoughts. Make Every Step Count keeps you focussed on what matters.

And if that doesn’t help, then do what it says in the bible
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Today I had a lot on my mind. Thanks for your patience. Thanks for your interest. Do leave me a rating and share the blog to someone who needs to hear it. My name is Heiko thanks for reading.
God Bless You and remember, take it easy.