Run It: Six Runners Share The Best and Worst Advice for Runners

Six running bloggers share the Best and Worst running advice

You've probably heard some form of unsolicited advice from friends, family or complete strangers when you tell them that you're a runner. Maybe they tell you you're knees will be trashed when you're older (which is a total myth!) or they tell you to load up on pasta the night before a big race, whatever the advice you've received there's probably an equal mix of good and bad advice.

This month on Run It, each blogger is sharing some of the best and worst advice they've received as a runner. Here's some of the best and worst advice I've heard in my days as a runner:

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Worst:

"Attack the hill."

[Don't attack the hill. Divide your effort into thirds: run steady the first third, increase your cadence and foot turn over in the second third and then in the final third, give your biggest effort as you crest the hill and run through the crest of the hill.]

"A longer stride will make you a faster runner."

[I read this in a magazine over 15 years ago and tried to change my stride to make it longer, which resulted in over striding-which is worse than heel striking.]

"Fasted runs will teach you to burn fat."

[This one's probably debatable, but a really long fasted run can probably cause more problems and decrease recovery than is worth the potential benefits of running fasted.]

Best:

"Don't chase times, chase other runners. They will always pull you along and help you run faster than you would if you focus on a goal time. "

"Take and off-season."

"When you're running a 5K and feel yourself get out of breath, take a deep breath every 800 meters to help regulate your heart rate and relax your breathing."

"The most important night of sleep is not the night before, but two nights before your big race."

Checkout Allie's post: