Masters Runners: What Running Mistakes Did You Make In Your Teens/20s/30s?

I ran alot of my workouts too hard, leaving my races on the track in a workout. So by race day I often was stale and not fully recovered.

Got married and had kids

Drank too much

I drank too little, actually...water. Probably could have recovered better if I hydrated more.

I trained on hard surfaces more often than I should have.

I was pretty good about doing longer intervals...800s and 100s and miles...but should have done more shorter stuff, 400s and 200s. I think I was afraid of how appalling my numbers for those would have been.

I ate too much and consequently was always 5-10 pounds heavier than I could have been. I believed that idiotic "if the furnace is hot enough..." nonsense.

Gained 50 lbs (I've lost 40 of it and running well again, thank god)

Running too much on roads. Had loads of foot problems but nobody ever mentioned it might be down to this

Get off the roads and on to a park or other softer surface

I truly know now that I could have given 20% more effort in my performances if I did not let the pain hold me back. Most people do not realize they have more strength to offer if they could just tolerate the pain more. Pain affects you mentally thus making you believe you have nothing more to offer. I wish I had known this then.

I didn't do enough core work, preparing my body for hard work.

When i broke down, I really broke down.

I didn't run too much during the 1st 3 years after I graduated college. I may be reaping the benefits of that now, 20 years later, since I have remained fairly injury free. The downside is that I did miss out on what could have been some peak racing years.

In good faith, accepted my own ignorance and that of those around me.

Probably was unable to clearly communicate my sentiments and condition to be better coached.

It might just be a measure of age (teens and early adulthood) and not being in the right Place at the tight Time. To some extent in epochal terms.

By thirties, becoming productive takes most time away from everything.

Still had Fun and liked it.

And it ain't over yet.

PS.

Learning Value from mistakes remains remarkably high and of good quality.

Raced too often, too far, with too little rest. Didn't focus enough on the big ones and took too much of an anytime, any place approach. Didn't take care of the little things: diet, stretching, sleep. Now slowing down more than aging would predict, but, still at it after 28 years of hammerin' miles.

I think I may enjoy it more now, though getting old is a b--ch! I know I appreciate it more now.

If I could do it over again, I would not have made it my "everything" and relaxed and enjoyed myself more. I was too neurotic about my performances to do as well as I was capable of. I think the most successful athletes learn this secret early on, IMO.

Wore those no heel, no frills Onitsuka Tigers in my teens. Made the mistake of moving to cushioned trainers when they became available. Now, back to minimal shoes. The Circle of Life!

"runner"MOM wrote:

If I could do it over again, I would not have made it my "everything" and relaxed and enjoyed myself more. I was too neurotic about my performances to do as well as I was capable of. I think the most successful athletes learn this secret early on, IMO.

Wow I'd like to second THAT opinion. When running performance becomes "everything" then you go into races tense and if and when you do have a bad race you fall off the end of the world.

I know I did this in HS and looking back I can see a pattern of running exceptionally well in small meets and such, but completely choking and gagging it away at most big invitationals.

I started my races too fast, keeping with the leaders for about a mile, and then going backwards -- thinking that one day, I could eventually keep the pace the whole race.

Did my Sunday long runs way too fast. Without a doubt the dumbest thing I did in training.

Agreed. Me too. Some of my workouts were faster than my races. Also, I should have appreciated what I was doing when I was setting PRs and running fast. Too many times I'd set a PR, then think "okay, that's fast, but next time I'll go faster . . ."

MTH wrote:

I ran alot of my workouts too hard, leaving my races on the track in a workout. So by race day I often was stale and not fully recovered.