The new year can be a great opportunity for runners to take on goals that will help them become better, stronger and more varied. Here are four unique ways to supercharge your running in 2017:
1. Race a different distance each month.
Many runners get somewhat stuck running a specific distance. We become accustomed to running marathons or half-marathons and that just becomes “what we do.” But there are so many other distances out there, and how better to discover your true talents than to race a whole bunch of them in one year?
[See: 9 Empowering Women’s Races You Should Enter.]
For instance, over the course of the year, try to race twelve different distances: 800 meters, 1,500 meters, 3,200 meters, the mile, a 5K, an 8K, 5 miles, a 10K, 10 miles, a half-marathon and a marathon. And, if you can, cap it off with a 50K trail run. If you’re having trouble finding a race at one of these distances, substitute a multi-sport event such as a triathlon or duathlon. The intent of the challenge is to sample a variety of distances and experience races on tracks, roads and trails. You’ll be a more versatile runner — and you may just find a distance or discipline that surprises you.
2. Become a specialist in a new area.
Another fun way to sample different types of running is to specialize in one area for a season and then move on to something else the next year. I, for one, spent one year trail running, one year focused on the ultramarathon and one year only running short track races.
Committing a whole season to one sport steeps you in that part of the sport and its culture. By doing multiple events and training with new people, you will experience more than just putting a toe in the water and sampling one event. For example, you may have been running on the road for years and then come to find that you love running on trails. If you change disciplines every year for a while, you may find a new zest for trying “the next thing” at the end of each year, too.
[See: 13 Fun Sports That Burn Calories.]
3. Try multi-sport.
If you’re like a lot of runners, you’ve probably been tempted to do a triathlon, but may have dismissed it because taking on three sports just seemed too overwhelming. But there are more multi-sport events than just swim-bike-run triathlons. You could register for a duathlon (run-bike-run), an aquathlon (run-swim-run) or an aquabike (swim-bike). You could also look to off-road and even winter multi-sport events. The genre offers new opportunities to build skills and fitness outside of what you may have been doing in your running. Take a look at a local race publication to see what’s offered in your area or check out USA Triathlon, the sanctioning body of multi-sport — even outside of triathlon.
[See: 10 Themed Races to Make Getting in Shape Fun.]
4. Race in a variety of places and venues.
I frequently hear stories of runners who have done the same races year in and year out, almost having it become a matter of habit. I had run a race 15 times before I finally took it off my “bucket list.” To keep things fresh and interesting, start by expanding the places you race. Like those runners trying to run a marathon in every state to get into the “50 states club,” mixing up races gives you geographic and social variety. And don’t let travel budgets be the barrier to trying something like this; race in another county or just the next major city away. I have been known to head to remote parts of my state to participate in small running events, just to experience new people and places. A bonus? You get to add a great deal of variety to your race shirt collection.
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4 Creative Ways to Challenge Yourself as a Runner in the New Year originally appeared on usnews.com
