The Hitchhikers Guide to Running

“Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space” - Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. 

This is an apt intro to this series. As I am getting down to writing and planning this series, runners can draw a lot from this intro. The more you get into running, the more you find there is to learn. The main thing to remember is "DON'T PANIC".

The team here at Run Republic love running. It becomes addictive. If it's planning to run a marathon such as Dublin, or running a 10k and having a few pints after, running is a great past time which brings together people of all abilities. It doesn't matter if you're a sub 20 minute 5k, or if doing a 5k in 40 minutes is where your PB is now, the simple fact of the matter is we are all on the same journey.

If you are new to running, or see yourself as a veteran, getting ready for a race or training or recovery can be tough. I know this first hand with little aches and pains, work getting in the way, losing interest; you say it, we've all been there at some point. There's no easy way to train or to improve. We are not a homogenous "Borg Collective" who have a the same group or hive thought process, where what works for one must work for all. No. We are a group of, some would say crazy, lets just say determined individuals, running for our own reasons, and in our own way.

That said, we can experience similar injuries, similar issues, similar periods of being bored or just not in the mood to run. When people ask why I set up Run Republic, it's for just that reason. I'm not an elite runner, I dream of it, may even have it in me to run a sub 3:00 marathon if I really knuckle down to it, but that's the limit of my ability. And you know what, that's fine. My uncle Michael dreamed of running sub 4:00, and we did it together in Newry just 5 weeks after trying to break 4 in Padua Marathon and missing it by one minute. Run Republic doesn't care if you are Usain Bolt, or the tail walker of a Parkrun. You are one of us, and that's what counts.

So with that, I've tried to break down what my problems are when I go for a run. This series of blog posts will cover most of the things I've got wrong at one point or another, and some steps on how you can learn from my mistakes, and train better.

If you are reading any of these blogs, and are thinking to yourself "I'd love to write and send something in to Run Republic", then do!! We'd love to hear from you, and would be more than happy to share your story!!

So what will I cover? This list will grow as the weeks go on, but the topics will be:

• Planning your Race Calendar
• Improving your Diet
• Reducing Injuries
• Getting the right Gear
• Improving your Calendar and Schedule
• Getting Faster
• Getting Over Aches and Pains
• Becoming King/Queen of the Long Run
• Enjoying your Journey
• Kicking Ass
• When Life gives you Lemons, throw them away and get a beer

These blogs and advice will be speaking from my point of view. I'll be speaking with coaches and other people during the next few weeks, and more than likely, they'll point out more things I did wrong! I hope you enjoy what's to come!!