The Happy Runner

Like you and me, Aubrey is an average runner trying to get less average. His youtube channel Aubrey Running is one of the best places for you, if you are an average runner or new to running. You will get information about training, races and a lot of shoe reviews. Aubrey is a man of many running shoes. Well, in this episode we haven't touched running shoes but you'll hear his running story, his plans for next year and a lot of advice for the everyday runner.

Zsofia is the first runner from Hungary I talked to in the podcast. She will not only guide us through her running but will also hive some insights how it was in Bupadest during the athletic world championships and she will share some advice for those of you new to running. Well I have to say that her advice is for all of us, not just those new to running. As in any interview I did we will also touch her running plans and goals for the future.

If you want to run a race in spring, now is the time to start training. We as runners need to build a strong aerobic base before starting with race specific training in the weeks leading up to the race. So base training is what needs to be done in the winter. How, why, when … and many more insights are covered in this episode.

After my last marathon I took some time off of running to rest and recover. I also used the time to analyze my last training plans and make some decisions about what’s next . There will be some changes, not only the races I intend to run, but also regarding my training. You can hear all about the changes I made regarding to training and a rough overview of the races I intend to run next year in this episode.

I trained for 14 weeks, my training went good and I was ready for the second marathon of this year. But sometimes not everything goes to plan … so we need to adopt and do the best we can. When running marathons we mostly have 2 or 3 races a year and if something goes wrong there are not as many chances to get it right. But still we need to stay positive in make the best out of it. Not everything went the way I planned in Ljubljana. I had issues almost from the start. But I was still able to run a good marathon and I finished with a smile on my face.

It's been a while since my last episode ... but here I am again. Just a few days away from my next marathon. So it's time to take a look at my training and to talk about my race goals for Ljubljana marathon. My A goal is to ... hmm just listen to the episode and you'll find out.

I know, if you want to run a sub 1.45 you need to be 15 minutes faster then those who want to run a sub 2 hour half marathon. But the training structure itself is not that different for those two time goals, that's why I decided to talk about both in the same episode. The biggest difference are the paces you'll be training (or running) at and the longrun. The longest longrun for a sub 1.45 half marathon should be over the race distance but for a sub 2 hour half marathon 18k will be enough. If you are looking for a half marathon training plan that works, you can download a free one from the Run and Smile webpage. In case you want a more personalized training plan use the contact for on the page to reach out to me.

S sub 4 hour marathon is a big goal for a lot of marathon runners. But before you even start with such a training plan, there are certain criteria you as a runner should meet. I will let you know if them and why they are important. Another big thing is time you need to dedicate for your training and of course the training structure itself. A sub 4 hour marathon is competitive and therefore a good training structure is important. You'll get the information about what and why in this episode of the podcast. If you need a good sub 4 hour training plan that works, you'll find it on the Run and Smile webpage. And if you want a personalized training plan just use the contact form on the webpage to reach out to me.

After 5 weeks in my marathon training for Ljubljana marathon end of October it's time to talk about my training. I had to deal with quite a few situations the first 4 weeks, so my training was far from perfect. But in the end we don't want to have a perfect training. What we need are consecutive weeks of decent training. Being consistent week after week and getting all those kilometers (or miles) in. The last week at last was a decent training week for me. So right now I'm in a happy place, as you can probably imagine. Just tune in to hear about my first 5 weeks of marathon training.

In a training block that's going over several weeks, we have good runs but also some bad runs. It's perfectly OK to have such runs. In the end they will make us even stronger. What's important is, how we deal with such runs. I had one just a week ago, a good example. I know what went wrong and why ... and I know that I will not repeat the same. Because if I would the same run would not go to plan even the second time. We learn from such runs, learn on how to adjust. If you want more insight on this particular topic or if you need other help with your running, you can reach out to me over the contact form at Run & Smile or send an email to: run@runandsmile.net.

Hydration is one of the most important aspects of running. We all know what we should be doing, but somehow we get it wrong from time to time. There is a fine line between proper hydration, dehydration and over hydration. Yes, even if we drink too much it will cause us problems. Usually the same problems as dehydration and so we think, that we need to drink more. A big mistake, that can cause serious medical issues. I talk a lot of how to get hydration right during a race. It's the same for every other run. Make sure that hydration becomes a daily habit and one thing less to worry about before going out on a run.

Do you know your fitness level before starting a training block? If not you may be running your runs way too fast, that can result in fatigue and higher risk of overtraining or even injury. Before we start with a training block we should test or fitness to make sure we will be training according to our capabilities ... not what we hope to be able to run. And during a longer training block an additional fitness test is welcome, so we can adjust our training according to the result from the test. Such a test race doesn't take much time, we can plan one every now and then. After the test be honest with yourself and adjust your training accordingly. Listening to this episode will give you more insight, why running at the right paces in training is important. If you need more help with your training contact me over the Run and Smile webpage or send me an email: run@runandsmile.net

You can just run every run about the same but there will not be much progress. The smarter way is to hire a running coach or you write a training plan fo yourself. The most important thing is, that your plan has a good structure. A structure, that will support you and is tailored to the goals you have. In the first part of todays episode I talk about the structure of my current marathon training block and in the second part I explain how a structure of a training block should look like, from 5k up to the marathon. If you need further assistance with your running, if you are looking for a free training plan or maybe a personalized tailor made training plan just for you, you can contact me over the Run and Smile webpage or you can send me an email to: run@runandsmile.net

When becoming more competitive and trying to run faster and further, running can soon become a second full time job. Don’t let it happen. Running should be something that makes us feel good, something we enjoy and love to do. I know we all follow training plans to achieve our goals. There are distances and paces we should be running in order to do so but still, try to run more by effort and feel. In the end effort is the only metric your body understands. You'll find a few tips in this episode that you can follow if running becomes too serious.

Today I host Kit. A runner, youtuber and a triathlete. She will share some insights into her running background and talk, why entering running races is a good thing. More then that she will also give some advice for those new to running and those of you who just started. Who knows, maybe she will even inspire you to lace up your shoes and go outside. And as promised, here is the way to her youtube channel: click

As most of us I was not lucky enough to run London marathon next year. Now with this out of the way I made my final plans till the end of this year. Not just around the races I'm gonna run but also how I'm gonna train for my next marathon. Sure: there are some things that will just stay as they are but otherwise I'm gonna try out a few new things and from the first few weeks I did some of them I know they work. If you need help with your training or if looking for a training plan or coach go over to the Run and Smile webpage to contact me.

It there a magic formula, a quick fix that will make you run faster? Well if there is such a thing please share the information with me. As far as I know it takes time, dedication, consistency, hard work and mental strength … and that is the ugly truth about running faster.

Summer started a few days ago in the northern hemisphere. It’s warmer and the outside conditions during the next few months will not be in our favor. In this episode you'll find my tips, that will help you to enjoy your runs even during those hot summer days. Maybe the best of all advices is the goal and reward system I talk about. It's the first time I'm trying this for myself and after just a few weeks I can see that it work. At least for me. If you are looking for a good drink mix you can check out victus sports. It's an affiliate link and I get a small commission from each purchase: victus sport

There are many different was or techniques to overcome dark thoughts when running a race, a long or a fast run. I speek mostly from my own perspective and what helps me. Most important is to mentally prepare yourself for the race. You'll find more on the topic in the previous episode of The Happy Runner. If you are well prepared, chances are that you may not drift away into the dark. At the end of this episode I also give my thoughts, why we get dark thoughts during races. If you want to get more tips or you need a training plan for yourself you'll find all of it and more at the Run and Smile webapge

Mental training for a race starts way before race day. For me it starts when I plan my next race and start working on my training plan. Personally I think that with mental training our running will improve. Not only the speed we are running at. We will be happier, more focused and running will become easier and more manageable, even on those harder days. I use a lot of visualization techniques when preparing for races. Why I do them, how I do them and when? Well, you will find out this and even more in this episode. If you need help with a training plan or your mental training, contact me over the Run and Smile wepbage