If you want to change your body, exercise. If you want to change your life, become a runner.

Running is an integral part of any triathlon event, but for some reason it doesn’t get as much attention as swimming and cycling. It might have something to do with the fact that no additional skill is required to run. While that may be true, what is also true is that running requires focused training. It’s not just about putting on a pair of shoes and running to the finish line. It is a test of your strength and endurance as an athlete.

Race training for triathlons is even more specialized. Think about it: running is the last component of a triathlon event. It comes after you have already completed the swimming and cycling course and the fatigue has started to set in.

Also, running with a fresh pair of legs is different from running with a fresh pair of legs. That’s why you need specialized training for triathlon runners.

BuildingStrength

The first thing triathletes should focus on to improve their running strength is to increase their overall strength with a few exercise routines. Triathletes are advised to build up their muscles because a stronger, more powerful muscle is faster, longer lasting, and more resistant to injury.

What do you do to be stronger? Add strength training to your running regimen. Exercises like squats, lunges, good mornings, and plyometric box training are highly recommended to increase power and strength in your leg muscles, and consequently your ability to run longer.

Become a better pure runner

Trainer and published author Matt Fitzgerald, writing for Active.com, says that to become better triathlon runners, triathletes need to be better pure runners. He says the most effective way for triathletes to become better pure runners is to focus on running during the triathlon off-season.

He recommends running a few races during the fall and winter seasons and running up to six times a week to train for them. It would only be a matter of time before you experience an improvement in your running form that you can carry over into the next triathlon season.

Fitzgerald is also of the opinion that triathletes should work on becoming stronger cyclists. “I strongly suspect that strength on the bike is one of the keys to running well off the bike,” she says. To become a tougher cyclist, Fitzgerald recommends riding more, riding faster, or both.

posture is important

Having the correct posture can not only shave several minutes off your running time, it also protects you against sports injuries. Trainer Krista Schultz has some valuable advice to give for maintaining proper racing form.

According to Schultz, it’s important to keep your head in a neutral position. Visualize an apple or soft ball under your chin as if you are trying to squeeze it and look 15 to 20 feet in front of you at all times, being careful not to drop your chin too low or lift it too high.

Your neck should be relaxed and your shoulders relaxed and open, as are your arms. Maintain a neutral pelvis, pull your belly button in and down to keep your core tight and tight, and lift your rib cage, he recommends. Your body should be slightly leaned forward and you should land on the midfoot or heel and push off with your front foot. Ultimately, Schultz says, triathletes should aim to maintain a stride rate of 180 strides per minute.

Eat well

Any triathlete knows that eating the right food is essential for peak performance. He must follow a diet that not only provides him with energy, but also aids in recovery. Simple carbs combined with some protein make the best pre-run snack.

Plus, studies show that caffeine improves running performance, so don’t forget to have that cup of coffee 30 minutes before your run.

get off the beaten path

Runner and writer Brian Metzler strongly advises triathletes not to run all their miles on the road. It’s boring and repetitive with the exact same gait pattern at every step. Instead, he recommends running an extra 10 to 20 minutes on a smooth trail where each step is different. He forces you to change your weight and direction and use dozens of otherwise unused muscles.

Metzler also suggests hill workouts to build muscle strength for a much-needed change from your mundane running routine. Running uphill helps strengthen your leg muscles while increasing speed and stamina.

This workout will really come in handy when you are tired of completing your swimming and cycling course and have a hard time finishing the race.

Metzler recommends two types of hill training: short, fast repetitions (say 8 x 20 seconds) that send you into oxygen debt immediately, or longer repetitions (8 x 200 meters) that start at a moderate pace, but continue they eventually increase in intensity because of the slope.

This off-season, work on building your running strength to become a superior runner and a better triathlete. Show the world how it’s done!