{"id":1420,"date":"2024-02-07T16:07:13","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T16:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/completeathlete.uk\/?p=1420"},"modified":"2024-02-07T16:07:53","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T16:07:53","slug":"3-instant-changes-that-improved-my-5k-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/completeathlete.uk\/3-instant-changes-that-improved-my-5k-time\/","title":{"rendered":"3 instant changes that improved my 5K Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
I don\u2019t like talking about instant fixes but\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The thing that grinds my gears most about fitness advice on Instagram is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
it seems like everything and anything is achievable right now.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
While I say nothing is off limits, we don\u2019t see the years of hard work that went into that 10 seconds of pretty video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I do think it\u2019s a great space to pick up tips, but only if you are willing to be patient, persistent and consistent with whatever you pick up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, \u201crun slower\u201d is a brilliant tip but will take years of doing it to realise the benefit of doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It did make me think though – are there any tips that had an instant impact when I implemented them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It goes against my ethos of slow progression but if I can unblock the road for just one person reading this, that will be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I resembled a brick wall trying to jog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been running for just over 3 years now and after coming into it with bodybuilder-tinted glasses, there\u2019s plenty I have had to learn and unlearn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During my first year of running, I really did resemble a brick wall trying to jog\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was inefficient, far from elegant, didn\u2019t go very far and didn\u2019t go very swiftly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without meaning to gloat, I\u2019ve got a lot better at this running thing (while still maintaining my ability to pick heavy things up and put them down again) but it\u2019s mostly been very slow through a lot of persistency and consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, I want to share with you some of the tips that were instant unblocks in my progression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These tips weren\u2019t just lucky picks, these were either pointed out to me by someone or something went catastrophically wrong that needed fixing – learn from my mistakes \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stand tall, relax and lean forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
This was continually pointed out to me by my mate Charlie. I used to run in the most rigid looking way. I was leaning back, with my head and chest pointed to the sky, my elbows were tight and way out to the sides (to make room for my massive lats, lol jk) and it just looked more like speed walking\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Stand Tall<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
First fix is to stand as tall as you can, imagining that a piece of string is lifting your head up (facing forward) and your feet like they\u2019re floating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Relax<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine there are lasers connecting your ears and shoulders. You want to make sure that laser distance is as big as possible. Every time you detect your shoulders getting closer to your ears, take a big exhale to relax your shoulders back where they should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your arm motion should be pulled back from your elbows only, with your shoulders relaxed, just allowing your arms to naturally swing to balance out every stride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lean Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead of leaning backwards like a bodybuilder, you want to be leaning forwards from your ankles to the point where you start feeling like you\u2019re going to fall forward. Use that momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Warming up before hard runs and races<\/h2>\n\n\n\n