Coaches Corner: Coach Forest Braden's Golden Rules of Training and Racing!

The newest segment to my blog has just launched! The "Coaches Corner" will feature advice from some of the best, brightest, and most intuitive coaches and athletes in our community. No topic will be left untouched and I actively encourage anyone who would like to participate and share their knowledge to contact me and we can make it happen! 


The first entry comes from Forest Braden, cross country and distance coach at my alma mater UCLA. Coach Braden has a wealth of experience, competing professionally with Team Indiana Elite as well as coaching under the great Pat Tyson at Gonzaga University. Entering his third year at UCLA, Coach Braden shares with us his markers for successful training and racing! 


Coach Fo’s Golden Rules of Training/Racing

1. Run hills!!! Always go the hillier route on a run. If you see a hill coming but it's time to turn around, GO UP THE HILL. Run that 2 extra minutes. It will make you strong and tough and build a discipline that you will use while racing. Don't be a candy-ass up the hill. Run every hill strong and in control. Push the hills and use the flat or downhill to recover if you need it.

2. There's not much traffic on the extra mile. If you are thinking about going either 7 or 8 miles, go 8 and a half. If you are healthy go the maximum plus some. Do those 10 extra push-ups. Do the extra set of sit-ups in the morning. Make it a lifestyle. DO MORE AND DO IT BETTER!

3. Embrace the pain. Think about what this means. When you race YOU WILL HURT. If our sport was easy everyone would do it. When the pain gets really bad, push through the pain and you will reach a new pain threshold. You might have to stay tough and push through it for 1 minute or 2 minutes or 5 minutes but if you hold on and don't give in YOU WILL BREAK THROUGH THE PAIN.

4. Take a chance! You have to try in order to succeed. A gamble won't always work out but when it does, you realize that your potential for success is unlimited.

5. Have confidence in your training. Believe in what you are doing. Step to the line KNOWING you are ready to run. YOU WORK HARDER THAN YOUR COMPETITION!! Believe this and kick some ass!!!!

6. Stay Positive!!!! Don't say or act negatively it only hurts yourself and your team.

7. Get mean. Race like you've got something to prove. Get mad and take it out on the competition.

8. Stay Hungry. Don't ever settle. YOU ARE BETTER THAN THE STATUS QUO!

9. Run for each other. WE ARE A TEAM. Don't let your teammates down by giving less than your best. Missing a long run or a workout hurts EVERYBODY.

10. Set goals. Know what you want and work towards it everyday. Write your goal down. Make yourself accountable. 

11. VISUALIZE!!! Think about how the race is going to play out. Go over it in your mind. Picture yourself accomplishing your goals. IT HELPS, I PROMISE!!!!!

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I still keep these tenets of training on hand whenever I need to reset myself and you can too!