You're doing the work, so why aren't you seeing the results? This week on The Runna Podcast, Anya sits down with Coach Steph to break down the four most common reasons runners plateau, and what to actually do about each one.
Do You Actually Have A Goal?
It's easy to say you want to get faster, but that's not specific enough to train towards. Steph explains why having something fixed to work towards, even something small, changes everything.
"I think you need something that you're working towards to feel like your training's got some purpose."
It doesn't need to be a race. It could be pacing a friend or running a parkrun. What matters is the fixed date, and the accountability that comes with it.
Are You Stuck In The "Grey Zone"?
Too many runners train at a pace that's not quite easy and not quite hard, and Steph says it's the single biggest trap new runners fall into.
"What a lot of new runners actually lack is not the ability or the motivation to want to run hard, or the steady grey zone, but they just don't run enough easy."
The fix isn't complicated: make your easy runs genuinely easy, so your hard sessions can actually be hard.
Are You Recovering Properly?
Sleep, nutrition and session spacing all matter more than most runners think, and sleep tops the list.
"If you start getting less than seven hours' sleep a night, your recovery is really going to start to be compromised."
Steph also flags a mistake many newer runners make: stacking hard sessions back to back without easier days in between to actually absorb the training.
Are You Skipping Strength Training?
It's the reason most often cut when life gets busy, but Steph says it's rarely the right one to drop.
"Runners who add strength training to their training plan will see a 6% chance of more likely getting a PB."
You don't need a gym membership to start. Resistance bands, bodyweight drills, or even a Pilates class all count.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or watch on YouTube.