New year's resolutions are sometimes frowned upon because we associate them with fads and things that fall down after a few weeks. However, it's certainly a time when a lot of us are thinking about improvements.

In today's episode, I propose some subtle shifts to think about for 2024 that will help you improve massively in your running. With everything, it doesn't have to be all or nothing but improving a few percent in each area will undoubtedly make a huge difference.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

In the week leading up to Christmas I take a more light hearted approach by discussing some running items I would like to see in my Christmas cracker.

I wear my different metaphorical hats (thanks to my old software boss for that idea!) and give a few outlooks to focus on for 2024 and I also present some terrible running/Christmas jokes.

Thank you so much for supporting the podcast this year and have a wonderful end to the year.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

My guest Jacqui Maxwell is an incredible athlete, coach and inspiration to others in Cadence run club which she founded during Covid.

Today, we talk about Jacqui's first foray into running, how training and goals have changed as she has got older, how the running scene has changed and so many more women are now running and her love for Valencia as a running mecca.

Please follow Jacqui on instagram @cadencejmni

https://www.instagram.com/cadencejmni/

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

With just one month of the year left, there is still time to put in one last good performance to cap the year off and the 5k is the perfect race to have a go at this winter.

In this episode, I go through all the tips and tricks in training, mindset, preparation, nutrition and execution that helped me to run my first sub 17 5k at a local parkrun event last weekend.

You too can better your 5k time by getting a little bit more specific about 5k training, balancing it with a good aerobic base of mileage and getting your head in the right space to be ambitious yet sensible in your next 5k race.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

This week I dive into more detail about the macronutrients, protein, fat and carbohydrate and how all three are important for runners to help with our strength, endurance and speed.

This episode gives you more information to base your choices on and makes the case for protein being the main cause for concern amongst runners.

I discuss a few of the different diets out there and how incorporating as many foods as possible is going to serve you best as a runner.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

In today's nutrition episode, I talk about what exactly nutrients are and how to get them sufficiently in your diet. I explain the different roles these nutrients play in the body and why they are important for runners.

Nutrition can be as complicated or as hands off as you like but I think the best approach is one where you understand in general terms what role different foods play in the diet and focus on getting enough of each type of food in your diet.

In the show, I refer to a nutrition calculator to get a ballpark idea of calories (and potentially protein too) which you can find here:

https://www.therunningrules.com/nutrition-calculator/

Another great resource is the nhs eatwell plate which you can find here:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

Fresh (or not so fresh!) from representing Northern Ireland at the masters international cross country race in Glasgow, I talk about the ups and downs required to even get to the start line, nevermind the undulating course!

I tell the story of the weekend including when and how I found out that I would be starting the international race and how the race went for me.

Finally, I reflect on how I feel now I've achieved a goal that was years in the making. Hopefully, I provide some inspiration to find your own big challenge and go after it, knowing that sometimes we have to push outside our comfort zone and that the journey never really ends.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

With autumn races coming to a close and moving into the winter, I start looking ahead to 2024 with suggestions of goals to keep you motivated in your running.

I talk about checking in with your 'why' using Maslow's hierarchy of needs to determine what running means to you and whether big goals are important.

I talk about short and long term goals, why they can lead onto each other but they don't necessarily have to and I pull examples from my own running career to show where I did and did not have strong goals.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching

This is part 3 of my journey to the International XC in Glasgow, my first time as part of the NI Masters team.

This week I talk about my training this week with 5 takeaways for your own training. I also talk about the timeline for next week leading up to the race weekend!

If there's anything you would like to know through this mini-series, please DM me on IG ⁠⁠⁠@therunningrules