How to hack your running: 9 small changes that make a big difference

There are no real shortcuts in running, but there are plenty of small changes that cost almost nothing and stack up quickly. These are the ones that made the biggest difference for me.

1. Slow your easy runs down

Most runners run their easy days too fast and their hard days too slow. If you can't hold a conversation, it isn't easy. Around 80% of your weekly running should feel genuinely comfortable.

2. Add strides twice a week

After an easy run, do 4–6 relaxed 20-second accelerations to about 90% effort with full recovery between. They improve form and leg speed with almost no fatigue.

3. Nudge your cadence, don't force it

If you over-stride and land heavily on your heel, try increasing your step rate by 5%. Slightly shorter, quicker steps reduce braking forces. Don't chase a magic number.

4. Increase gradually

Build weekly volume steadily and hold it for a week every so often. Consistency over months beats any single heroic week.

5. Sleep is training

Adaptation happens when you recover. An extra 30 minutes in bed will often do more than an extra 30 minutes of running.

6. Fuel long runs

For runs over about 75–90 minutes, practise drinking and taking carbohydrate on the move. Carrying soft flasks on your chest, as with a Freetrain Hydro 2, makes that easy.

7. Remove friction before you leave

Lay out kit the night before. Have one place for keys, phone and card. A vest that's already adjusted means you're out the door in seconds.

8. Stop carrying your phone in your hand

Gripping a phone tenses your shoulder and unbalances your arm swing. Getting it onto your chest frees up your whole upper body.

9. Run with someone occasionally

A club night or a parkrun adds accountability and makes harder sessions feel easier.