4 Reasons You’re Not Getting Better No Matter How Hard You Train

Are you a runner or athlete who’s training really hard but not getting any better?  Maybe you’ve hit a wall, feel blocked in your progress, and aren’t sure what to do next.

Today I’m sharing 4 reasons why you may not be reaching that next level, no matter how hard you train.  Let’s dive in.

Lack of Sleep

When we sleep, we recover. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep to feel rested, and you may even need a different amount of sleep depending on your training.

If you’re not sleeping well and you’re not feeling rested, I have some practices and tools to share with you that have been life-changing from me because let’s be honest – when we don’t sleep well it can change everything. Click here to read more about some simple practices for better sleep.

Running Too Hard

Are you over training or running your “easy” days too hard?  Make sure recovery days are truly recovery.  If the run is supposed to be easy, make sure it feels easy. You can do this by tuning in to your own perception of how hard you’re exerting yourself, or even training with a heart rate monitor.

Over-training can leave you spinning your wheels in your training. If you notice you’re not able to maintain a certain mileage or intensity, it could mean that your training load is just too much (at least for right now).

Take a look at what other factors you can adjust (like sleep, nutrition, self-care), and get curious about what you can change.  Sometimes doing one small habit consistently will make a huge difference over weeks or months.

Not Keeping a Training Log

Measuring your progress is key to success in anything. It also helps you see what you’ve actually been doing, where you’ve been improving, and where you’ve been staying the same.

I like to track time and distance on each workout, my perceived level of exertion (0-10 scale, whether it was a positive or negative experience (+ or -), and my sleep (time to bed, time I woke up).

If you don’t keep a training log, you won’t know where you can adjust to improve.  There’s also a good chance you’ll overlook certain elements if you don’t track details – like the fact that you’ve been feeling less recovered the day after a certain type of workout.

Just remember, what you measure improves.

Your Inner Critic is Winning

Who’s winning the mental game? Your inner critic or your inner coach?

Negative inner critic talk is one reason your training may not be getting any better, so here’s 3 steps to stop this from ruining your training.

Step 1: Be Aware of the Inner Critic

Sometimes when the inner critic shows up, we try to ignore her. This is like trying to avoid a child that wants your attention (which doesn’t work so well).

The first step is awareness, and you get power back when you notice the inner critic is there.

It works because you simply realize she’s not you. The inner critic is just someone who showed up to run with you.

You have the choice to take direction from the inner critic or move forward despite her input.

Notice when the inner critic shows up the most, and what she says when…

• You’re getting ready to toe the line at a race?
• You think about doing something scary?
• You feel challenged during a workout?

Step 2: Ask “What are you trying to show me?”

Negative inner critic talk may be there to protect you from harm, disappointment, or failure. If you have a negative experience surrounding an experience, these kinds of thoughts are likely to show up to try and prevent the same from happening again.

It doesn’t mean you can’t do it or shouldn’t attempt something. It simply means the inner critic is trying to help you out (but not really).

Step 3: Say Thank You & Ride It

When the inner critic shows up with fear thoughts, acknowledge that she’s trying to keep you safe.

Doing new things is scary, but when the inner critic shows up to help you avoid hurt, failure, disappointment or rejection, say thank you with genuine appreciation, then let her know that you’ve got this, lean in, and ride it anyway.

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