Summary: Running faster is something many runners aspire to do but don't always have an understanding of how to do so or maybe just a few ideas. Often times how to improve gets lost in an overload of scientific information which while useful fails to account for the entire story. Improving your speed as a runner is very much an art as it is science. Julian Goater has been competing in athletics for over 30 years. After winning two English school titles at 5k and cross-country, Julian went on to represent England and Great Britain in long distance track and cross-country events for 12 years. Among his many accomplishments he won the 1981 UK National Cross Country Championships by a record two minutes, gaining fourth place in the World Cross Country Championships in the same year, and winning a Commonwealth Games bronze medal at 10k in 1982. Julian has come within a few seconds of setting UK records at both 5K and 10K, and his times of 13:15 and 27:34 still rank in the UK's all-time top 10 times. Today he is still an athlete, a coach, a sports massage therapist and co-author of The Art of Running Faster with Don Melvin which was released last year. In this episode Julian and I discuss not only his background and his running career but dive into his thoughts on becoming a faster runner: Understanding the 5 factors to faster running: Speed, Strength, Stamina, Suppleness and Skill How to improve each of these factors to run faster What obstacles get in the way of training for speed How to overcome training at just one pace Actionable tips that you can implement to run faster Overcoming self imposed limits that hold you back from reaching your potential When setting race targets can actually become limits How training for a mile or 5K can improve your marathon time Supplemental activities to running that can help improve your running Julian's tips for race day How to plan for a faster pace in the marathon than you trained at Julian also gives a personal recount of his memorable performance in the 1981 UK National Cross Country Championship when he experienced one of the greatest running experiences of his life when he jumped out to an early lead and never looked back winning the race by nearly two minutes. He shares detail of that experience so that you can learn to identify when you might be having one of your best performances as a runner so you can capitalize on it. Quick Tip I share a tip to help you pick up the pace late in a half or full marathon to finish strong and to regain your pace. Links Mentioned in the Show Feel Good Factors - Julian's Website The Art of Running Faster - Get Julian's Book
