Running Math Doesn’t Always Add Up

But Running Math Always Makes Sense

When it comes to help with complicated or high-level math, I’m probably not the number you want saved in your phone for emergencies. But if you need help with basic or everyday math… plug my number in on speed dial. You need to know how much to tip after an especially delicious lunch? You need to know the 200-meter splits for a 18:35 5K? How about the time the fifth scorer on your XC team needs to run so you break the team average record at the State Championship meet? Need help figuring out how much your portfolio needs to go up this year to break even after going down so much last year? Ring me up!

I’m not sure what happened or when it happened, but at some point, I just started to struggle with certain kinds of Math. I think it might have been around the time that letters and symbols started to crash the party and make my math tests looks less like math tests and more like an exercise in code breaking. It’s not that I can’t handle weird math. Because I can! In fact, I understand some of the craziest math there is… Running Math. That’s right. Running Math. And I’m now going to share some of the more bizarre formulas there are in Running.

A team divided in half doesn’t equal two teams. A team divided in half equals no team. I’ve been on teams. I’ve coached teams. And one thing I know is that for a team to be a team they need to be a team. Go ahead, read it again. It makes sense. It’s impossible for a team to reach its true greatness and potential if the team is not united or at least working together. That means everyone matters. And that means what matters to the team matters to everyone on the team. Sure, not everyone may cross the starting line on the big day, but everyone helped get that team to the line. And on the biggest race days a great team will tell you that everyone counts whether they raced or not. Because it’s the truth.

Fast running plus fast running equals slower running. Fast running plus slow running equals faster running. Sometimes you need to slow down if you want to speed up. If you’re not running easy when you need to… you’re not going to be able to run hard when you want to. That’s why you have hard days and easy days. That’s why you have long runs and you have recovery runs. That’s why you have running intervals and rest intervals. You need that mix. It’s the right way to train. Remember that the next time you think taking an easy day is a sign of weakness. And then remember that doing the right thing is always a sign of strength.

The faster you get the less faster you can get. (Are you questioning my math and grammar now? The sentence works. Move one.) One of the best parts about running is running fast. What’s even better? Running faster! But it’s essential to know that the jumps in speed get smaller with every jump you take. I’m not being a downer here. I’m trying to be the opposite. What I am saying is that it takes more work to make smaller gains the faster you get. That’s another one worth reading again. And yes, it also makes sense. The better you get at things like distance and pace… the harder it is to get better at those very same things. This is why it is so important to measure your success in this sport by more than the numbers on your watch or the finishing clock. If you can do that then you’ll have more joy taking on that harder work.

More running plus more running equals more running… until it equals no running. The temptation to believe that the way to get better at running means running more is a strong one. And it’s not entirely untrue! The problems start when runners don’t remember that it’s also not entirely true. Eventually more running starts to lead to diminishing returns until more running simply leads to diminishing the running and then diminishing the runner. It’s important to remember that great running is dependent on great recovery. And yes, the answer to the age-old question of “how do I get better” may be the word: more. It just may not mean more running.

You see? I can handle confusing math! Sure, maybe this Running Math doesn’t have a ^ or a * or an x, y or z but this kind of math can get you through a tough period of training or help you get through to a stressed-out team or athlete.

Running Math is also a good reminder that sometimes things don’t always add up. Sounds a lot like the mathematics of life. But if you realize there are always people out there willing to help when you’re stuck, and if you can know a few formulas, and allow yourself the grace to make a few mistakes and remember to use a pencil with an eraser instead of a pen… you’ll get to the right answers eventually.