“As you prepare for a long race and start moving from one distance milestone to the next, it’s easy to get caught up in your progress and push yourself harder and longer. But as you continue to advance, don’t forget to focus on the other key component of working out harder: recovery. In fact, recovery is so vital to training that you should consider it just as important! Without adequate recovery, your body will not properly "absorb" your workouts, which is what helps you adapt and run faster and longer. Make sure you get enough sleep every night and take 1-2 days of easy running in between each hard workout. This allows you to perform at your best.”

—Jason Fitzgerald is a 2:39 marathoner and USA Track & Field certified coach. He is the founder of Strength Running, where you can get the latest training tips in his free email series.

As reported by Bethany Marzewski.