MY RUNNING JOURNEY: Tips I've learnt along the way.
- overlapcoaching
- May 7
- 6 min read
By Rissa Gray, OVERLAP Athlete.
Forward, by the Editor
At OVERLAP, we love sharing stories from within our community—stories that reflect real-life experiences, growth, and personal insights. The following blog post by Rissa Gray is exactly that: an account of her individual journey, written in her own words. It includes the tips and lessons she’s found valuable through her experience with running and coaching. This is what works for her. Please remember that this isn’t intended as prescriptive advice. What has worked for Rissa may not be right for everyone. If you’re after specific guidance tailored to your own needs, we encourage you to get in touch with one of our coaches or our trusted partner professionals.
Let's get into it.
It's taken me aaaages to write this blog post, but I'm glad it took me this long because now I have more wisdom to share.
I recently completed my second 12-week block with OVERLAP, and I just quickly have to say a massive thanks to my coach Paige, to Zac who kick-started this entire venture, and to the whole OVERLAP community for your support and encouragement. I never would be where I am without all of this, and to say that the entirety of this has, and is, changing my life in ways I never ever thought about is simply awesome, and I'm super grateful. So thankyou.
Okay, onto what you all actually came here to read and learn about.
Short back story:
My first [training] block with OVERLAP was to get me back into running. I'd run before, years ago, and loved it then, but had been on and off running since 2018, so I just wanted a program to follow regularly and enjoy again. And now, I have ran my first ever half marathon which was such an awesome experience and I am so damn proud of myself and inspired by myself!!
Once upon a time, not too long ago, a half marathon was something I had never dreamed of doing. So, yes, I've caught the running bug, and goals get bigger every quarter. But it's not come without its own little challenges along the way. So here's my words of wisdom for those who are fresh and new (and the seasoned elites who need the reminder) at this thing called running.
Find a comfortable, easy 'all day pace'.
1. Go slow!
I see it at every race event and during training. People speed up, with a red hot tomato face and grimace look, then stop to walk, catch their breath, and repeat this over and over until they're done. This was me once upon a time, too. I thought I had to run fast. But we don't. Running slow is where all the fun is. And it's where you can go the distance sustainably without burning out, exhausting yourself, and feeling sick. Find a comfortable, easy 'all day pace' is what I like to call it, and just do that. I love that the elites are running at a 4-5 minute pace per km, but mine is about a 7 minute pace, and I'm so fine with that. I don't think I have it in me to run comfortably at a very much faster pace than that, and that suits me just fine.
2. Do your prehab/rehab/stretching/mobility/whatever you call it!
Wowee have I learned this one quickly. So, another short back story: my first block training, I got really bad shin splints to the point of almost causing myself a stress fracture, and I was told not to run for 6 weeks. I know, devastating. Toward the end of that block, I incurred a hip injury that was affecting my hip flexor, and would you believe that in December,
I couldn't do 5 kms without hobbling the next day in pain.
So that resulted in more time off my feet to rest an injury I knew nothing about. After trips to a physio and a diagnosis, I was quick to put rehab and stretching into effect and reverse the pain, the hobble, and prevent it from affecting me further. And now I can run 2.5 hours without so much as a dull ache in my hip flexor, and my calves are so strong that my shins are a non-issue. So do not ignore your rehab and stretching, and as soon as you feel a niggle, work on it, see a physio, get a massage, do hot/cold therapy, whatever it is you need to ensure you're always in good running form.
3. Pick your poison!
And I mean this with jest. Before my consistent running regime, I was doing CrossFit. With CrossFit comes some hard-taxing "MetCons". And when I started my first running block, I was doing it all. It didn't take long for me to realise that I actually couldn't do it all. So I had to choose, and if I wanted to really focus hard on running, CrossFit had to stop. I maintained strength with strict strength training and have only ever done a couple of MetCons in the last 3 months, but running became my main focus, and I wasn't going to sacrifice my energy for anything else. During the cooler months, I will be dividing my focus and energy between the two, but running will still outweigh CrossFit because of the peace and enjoyment I get out of it, and I just seem to be able to recover faster to be able to go again soon after. But if you want to truly make running your thing, then don't dabble. Make running your thing.
4. Have your nutrition and hydrate!
Fasted training is soooo early 2000s. We don't do this anymore. So pick up a banana, or some pikelets with Jam, or some rice cakes with honey, pop an electrolyte into your water, and give yourself the fuel you need to perform optimally. Carbs are your friend, protein is your recovery, and sodium is your all-rounder. Get it all into you and enjoy eating all the food!!!
5. Do proper warm-ups to further prevent injuries!
And no, one set of high knees and a few leg & arm stretches won't cut it. It takes me about 15-20 minutes to warm up properly before every single run. I have a routine of movements and stretches I go through each and every time, in the same order, whether I do 30 minutes or 90 minutes of running. If I'm running longer, I'll warm up a bit longer and ensure I'm very ready to go. High knees, butt kicks, lunges, toe walks, calf raises, pigeon stretch, hip flexor stretch, arm circles, and more! Some days, it's the warm-up that makes me procrastinate because I know it takes so long, but I'm always thankful I do it. It's in the warm-up where you're setting yourself up for a successful run, even if you know it's going to be hard.
6. Listen to your body and be smart!
I had the pleasure of running my first-ever half marathon at the beginning of April. It was such an amazing time, vibes were high, energy was there, I had my best support/pit crew - thanks Mum! - an all-around awesome experience. Knowing I'd put in the work, the time on feet, and the nutrition training to support it, I knew I'd be okay, even with a few butterflies!! I started strong, was in race pace the whole time, I didn't overexert myself within the first 10km, because I knew I needed to reserve energy for the final stretch.
At the 17 km, I hit the pain cave. It seemed to just go on and on and on and on, and I started to feel a bit 'off'; I began to wonder why. On that final stretch back to the finish line, I began thinking, 'am I going to make these last few kms?! What the hell is going on?!' After a rapid mental checklist of everything I had done, and all the carbs I had consumed up to that point, I quickly realised I was lacking electrolytes, and what I did have before I started was well over 3 hours prior, so I clearly needed more.
So on the cruise back towards the finish, I messaged Mum saying 'POWERADE!!!' so she could get it ready for me to grab on my way back past; even though by that point I'd only have 1 km to go, I figured it's better late than never. And by doing that, I gave myself the mental reassurance that I was going to finish this race and still finish it well. This also has been noted for my next half marathon (yes, there's another!) to have more electrolytes at the ready, partway through, just in case.
I reckon I'll leave it there. Thanks for reading. Happy running, and I'll see ya out there as I continue to consistently run my way through the year. Let's goooo!!
Written by Rissa Gray, OVERLAP Athlete
Edited by Zac Harris, OVERLAP Founder & Head Coach
Inspired by Rissa's story and want to join the OVERLAP family yourself? Simply send an email to info@overlapcoaching.com or click the below button to view our website.
If you need specific nutrition guidance, please reach out to our partnering sports dietitian, Nicole, from Total Balance Nutrition, and receive 10% off your initial consult with code OVERLAP10.
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