If you want to get good at any skill, you have to practice it. For running, specificity is simply the notion that your training should be tailored to the activity you are training for in order to challenge your body in ways that will help you build toward your goal.

Running makes you a better runner.

It should be no surprise that, at the most basic level, if you want to get good at running, you must run.

To be more specific (pun intended!), it makes sense that if you are training for a marathon, the type of training you do will be different than for a 100m dash. But even among marathon, half marathon, 10k and 5k distances, there are differences. For a marathon and half marathon, the focus for most runners will be to build endurance by increasing overall mileage, extending the long runs, and mixing in some tempo and long interval training. For runners training for the shorter distances of 10k and 5k, assuming you already have the endurance to run the distance, the training can have a bigger focus on speedwork.

Leading up to a race, it’s important to practice running at goal race pace so you know what race pace feels like, especially for marathon and half marathons where race pace is often in a runner’s grey zone, i.e. faster than easy pace (a pace where you can run all day) but slower than tempo pace (a pace that you can hold for 1 hour).

Digging a bit deeper, we can apply this concept to different types of running and race conditions. If you are training for a trail race, you probably want to train on trails. If you are training for a hilly route, you should train on hills. When I did Muskoka 70.3, I made sure I did rides and runs that simulated the elevation of the actual race. If you are traveling to a different part of the world for your race, try to train under similar weather conditions.

Another way to apply specificity is to practice what you will be doing on race day with fueling, hydration, pacing, what to wear, when to wake up, when to go to bathroom, etc.. For longer races, you need to practice fueling and hydration as part of your training well before the race. If you know what will be available on the course, start practicing with those products during your long runs. If you know that aid stations will be placed every 5km, practice fueling and hydrating every 5k during your training.

Many races start in the morning so you’ll want to practice your race day routine so you are prepared before the big day. But if you are racing an evening event, you will want to go out for training runs in the evenings, along with shifting your pre-race routine.

But what about cross-training and strength training?

It’s true that cross-training and strength training will help you be a better runner but you will not become a better runner if you ONLY do these things. Also, not all cross-training and strength training exercises are created equal. Here are some running specific cross-training activities:

• Hiking
• Speedwalking
• Pool running
• Elliptical
• Cycling
• Swimming

With strength training, there are countless number of exercises that target different muscle groups. For runners, the most bang for your buck would be exercises that target the major muscle groups that are used while running, especially single leg exercises. Here are some great running-specific strength training exercises:

• Single leg deadlifts
• Squats – split squats
• Lunges – forward, reverse, lateral
• Step ups
• Single leg calf raises

While specificity is important, variety is the spice of life. Think of it like a funnel. When you start a training cycle, you are at the top of the funnel. Having variety at this stage will keep the training fun and interesting. But as you move closer to your race day, you want to get more and more specific with your training so you can reach your peak performance at the right time.

That being said, at the end of the day, most of us aren’t going to the Olympics so the most important thing about training is to have fun, stay consistent, and don’t get injured. So, do what you have to to balance specificity with your overall enjoyment of training. Consistency over perfection!