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EN
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15.11.2025
For athletes like me, running is a natural part of training, while for other athletes it is a physical and mental challenge. For others, it simply means switching off. We are made for it – for running. Whatever you need for running: here you will find good reasons, tips for the right mental strength, basic rules for beginners, and everything you need to know about running.
No time to read? Professional triathlete Patrick Lange's compact running knowledge is also available as a 12-minute video.
Running is the most natural form of movement. It keeps us physically and mentally fit. We can run for ourselves. Or we can measure ourselves and our strength, endurance, and speed against others. For some, running is simply a way to clear their head, for others it is a sport or daily training. For some, it is a balance in everyday life, and for others, running is like an addiction.
What I love about running is its informality: regardless of my official training sessions, I don't have to stick to a fixed schedule or be anywhere to train—I can just start running whenever and wherever I want.
Laufen ist die „Mutter vieler Sportarten”. Die Ur-Sportart, die jeder machen kann, wann immer er oder sie will. Laufen ist auch Philosophie, eine Lebenseinstellung und Statussymbol. Wer läuft, ist fitter für den Alltag und diszipliniert. Es gibt viele Gründe zu laufen. Welcher ist deiner?
Deciding to take up running is the first and most important step. Personally, I am someone who always needs a goal to motivate me.
When setting running goals, it helps to prioritize. If you are a beginner, what is important to you when running? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to quit smoking? Do you simply want to feel fitter and improve your endurance? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can motivate yourself accordingly. Experienced runners have already achieved their initial goals and want to take the next step, for example, by increasing their distances or running a marathon in a certain time. So there are always new running goals that can push you forward.
1) Always warm up before your running workout and always finish your run with a cool-down. When your muscles and tendons are warmed up by slow running and a few stretching exercises, your body is well prepared for the strain. You will then be able to train better without injuring yourself. The same applies to the cool-down: stopping abruptly is not good for your muscles and cardiovascular system. It is better to jog or walk slowly for another 10 minutes – and don't forget to stretch afterwards.
2) Add variety to your training: To get fitter and withstand particular stresses when running—for example, on steeper inclines, unpaved paths, or because you want to vary your speed in a competition—you can combine different running workouts. There are many ways to set different training priorities. For example, focus on the “perfect” stride, i.e., your stride length and frequency, or think about your running economy.
3) Recover regularly: On the one hand, treat yourself to complete training breaks and, on the other hand, use complementary sports such as swimming, cycling, or yoga to work your muscles in a different way than in running training.
5) Do not run if you are experiencing pain or other physical discomfort: Your body is trying to tell you something that you should not ignore. Overexertion and pain are signs of an acute problem. If you are just starting to run, you should have a medical check-up, and even trained athletes should have regular check-ups.
6) Enjoy running!
Some people say, “Running shoes, the rest is unimportant.” And yes, running shoes that relieve pressure on your feet and are specifically designed for your running style are essential.
To get the most out of your running, you should listen to your own biorhythm: it determines your performance curve, i.e., the periods of time when you are most productive.
There is a typology that divides us humans into “owls” and “larks.” “Owls” go to bed later and get up later in the morning; their performance is highest in the evening. Their bodies release more of the hormones cortisol and serotonin, which increase alertness and make muscles more responsive to stimuli. Owls therefore tend to run in the evening rather than in the morning. For “larks,” the opposite is true; they can train more effectively in the morning than in the evening.
Many people also respond to weather and seasons with different performance curves—some find it harder to train in fall and winter, while others perform best in rain and cold and less well in warm weather.
You can use these types as a guide and test whether you are an owl or a lark, but ultimately everyone has their own individual running time and their own reasons for it.
When running, your mind is like a muscle that needs to be trained: mental strength influences both your personal motivation and your actual running performance.
It is required individually for every runner—that is, depending on your own running training and your goals. If you are still an inexperienced runner and have set yourself the goal of running five kilometers in one go in a moderate time, then mental strength means persevering and believing that these five kilometers will eventually no longer be a problem for you. And that will actually happen. It also means being able to motivate yourself in bad weather, or when you come home after a long day and really just want to collapse on the sofa. Everyone knows that feeling.
The more ambitious your running goals are, the greater the demands on your mind—because the mental challenge of running increases with distance and expectations.
That's what happened to me. And you can't simulate that with training. At least, I can't. I can't push myself nearly as hard in training as I can in competition. That's why I'm such a goal-oriented person. On the way to your goal, you experience many ups and downs, especially in an Ironman, and even more so in an Ironman like the one I had last year. When you know that there's only one person left to overtake, followed by complete ecstasy and the fulfillment of your dream, it pushes you with unexpected strength.
So your mind can drive your muscles and push you beyond certain limits if you're the type of person who can do that. But there are also people who aren't competitive types. I know many people who perform at their best during training sessions but don't need to prove themselves in competition—or can't, because the competitive situation doesn't suit them.
So there are competitive people and training people—I don't stand a chance against some others in training—but you can't let that drive you crazy. You just have to know it.
A key moment when running and a realization that every runner has at some point: no matter how much you train, no matter how fit you are physically and mentally, you are not a machine. Even if all external factors are the same—weather, time of day, distance, preparation, and basic constitution—one day you're running well and the next you're not. This is true for professionals and amateurs alike.
At first, this seems strange because I actually feel like I want to run slower. But when I run at a higher pace for a minute or two and then slow down again to my target pace, it feels much easier. That's how I deal with bad days. If that doesn't help either, I usually say: Cut back on training today and focus on recovery. Like everyone else, I have days when I can uproot trees and days when things don't go so well. But you can still enjoy the sport.
