Running might seem simple at first glance, but if you’ve ever felt stuck, injured, or unsure how to improve, you know it’s not quite that easy. Whether you're just jogging a couple of times a week or you're training for a half marathon, running smarter—not harder—is the key to seeing progress, staying injury-free, and actually enjoying the process.

Today, I want to walk you through three key areas to focus on: how to pace correctly, how to get faster, and how to improve your running form and cadence. These are insights I’ve picked up from personal experience and from working with my marathon coach, Katie Van Arendonk, and they’ve made a huge difference in how I train and recover.

Stop Running Too Fast on Easy Runs

One of the biggest mistakes runners make—especially competitive ones—is running their easy runs too hard. I used to do this all the time. If you grew up playing sports like I did, you were probably taught to give 110% effort all the time. So naturally, we carry that over into our running. But running doesn’t work like that.

If you run your easy runs too hard, you won't have enough gas in the tank to push your hard runs hard enough to get anything meaningful out of them. That line alone from my coach changed the way I train.

The body doesn’t recognize pace or distance in the same way we think it does. It understands stress and duration. So a seven-minute mile might feel effortless on Monday after a great night’s sleep, but feel like a grind on Friday after a stressful week. The pace might be the same, but the stress on your body is totally different.

Instead of rigidly chasing a certain pace or distance, shift your mindset to focus on how a run feels. Go for a 45-minute easy run rather than five miles at a set pace. Let your body dictate the intensity based on how you’re feeling that day.

Your “easy runs” should truly feel easy—conversational pace, not a grind. For most runners, this is your zone two training range, where your heart rate stays relatively low. Roughly speaking, that’s 180 minus your age. So for me, as a 30-year-old, that’s around 150 beats per minute. When you stay in that range for the majority of your weekly mileage, you build your aerobic engine, which is critical for long-term endurance and performance.

This kind of training isn’t just for beginners. It's what helps seasoned runners hit new personal bests. If you keep running your “easy” runs too hard, not only will you increase your risk for injury, but you’ll also plateau your performance.

How to Actually Get Faster

If you want to increase your pace, it's not just about running more. You have to intentionally train speed and strength. One of the best tools I used during marathon prep was strides. These are short bursts of fast running—about 20 seconds—done after your longer or medium-effort runs. The purpose isn’t to sprint all-out but to refine your form, improve turnover, and reinforce proper mechanics under speed.

In these 20-second strides, I’d focus on standing tall, driving my knees and arms with power, and having a quick foot turnover. It was all about form. After each stride, I’d walk for a minute before repeating. Doing six of these at the end of a run helped me maintain speed without burnout, and they kept my running form sharp.

But speed doesn’t just come from running faster. It also comes from getting stronger. And specifically, runners need to focus on three types of strength work.

First, unilateral (single-leg) training. Running is essentially a single-leg exercise. You’re never on both feet at the same time. That’s what separates walking from running. So exercises like lunges, split squats, single-leg RDLs, step-ups, and sled pushes all directly translate to better running power and balance.

Second, eccentric strength, which is all about controlling movement during the lowering phase—like the descent in a squat or lunge. This type of training mimics how your body absorbs force every time your foot hits the ground. Slowing down the “down” part of each movement builds resilience and bulletproofs your joints.

Third, bent-knee calf raises. Most people only train the gastrocnemius (the big, visible calf muscle), but the soleus—the deeper calf muscle—does a lot of the work during running. You only really activate it when your knees are bent. So doing bent-knee calf raises specifically strengthens the muscles that absorb impact and help you maintain rhythm mile after mile.

If you're not already incorporating these kinds of strength workouts into your week, start now. They'll improve your speed, form, and help prevent injury over the long haul.

Fix Your Cadence and Form to Stay Injury-Free

This part of running is the most technical, but also the most overlooked: cadence. Cadence is the number of steps you take per minute, and it’s one of the biggest factors in injury prevention and running efficiency.

A lot of runners overstride, meaning their feet land too far out in front of their body. This causes braking forces that not only slow you down but can also lead to common injuries like shin splints and knee pain. Ideally, your foot should land directly beneath you—so the force from the ground is absorbed evenly and propels you forward.

A good cadence to aim for is around 180 steps per minute. It varies from person to person, but it’s a solid target. When I was marathon training, mine hovered in the high 160s, sometimes low 170s. Improving cadence is something I still work on.

One of my favorite cues from Katie is to run with “quick and quiet” feet. Imagine you're tiptoeing around your house in socks—short, fast, and soft steps. Try focusing on that cue for 30-second blocks during your runs. You don’t have to think about it the whole time, but the more often you focus on cadence, the more it becomes your default pattern.

Most smartwatches and running apps can track cadence, so take a look at your numbers. If you’re consistently low, start working on quickening your turnover. Your joints will thank you.

Run Longer, Stronger, and Smarter

To recap: if you’re a runner—whether you’re chasing a PR, looking to avoid injury, or just trying to enjoy your runs more—these three areas are critical.

Start by learning to run at the right pace. Keep your easy runs easy and focus on building your aerobic engine. Then incorporate strides and strength training to increase your power and speed. And finally, take a serious look at your cadence and running form so that you’re set up for long-term success, not sidelined by preventable injuries.

I hope this episode gave you some valuable takeaways. If you’re looking to dive deeper into training like a hybrid athlete—someone who can run and lift—you’d love my conversation with Dr. Josh Rankins, where we talk about the tools and mindset to build both strength and endurance. It’s one of my favorite episodes to date.

And don’t forget—if you want to organize your life, clarify your goals, and launch into 2026 with confidence and purpose, join us at the Best You Retreat, happening January 8–11. We’ll dive into the exact frameworks that help you juggle all the “life stuff” while still pursuing the best version of you.

For early access to that retreat and the step-by-step life organization system, sign up for the Build Your Intentional Life Workshop happening Wednesday, October 29 at 5 p.m. Central by visiting:
👉 nickcarrier.com/intentional

Here’s to smarter training, fewer injuries, and a stronger, faster, more efficient you. Let’s get closer to the healthiest version of yourself—and ultimately, to your Best You.