Devon Crosby-Helms is one of the top ranked Ultra Runners in the world (any race longer than a marathon is considered Ultra). Her progression through the ranks has been swift. I am her bodyworker and my experience with her has been awe inspiring. Her ability is so very rare – especially at her age – 27 – in a sport dominated by women 8-15 years older than her. But equally as impressive is her passion and knowledge for all things running. Her understanding of what makes a good runner, how to keep running fun and how to prepare properly for races and training should be heard.

I truly thought you would enjoy her views. I hope you do.

Scott Schwartz – owner – Psoas Massage + Bodywork

The act of running is inherently simple. The art of running healthy, happy and for a long time, however, is a bit trickier. When I started training for my first marathon 5 years ago, I wanted both (the act and the art) to be simple. I quickly realized this was not and could not be true. There would be no substitute for experience gained through trial and error, research, coaching and training. In the 5 years since I started training, I have accumulated as much knowledge about running and training, as I have logged mileage and finished races.

I won't say “I wish I had known then…” followed by some magical nugget of wisdom that has unlocked the art of running. There isn't one. But I will say, that I have learned lessons along the way that have been extremely valuable and have aided my enjoyment in this lifetime journey that is being a runner.

Fundamentally, patience is very important. Running is not something you can rush. You cannot fake good training and good training takes time. Be patient, go slow, don’t rush. Whether you begin running for the love of it, or for other reasons such as weight loss or the desire to complete a race, the art of running is about developing healthy habits through proper training. When I started out running, I did not go out and run 50 miles off the bat, instead I ran 5, until I could work to run 8 or 10 and so on. This happened over a matter of months and years. I ran my first marathon on 30-50 miles per week, now I run 90-130 miles per week. Take your time.

When I started running I consulted magazines, online resources and running friends to find out as much information as I possibly could about running and staying healthy - I tend to hyper research things when I am interested in them. Luckily, there are always people who know more about running than you do. I wanted to learn and understand as much as I could so I talked to all of them. I listened to all of it, tried on some of it and eventually tailored it all to suit my needs. The lesson is: Learn all you can about training, racing, nutrition, gear, etc... then incorporate it into your running in a way that works for you. Don’t blindly follow fads and trends. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.

To help meet your running and individual goals it is essential to have a training plan and a coach. When I decided to run my first marathon, I downloaded a training plan off the internet, posted it over my bed and followed it. While this self-directed training worked at first, my skill and understanding progressed much more once I was under the guidance of a coach. Since taking up ultrarunning 3 years ago, I have competed on 3 world championship 100k teams, won dozens of races and been nominated for ultrarunner of the year 3 times. I have also run a 2:49 marathon. None of this would have been possible without the proper coaching. Training plans give you a structure, but having a coach gives you personal specificity and accountability. Having a coach means you will receive a training plan that is structured to fit your needs and goals and helps you stay on track with your fitness, training progression and helps keep you injury free.

I wish I would have figured out all the “other stuff” earlier. Other stuff means gear, race specific needs, nutrition, stretching and bodywork. I found the running aspect of running to be the easiest. That is, getting out there every day and following my training plan towards my goals. I learned about the “other stuff” much more through trial and error. I learned the importance of in-race/long run nutrition after running my first marathon with only water. I learned the importance of understanding about footwear after a foot injury early on in my career. I had logged way to many miles in my running shoes. I learned that my nutrition and diet choices directly affect the quality of my running. I learned that stretching and bodywork vastly increase the health of my muscles, help me avoid injuries and decreases recovery time. These details are absolutely essential and after 5 years, I give the "other stuff" as much thought and planning as the running itself.

When I was in high school and college, I was a high level basketball player. I trained very hard and lost myself in the game. I ended up burnt out and injured and never wanting to play the game again. I didn't want that to happen with running. It is easy to get wrapped up in competition or other things that (fundamentally) don’t have any meaning. In order to not go the way I did in basketball, I always remind myself why I run. For me, I just love to run. It is my joy, my bliss, my freedom. I perform best when I simply run. Learn why you run. Knowing and reminding yourself of why you run will help you stay on track with your goals and avoid both injury and burn out.

Looking back over the last 5 years, I have learned a lot. I look forward to learning much more over a lifetime of running. My essentials will stay the same, that is, the things I have discussed above: Patience, knowing your own needs, having a good coach and training plan, paying attention to the details and remembering why you run. Remember these few things and I'm confident that the act and art of running will become much simpler.