What we’ve learnt about running talking to runners
We’ve been building Byrd for over a year and without doubt the best part for me has been talking to runners.
I don’t need much of an excuse to talk about running. There’s so much to learn and what we’ve heard has already had a huge impact on how we’re developing and improving the Byrd experience.
We will never stop listening and evolving so please continue to share your stories and we will continue to respond.
Here are 6 key insights that have been informed by our conversations so far, along with some snapshots from our favourite chats.
1. Life doesn’t neatly follow a plan, so how on earth can our running.
Juggling work, family, friends, community, hobbies, health and a whole host of other things is no mean feat. We’re all finding ways to be flexible and adapt to what life throws our way (the last year even more so!).
It’s no surprise that a rigid running plan is not going to fit neatly into this complex, ever shifting life. It can leave runners feeling a bit lost.
“If you miss something on the plan I feel like you are winging it until you catch-up so if something sorts that for you that is really helpful” Helen
“Adaptability is so much more motivating….some plans so strict that it is demotivating when you miss a session….you already feel like you are playing catch-up” Rob
“I really identified with a training plan that will adapt to your life.….something always happens that screws with your plan” Ismael
2. Mental overload!
Not only are our lives busy but it seems our minds are pretty full too. There’s not a lot of space for any more cognitive load. Many of the runners we spoke to use their running as a way to clear their minds and find headspace, so the last thing we want to do is fill this space pouring over spreadsheets trying to be their own coach. That’s not going to help keep people running!
“Something that does the thinking for you, [that] makes it easier… you can just go out and enjoy the running” Helen
“Taking the thinking out of it is appealing. There’s lots of data out there and making sense of it is hard work, hard to translate that into what I need to do to be most efficient and get the most out of my training” Ollie
3. Don’t forget how it feels
It’s clear that how we feel about our running is just as important as the performance itself. Having a personalised programme is not necessarily enough, it’s still a transactional relationship even though it’s tailored for you. True personalisation comes from a coaching approach that really listens to you, connects on an individual level and helps you feel good about yourself.
“I imagine if it could sync in with my life and why I might have had a bad run…gives me meaning, can be less hard on myself, a mental pat on the back” Caroline
“What I am missing is a way to remember how I felt, I can learn from this” Rob
“Some apps tell you off, it makes you feel guilty and is unhelpful” Gail
“Running goes up and down, follow me on this journey” Ken
“Seeing my recovery time feels much more personal, rather than download and just follow it, this is genuinely tailored to me….it’s listening to me and my body all the time” Lucy
4. Running is fun!
We’re not elite runners. We run for all sorts of different reasons but at the end of the day it’s an experience that we choose to do and want to enjoy. It’s not a punishment, it should be fun. Even if sometimes that is Type 2 fun, where it’s no fun at the time but is when remembered.
We understand it’s about finding the right balance, having the space to follow your own adventures, enjoy a different experience every now and again but still be reassured it will count.
‘You might just be going for a run, a social, recognise the difference between training and just running for joy’ Rob
‘I like the fact it’s not at the expense of enjoyment…validates that you can still go out and enjoy a long run in the hills with your mates, and not get punished for having some fun…it will compensate for it and recalibrate” Otto
“[I] miss being able to just go out for a run for pleasure every now and again…like the sentiment of ease off the pace” Gail
“[I] love the idea of clocking sunrises…motivating and habitual mindset” Emily
“I run to see a lot of things that people who stay on their sofa don’t” William
‘I’m a proper geek when it comes to running, but I still want to feel like I can go and have fun in the mountains in the middle of a training block and it still counts’ Tom
5. Data alone isn’t enough
We’ve all been there, we come back from a run, buzzing with the post run high and then spend the next 10 minutes trying to decipher the data and stats. This data is crucial to understanding your running journey but what is more helpful is understanding what that data means, how does that affect what you should do next. Looking forward and communicating meaningful actions from the data is where the real value gap is for the runners we spoke to.
“Built by runners for runners… I like this because getting a strong feeling there is a depth to this that isn’t in a lot of other apps and trackers often written by data geeks. If this is about how you apply that data and make sense of it that sounds really interesting” Ollie
“You need a decoder for the training plan, so complicated, I don’t know what I should be doing” Rob
“I often get the data but don’t use it because the interpretation is just not there….am looking for feedback I can respond to” Cara
“The difference between flat statistics and above that level is what do I do with this information, the stats are not meaningful, there is a gap, this gives those stats a third dimension” Julian
“I’m looking for stuff I can’t do myself, either knowledge, feedback, tailoring, interpretation” Ollie
6. Habit forming over one hit wonders
It’s not to say we don’t enjoy towing the start line of a race and trying to smash a PB every now and again but what we heard is it is the small everyday wins that keeps us motivated. Realistic goals that we can hit and a steady improvement that helps us find a sustainable habit. There is no such thing as an overnight success and managing expectations is crucial.
“Seeing steady improvement is the main reason to carry on running as well as the enjoyment” William
“Updating predictions makes me feel like I am going to be [held] accountable, it will show me progress but also help me realise I am not pulling my weight and would help me do something about it” Katie
“Empowering to see your confidence score going up, and when not doing well the ‘why’ is important to keep motivated” Cara
Thank you to every runner helping us to build Byrd. These invaluable insights are right at the heart of what we believe in. We can’t promise to get everything in all at once, or we would never get it out to you, but we’ll keep evolving and we’ll never stop talking to runners.
We’ll be working with runners again in the next few weeks testing the next iteration of Byrd. You can read Edd’s article about our approach to testing here.
Find out more about Byrd and sign up to our waiting list at www.byrd.run
