The Stop-Start-Continue Framework For Runners
What runners can learn from the corporate world
Most jobs now implement some sort of peer review feedback. Whether it’s once a year or each quarter, we all go through this exercise and it’s not always pleasant. Many templates exist to help give feedback to peers. Lately, I have been using the Stop-Start-Continue framework. I like it because it is quite simple yet effective.
It is composed of three parts:
- Stop: things I should not do
- Start: things I should consider doing
- Continue: good things that I currently do and should keep doing
Even if it was developed for the corporate world, I believe it can help me come up with clear action items to work on in my running development.
What should I stop doing?
Increasing your weekly mileage, adding a strength routine, going to the track… The list of things I can add to my training is endless. However, I only get 24 hours a day, most of which are used at my job. Therefore I need to choose what to do: choosing means giving up something.
What is not aligned with my current running goals? If training for a 5k, I should probably stop doing my two-hour long runs every Sunday. My time will probably be better spent doing three 30-minute easy runs and one speed workout.
Do I do anything that will take away from my shorter-term (up to a year out) goals?
Whatever that is, I must stop doing that!
What should I start doing?
I have blind spots in my training. Some of which I know, some of which I do not. Being able to discover those and try to solve for them is essential in order to become a healthier runner. In a previous article, I discussed how I found out during the New York City Marathon that my inner quad was not strong enough. I wish I had not found that out on race day. Lesson learned! I now incorporate strength into my training as a non-negotiable workout.
What should I continue doing?
There are as many different ways to train as there are runners. We are all wired in a specific and unique way. We all experiment with different training techniques, whether we know the theory behind their usefulness or not.
I want to continue doing whatever has proven to work for me. By trial and error, I believe I will improve the efficiency of my personal training. This is the journey I have been on for a few years now: periodically checking in with myself to review how training is going, and step-by-step understanding of my body and how to gently train it to reach its potential.
