Running is a huge part of my life and I’ve made my fair share of mistakes along the way. From wearing the wrong shoes to ignoring rest days, I’ve learned a lot—sometimes the hard way. And as an ultra runner who’s overcome challenges like asthma, I want to share with you the five biggest (and not obvious mistakes) I've made (and have seen others make) so you can avoid them and run smarter. Whether you’re just starting out or aiming for a personal best, these tips will help you stay strong and reduce your susceptibility to injuries

Mistake #1: Choosing the Wrong Running Shoes

When I first started running, I thought expensive shoes automatically meant better performance. I was so wrong. I bought into the marketing hype and ended up with shoes that didn’t fit my feet or my running style. It wasn’t until I read the book "Born to Run" that I finally understood why expensive shoes with large amounts of "technology" and cushion hurt instead of helped my feet. I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the book for yourself using my affiliate link here:  

Or just search for "Born to Run" wherever you buy or listen to your books. Today, I personally wear shoes more on the minimalistic side (i.e. not very much padding) and specifically wear the:

• Topo Athletic Fli Lyte 5 - Yes these are Amazon affiliate links and yes, I go through about 4-5 pairs of these each year due to the number of miles run. Remember that not everyone can wear the same shoe, so try out some shoes and whatever shoes feel best while you are running will be the right fit for you (shows also should not take very long to break in, so if your feet hurt, get a different paid - I highly recommend you watching the video linked above to hear all about how I was able to successfully run a 100K run on shoes I purchased 3 days before because I bought the right shoes for my feet).
• Topo Athletic Mountain Racer 3 - And yes this is an Amazon affiliate link to for my go to trail running shoes also from Topo Athletic. I literally ran 100K using these shoes 3 days after buying them and have never looked back.

Mistake #2: Running Too Far or Too Fast, Too Soon

I’ll admit it: when I started training seriously, I got way too excited. I pushed myself hard, running longer distances and faster paces than my body was ready for. It wasn’t long before I started feeling the effects—aches, fatigue, and even a few injuries.

What I learned is that progress takes time. Instead of trying to do too much all at once, I began following the "Progressive Overload" rul gradually increasing my mileage and intensity. Building up slowly helped me avoid burnout and actually made me stronger in the long run.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Nutrition and Fueling

In the early days, I didn’t think much about what I ate before or during runs. Big mistake. There were times I hit “the wall” hard—running out of energy mid-run and feeling completely drained.

Now, I plan my fueling carefully. Before long runs, I make sure to eat enough carbs, and during runs, I keep energy chews or drinks handy for a quick boost. Fueling isn’t just about performance—it’s about staying healthy and giving my body what it needs to recover and keep going.

My go to fueling sources to make sure that I have what I need during super long runs are:

•  Skratch Labs Super High Carb Hydration Powder - The longer the run, the harder I feel that it is to keep chewing to get back calories in. After chewing until my jaw didn't want to anymore during my 50 mile race in 2023, I was told my my running coach that I could get my calories and carbs through this Skratch Labs Super High Carb Hydration Poder. This was a complete game cahnger for me and helped empower me to win my 100K race this past year.
•  Skratch Lab Energy Chews - Now, I don't always use the Skratch Lab Powder though. I mean, I really only use it during really long runs (20+ miles) and races. With that being said, I try and keep at least 1 or 2 packs of Skratch Lab Energy Chews on me at all times when I run. They are 160 calories a pack, decently clean nutrition, and delcious.

Mistake #4: Skipping Rest Days

I used to think rest days were for people who weren’t serious about running. I believed that if I wasn’t running every day, I wasn’t improving. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Skipping rest days led to overtraining, fatigue, and even a few injuries. Now, whenever I am in a training cycle I always take 1 day off per week (usually it ends up being Monday). When I am not training I actually struggle to take rest days, but always find that my body tells me that I need to take a rest day after 7-10 days.. Whether it’s a full day off or a light recovery run, giving my body time to recover has made me stronger and more consistent. Rest isn’t laziness—it’s smart training.

Mistake #5: Train On The Same Terrain You Race On

No matter what you are training for it is best practice to train on the same type of terrain that you are planning on racing on. What does this mean? Well, for the 1st marathon, I ever completed, I created my own trail marathon and I did most of my training on trails until I was forced to train on roads when I traveled to Chicago 4 weeks before I planned to run 26.2 miles. 

Here's what happened. I was supposed to run 16 miles for my long run that week and being in Chicago there weren't any 16 mile long trails, so I took it to the streets and sidewalks on Lakeshore drive. While I had been training enough to hit the mileage, I had been doing all of my miles on dirt trails, so later that day after my run, I realized I had injured myself (specifically my left hip) and this almost prevented me from completing my first marathon ever (to learn more I highly recommend you watch the video above).

Looking back, these mistakes taught me valuable lessons that transformed how I train and run. Choosing the right shoes, pacing myself, fueling properly, prioritizing rest, and training on the right terrain have all made me a better, happier runner.

DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS MY OPINION AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. PLEASE CONSULT A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR GUIDANCE SPECIFIC TO YOUR CASE.