The Most Common Mistakes Runners Make (That Are Actually Pretty Easy To Fix)

This week on The HAX Show, Drew sat down with Lawrence van Lingen for a follower Q&A covering a wide range of topics across training, performance, and mindset. From strength training for runners and improving your 5K time to visualization techniques, confidence, and advice for athletes starting their running journey later in life, this conversation was full of practical insights for runners of all levels.

One topic that stood out was the most common mistakes runners make in both training and on race day. Most were surprisingly simple to correct, yet can make a major difference in performance. Below is a recap of Drew and Lawrence’s discussion on the four biggest mistakes they consistently see runners make.

For the full conversation, subscribe to @haxtraining on YouTube or follow The HAX Show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

In Training

Lifting For Soreness

Many runners treat the weight room as another hard workout, thinking heavy soreness equals progress. They hammer through high-volume movements like lunges or step-ups, only to have heavy, dead legs on their run or workout the next day.

Shift your mindset: Look at the gym as a tool to supplement and benefit your running, not as something that makes your mileage more difficult. The goal of lifting is to activate the nervous system, check in on mobility, and create coordinated movement. It should make your body more durable and efficient, not leave you too beat up to get your miles in.

This is a mindset shift Drew personally experienced. Rather than chasing sore muscles and adding intensity to his week, he uses lifting to truly aid his run training, even doing gym sessions on easy days to prep his system for a hard workout the following morning.

“I don't look at the gym as like... we need to have sore muscles...my gym program has become an extension of recovery. I feel so good [after], and then I have hard training again tomorrow." — Drew

"I think people have conflated strength with tension. And tension is the enemy of strength... in a lot of your lifting, you don't lift with tension. You don't brace, you don't activate, you don't try and increase the tension of the muscle. That is why it starts to complement your running—because running is all about literally letting go." — Lawrence

Based on that, here are Lawrence’s 3 staple exercises for runners to do in the gym:

• The Hex Bar Deadlift: Not used to ‘max out’. Instead, it helps with teaching proper alignment and vertical force development.

• Thoracic Spine Rotations: Key for opening up the upper back and chest, ensuring your thoracic spine is moving well so your lungs and stride aren't restricted by a locked-up torso.

• Hip Extension & Activation Drills: Movements designed to get your hips moving fluidly and connecting properly to your glutes, restoring structural balance without tearing down the muscle tissue.

Chasing The ‘Perfect’ Taper

When it comes to race week prep, the focus should be on feeling good, rather than following a ‘perfect’ or ‘traditional’ training structure. Most runners follow a standard protocol: 1) a tune-up workout 3-4 days out with high-intensity race pace work, 2) a light pre-meet day with strides, and 3) easy miles in between.

That’s a great framework, but what if it wasn’t the only way?

Even after 10 years as a pro, Drew shared that he recently shifted his own race week approach. He found that the traditional "speed" tune-up was actually leaving more fatigue in his legs than he wanted. By scrapping the faster reps and swapping them for a simple, controlled threshold effort earlier in the week, he found a level of "pop" he’d been missing.

The takeaway here? You’re not gaining any fitness on race week, so just do what makes your body feel good. Don’t let the fear of "feeling flat" drive you to overwork your legs when they should be resting.

"Two or three days before, you usually run some faster 200s or 400s at race pace. We've scrapped that for a simple, easy threshold day, and we've pushed the fast stuff further out—more like five days out. My legs have felt awesome. I had to get over the fear of being like, 'Am I gonna feel flat?' But I actually feel better because I properly rested and set my body up to feel good on race day. I'm not saying everyone should do it, but explore it." –Drew

On Race Day

The “Goggins” Mentality: Forcing Toughness

There is a massive misconception, especially in marathons and ultramarathons, that racing is purely a game of mental hardness and out-suffering the person next to you. But trying to "force" performance through sheer grit and a hyper-aggressive mindset is often the fastest way to ‘blow up’ and sabotage your race.

While toughness is important, it has to be controlled. In long efforts such as the marathon, having a calm mind will benefit you much more than expending mental energy on running as hard as possible. The key is to acknowledge the discomfort, but let it flow around you instead of fighting it.

"If you think you're tougher than others, if you think marathon's a game of toughness or hardness, and you need to be mentally tough to run well... it is the best predictor of slowing down in the second half—or ending up in the medical tent... You gotta acknowledge discomfort, and you gotta let it sort of flow around you and not take it personally and not internalize it." — Lawrence

Wasting Energy Before The Gun

One of the most common mistakes Drew sees runners make on race day is being too ‘amped up’ before the gun and in the early stages of the race. While excitement is a natural part of competition, there is a fine line between optimal readiness and being so overstimulated that you’re burning through your mental and physiological reserves.

Conserving your mental energy by staying calm and quietly confident on the start line is one of the easiest ways to improve your finishing kick and overall performance without changing a single thing in your training. Your nervous system only has a certain amount of bandwidth; if you spend it all in the first part of the race, you’ll find yourself surprisingly empty when it’s time to cover a move in the final mile.

"If you can save your mental fortitude and your mental 'juice' for the end of your race, you can beat a lot of the guys that are just antsy and ready to go at the front. A lot of people are so excited and almost overstimulated [before the race] that they get out there and they're like, 'I'm a little empty now.’” –Drew

Catch The Full Episode

Unlock The Complete HS Training Library

We’re excited to offer the first ever HAX Athlete Training Plan Bundle! Get full access to a comprehensive library of training plans – perfect for high school track and cross country athletes. The library includes 150+ plans across base phase training, summer XC builds, and 800-5K training. Try different plans, or check out specific workouts within each plan. All for just $24.99/month!

Got big goals for cross country season? Your summer training matters.

Build momentum with structure, strategy, and purpose by working 1:1 with a coach who understands what it takes to develop through the summer and perform when it matters most in November.

Our coaching staff includes NCAA Champions, World XC Qualifiers, and elite athletes who are passionate about helping the next generation reach their potential. Whether you’re chasing a breakthrough season, a state qualification, or just starting your XC journey, we’re here to help you train with intention every step of the way.

Limited coaching spots are available this summer. Reach out today to get in touch with a coach and start your journey together.

Thanks for reading this issue of The Hammer!
If you have questions about training, finding the right coach, or getting a training plan that fits your goals, hit us up! We’re here to help.

Reach out anytime at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.