Everyone's got a favourite pair of running shoes. The ones that fit your feet perfectly and have taken you around the streets of Canberra on those cold morning jogs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
What you're wearing won't transform you into an Olympian. But two running legends say the shoes on your feet will at least make you feel like one, and are as important as the time you're chasing.
Park-runners, novices and couch dreamers will have extra inspiration to hit the streets next month as the world's best athletes converge on Paris to chase their gold-medal goal.
More than 5000 Canberrans have an opportunity to get their moment - and a medal - closer to home at The Canberra Times Fun Run, with the super early bird entry fee closing at midnight on Thursday.
To help amateurs dream big, we spoke to running greats Dick Telford and Rob de Castella, and Tokyo Olympian Jye Edwards for the best tips to go from the couch to the finish line.
Do shoes matter?
It turns out they do. If there's one thing Mr Telford, Mr Edwards and Mr de Castella agree on, it's spending extra to get the right shoe for you.
They say it can be the difference between sprinting across the finish line or limping into the medical tent.
"If you pick the right shoe with better cushioning and support, you are able to recover better," Mr Telford said.
Mr Edwards will miss the Paris Olympics after battling an Achilles injury. The middle-distance runner, who is trained by Telford, said the right shoe makes a difference.
"You are able to recover a lot better, your body doesn't take the brunt as it used too. At the end of the day running is a simple sport, it's personal preference," Mr Edwards said.
"At the end of the day, competitive runner or park runner, running is running."
Let's not kid ourselves, shoes aren't cheap these days. But former marathon world champion Mr de Castella says spending that little bit extra is worth it.
"Good shoes are essential - I'd suggest paying a little more for good shoes and getting them fitted," Mr de Castella said.
Slowly increase your distance
Anyone who has tried their hand at longer distance running can agree that a lot of the hard work is done before the run.
Trying to run further and faster each run is one way to quickly injury yourself. Mr Telford said to be patient and running slow was key when starting out.
"You need to space out your running, run every second day instead of every day, your body needs time to adapt," Mr Telford said.
But eventually running faster in training can be beneficial. "Speed work is also good, running quicker makes that race pace feel easier to sustain," Mr Edwards said.
Put time into planning
Building a running plan or routine can be a daunting task for the average runner. But a simple plan can help maximise your training. Mr de Castella reinforces the importance of being prepared.
"Don't stop start with your training, build a program that best suits your level of running fitness and, work/life commitments," he said.
Long runs, easy runs and steady fast running are three workouts Mr de Castella suggests to improve your ability and cardio.
"Vary your length of runs; surface you run on; speed you run at; each week if you can," Mr de Castella said.
When we watch the Australian runners compete against the world's best in Paris, Mr Telford urges the novice runner to take inspiration from them.
"The fact that they dedicate their whole life to running is pretty inspirational. If they can run 200km a week then you can run 10, 20, 30km a week. You compete with yourself," Mr Telford passionately said.
Mr Edwards wants runners to take their time and make the most of it. "Find what works for you, get out and enjoy it," he said.
CANBERRA TIMES FUN RUN
When: November 3
Where: Rond Terrace
Events: 21.1km, 10km, 5km and 2km
