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ASICS running coach and serial marathon runner Ania Gabb says improvement comes from seven unglamorous habits: easy runs, sleep, simple strength training, proper fuelling, recovery, rest days and consistency. Her advice, shared with Fit&Well, emphasises foundational routines over fitness fads for runners of all levels.
ASICS running coach Ania Gabb says the habits that actually make you a better runner are the least exciting ones: easy runs, sleep, basic strength training, proper fuelling, recovery, rest days and consistency. In an interview with Fit&Well, the serial marathon runner argued that these fundamentals — not new exercises or training fads — drive improvement whether you are building toward your first 5K or your tenth marathon.
Gabb, who heads up the ASICS FrontRunner Community of more than 500 runners across 31 countries, said her perspective on these habits has changed with age. “In my 30s I embraced them; in my 40s they became non-negotiable,” she wrote on Instagram.
The first habit, easy runs, should be done at a conversational pace — an effort of no more than five out of 10, keeping heart rate in zone 1 or 2. “For beginners especially, easy runs are the best,” Gabb told Fit&Well. “People often think you need to run hard and fast all the time, but actually the easy runs are the most effective.” She recommends protecting at least one easy run per week.
On strength training, Gabb advises simple movements — calf raises, lunges, deadlifts and heel-elevated squats — for eight to 12 reps across three sets, twice a week, targeting calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes. On fuelling, she learned through experience, including a rough first marathon with stomach problems and insufficient energy gels, and now urges runners to trial all nutrition during training runs and keep a diary of how they feel. She hydrates with fluids and electrolytes the day before long efforts and eats gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce and beetroot — “I know it sounds a bit disgusting but I know it works,” she said.
Why Ordinary Habits Outperform Trendy Workouts
Gabb’s advice matters because it pushes back against the appeal of complicated training content on social media. She argues that foundational habits — sleep, easy mileage, progressive strength work and consistent fuelling — deliver results with a lower risk of injury and burnout than constant hard training. For the large population of recreational runners, this is a low-cost framework that requires little equipment and no specialist knowledge.
Her points about sleep and underfuelling also highlight common self-inflicted setbacks. Gabb said her own compromised immune system and exhaustion during long runs traced back to poor sleep, and her first marathon suffered from inadequate nutrition — mistakes she says are avoidable with testing and planning during training rather than on race day.
Ania Gabb’s Running Credentials
Gabb is an experienced running coach and certified personal trainer who has been an elite runner since 2014. She has completed UK Athletics’ Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) and Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) qualifications, and has taught Les Mills group classes as well as pre- and post-natal strength, Pilates and yoga sessions.
Her advice draws on more than two decades of regular training and her experience as a working mother juggling coaching with long-run scheduling. She currently leads the ASICS FrontRunner Community, a global network of over 500 runners from 31 countries.
On recovery, she says she wears compression boots for about an hour daily in the days before a marathon to aid blood flow, and notes that foam rollers, massage guns or sports massages can work equally well — while acknowledging the cost. “If you’re in it for the long game… you’re investing in yourself,” she said.
“In my 30s I embraced them; in my 40s they became non-negotiable.”
— Ania Gabb, ASICS running coach, on Instagram
Claims Based on Personal Experience
The seven habits are Gabb’s personal and professional opinion rather than the findings of a published study, and the report does not cite controlled research. Specific practices she describes — such as wearing compression boots before a marathon or eating beetroot with pasta — reflect what works for her individually, and she frames them as such. Individual results with fuelling, recovery tools and training loads vary, and runners with pre-existing health conditions, injuries or specific performance goals should seek guidance from a qualified professional before changing their routine.
How to Apply the Seven Habits
For runners looking to act on the advice, Gabb’s practical starting points are: schedule at least one easy, conversational-pace run per week; strength train twice weekly with basic movements for three sets of eight to 12 reps; trial race nutrition on training runs and log the results; programme rest days after long runs or hard interval sessions; and prioritise sleep, particularly before long efforts. Gabb says the overarching next step is resisting the pull of fitness fads and repeating what demonstrably works for your body and goals. Readers can follow her ongoing coaching advice through Fit&Well’s weekly training content and the ASICS FrontRunner Community.
Key Questions
Who is Ania Gabb?
Ania Gabb is an ASICS running coach, certified personal trainer and serial marathon runner who has competed at elite level since 2014. She holds UK Athletics coaching qualifications and leads the ASICS FrontRunner Community of over 500 runners from 31 countries.
What are the seven ‘boring’ things Gabb says improve running?
Easy runs, sleep, simple strength training, proper fuelling, recovery practices, rest days and consistency.
How slow should easy runs be?
According to Gabb, easy runs should be at a conversational pace — an effort of no more than five out of 10 — keeping your heart rate in zone 1 or 2, so you can chat without pausing for breath.
What strength exercises does Gabb recommend for runners?
Calf raises, lunges, deadlifts and heel-elevated squats, done for eight to 12 reps across three sets, twice a week, without training to failure.
Is this advice backed by scientific research?
The report presents Gabb’s coaching experience and personal practice rather than cited studies. Some elements, such as the value of easy running, sleep and strength work, align with widely accepted training principles, but the specific routines described are individual recommendations.
Source: rss
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