You've learned things running. Sharing that knowledge can help others—or alienate them.

When to Give Advice

When Asked

Best scenario:

• "What do you think about..."
• "How did you handle..."
• "Any suggestions for..."

Your job:

• Answer their specific question
• Share relevant experience
• Offer to discuss more if helpful

When Safety Is at Risk

Speak up for:

• Dangerous situations (running in traffic unsafely, etc.)
• Clear injury warning signs they're ignoring
• Equipment failures (worn shoes about to cause problems)

How to approach:

• Frame as concern, not criticism
• Share what you've seen/learned
• Offer help, not lectures

When It's Your Role

Appropriate if:

• You're their designated mentor/coach
• They've specifically asked you to watch for things
• You have an established advice-giving relationship

When NOT to Give Advice

Unsolicited Opinions

Resist the urge when:

• They didn't ask
• They're celebrating something (not the time for "but you could...")
• It's about their pace, weight, or body
• It's their first race (let them enjoy it)

Things Outside Your Expertise

Stay quiet about:

• Medical issues (direct to professionals)
• Nutrition for conditions you don't have
• Training for distances you haven't run
• Topics you've only read about, not experienced

How to Give Advice Well

Ask Questions First

Before advising:

• "What have you already tried?"
• "What do you think is happening?"
• "What are you hoping to achieve?"

Why this helps:

• Shows respect
• Reveals context you need
• Often they know the answer

Share Experience, Not Rules

Instead of: "You should do tempo runs once a week"

Try: "What's helped me is tempo runs once a week—that might work for you too"

Why:

• Acknowledges individual differences
• Removes pressure
• Shows humility

One Thing at a Time

Overwhelming:

• "You need to slow down, do more strength training, fix your cadence, hydrate better, and probably get new shoes"

Helpful:

• "The biggest thing that helped me early on was slowing my easy runs. Want to talk about that?"

Match Their Level

For beginners:

• Simple, fundamental concepts
• Encouragement heavy
• Technique light
• Just enough to improve

For experienced runners:

• More nuanced discussion
• Can handle complexity
• Peer-level conversation

Common Mistakes

The Unsolicited Form Critique

The trap: Seeing someone's form and commenting

Why it's problematic:

• Form is individual
• They didn't ask
• May cause self-consciousness
• You might be wrong

Exception: They specifically asked for form feedback

The Pace Police

The trap: Commenting on others' paces

Why it's problematic:

• Pace is personal
• You don't know their goals/context
• Creates judgment
• Not your business

The "What Works for Me" Assumption

The trap: Assuming your approach is right for everyone

Reality:

• Bodies respond differently
• Goals vary
• Life circumstances differ
• Multiple valid approaches exist

The Over-Explaining

The trap: Giving way more information than asked for

Better approach:

• Answer the question asked
• Offer to elaborate if wanted
• Let them ask follow-ups

Mentoring Newer Runners

What Good Mentors Do

Focus on:

• Encouragement and support
• Answering questions as they arise
• Sharing experience honestly
• Celebrating their progress

What Good Mentors Avoid

Don't:

• Overwhelm with information
• Compare their progress to yours
• Push them faster than they want
• Make it about you

Building Their Independence

Goal:

• Help them become self-sufficient
• Teach principles, not just rules
• Encourage their own learning
• Support their unique journey

Knowing Your Limits

Refer to Experts When

Medical issues:

• Persistent pain
• Injury symptoms
• Health concerns
• → "You should see a doctor/PT about that"

Advanced training:

• Beyond your experience level
• Complex periodization
• Elite goals
• → "A coach could really help with that"

Nutrition/Health:

• Eating disorders
• Serious deficiencies
• Medical conditions
• → "A sports dietitian would know better than me"

Being Honest About Knowledge

It's okay to say:

• "I don't know"
• "That's outside my experience"
• "Let me think about that"
• "You might want to ask someone else"

Better than:

• Guessing
• Speaking beyond your knowledge
• Pretending expertise

The best running communities are built on helpful, humble advice-sharing. Track your own progress on your dashboard and share what you learn along the way.