This article originally appeared in Shape.
Sun's out, gyms are back, and the time is right to rededicate to your fitness goals. To reach your peak performance in no time, steal a few tried-and-true pointers from Tokyo's standout Olympians.
Be Holistic About Cross Training
"Your whole body needs to work together for running," says Aliphine Tuliamuk, an Olympic marathoner and Tracksmith athlete. That means balancing your mileage with other critical pillars to truly flow: plyometrics, stretching, weight training, and flexibility drills.
"One tip that is true for all runners is that it's better to run one fewer mile in your training and to spend that time on drills and stretching," she says. That's key for injury prevention in distance running, where "imbalance will come back to haunt you," says Tuliamuk. (Related: Why the Left Side of Your Body Is Weaker Than Your Right — and How to Fix It)