The Little Things | Camille Herron

Note 1/22/2026: This page revives my original “Do the Little Things” philosophy, written at the beginning of my running career in 2011. While I’ve updated the presentation for clarity, the principles and practices shared here remain unchanged—and still guide how I train and compete today.

Introduction:

When we lived in Oregon, Kelly Sullivan, the Head Women’s Cross Country/Track Coach at Oregon State University, constantly reminded his athletes to do the little things—those are the things that make the biggest difference. As Conor and I like to say, it’s about crossing your t’s and dotting your i’s. I’ve never considered myself the most naturally gifted runner (and luck hasn’t exactly been my strong suit either!), so I’ve always known that if I wanted to perform at my best, I had to do everything right.

Back in 2006, I read an interview with Jen Rhines that left a lasting impression on me. She talked about how their group had studied a marathon course in detail— scoping out the terrain, the conditions, even the smallest variables— and then mimicked those details in training. That level of preparation stuck with me. Around the same time, when I ran my first U.S. Championship race, I remember looking around and thinking, Wow— everyone here looks serious. And fit. I realized quickly that if I wanted to compete at the national level (and beyond), I needed to get my act together and be methodical about every tiny detail.

If you want to be your best, you have to function like a clock—building routines, planning ahead, and showing up consistently. When you commit to that kind of structure, that’s when the “magic” starts to happen.

This page is sharing the “little things” that add up to make a big difference. In many ways, this process is even more revealing than my training itself. I’m highly methodical and deeply scientific in my approach, and I believe strongly in practices that are supported by evidence. If you want to be competitive on the world stage, you have to be bold, brave, willing to endure a lot of pain—and also smart with your training.

“Doing the little things” is how we earned two Olympic medals in 2004, and it’s a philosophy that continues to guide everything I do. If you want a great example of this mindset in action, one of my all-time favorite articles is Special Ks.

Stay Tuned!