Running Smart- 5 Tips to Avoid Injury

I’ve been thinking a lot about running as of late. Maybe it’s because race season is here. Or because after 2 years I’m finally back to full running workouts again. Or possibly it’s the my recent run in rural PA, where I enjoyed a run on some good old country roads.

​But most likely, it’s because I’ve been working with a few novice runners, who are just getting into the sport, and have some fairly lofty goals. I’ve had several conversations with them about injuries. And while they are novices, even experienced runners get hurt. In fact the injury rate for runners is an astounding 70%. Yikes! That’s more than football! Because of running’s repetitive nature and high impact forces, running can be as harsh on the body as it can be soothing to the soul.

So, how do you protect the feet, knees, hips, and back? How do we stave off injury? While nothing can guarantee you’ll avoid the injury bug, here are 4 keys to ensure you remain as healthy as possible when hitting the pavement or trail.

1. Begin gradually. This actually incorporates three aspects of the run into one resounding theme. Build run intensity, frequency, and duration gradually. Even veteran runners get hurt when they overdo one or more of these three aspects. Building the speed of a run (intensity), the number of runs per week (frequency), and the distance of those runs (duration) gradually. The body needs time to adjust to the demands of training. This could be anywhere from 4-8 weeks. However, If you are coming off an injury, are over the age of 40, or a novice runner, this ramp-up phase should be even longer. The time frame will be different for everyone, but could take several months depending on your race goals. ​
2. Periodize your training. Speaking of race goals, many novice runners pick an online training plan and simply run the same speed each time according to the plan. Or even worse, they have no plan at all and just try to run faster or further each time out. This is a fast track to injury. To adequately improve and safely build fitness the body needs time to adjust. A good coach and/or training plan gives just the right amount of training stress for the runner, and the body has time to adapt by overcompensating leading to greater fitness and faster times. This is called the ‘stress adaptation cycle’. In training terms, we must periodize our training- or structure our runs to allow for the body to build, recover, and peak at the right times in preparation for a race. A good coach can structure a plan to help you get there.
3. Run with good mechanics. While text-book running form isn’t essential for fast times, it can’t hurt. But what can hurt are two big running flaws that sooner or later end up causing a host of injuries: over striding and low run cadence. Overstriding is when the foot lands far out in front of the body, instead of directly beneath it. Cadence is how often your feet strike the ground in a minute  (you want to aim from 170-180 spm). The sooner you correct your stride and increase your cadence, the sooner you reduce your chances of injury. But both of these are much easier said than done. Ask a coach to help you make corrections.
4. Utilize a strength training routine. There is a scripture that warns, “don’t run faster than you have strength.” The key word here is strength- which has been a foreign word when it comes to most of the distance running community. However, gradually this is starting to shift- yay! Not only can lifting weights increase power and lead to faster run times, but it can help prevent injury. Running is a repetitive movement, which leads to muscle imbalances, which contributes to injury. By adopting a smart strength regimen that utilizes run-specific stability exercises and traditional compound movements like squats and dead-lifts, runners can help minimize muscle imbalances and build strength to insulate them from potential injury.
5. Listen to your body. Its no secret that most runners and triathletes are type-A. This can be both a blessing and a curse in the running world, with athletes pushing themselves hard on challenging training runs, but not knowing when to back off when injury is looming. Rest and recovery are critical to a structured running plan, but listening to your body and having the discipline to take an extra few days off is even more critical. While fitness may lapse during time off, it’s far better than pushing past pain to the point of injury and being sidelined for the rest of your season. Learn the difference between discomfort and pain, and when you feel pain, stop! You will save yourself a lot of heartache down the road if you learn the difference.

Using these tips, you can hopefully avoid that injury bug. Remember to build gradually, use a structured plan, practice good mechanics, hit the gym for strength training, and listen to your body. Need help figuring all that out? I’ve got a few ideas- reach out to me and we can get you dialed in. But in the meantime, happy running!