Injuries are a concern when running, especially as runners increase mileage or train for a race. The risk is even higher for new runners and runners training for their first race. As you train for this fall’s Endeavor Health Naperville Half Marathon, 10K or 5K, consider the following 5 steps to minimize your chances of getting hurt.
1. Build a solid foundation. Follow a professionally created training program that increases your mileage slowly and methodically from your current fitness level to a level that supports your goal race distance and your time goal. There are several reputable websites that offer running programs (some are free, and some involve a fee for ongoing coaching) that you can tailor to your needs. Alternatively, work with a certified running coach to have a customized program created just for you. They key is to follow a program that:
Starts from your current fitness level
Increases your workload gradually – no more than 10 percent mileage increase per week or per session.
Includes a slow, methodical increase of long runs to a run length consistent with your goal race. For example, half marathoners should ramp to a long run of 12-14 miles, 10K runners should increase to a long run of 6-8 miles, and 5K runners should ramp to a long run of 3-5 miles.
Includes a slow ramp up of speed training based on current fitness level. If you are a beginner, your initial running training program should contain no speed work.
Includes runs of different length, speed, running surface/terrain and hilliness – variety is important to prevent injury.
Also, remember to be realistic. If you are a new runner, build your running base and run regularly for at least 3 months before attempting your first 10K race and for at least 6 months before attempting your first half marathon race.
2. Be consistent. Now that you have your training plan, follow it closely. Consistency is one of the keys to preventing injury. This doesn’t mean you can’t miss a workout occasionally, but if you find yourself missing a week of runs, this can be a recipe for injury. Try to stay consistent by keeping the number of runs and miles per week close to your plan. If you miss a full week of training, ease back into the plan (possibly by repeating the previous week in the plan and proceeding from there) or work with your running coach to get back on track safely. If you miss more than one week, you will need to repeat previous weeks in your training plan; work with a trainer or running coach to regroup and possibly change your race goals and/or goal race distance.
3. Develop good running form. It is difficult to “force” yourself into perfect running form and it can be dangerous, especially if your muscles aren’t prepared for that method of running. However, to prevent undue force on the body, landing with each foot underneath your body – instead of in front of your body – is usually associated with lower ground forces on the body resulting in lower injury rate.
The easiest way to achieve this is to shorten and quicken your stride. If you find you are an “overstrider”, practice shorter, quicker strides with feet landing underneath you on a regular basis.
One way to do this is to practice “quick feet” running drills which increase your cadence (the number of times your feet hit the ground per minute) and minimize the amount of time each of your feet spend on the ground. Some people call this the “hot coals” drill since running on hot coals would certainly quicken your stride and shorten your foot strike time! Try practicing this drill a few times per week by doing 30 second intervals of “quick feet” followed by 30 seconds of “normal” running and repeat five times for a total of five minutes.
4. Strength train. Running is a very repetitive sport. As a result, it carries a high probability of overuse injuries. To prevent these injuries, strengthening and mobilizing key areas of the body are important preventive measures. Focus on these areas:
Core: Strengthen the lateral and anterior core with exercises such as plank and side plank variations.
Hips/glutes: Strengthen the legs, glutes, and hip stabilizers with exercises such as lunge variations, deadlifts, and glute bridge variations and with resistance band hip abduction work (such as clams). Also, keep the hips and hamstrings mobile with key stretches for those areas.
Ankles/calves: Strengthen the ankles and calves with exercises such as calf raises, jumping/plyometrics and banded ankle work. Also, keep the calves mobile with calf stretching. Try doing some of this foot and ankle work barefoot for added benefit. A strength training program for runners, such as RunSMART can help you work on all these areas.
5. Make pace a priority. To avoid overtraining and injury, most running should be at a slow, conversational pace. Many people overtrain on their easy days and carry fatigue into their hard runs. Make sure you keep your easy days easy, even if you are a veteran runner. Following the pacing of your running program, as well as the distances, helps keep injury at bay.
These 5 steps will help you avoid injury and have a great race season. However, even when a runner follows all the rules, they can still become injured. Injury rates among runners are fairly high, primarily because running is a repetitive, high-impact sport. You may still become injured despite being careful to follow your program, eat right, get plenty of rest and strength train.
So, you’re injured. Now what?
See the doctor. First and foremost, any nagging or lingering pain needs to be properly diagnosed. A bit of soreness is normal after difficult runs, but if pain persists over a few runs, worsens when you are running, is keeping you awake or is significant in terms of intensity, it is time to seek help from a medical professional. Depending on the injury, they may do a manual exam, take X-rays and/or do other types of testing and analysis (MRI, etc.) to make a diagnosis.
Ask questions. Once you have a diagnosis from the doctor, ask some follow up questions:
Can I run? Chances are you will get a “no” to this question, at least for a while.
How long do I need to stop running? At this point, the answer to this question might be unknown.
Can I do other activities? What would those be? This is a very important question as the answer will allow you to formulate a cross-training plan to preserve your fitness.
Do I need physical therapy? Medication? Surgery? Immobilization/casting? What treatment options do I have along those lines? Depending on the injury, there may be multiple options. Your doctor may have a recommendation but be sure to ask what all the options are and discuss the pros and cons of each.
What are the next steps regarding medical follow-up? Make sure you make and keep any subsequent doctor’s appointments.
Follow the doctor’s plan. The doctor may prescribe medication (such as anti-inflammatories), immobilization/casting, physical therapy, meeting with a specialist, etc. Make sure you follow the agreed-upon plan as it is likely the quickest way back to your original training plan.
Create a cross-training program. Based on your doctor’s recommendations about what activities are acceptable while injured, create an exercise plan. Being a runner and not being able to run can be difficult, but it is important to find exercise that you can do to preserve your fitness. This will help you return to running more efficiently once your injury is resolved. Ideally this exercise plan will include some form of cardiovascular exercise and some form of strength training. Alternative forms of cardio that your doctor might suggest could include biking, swimming, walking, elliptical trainer, etc. Strength training options from your physician will likely avoid the injured area. For example, you may need to do upper body and core strength training only for a while. It is important to maintain these muscle groups as you are recovering. You may be told to “let pain be your guide”. In that case, be aware that the pain may manifest itself during the activity, or it may show up that night or the next day. In all these cases, the offending activity needs to be discontinued or scaled back until it no longer causes pain.
Take care of your body. As you are recovering, it is important to stay well hydrated, eat nutritious foods and get enough rest. Be careful not to overeat (out of boredom or sadness over your injury) as weight gain while recovering from injury could hamper your return to sport. If possible, try to minimize any other stresses in your life. Your cross-training program can help with managing stress.
Return to sport. Once your injury is resolved and you receive your doctor’s permission to resume running, do so cautiously. Don’t jump immediately back into the training load you were doing when you got hurt. Depending on the amount of time you were injured, you may need to start back with a beginner’s program. Consult your physician for advice on how aggressively to return to running. You may also want to consult a running coach or fitness professional to help you create your return-to-running program. With a good plan and a little time and patience, you’ll get back on track.
Laurie Lasseter
Marathoner
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
RRCA Certified Running Coach
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