Injury is the bane of all runners. It could set us back for weeks, even months, depending on how serious our injury is. However, most of the time we can avoid an unwanted injury. Here are 3 very simple tips that can help you dodge an injury.
#1 Run On Softer Surfaces
Alberto Salazar has always been quoted saying that his athletes run 90 percent of their runs on soft surfaces. Pavement pounding puts a lot more stress on joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. You are better off running on trails, gravel surfaces, grass and track surfaces because this will minimize the impact on your legs and hence ensure your longevity in running. So, need we say more – start hitting the trails!
*If you’re in Malaysia, you could head to Wetlands Putrajaya to run on the gravel surface or Kiara to run in the trails. If you’re in Singapore, you could check out MacRitchie Reservoir.
#2 Strengthening
Strengthening can help you in a number of ways. It can help stabilize your joints and strengthen your ligaments. For instance, someone with stronger tendons and ligaments may only get a roll on the ankle instead of a bad sprain.
Strengthening can also help us maintain proper form while running. The longer you are into a run, your form starts to falter. This faltering form can cause an unwanted injury. So, it is very important to hit the gym at least once a week. Athletes such as Mo Farah, Galen Rupp, and Jordan Hasay are strong advocates of strengthening.
Read More: 5 Common Training Mistakes For Runners
#3 Take Recovery Days Seriously
A lot of us runners are impatient. We see progress, and we can’t wait to see how far we can go. We want to make the most out of each run. However, scheduling a recovery day after a hard run will prevent you from the dangers of overtraining and getting injured. Overtraining can cause a progress plateau and an injury could set you back for months – that would be worse! So, don’t be impatient!
Remember that recovery days are for you to recover. Take it slow and chill, and don’t be pushing up your heart rate. Recovery runs are a part of training as well.
Read More: 8 Signs Of Overtraining
