Run Injury Free
Getting to race day injury free is a major part of your training. A runnersworld.com poll of its readers says 66% of runners get injured in the course of training each year, so you've got to work to avoid injury as much as train for the long distance.
How do you do that? Here's runnersworld.com's recommendations (full article):
1. Know your limits: only increase your distance 10% a week.
2. Listen to your body: If you feel a pain that gets worst during the run back off and then take 3 days off.
3. Consider shortening your stride if pain persists: reduce your stride by 10%
4. Use strength training to balance your body: You need just enough core, hip, and lower-leg strength training to keep your pelvis and lower-extremity joints properly positioned.
5. RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation for immediate treatment or aches and pains.
6. Run on a level surface: Avoid lengthening your distance on cambered roads.
7. Don't race or do speed work too often: Do your faster workouts at tempo pace (5-K pace plus 25 to 35 seconds per mile). Even Olympic gold medalists only do five to 10 percent of their training at 5-K race pace and faster.
8. Stretch the back of your legs: Dynamic stretching can be done as a safe, effective prerun warmup. Avoid static stretching before a run (holding your stretched muscle for 30 seconds or more).
9. Cross-training provides active rest and recovery: Use cross-training activities to supplement your running, improve your muscle balance, and keep you injury-free (see full article for a list of cross-training activities based on injury type).
10. Get shoes that fit: Studies show that shoes perform best when they fit best.
How do you do that? Here's runnersworld.com's recommendations (full article):
1. Know your limits: only increase your distance 10% a week.
2. Listen to your body: If you feel a pain that gets worst during the run back off and then take 3 days off.
3. Consider shortening your stride if pain persists: reduce your stride by 10%
4. Use strength training to balance your body: You need just enough core, hip, and lower-leg strength training to keep your pelvis and lower-extremity joints properly positioned.
5. RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation for immediate treatment or aches and pains.
6. Run on a level surface: Avoid lengthening your distance on cambered roads.
7. Don't race or do speed work too often: Do your faster workouts at tempo pace (5-K pace plus 25 to 35 seconds per mile). Even Olympic gold medalists only do five to 10 percent of their training at 5-K race pace and faster.
8. Stretch the back of your legs: Dynamic stretching can be done as a safe, effective prerun warmup. Avoid static stretching before a run (holding your stretched muscle for 30 seconds or more).
9. Cross-training provides active rest and recovery: Use cross-training activities to supplement your running, improve your muscle balance, and keep you injury-free (see full article for a list of cross-training activities based on injury type).
10. Get shoes that fit: Studies show that shoes perform best when they fit best.