3 Ways Runners Can Prevent Injuries

Every runner has been chastised by a non-runner about the high injury rate of our sport. And yes, it is certainly possible to become injured while running. Here are three ways you can avoid running injuries and keep your training on-track and progressing.

Avoid major changes in training. Things happen and sometimes you miss a day of training. There is always a temptation to “make up” the miles on the following day or week even though it would throw off your training schedule. Resist this impulse and stick with your schedule.

Avoid overtraining or large mileage increases. Training should not be easy, but you should also not be overtraining. Train hard but also eat lots of nutritious food and get plenty of rest. Along the same line, make sure you are following your carefully made training plan and not having big fluctuations in your mileage between weeks. Stick with steadily, gradually increasing your miles with some planned step-back rest weeks,

Footwear. When I first started running and heard that you should buy new shoes every 300 to 400 miles, I assumed it was just sportswear company propaganda spread to increase sales. Then I got terrible tendinitis that went away right when I got new shoes. I think it is very important to keep track of how many miles you have on each pair of running shoes and always be prepared to cycle in new shoes. However, be careful when you switch to a brand new pair of shoes. Make sure and break them in on some short runs before using them for anything too long. And remember, do not use a brand new pair of shoes for a race without breaking them in for several weeks beforehand.

Being consistent and dedicated to your training is commendable. Being inflexible and demanding, not so much so. Make sure and listen to what your body is telling you. Remember that taking a day off to let your body heal and rest will have significantly less of a negative impact on your training as would a major injury.

photo by bennylin0724