Words: Gentleman's Journal
Running is a fantastic way to get and keep fit. What’s more, is it a unique way to get to know your city, process the day’s obligations and get some head space. However, very few people that aren’t professional athletes, ever get taught how to run in a way that actually protects them from injury.
Without the rules below, I promise, you will be affected by injury, its just a matter of time.
So lets get things started with a simple one:
1. COLD BODIES BREAK, WARM BODIES BOUNCE, Start your runs with 10-15 minutes of walking and slow jogging to allow a period of active warm up.
Runners that forego this process are likely to experience muscle strain, rolled ankles and even longer term, serious injuries like muscle strains and chronic injuries like shin splints.
2. TRACK YOUR RUNS AND ENSURE YOU ONLY INCREASE WEEKLY TRAINING MILEAGE BY NO MORE THAT 10% PER WEEK , Joe Henderson, the first Editor of Runner’s World, and Joan Ullyot, M.D., author of three women’s running books, first gained notoriety for the 10-percent prescription in the 1980s. “I noticed that runners who increased their training load too quickly were incurring injuries,” says Dr. Ullyot.??The Exception: If you’re starting at single-digit weekly mileage after a layoff, you can add more than 10% per week until you’re close to your normal training load.
3. GET STRONGER TO RUN LONGER, This not only applies to the distance you hope to run but also for the number of years you hope to be a runner for. Running is a high impact sport and, as such, it has a large impact throughout your body.
To improve your running, spend some time training your overall strength and core stability. Whether this is done in a gym or at home, all runners need to undertake a strength program that will build up their supporting muscles. Try to choose low or no impact sports for your strength training like, cycling, swimming or resistance training.
4. WEATHER WARNING…, Dress for a run as if it is 10 degrees warmer outside than it says it is. On a cold day you don’t need much more than a t-shirt, shorts and a pair of gloves. The last thing you want your clothes to do is overheat you.
5. PICK A PARTNER.. BUT LISTEN TO YOUR OWN BODY!, Lastly, pick a friend you can run with. Try to make sure that your new running partner has a similar mind set to you. You don’t need to try and jog next to a sprinter. Pace setters, running partners and training mates are great for pushing you to keep going when you thought you had to stop and to keep you motivated on the days when you would otherwise stay at home.
However, learn to distinguish between good and bad pain. Listen to your own body, not your training partner’s and on the days you need to rest, REST! We get stronger on our rest days so don’t be ashamed to take one… (once in a while).
My final thought for you all is that most running shoes are fashion forward. Forget most expensive running shoes and get a barefoot shoe that will force you to learn to run on the balls of your feet rather than from heal to toe. Running on the balls of your feet keeps your knees soft and plenty suspension through your body.
So now that you have the 5 golden rules, get out there and try to take one more step than you did on your last run!
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