PREVENT INJURIES AS RACE DRAWS NEAR
Your body needs recovery time as much as it needs training
Q: We’re about a month away from race day. How can I train hard but at the same time avoid injury?
A: First off, stick to the program. You might be feeling really strong, energetic and loving it so much that you just want to keep running — running more than the program asks you to. Hold back on this urge, especially if this is your first time training to run/ walk a 10K! Your body needs rest and recovery as much as it needs training. Secondly, pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you are overdoing it, your body is likely giving you some warning signs — nagging aches and pains that aren’t disappearing the day after a run, unusual fatigue, atypical grumpiness or just a lack of desire to get out and run. If you’re experiencing any of these and are finding it hard to lace up your runners, give it a rest and head out the next day instead. Pushing your body to do something it doesn’t want to do is just asking for injury.
Q: What should I be doing during my recovery time?
A: Take care of your running muscles — Rest days are perfect for getting on the foam roller for self- massage, doing extra stretching, and strengthening the muscles that don’t typically get used during
running. For example, the hip muscles, particularly the gluteus medius, are extremely important in controlling your leg and knee position while you run. If they are doing their job, they can help prevent common running injuries around the knee. Try some hip strengthening exercises like the “clamshell,” side planks, controlled single- leg squats, or Jane Fonda- style side- lying leg lifts.
Q: How often should I use RICE?
A: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation are typically used for acute injuries like an ankle sprain or a twisted knee, resulting in swelling and pain. If you’ve had one of these, then you should be using RICE on and off for 10 to 20 minutes as often as you can for the first 72 hours. If you’re just experiencing some mild pain after a run, then ice for 10 to 15 minutes following your run, and again a couple of more times later that day. Do not ice before a run.
Q: What about running on different surfaces? Should I run strictly on roads? Or should I mix it up to avoid injury?
A: Running on different surfaces like soft running tracks, mulch trails, a treadmill, or in the deep water of a pool will decrease the heavy impact forces through your body. It will challenge your running muscles , making you a stronger runner.
Next Week: Teamwork