Have you caught the Covid-19 running bug? I know I definitely have. There has certainly been more people out in my local area running.
Thought this would be a great opportunity to reach out to those that might be out there running for the first time or even those who have shifted from their usual gym based training, to include running. It can be a different experience for everyone and thought a few helpful tips would be beneficial.
Having returned to running myself following the end of the cricket season I was reminded about the forces and stress that muscles, tendons and joints are under during running. Running can seem like a pretty basic activity. Put on some shoes and off you go. However, research published, reports that up to 85% of runners will develop an injury in a given year. With the rate of running injuries being so high, maybe there’s more to it!
This is the first post in a blog series which will include information for new runners, along with other tips related to running. The aim is to help you on your way while also minimising your risk of injury, so you can continue to enjoy running and the benefits it can offer.
Some things to consider especially to those new or returning to running.
Keep an eye on your K’s…
It’s important to keep track of how far you’re running each session and overall each week. One of the most common reasons for running injuries is simply increasing your total running distance too quickly. This doesn’t allow your tissues (muscles, tendons, joints) enough time to recover.
The ‘10% rule’ is an easy to use guide to make sure you’re not overdoing it. Record your runs on an app or keep an exercise diary to make sure you don’t increase your overall running volume too quickly.
This is particularly important in the initial period when you are starting to run. Increasing your running distance by 10% may sound conservative, however a very effective way of improving your running capacity, while minimising your risk of injury.
If you are not a fan of monitoring distanced, another great way to monitor and apply the same ‘10% rule’ is by varying duration. Therefore, the time you are running, during a session.
Now, you can apply this ‘10% rule’ in a variety of ways. I tend to work off duration and like to increase my runs by 10% either every run or second run. This depends on how my body has been feeling after the previous run.
For example, if I ran for a total of 15mins, the next run I would either stay at 15mins if my body took a little while to recover (muscle soreness/stiffness) or increase this run by 10%, therefore increase the duration to 16.5 mins.
It is reasonable to vary this increase. So some weeks you will increase by 10% each run, other weeks you will find you taking a couple of runs at the same duration before increasing. This is perfectly normal, as life varies with respect to sleep and other activities we might be doing. Our bodies may need that little bit more time to recover. Listen to your body and how it is feeling. The main aim though is to try each week to increase your duration by 10% for at least one running session.
Don’t go too fast!
Another common cause of injuries is constantly running at higher speeds. It’s important to mix up your weekly running by running at different speeds.
One of the crazy things about running is that running at slower speeds can help to build up your speed and ultimately help you to run faster in the long run. Running at slower speeds for longer, increases the endurance adaptations in your muscles which leads to increased blood flow and improves the overall capacity in your legs.
As you increase your training your cardiovascular (heart and lungs) fitness improves quite quickly and you’ll feel noticeably fitter within a few weeks. It can take several weeks for our muscles, tendons and joints to build up their tolerance and strength. Despite feeling fitter it’s important to resist the urge to run faster as this can overload our tissues and almost certainly result in an overload injury.
When we run at a higher intensity we often increase our stride length, thus placing higher loads through our body. This can increase the time needed for recovery while also increasing the forces on your feet and legs at initial foot strike. If we continue to overload our bodies like this, it’s more likely we will develop an injury.
By slowing down you will still get the cardiovascular benefits of running and your muscles, tendons and joints will have an easier time in recovery. This is important for new and returning runners. The base fitness and strength/endurance you gain will initially come from a more moderate to slow running pace.
For more experienced runners, varying your speed may be more part of your training plan. Tempo running can be a great way to challenge your muscles and assist in building speed and a sustained increase in your speed. Will touch more on this in a future post.
How do I know if I’m running too fast?
A simple way to work out how hard your body is working is to think about how well you could hold up a conversation during your exercise. Below is a guide on how to apply this. Obviously this is only a guide and will vary a little from person to person but a simple way of gauging your speed.
Low intensity: you can hold a relatively normal conversation.
Moderate intensity: you can speak in short sentences.
High intensity: you can speak in single words.
More experienced runners will break up their training with approximately 80% of their training at a low-moderate range and 20% at high intensity. By doing this it improves a runners’ recovery and allows your tissues to adapt.
Schedule your runs…
Possibly with a little extra time on our hands at the moment, you might have the urge to go out for a run more often. However, the recovery period is just as important as the running itself.
Recovery time allows your body the chance to repair and adapt, so you are ready to run and challenge yourself a little more the next time round. This is why we suggest ensuring you include rest days into your running program.
If you’re new or even returning to running it might be best to run a maximum of twice a week. This will allow plenty of recovery time. I suggest to my patients when they are returning to running that they give themselves around 72 hours between session. This equates to roughly 3 days. Therefore, each third day is a simple way of scheduling your running sessions. As you improve and get stronger you will find you can gradually reduce the time between runs to perhaps 48 hour.
If you’ve been running for a bit longer, ensure that you include rest days as part of your weekly running. Depending on your running volume already, always be cautious of increasing your running sessions too quickly. Rest days are just as important for those that have already been running more regularly.
If you’re still keen to exercise on your rest days, walking and cycling are good options to improve your cardiovascular fitness and avoid placing the high forces on your body that occur when we run.
It’s important to listen to your body. If you’re finding you are pulling up sore after your runs or even the following day. Ensure you give yourself an extra rest day or lower the number of km’s you plan to run next week.
We really hope you found this useful in assisting your COVID running bug! AS we mentioned earlier this information is mainly aimed at new or returning runners. The information is only a guide and focused on ensuring people are able to enjoy the process of running and getting the added health benefits, without the risk of injury.
We will continue this series with a look at great warm-up and cool down techniques/tips for running. These will be great for new runners and even those that are looking to increase their running volume.
Fluid Movement Podiatry regularly assist people of all ages and abilities return to running or their activity of choice. We develop programs and provide support to patients rehabilitating from injury or post-surgically.
In this new environment, as well as clinical appointments, we are offering running coaching and assessment through Telehealth. We can help design your training programs, manage niggles, talk to you about shoes and answer any questions you might have about your training. This can be helpful in keeping you on the right track and continuing to enjoy your running experience.
All the best
Fluid Movement Podiatry Team
Stuart Rudge and Ben Millerd
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