5 Essential Running Tips For Those Summer Miles

As a physiotherapist working with many runners over the years, I have seen how frustrating it can be to miss time from running or dropping out of that big race you spent so much time training for.  

If your body isn’t prepared to handle the stresses, you can end up dealing with injuries that will cause you to miss time from running.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of putting in the hard (and sometimes boring) work to avoid injuries and keep you running in the long term. 

Here are some tips to help avoid injuries:

-Warm up.  5-10 minutes to get the blood flowing, targeting muscles that will be most active- core, glutes, quads, calf muscles.

-Cross train.  Incorporate weight training, flexibility and alternative cardio workouts into your weekly routine as a way to avoid overuse injuries and allow you to get the most out of your running workouts.

-Make sure your running shoes are giving you enough support.  When to change shoes varies on your mileage, the type of runner you are, and the surfaces you run on.

-Don’t ramp up your distance too quickly.  Mileage will be different depending on your ability level and your individual goals.  A good rule of thumb is the 10% rule- do not increase your week to week mileage by more than 10%.

-Listen to your body for any lingering aches and pains you develop.  This can be your body’s way to warn that you are doing too much, possibly increasing mileage too quickly or running too many days per week among other things.