As always, it was a fun morning with the girls of Good Things Utah. We talked about getting started and back into a regular running routine. The link is below to watch the segment!
Here is a quick recap of the things covered too...
Almost everywhere in the country experiences winter or some form of winter!
It gets cold with the snow and ice-all of which puts a damper on outdoor
exercise, especially running routines! We tell ourselves we will hit the
treadmill or “dreadmill” but in reality quite a few of us take a seasonal break
from running. Whatever your situation, if you are ready to get back into
running, we want to share 4 tips on how to get started running again and
avoid injury!
1. Start Slow
Whether your running break was a few years long or just one season, the
comeback needs to be the same: SLOW. If you were running a seven-minute mile in
October and try to hit that pace come April, you could end up injured or stop
altogether because of discouragement. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but
your body (and your mind) is simply not ready to tackle your old pace. Slow
down your stride and ease your way back up instead…it will come! And by doing
this, you will stay healthy and motivated to keep running when you aren’t left
sucking wind after just one mile, questioning why you even bothered lacing
up.
2. Decrease The Distance
Along with your pace, your distance needs to be altered after a winter
break. A five-miler on your first day back is asking for injury and soreness.
Instead, start with a distance that feels comfortable for your current fitness
level and follow the 10 percent rule until your mileage is back to normal. This
common running rule means that you only increase your distance by 10 percent a
week. If you start at 10 miles a week, you would run 11 miles the following
week and so on and so forth. Build according to that mileage to your
desired distance.
3. Listen to Your Body
What are some of the discomforts that come with running? Side aches.
Shortness of breath. Fatigue. Tightness in the legs and hips. Running can leave
your body with a lot of feelings. The key in coming back is to train and not
strain! Use your body as a guide to know when to take it down a notch. Your
running muscles have been in hibernation all winter long; slowing down to a
walk or taking a recovery day is not a sign of defeat, it is actually a very
smart thing to do. Listening to your body also means adding more stretching,
water and sleep to your routine when running leaves you feeling sluggish or
sore. Your body is like a personal health coach, but much cheaper and one that
knows you from the inside out.
4. Keep Cross Training
If you dabbled in other forms of exercise to stay active during the winter,
don’t lose your cross-training habits with the melting snow. Strength training
will actually improve power, speed and endurance for runners. Low-impact cardio
like swimming, biking and the elliptical provides a much-needed break from the
stress running puts on knees and joints. And both strength training and
low-impact cardio help reduce the risk for injury as well. To reap the
benefits, work in two to three days of cross training with your running
routine.
Another great race is the Ogden Marathon, Half & 5K which is on May 16th.
This would be a great one to register and train for. You can find the girls
from 4 Core Fit at this event. Registration and race details can be found at www.getoutandlive.org.
Running is a great form of therapy. If this is something that interests you
and you just don’t know where to start, we can help! Feel free to contact
us at 4corefit@gmail.com. We are happy to help you
find a great event or training plan that fits what you need!
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