5 Things I Do to Keep Myself (Mostly) Injury-Free
I was always pretty lucky that I managed to evade injuries when I was running track and cross country in high school. Something changed when I started college, though. I found myself sidelined all the time.
I experienced the same stress fracture in one foot numerous times, tendinitis somewhere around my ankle, and a truly nasty sprain when practicing hurdles for the steeplechase. Frustrated barely begins to describe how I felt.
After graduating, I knew I needed to make some changes if I wanted to keep racing. All those injuries just make it incredibly difficult to maintain a consistent training plan. It took some trial and error, but I’ve finally found a combination of strategies that work for me.
5 Things I Do to Keep Myself (Mostly) Injury-Free
These are the things I do to keep myself as injury-free as possible.
1. Frequent cross training
There are so many elements that can increase your risk of getting an injury, but one that seems to cause trouble across the board is high mileage. As your weekly mileage climbs, so does your risk of getting hurt. It’s also worth noting some research has found your odds of injury are greater if you’ve been hurt before.
While cutting your mileage might sound like a terrible idea, replacing some of those runs with cross training can really help you stay healthy. Cross training allows you to maintain, or build, your fitness without placing the same demands on your body. And since running is inherently a high-impact sport, just about anything else will be gentler. I now cross train 3 days per week and, not only do I get injured less, but I also feel fresher on the days when I do run.
2. Regular weight training
If the thought of lifting dumbbells and barbells makes you groan, hear me out. I’ll admit I don’t exactly delight in lifting weights. But I have gotten so much stronger since I made strength training a part of my routine. Running hills doesn’t feel as hard and my form doesn’t disintegrate at the end of races the way it used to.
Still need convincing? There are numerous trials that show incorporating strength training can improve endurance for cyclers and runners. If you need some guidance on how to get started, take a look at some of these strength training resources.
3. Incorporating yoga when possible
I was vaguely familiar with yoga as a high school student, occasionally going to classes with my mom. Then life got in the way and I stopped. I eventually got back into when I was looking for a gentle way to get my body moving again after a tough half marathon. It wasn’t until that reintroduction that I realized how beneficial yoga can be for loosening up my insanely tight hips.
Runner’s World explains yoga helps release tension in your hips, hamstrings, quads, and just about every other area that’s notoriously tight among runners. Even if you can’t commit to a full class a few times a week, you might consider incorporating some basic poses into your routine.
4. Taking a rest day every week
Anyone who’s ever experienced overtraining syndrome will tell you that more is not always better. Constantly pushing yourself will eventually leave you feeling wiped out. Your running performance will tank, too. An article published by the American College of Sports Medicine points out the recovery period is when tissue repair and growth actually occur, so you can really benefit from getting plenty of rest.
One of the ways I make sure I get enough rest is to take a day off every week. You might even take two rest days per week. If that doesn’t work for you, some experts suggest trying active recovery like walking.
5. Getting plenty of sleep
Most of us are used to hearing that we need to catch more Zs. Perhaps you’ve even heard about some of the long-term health consequences of inadequate sleep. It can be a little trickier to understand how a skimpy sleep schedule can affect your running, though.
It turns out researchers have started looking into the link between sleep and athletic performance. While this study is small, it demonstrates adequate sleep is a key component in reaching your athletic peak.
The amount of sleep you need depends on numerous factors. The National Sleep Foundation suggests 7 to 9 hours for adults and even more for teens and younger children. After years of trying to get away with too little, I finally aim for 7 every night. Guess what? I haven’t been injured since I started.
