9 Essential Tips to Kickstart Your Running Journey
Find a great physio and have them check out your running mechanics. Trust me, your physio will become your best friend in those first 6 months as you get back into running.
Strengthen your calves. Calf injuries and calf tightness leading to Achilles problems is one of the major injuries I see with athletes returning to running..
Improve your mobility. This is not the same as stretching but more joint mobility and range of movement. Do you have good ankle range? Do you have good hip range? A good physio will be able to test your joint range and make recommendations. Get yourself a foam roller and a lacrosse ball or softball and get to work.
Focus on good eating. You’ll usually find the healthiest options at the ends of the supermarket. There’s a saying I like: if it comes in a can or a packet, it’s probably not real food. And if you’re carrying a few extra kilos, dropping a bit of weight before you ramp up your running can do wonders. It’ll help prevent injuries and speed up recovery. The load on your body is already high enough without those extra pounds hammering your joints with every step.
Find a good coach. It’s an investment in yourself.
Start a basic strength program. Join a gym and get a suitably qualified person to write you a good program. You can do a lot of good strength work with your own body and resistance bands when starting out.
Spend less time sitting during the day. This is a killer. If you are going to get back into running sitting all day is going to make it harder. If you are stuck in front of a computer all day, get up at move every hour and walk around. Do some calf raises at your desk, stand up in meetings and go for a walk at lunchtime.
Rest if your body is sore or tired. There will be plenty of time to push the body once you gain some basic conditioning. Getting back into running after a long break or injury is tough and you will want to speed up the process. Be patient. If you are really tired or sore let your coach know and ask for a modified session.
Enjoy the journey. Put those basic steps in place, stay patient, and stay consistent you'll be back to running your best before you know it.
🏃♂️Go Run 🏃♀️