Common Mistakes Runners Make When Returning From Injury
Coming back from a running injury comes with all sorts of emotions: fear, excitement, nervousness. This is the time when clients have done the work to get out of pain, get stronger, and are most excited to bet back to their previous mileage. Unfortunately, there are a few common mistakes that could derail all of the progress you have made. This post will dive into the common mistakes I see and how to avoid them.
Going from 0 to 100 Too Fast
One of the biggest mistakes runners make when returning to running is immediately going back to the same intensity and/or volume they were before the injury. Believe me, I wish this worked. Unfortunately, your body has adapted to less mileage and intensity and likely won’t respond well to massive jumps in mileage. Our bodies take time to adapt to load. The good news is that the less time you have taken off, the faster we can expect you to adapt. Likewise, the stronger you are the faster you can get back to your old base mileage.
What To Do Instead
Gradually rebuild your volume before you worry about intensity. I’ll dive deeper into intensity in the next section. Start with easy, zone 2 miles and focus on building back your base over about 3-4 weeks (may be shorter or longer depending on your injury). I encourage you to work with a trusted provider or running coach to write this out with you to help ensure your body adapts safely rather than breaking down again.
Adding Too Many Variables at Once
This is a conversation I have all the time with my runners. If we change too many variables at one time and something flares up again, there is no way to know which variable was the problem. I encourage you to refrain from increasing mileage, adding speedwork, incorporating hills, and increasing the days you are running all within a short timeframe.
What To Do Instead
Step one should always be to get to a good solid base mileage on relatively flat surfaces before worrying about any other variable. For most half and full marathoners, this is about 20 miles a week (this number will not be the same for every runner!). Once you have a solid base mileage again, you can slowly add in some rolling hills and finally speed work. Problems often arise with speed work, so I suggest you add this last. By adding in one variable at a time, it is much easier to troubleshoot if problems arise and ensure a safe progression.
Skipping The Strength Training
Many runners assume that once they can run pain free, they can ditch the strength training and rehab exercises. This costly mistake can unfortunately put you right back on the side lines. Weaknesses and muscle imbalances can lead to compensations and injuries.
What To Do Instead
Continue to strength train, even as the pain improves! The minimum effective dosage for strength training is twice a week. Continuing your strength training can help you improve load tolerance, resilience, and running economy.
Not Prioritizing Sleep and Nutrition
I tell runners all the time: focus on the controllables. We can control sleep, nutrition, and recovery. Poor sleep and inadequate nutrition, especially protein, can significantly impact healing rates, recovery time, and performance. Runners are often guilty of underestimating the importance of sleep and nutrition, especially during an injury because they don’t “feel they need as much.” However, we need sleep and protein to recover!
What To Do Instead
Continue to prioritize sleep and fueling as part of your training, especially as you increase mileage. These basic, controllable variables are a game changer.
