How to Avoid Injury
By
Art Liberman
of
State of the Art Marathon Training
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In working
with runners of all abilities over the years, I can
confidently say that training errors are the greatest
single cause of injuries which prohibit runners from
participating in their chosen target events. These
runners can be categorized into two major groups. The
first type adopts the philosophy that "More is Better"
and builds their mileage too rapidly and thus suffers
breakdown and/or injury. The second group of runners are
very inconsistent in their training and miss several
workouts in a row, for example. Then, recognizing that
they are behind in their training, pour on the miles in
an effort to catch up. Several of these mistakes are
listed below. By training wisely, you can avoid becoming
a "marathon training
fatality".
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Inconsistency -
Consistent training is one of the major keys to
running improvement. Conversely, inconsistent
training can lead to a variety of injuries. It is
vital that you do not miss several days in a row
of running and then jump right back into your
training program. Doing so greatly increases your
risk of injury as mileage must be built gradually
(see below). |
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Building Mileage Too
Rapidly - Always
adhere to the 10 percent rule. That is, do not
increase your weekly mileage by more than 10
percent nor increase the distance of your long run
by more than 10 percent per week.
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Not
Following the Hard-Easy Concept of
Training
- Hard workouts
include long runs, races, speedwork, hill repeats,
and/or any other stressful workout. Do not run two
hard workouts back to back. For example, if you
complete a long run on Sunday, do not plan to go
to the track to do a speedwork session on Monday.
Or if you run a 10-K roadrace on Saturday, avoid
doing a long run on Sunday. |
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Not Listening
to Your Body
- I also refer to this
concept as "Being a Slave to Your Training
Schedule". While it's very important to be as
consistent as possible regarding your training, it
is vital to listen to what your legs are telling
you throughout your marathon training period.
Instead of running an easy five or six miles
during the middle of the week when your muscles
feel fatigued or sore, take an extra day off and
save your legs for the weekend long run. Above
all, incorporate rest days into your schedule
prior to hard
workouts.
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Injury Prevention
Strategies
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 Heed Injury Warning Signs
- There are too many types of
running injuries and treatment options to discuss in
this section. However, if you suspect you may have an
injury, begin a preventative rehabilitation program to
keep the damage to a minimum. Depending on the type of
injury, this might mean using ice, anti-inflammatory
medication, and above all, taking a rest day or two to
allow the injury to heal. Continuing to run will only
slow down the recovery process or even make the injury
more serious. In addition, by favoring the injury and
altering your natural running style, a secondary injury
may develop. If your injury doesn't respond to rest
and/or the rehabilitation measures described earlier, it
is then prudent to seek the advice of a physician
familiar with running and sports-related injuries. Above
all, follow his or her advice! For more information,
refer to the section on Injury
Treatment Approaches.
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Hydration - Stay well-hydrated to avoid heat injury.
See Nutrition
section for more information.
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 Use Fresh Shoes - Purchase a new pair of shoes when the
mileage totals from your old shoes reach a maximum
of 400 miles. | |
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Stretch Regularly - See the separate section on Stretching
for more information. | |
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Include Weight Training -
See the separate section on Weight
Training for more information. |
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Add
Some Cross-Training Activities - Be sure that these activities supplement your
running rather than increase your level of fatigue which
reaches the point of interfering with your running
program. Also see separate section on The
Dos and Don'ts of Cross-Training for more
information. |
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Utilize Recovery Techniques
- There are several therapeutic
measures you can take to recover from stressful runs or
from the cumulative effects of hard training over a long
period of time. Massage therapy is great after a
long run, hard race, and/or weeks of heavy
training. Pouring cold water on fatigued legs after a
race or long run is another therapeutic technique.
Soaking your legs in a whirlpool with warm water
(approximately 105 degrees) a couple of hours after a
race or long run oftentimes aids in the recovery of
fatigued muscles. Something as simple as taking a walk
or going for an easy bike ride a couple hours after a
hard workout also can work wonders for tired
legs. |
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 Portions copyright © 1999 . All rights reserved.
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