Tags: Training tips, WithU
What should I do before and after runs to perform well?
“A warm up is essential to maximise your ability and reduce your risk of injury. My warm ups are made up of four key stages: raising my heart rate, activating key muscles, mobilising key joints, and stimulating my central nervous system. After your training sessions, a cool down is vital for helping your body to return to its steady state. I tend to stick with static stretches and controlled breathwork in my cool downs.”
Specifically created to support runners, Doug’s Runner Prehab and Runner Rehab are great workouts to integrate into your routine, to support your body both before and after your runs.
How much volume is too much?
“The 10% rule is a useful principle to bear in mind when it comes to increasing your weekly mileage. This is the maximum advised volume increase from week to week, as it’s generally the biggest jump that your body can handle before picking up an injury. I’d suggest keeping this principle in mind when setting your target and planning your training, to ensure that your body stays as happy as it can.”
Can I continue training while injured?
“Depending on your injury, it’s possible to continue training while you recover. My suggestion would be to incorporate lower impact cardio workouts into your routine to keep your fitness levels up. This could be cycling, swimming, elliptical, or aqua jogging. However, it’s always worth seeking advice from a medical professional before training through an injury, to make sure you’re not going to do more harm to your body.”
What are some great cross-training suggestions to complement my running?
“Yoga and Pilates are great exercises to complement running. Yoga serves to mobilise your joints, while Pilates strengthens your muscles and bones. I’d also really recommend strength training as an additional supplementary training method. These will help you to become a stronger, more robust runner.”
How do I stay healthy and happy during training?
“Enjoy the journey and the process of getting better with every week. Being patient is essential to staying motivated, so focusing on your long-term goal rather than getting wrapped up in the short-term struggles (everyone has them!) is important. Small daily and weekly wins will add up to big results in the future – try to remind yourself of that in the harder moments. And finally, remember to be grateful that you get to train and that your body is capable of carrying you through such a feat. Simply shifting your narrative from ‘I have to do a run today’ to ‘I get to do a run today’ is a surprisingly powerful motivator.”
If you’re training for an event this year, we applaud you! You’re doing something amazing for your body and mind, and the feeling of crossing that finish line and collecting your medal will make every ache, niggle, and blister worth it. And last but not least, good luck!
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