When running, the knees, tendons, and lower body muscles resist a weight three times their actual kilos. That, if the proper precautions are not taken, ends up causing injuries.
Running is the fastest and most effective way to get in shape, but in addition to that, running becomes a way of life, a necessity that many must experience daily to feel good. Whatever the reason you run every day, you should keep in mind that your workouts have to be well planned to avoid injuries that will not only keep you in dry dock for a season, but will halt your progress. The worst enemy of the popular athlete is undoubtedly injuries, because every time you are injured, it interrupts your progression and is seen forcing you to lower several steps in your physical form and start your training again.
In the end, almost all runners fall or fall into the same overconfidence in our own strength. This ends up producing the much dreaded injuries. Excess mileage, wanting to run more each day and more days a week; roll harder, increasing and maintaining high rates practically every session; put our muscles and tendons to the limit and also run on hard surfaces; they involve and give rise to the only two types of runners that unfortunately exist: those who have been injured at some time and those who will be injured shortly.
Keep in mind that every time you run, your knees, tendons, and lower body muscles bear a weight three times their actual pounds. That is, if you weigh 70 kilos, each step you take supposes an impact of 210 kg for your muscles and that, if you do not take the proper precautions and measures that allow you to maintain your workouts, in the long run it hurts.
In our cities there is a lot of asphalt and trails are scarce, but if we train regularly on asphalt, there is a certainty: we will be injured
But do not be discouraged, you can run and train, maintaining your plans and routines, cycle after cycle without falling into untimely injuries that cut your progression, as long as you observe and stick to the following three guidelines.
Leave the asphalt
It is true that injuries do not come from a single cause, but rather a series of circumstances. One of the variables that most conditions our training is doing it on hard surfaces such as asphalt. It is true that in our cities asphalt abounds and paths and grass are scarce,
But if we train regularly on asphalt, there is a certainty: yes or yes, we will be injured. Almost all coaches recommend running on soft surfaces such as sand roads and even better on grass, the best possible surface on which to train. It is true that not everything should be running on sand or grass,
since if we then compete in urban tests on asphalt, training on gravel makes us lose tension and we will notice it in the race. Therefore, it is best to do 80% of your workouts on soft surfaces and 20% on asphalt. The fact of running on soft ground in sand and field,
It involves doing it on a more uneven terrain which also helps to strengthen our muscles and tendons, thus helping to avoid injuries. So if you train on asphalt, start to vary this habit and look for parks that will ensure you keep your workouts in the long run.
Slow down the speed
It is true that when we run on asphalt we have more grip and therefore we can add more speed to our runs. This extra speed (derived from that better support), together with the euphoria that progressing in our training creates in us, makes us cheer up and accelerate the pace, taking our muscles to be closer to their limits, which together with the rest of the factors that harm our body, makes us end up injured.
Reduce weekly mileage and include rest days in your training, especially after the toughest series sessions or the long run
If you slow down your regular wheeling pace, you will significantly reduce the impact your body weight has on your joints. Although it is not the most effective when it comes to demanding those seconds that help us improve our marks, it is good that we run slightly inclined forward.
This implies less hitting in the reception of the impact on our ankles and therefore reducing the risk of injury. While running, reduce the arc of your stroke. An exaggerated stroke will require a certain rotation of the hips and the way you run, causing a slight pronation. When I go down hills
resist the temptation to lengthen your stride, which would imply a more damaging impact on your ankles.
Reduce mileage
It is true that all of us who run do it because we like it and unconsciously we are not only increasing the speed, but also the weekly mileage. We believe that the more kilometers we do, the better, and this is not always the case. What’s more, it almost always ends up being negative in the long run. The more you run, the more you will be injured. So, reduce weekly mileage, include rest days as an important part of your training, especially after the toughest series sessions or the long run.
There are studies that say that unless we are biomechanically perfect runners, starting at 50 kilometers per week, the risk of injury multiplies. For those of us who run regularly, 50 kilometers is the training we can do in just three days. And then what? More and more coaches introduce another type of training, what they call cross training: cycling, elliptical (for those who like it), swimming and weight training; as a complement to running sessions, they provide benefits similar to this, but significantly eliminating the risk of injury.
