Injuries from running can be preventable if you prepare your body for the sport. One common cause of running pain/injury is a sudden increase in mileage, frequency and/or pace following a period of rest. Knowing how to increase your running workload over time can help prevent repetitive stress injuries from occurring.
Here are a few rules that can guide you on how to properly increase your weekly mileage:
1️⃣ If you don't have any prior running experience, start with a walk/jog combination (0.1 mile walk/0.1 mile jog up to 1 mile). If you have prior running experience and can run at least 3 miles, start with that as long as you don't experience any discomfort that alters your running mechanics. 2️⃣ Your pace should be at a comfortable intensity where you can easily have a conversation with someone. 3️⃣ Keep your running schedule to no more than 2-3 days a week with a day rest in between to start. 4️⃣ The 10% rule: increasing your total weekly mileage by no more than 10% per week. (if you ran 10 miles total in the week, the following week should not exceed 11 miles)
‼️These guidelines will help give you a general idea on how to safely increase your running load. Everybody is different and guidelines can change depending on your running experience and injury history.
If you are experiencing pain or currently dealing with an injury and need help, contact us for a discovery call!
