Top Running Tips – From The Back & Body Clinic
In this post, I’m joined by the Back and Body Clinic, who specialize in helping people with aches, pains, and injuries and offer Physiotherapy, Osteopathy, Joint and Soft Tissue Injections, Podiatry, Sports Massage, Acupuncture, 1:1 Pilates, Pilates Classes, Women’s Health Services, and Children’s Physiotherapy.
Today they share their ‘Top Tips’ guide to running…
Whether you’re embarking on your tenth event or are just starting out running your first kilometre, these tips will help you with all the most important considerations!
Prepare Preparation is key, so creating a training plan is a must for everyone embarking training for an event! Make sure you start your training within plenty of time to allow for recovery from any hiccups along the way.
It is best to increase your training efforts by 10% each week to reduce the risk of injury. This means if you are running for 10 minutes on week 1, you should increase your running to 11 minutes in week 2. As well as distance, the 10% rule also applies for speed and incline. Also, don’t forget to factor in rest days…this may vary on your running experience. If you are just starting out we would recommend 24 hours rest post-run to give your muscles a chance to completely recover!
To improve your overall fitness variety is recommended. Cross-training is a fantastic way to keep up your cardiovascular fitness without overexerting the legs and feet with the impact of running. We would recommend spending at least one day per week swimming, cycling or rowing for maximum fitness.
There are some fantastic training plans online to help you build your own individualized timetable.
Stretch We would recommend thinking about how you incorporate both static and dynamic stretching into your training plan.
Static stretching is stretching a muscle and holding it for a prolonged amount of time, whereas dynamic stretching is stretching with movement. A general rule of thumb is dynamic stretching is advised pre-run, to warm up muscles and prepare them for the task ahead and a good static stretch will help them recover afterward’s.
Strengthen When you run you are asking a serious amount from many different muscle groups. Not only are some muscles working hard to propel us forward but others are also working hard to stabilize us in that position. If we are weak in some muscles, then its likely other muscles will compensate and cause injury.
An assessment with a physio will be able to identify exactly where your weak muscles are and the most efficient and effective way to strengthen them.
Listen to your body Our bodies are very tuned in to what’s going on and where needs your attention. A niggle is a warning sign that something isn’t quite right. Almost all niggles are fixable, but it’s so important to not ignore these warning signs – if we do then it’s likely to quickly turn from a niggle to an injury!
It is much easier to fix an injury in its early stages rather than later when there might be compensation or stiffness from surrounding structures. And remember- prevention is better than cure so if you have any doubts get yourself booked in to see a physiotherapist for an MOT to catch any issues before they become a problem.
Footwear Having a good pair of trainers is essential. We advise you to change trainers after 300-500 miles of running. Running shops are usually helpful at looking at your foot position and gait and advising accordingly.
Look after your feet during every run, use blister plasters as soon as you notice some discomfort to prevent the skin getting more damaged (these could be carried with you in a pocket when you run!)
Nutrition and Hydration Putting the right nutrients into your body will really help you to get the best out of it! Carbohydrates will be the main fuel during training and race day and it is, therefore, essential to include these in your diet. This could be with toast, cereals or porridge.
It is also vital to make sure you stay well hydrated before and during each run. Drinking little and often is the best way to do this without feeling too full!
Good luck to you all with your running adventures…whether you are new to running or an absolute pro.
We offer running assessment and full MOT assessments…get in touch today if you would like more information.
More about Back & Body Clinic –
They opened their first Clinic in Wootton 7 years ago and have since opened a clinic in Moulton and Bedford. The Moulton Clinic is currently undergoing a big expansion to double in size and create a gym/rehab space. Since opening, they have treated over 17000 people and have amazing 5* reviews across all their platforms.
Check out the Website For booking information – Facebook – Instagram – Twitter
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Katie
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Disclaimer – This is not a sponsored or paid post, it’s a guest post from a local company that I’m proud to support and feature on my blog.