The biggest mistake an injured runner can make is to return to running too soon. When you think you are ready, take some more time. Fight the temptation to push too hard, too soon. The longing to be out on the trails can overwhelm your best judgment. Returning too soon will lengthen the layoff and raise the risk that the injury becomes a chronic, nagging disability.
How do we make a healthy comeback and maybe even return stronger than before? First, we must really be healed. The muscles and tendons surrounding the injury must also be made stronger to lend support.
Second, make certain that whatever caused the injury— bad shoes, old orthotics, poor running form, overtraining, poor conditioning, or whatever the problem— is fixed.
And last, take a slow-as-we-go approach to retraining. Walk and jog short distances to start. Remember, even if we have been training around the injury, our running conditioning will not be what it was before the injury. During first few weeks back on the trail, don’t even think about running on consecutive days.
Before any running, I recommend warming up on a stationary bike and then doing all the prescribed therapy exercises and stretches, so the injured area is as ready as it can be.
Assuming that we are really ready to resume running, the motto to employ is “slow and steady wins the race.” A gentle reintroduction to the unique motions and stresses of running is called for. Also, a focused awareness for any messages the body may be sending us is a must. If it hurts, cut back or start over. Be patient.
According to Doug Lenzi of Running and FitNews, a ten-week retraining schedule is advised. The schedule will help prevent “too much, too soon” and is based on our pre-injury base pace and mileage. We can calculate our retraining pace and distance for each week as follows.
During week one, both running and mileage should equal 50% of pre-injury pace and distance. For example, if we were running an eight-minute mile, and about 40 miles a week before the injury, we would start in the first week with a pace of 50 percent of eight minutes or about 16 minutes per mile (basically a walk or a very slow jog). We would run (or walk) no more than 50 percent of our pre-layoff mileage, or in the example, 20 miles.
In week two, pace increases to 60 percent, while distance remains at 50 percent. In week three, both pace and distance should equal 60 percent of the pre-injury figures.
Weeks four through 10 should be calculated as follows: Week four: pace- percent, distance-60 percent. Week five: Pace and distance both equal 70 percent. Week six: pace- percent, distance-70 percent. Week seven: Both pace and distance = 80 percent. Week eight: pace- percent, distance-80 percent. Week nine: Pace and distance = 90%. Week 10: Pace returns to 100 percent while distance remains at 90 percent. In week 11, we are back to 100 percent in both categories.
This schedule applies the runner’s Golden Rule of Training. Never increase pace or mileage by more than 10 percent a week, and never increase both at the same time.
Lenzi also advises starting our return on a soft, flat, smooth surface, which makes the Prairie Path a perfect place, because you can easily gauge pace and mileage. Another suggestion is to run alone for a while to avoid the temptation to keep up with faster runners.
Remember, no one is happy when their running is halted by injury. But it happens to everyone at some point, and when it does, patience is the critical watchword.
