If you’ve really never done it before, consider walking before running.
In a sprint, your strike – that is, when your foot hits the ground – puts roughly 4 to 6 times your body weight on each knee. That’s an incredible amount of force. Even worse if you’re carrying a few extra pounds. If it’s been over a year since your last run – there are structural issues to address before your body can handle the impact. And since the most crucial part, at first, is consistency: you just can’t afford to get hurt this early. Take a walk.
On that note, let’s address this elephant in the room: Injury.
It’s a shockingly normal part of running. Around 80% of serious runners get at least one minor injury a year, and 30% of all running injuries are knee-related. By “serious,” I mean people who fall into that elite bracket of 25+ miles/week. But even if you’re not running a marathon every week, you’re still at risk for all kinds of discomfort. For instance: on my Wednesday run, I broke my toenail.
My toenail.
Split right down the middle. I ended up losing a pretty big chunk of it. I’ve had my share of blisters, shin splints, and Charlie Horses… but this was a new one. I’ll be off the road for a few days while the nail bed dries up.
I hope it’s clear by now that establishing an effective self-care routine – especially at the beginning of training – is the deciding factor in whether or not you continue running. The longer you can go without an injury, the higher the likelihood that you pick back up after one inevitably happens.
And your recovery routine should be as unique as you are! When it comes to my own recovery, I eschew more ritual-based processes for something more eclectic. But, some aspects of care are universal, and I’ll finish by sharing my approach to them:
Massage
I don’t think I need to explain this one. Plain and simple: any form of massage will stimulate blood flow, reduce inflammation, and help you heal faster. A firm, textured foam roller is your best friend. And if you can afford it, a Massage Gun. (Best new consumer technology of the last ten years, in my opinion.) Past that, a golf ball can work your feet like a surgeon’s scalpel – hitting bone and muscle groups you didn’t even know existed.
Stretch
The jury’s out on stretching. Some runners seem to benefit; some don’t see any performance improvement. But I’m a big believer in the power of Yoga. Stretching is like a physical inverse of running – almost the opposite activity, in every meaningful way. For me, yoga and stretching are like diagnostic tests for the body. A way to slow down the mind, reconnect with the body, and discover sources of pain. Additionally, solid mindfulness practice in my back pocket has helped me win more of those mental battles that occur on long, challenging runs.
Three techniques, in particular, help me recover: Downward dog works my hamstrings, calves, and Achilles tendon. Cow Pose works the IT band and anterior knee. And when my shins hurt, I’ll draw the alphabet with my toes. Sounds silly, but it brings a wave of relief.
Eat
I love to cook and hate strict diets. But with running, you really do get out what you put in. And pre/post-workout nutrition has an outsize effect on your overall performance, compared to the food you eat between runs. As a rule: you need simple carbs before, at least an hour early. And you need protein afterward, not more than an hour late.
An orange or two before the run and some chocolate milk afterward – that’s perfect for me.
Sleep
We sleep for a lot of reasons. To conserve calories, give nerve cells a break, repair routine damage to our bodies – the benefits are myriad. In particular: muscle repair, protein synthesis, tissue growth, and hormone release all occur at demonstrably higher rates during sleep. So, if you’re not sleeping well, you’re literally running on empty.
The neural load of running is something frequently overlooked by fitness writers. Our nervous system consumes 20% to 30% of the energy in our body. It underpins every movement we make, and we underappreciate how hard it works during a run. Sleep is imperative for restoring neural function and locking your running form into muscle memory.
That’s why I like to schedule early-morning runs. Like, between 4 and 6 AM early. It gives me a reason to go to bed at a reasonable time the night before. It gets me out of bed in the morning. And by 9 PM that next evening, I’m thoroughly exhausted and ready for bed again.
A virtuous cycle.
