Have you been laid-up from running for several weeks due to an injury or some other life obstacle? When you're ready for your return to running, be sure to ease back into running.Many runners eager to get back in the swing of their regular running routine, try to start back at the pace and intensity of their original pre lay-off routine. While mentally you might be ready to bounce back to your normal pace, your body probably isn't quite up to speed with your brain. Many a runner has headed out full speed on their return to running re-injuring themselves only to be laid-up even longer. So, take it slow.
If you were laid-off from running for 6 weeks or more, use the following plan to get back up to speed. If you're an experienced runner and you were able to do some cross-training while you were off, then take about a month to ease back into your regular routine. Baby steps at first. Begin with a 5-minute warm-up walk followed by a 10 to 15-minute run every other day. Increase the run by a few minutes each day. The following week, switch to running two days at a time followed by a rest day. Remember to keep all your runs at an easy pace. By the third week, you should be up to around a 30-minute run. During the next week, add another running day, making it three-days-on and one-day off (still keeping it at an easy pace). By Week 5 you should be back to running 4-6 days a weeks and you can start upping the pace and adding in some varied workouts. (Keep in mind that due to specific injuries, your doctor's return-to-running plan may be different. Be sure to follow his/her plan.)
May 2010 be an injury-free running season for all!
