Key tips to staying injury free

Key tips to staying injury-free whilst chasing the finishing posts of a half marathon or full marathon.

1. Consistency is the biggest objective when training for a race or a personal best. Try to avoid big gaps and sudden jumps in duration, intensity and frequency in your running. This will help you to stay injury-free and keep you training, thus keep you consistent.
2. The 80/20 rule. 80% of your running should be done at a pace that when you finish you feel you could do it all again. This will allow you to recover quicker and allow the other 20% to be high-quality speed work. This will allow you to be consistent. Consistency equals results.
3. Get a coach. Being objective with your training program is very hard and self-management is even harder. A coach or a mentor will help you map out a safe and timely training program specific to your goals. All too often we see injuries through over-training, programs downloaded off the internet and lack of periodisation (recovery). Its more common and easier than you think to have help from a coach. A good coach will allow you to be more consistent. Consistency equals results.
4. Have a physio assessment to screen you for potential muscle tightness or weaknesses that could cause you time out with injury. A gait analysis from a trained professional has transformed many runners who are injury-prone. Working on subtle weaknesses outside of running could see you be more consistent. Consistency equals results.

Your training ethos should be CONSISTENCY.

At Alan Law Physiotherapy we offer athlete screening/gait analysis services. We also offer running / triathlon coaching and consultancy. Come to the physio tent on the green on race day and ask us more. Or visit our website and see testimonials from our athletes. You could always give us a call we love talking about training and injuries.

Good luck.