In order to keep running for your whole life, and staying injury free, runners need to focus on some essential elements to stay motivated, focus on a healthy balanced lifestyle and look after their body. If runners train for a while then stop for months, then train, then stop, then train, the body goes up and down, gets weaker on the months without exercising, and in order to avoid injuries, runners have to focus once again on strengthening and balancing their body. To keep exercising regularly, keeps our whole system and metabolism healthy and balanced, runners don’t have to train or push hard, as long as they follow a proper schedule according to their set goals and daily life schedule. Social runners can join running groups to stay motivated and not give up. Runners who need to relieve some stress or enjoy running on their own can use each run as a nice stress reliever and relaxation. There are so many benefits of running for our whole life, as long as you enjoy running most of the time, just keep going:)
10 Essential Elements to Run our Whole Life- Injury Free
Pre-assess yourself: Make sure you have no health issues, no muscle imbalance or joint issue. If you think you might have any problems, see a health professional or sports physio, depending on the issue.
Follow the general principles of healthy running: Build some strength and endurance progressively, focus on proper running form and reassess regularly, keep moving, and listen to your body’s feedback.
Give yourself positive affirmations and quotes: Create your own set of affirmations and repeat them regularly. For example: I am strong, I can keep going…
Pre-run warm up: Take 5 minutes before you start running to warm up the muscles, activate the gluteus medius, loosen the joints. Once you start running, the first 5-10 minutes you should run at a slower pace until you feel your body’s energy kicking in.
Keep moving: Throughout the day, you should make sure you move. Work at a stand-up desk, go for a walk at lunchtime or to the gym, or do some core strength and mobility exercises at home. You can always find 20-30 mins a few times/week to add some exercises. Don’t sit for hours/day as this will tighten the hip flexors, weaken the glutes and the whole metabolism.
Prevent injury: Including strength training, mobility, stretching, foam rolling exercises in your training schedule will balance your body and prevent runner’s injuries. Getting a sport massage is also very helpful. If you have any muscle or joint issues, make sure you see a professional sport physio therapist to get a diagnosis and recommendations.
Recover: If you train for some races, or enjoy long-distance runs, or fast runs, make sure you add some recovery days in your training schedule. Make sure you get enough sleep as well, 7-8hrs/night.
Monitor your improvements: By monitoring your running improvements allows you to adapt and adjust your training plan and schedule according to how your body reacts and feels.
Eat well: Make sure you follow a healthy and balanced diet you can sustain and enjoy for your whole life. Listen to your body, and focus on healthy fresh foods and nutrients your body is happy with. Balance the nutrients for each meal, protein, healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates and vegetables. Avoid any processed foods and sugars.
Set a goal: Think about what you want to achieve in different times in your life and set some regular goals to keep your motivation and positive energy going.
Focusing on injury prevention, healthy running, longevity will make you happier, stronger, faster and help you enjoy some adventures.
Train Hard, Eat Right, Feel Great!
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