10 Do’s and Don’ts of Running

1. DO start small. Most injuries occur when the mileage is increase too quickly. The general rule of thumb is never increase your mileage week to week by more than 10%.
2. DO NOT stretch cold muscles. It’s never a good idea to roll out off the couch, do some static stretching and then take off running!
3. DO start slow. If you are new to running, pick a pace that you feel you can maintain for the longest period of time. That’s your starting pace. From there, never increase your speed by more than 10% week to week.  
4. DO NOT run on the right side of the road. This is a simple universal rule that seemingly goes overlooked. Running on the left shoulder of the road allows you to see what’s coming!
5. DO mix up your training. There are tons of ways to structure a running workout – distance, intervals, Fartlek, sprints…. Use them all!
6. DO NOT get discouraged by a “bad day”. You won’t feel the same every time out and sometimes you are just not going to feel it. That’s ok. Get ‘em tomorrow!
7. DO supplement your running with weight training. Lifting is vital to keeping muscle tone, posture, and performance.
8. DO NOT carb load. Unless you are running for 90 minutes or more (which is almost all runs!), with proper nutrition, your body should have enough fuel on board for most runs without augmenting your diet.
9. DO enjoy running. If you don’t enjoy it, find another form of exercise that you like. This sounds simple enough but we get a lot of people who come through our doors who think they need to punish themselves to get in shape.
10. DO NOT ignore your body. If something doesn’t feel right, stop and seek help from a professional trainer. There really is no such thing as “running through an injury”.

Categories: Cardio Endurance Training