Your Running Spring Cleaning

Spring is here, and with it comes longer days, warmer weather, and the temptation to run more. If you are like me, you've probably been ramping up your mileage, making workouts a bit longer, and feeling strong again after winter. But before you keep pushing forward, it's time for some spring cleaning for your training, and checking in on your body.

If you've increased your volume over the last few weeks your body has been adapting to the new load, but it could also be breaking under it. The highest risk for running injuries happens 3-6 weeks after a load increase. This timing lines up with the last cold front when many people started running consistently again. Now is a great time to check in to see how spring training is going and “clean out” any little aches and pains that might be growing.

Here is a short self assessment to spring clean your aches and pains:

• What's bugging you? Everyone always has something that's not moving right. Make a mental (or physical) note of all the little things that seem off.

• Is it getting worse? Think back to when these issues started, whether they are improving, staying the same, or worsening.

• Do certain activities make them worse? For example, running faster, slower, up hills, in different shoes, etc. Think about when these issues are the worst.

• Are these issues adjusting your pace or form? If you feel like you can run normally despite these issues it is usually a good sign, but if you are changing your gait or routine to avoid them it might be time to seek help.

• Do these aches go away with recovery? Some small issues will sort themselves out by taking an off/easy day or a deload week and allowing the body to recover.

  
  

What actions to take:

• If you're pain-free and feeling great, awesome! Keep training smart. Increase mileage and intensity gradually, maintain your strength routine, and stay intentional about recovery.

• If you've got small issues that are not always noticeable, are not adjusting your running pace/gait, and tend to go away after a recovery day, keep training as normal, but keep an eye on things. Watch out for if the pain starts to get worse or doesn’t recover week to week. You can address these issues now with targeted strength, mobility work, or a small adjustment to your training.

• If you have other aches that you can run through but are not going away after recovery, it might be time to reduce your intensity and volume. Don't ignore them, as these aches might be indicative of something more serious. If they do not go away even at lower volume, it might be time to get professional help.

• If something hurts and is seriously affecting your stride, it is time to get professional help. Continuing to train in these conditions will make the issue worse and you risk hurting other areas that need to compensate for the change in gait. Catching these problems early and doing something about them can save months of PT and being unable to run.

  
  

Spring is the perfect time to build on your winter base and set yourself up for a strong season. But that only happens if you're honest about where you are right now. Take the time to assess, address any issues, and recommit to smart training practices.

If you need any help or guidance with navigating major injuries or even the smallest ache or pain, book a free discovery call ​here​ and we can come up with a plan to keep you running.

-Eliana