The Eltham Fun Run is fast approaching, Sunday 26 November. I’m going to share some of my top tips to keep you injury free and performing at your best on the day!
- Set realistic goals!
We all want to run as far and as fast as possible, but it’s important to set reasonable and achievable goals that align with your skill level and capabilities. If this is your first time running, consider starting small with a 5km run and giving the 10km option a go next time.
- Training volumes
The most common running injuries are overuse related. Up to 70% of runners will sustain a running injury from overuse each year. 80% of these injuries occur at or below the knee. While those might seem to be scary statistics, the good news is that overuse injuries are largely related to training errors. This means that overuse injuries can be very preventable if you train correctly. Typically, it’s best that your total running volume increases by no more than 10% each week. For example, if you run a total of 10 km in one week, the next week you should increase your total distance by no more than 1 km. It’s important to keep in mind that our cardiovascular fitness improves much faster than our musculoskeletal fitness. This might make it feel like you’re able to run much further than your bones and soft tissues are able to handle.
- Strength training
Running is a highly intensive activity. While getting out and racking up the kms to prepare is awesome, it may not be enough to keep you injury free. Strength training is a great way to improve your capacity and reduce your risk of injury.
- Footwear
Having the right shoes for the job is a great way to help prevent injury. Typically a running shoe will get around 500-700 kms of use before needing to be replaced. It’s also important to note that you should have about 100 kms of use out of a shoe before using them in an event to ensure they are properly worn in. Finally, with so many footwear options available, it can be hard to figure out what shoe is right for you. We recommend getting fitted professionally at Active Feet to ensure that the shoe and fit is right for you.
Pro Feet Podiatry is a proud sponsor for the Eltham Fun Run in 2023, look out for our marquee on the day!
Podiatrist
Pro Feet Podiatry Eltham/Mill Park
Adam loves to keep runners active, healthy and happy, he is available at our Eltham and Mill Park clinics.
