Martin Holguin

HOW TO START RUNNING AGAIN

Well, the warm weather finally arrived out of nowhere and it’s time to get out there and enjoy it. For us runners though, the ice, snow, and cold can be discouraging, and many of us probably haven’t broken out the running shoes since November. If you’re looking to get your body moving again, here are some tips to help you get back into the habit safely.

1. Have a PlanIt is important to make goals for each run and know what your long-term plan is. You can’t dive back in at the same level you ended, so start with a manageable realistic time or distance, and then ramp it up gradually at by ten percent each week.

2. Don’t Forget to Cross-trainIncrease your fitness while avoiding injury by mixing your running with strength exercises or other cardiovascular activities like swimming or biking.

3. Be Aware of Your EnvironmentAfter using a treadmill all winter, outdoor running will be very different for your body. This may require you to run a bit less than what your used to until you can safely build yourself back up without injury.

4. Book End Your RunsStart with a warm-up, ending with a cool-down and remembering to stretch. Warming up loosens up joints and moves blood to your muscle and cooling down brings back your heart rate to resting.

The bottom line is to ease yourself back into outdoor running so that you can be healthy and successful all spring and summer.