Running mistakes for beginners and those who started running after the break

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We have a lot of articles on what mistakes beginners make in running, but there is almost nothing about mistakes that people who are not new to running suffer from, just a rather long break in training. The most interesting thing is that there is also a lot in common with newcomers, especially the moment with arrogance and lack of brakes, only the origins of the problem are different.;)

Let's start with the beginners, and then move on to those who decided that since they already have a decent running experience behind them, it means that you can not give a damn about all the rules even after a long break!

Beginner's running mistakes

1. Choosing the wrong sneakers

Nowadays, minimal sneakers are in vogue, there used to be a lot of "dutik" shoes, but in fact, the middle version is suitable for beginners. There are many less fashionable, but very comfortable sneakers with the right foot support and good cushioning that you absolutely need if you start running in order to shed those extra pounds. Sneakers with thin soles in this case only make it worse, increasing the risk of injury to the knee (in this case, he gets the most).

What to do? It may be worth going to a podiatrist before going to the store, as you may need orthopedic insoles. When choosing sneakers, it is imperative to remember that the shoes should sit well on the foot, the heel should in no case dangle, the lacing should not press on the instep of the leg, and there should be a little more space in the toe in front of the big toe. It is better to choose sneakers in the evening, since by this time your leg will become a little larger (swelling as a result of walking and other physical activity) and you will definitely choose those sneakers that will not press you.

2. Too heavy loads to start

The standard beginner's mistake is to start too quickly in the truest sense of the word. That is, they go on, perhaps, the first run in their life after the last time they passed the 2 km standard at school twelve years ago, and immediately begin to run at a fast pace. The result is severe pain in the side within 500 meters and disgust for running for at least another year.

The second option is to increase the speed and distance too quickly, as a result of which you can get quite serious injuries, for example, a fatigue fracture.

What to do? Do not rush. Download your running app, set your starting level, take a test run and follow your plan. And remember the golden rule: after each week of running, increase the distance by no more than 10% of the previous one.

3. Setting unrealistic goals

When we look at someone from the outside, at what he is doing, we often want to do better, or at least not worse. But at the same time, we rarely think about what his basic physical fitness is, how long he has been running and whether he has been working with a coach. As a result, it sometimes happens that what is an easy warm-up for this person can knock an unprepared person down.

Want to run your first 10K or half marathon? Wonderful! Just do it not in a month! With the right approach, preparation for a marathon takes a year, and this is all with a correctly drawn up program under the guidance of a trainer and with correcting running technique.

What to do? Set realistic goals for yourself. Choose a training program for beginners. Start at 5 km, then go to 10 km, and there it is already a stone's throw from the half marathon. And all this without injuries!

It is clear that looking at photos of your running mastermind on Instagram and following his schedules in running apps makes you want to run just as fast and just as much, but do not forget that running is just the case when “quieter you go - you will continue."

4. Improper nutrition

You cannot run on a full stomach, as the heated liver will meet the stomach in five minutes and you will feel a sharp pain in your side. But running on an empty stomach is also difficult, because you simply will not have the energy for this. But newcomers will not find out about this right away.

What to do? There are two hours before training. It is desirable that it be something carbohydrate - the perfect fuel for jogging. If you are going to arrange long-distance running (more than 10 km), then it is better to stock up on special energy bars or gels and, of course, water or isotonic! Feel free to experiment with this. Eventually, you will find your ideal meal plan on the run.

5. Running on the heel

For beginners, running on the heel feels easier and more natural. They take wide strides and land right on the heel. Boom boom boom on your heels and knees! Running like this, especially on hard surfaces like asphalt or concrete, increases your risk of injury dramatically! This is how many people get periosteum inflammation.

What to do? Find a trainer and work under his guidance on your running technique. In principle, it is quite possible to wean yourself from this running style on your own, but it still will not be the best option that would not only save you from injuries, but would also increase your productivity by adding speed and reducing the effort required for this.

What is forgotten after a long break

It is interesting that after a long break, the old people repeat mistakes No. 2 and No. 3. They think that they have already run 10, 20, 30 kilometers (or even a whole marathon), which means that you can immediately start from a dozen, well, in extreme cases 5 km to run as a warm-up. After such warm-ups, injuries are not uncommon. Not after the first run, of course, but on the second or third, when the old people are already running all 20 km, or even more.

Of course, they have muscle memory, and the body itself will remember how to run correctly, but running is a cyclic load.

If you haven't exercised for a long time, your muscles and ligaments need time to remember everything and turn on the system at full capacity, and this may take from several weeks to several months: it all depends on the reason why you stopped running, and on your condition. when you resume training.

Recently, my body also reminded me not to ignore the rules, even if my fitness level is high enough. It seemed to me that nothing terrible would happen if I immediately ran more than 5 km with practically no warm-up after a break of one and a half years. I’m constantly doing, if not jogging, but interval training in the gym and step aerobics (I didn’t even take into account strength training). The penalty is knee pain due to inflammation of the anterior cruciate ligament (tendonitis). As a result, any physical activity had to be suspended for a couple of weeks. My case is the simplest, most harmless, and, unfortunately, far from the only one. Some of my friends, after a long break and heavy loads in the first workouts, reached periosteum inflammation.

What to do?Do not start from long distances, but again feel like a beginner and start with short stretches, gradually probing your current boundaries. And even if you have to restrain yourself for a month and run very short distances, you will catch up with your standard mileage without injury and stress.