Don't run before you can walk

It’s January and many of us have made promises to shift the Xmas pounds (maybe from more than one Xmas!).  I am coming round to the idea of ‘couch to 5k’.   I haven’t run yet, but I’m thinking about it albeit still on the couch.
 
For those of you who are taking up running this January, I have a few thoughts for you to try and help you do it without injury.
 

1. Literally don’t run before you can walk.  If you can’t walk without discomfort, running isn’t for you.  If you haven’t done any exercise for some time, start with a brisk walk and work up
2. Keep on the grass – or treadmill, at least to start with.  If you haven’t been running then the structures that dissipate the forces generated won’t be optimised for it.  Collagen fibres line up in response to forces.  New forces mean new lines of fibres need to organise and until that happens force transference will be less effective and injury more likely, so decrease the forces by running on a more yielding surface, and
3. Dress for success – invest in some decent running shoes.  Barefoot running may be all the rage but it isn’t for everyone…I’m not convinced it’s for anyone who is a novice at running.  Make sure you can run in a supportive, cushioning and protective shoe before trying to do without.  Not everyone is a forefoot runner and you might be dealing with flat feet, bunions, a lifetime of changes from the anatomical ideal, which brings me to
4. Get checked – Make sure your feet and ankles are working as well as they can.  This sounds like a plug, but it doesn’t have to be me, just someone competent to assess and hopefully correct your feet and ankles.  You may still need an arch support or special overpronator trainers etc but best to get the mechanics checked before being assessed for orthotic help, because
5. Injuries can occur – so make sure you warm up and down and don’t run on through injuries until you know what it is and that it’s safe to do so.  If something hurts stop running and walk for a while, if it stops hurting you can try running again, if it keeps hurting save the run for another day, bear in mind
6. Don’t overdo it to start with – increase your distance slowly, fitness is a marathon not a sprint.  And finally
7. Enjoy it!