We see many runners throughout the year, they join at us at all different points of their running career. Whether you have started running recently or are an experienced runner - check out our top 5 mistakes that runners make and how to avoid mistakes that may derail you from achieving your running goals and targets.

1. Not allowing enough time for the goal to be achieved

Something we see all too often in the clinic is not allowing a long enough of a time frame to reach goals. This pushes runners into making decisions like taking less rest days or significantly increasing training volume/intensity (extra runs, longer runs than what your planned timetable says). Try to allow enough time to avoid feeling like you're behind schedules or training anxieties.

This increased training volume and intensity means you significantly increase the likelihood for injury. Sports Scientist Tim Gabbett (1) studied the relationship between changes in weekly training load (reported as a percentage of the previous weeks’ training load) and the likelihood of injury. When training load was fairly constant (ranging from 5% less to 10% more than the previous week) athletes had less than 10% risk of injury. However when training load was increased by ≥15% above the previous week’s load, injury risk escalated to between 21% and 49%. Gabbitt surmised that in order to minimise the risk of injury, athlete’s should limit weekly training load increases to no greater than 10%.

It is not recommended to try and cut the corner - allow for appropriate time for gains and improvements, and have patience above all else. Allow the time!

2. Not implementing strength training

Strength training is brilliant and compliments most sports, however not a lot of athletes cross train. The reason I believe that we see this so often is that not a lot of runners have awareness of how to properly strength train or understand why it is so important for injury prevention, improving times, improving anaerobic abilities (being able to sprint finish).

To learn more read: Strength Training for Runners: a Detailed Look at the Evidence Part 1

3. Don't run too fast!

One of the hardest parts for physio's treating runners...pulling back on the reins! It may seem contradictory and trying to get runners to implement this strategy comes with its challenges, but running too fast is possibly one of the biggest mistakes we see. Especially when it comes to the days that they report ‘everything was just feeling good, so I just went for it’.

Running slower for someone who wants to improve their times does not come so naturally. Matt Fizgerald, author of 80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower’, outlines that recent studies of the training practices of the world’s leading runners reveal that they spend on average 80% of their total training below the ventilatory threshold (the pace is slow enough that a runner can hold a conversation).

For the average runner we see in the clinic at an amateur level will be running one hard run to an easy run. Whereas, an elite level athlete will be running four easy runs to one hard run. The wonderful news is that you can improve by just slowing down!

4. Ignoring bone health

Bone health is a massively ignored part of running, and bones like any living tissue need the appropriate care (Vitamin D and recommended daily intake of calcium). Especially for women over 50 yrs and men over 70 yrs as the requirement is higher. Check out this blog to guide you: https://www.pogophysio.com.au/blog/calcium-levels-for-runners/ Running helps to slow down the age related conditions that weaken our bones (e.g. Osteoporosis) and helps to maintain our bone health. However strength training (resistance training), daily calcium intake levels and avoiding aggressive shocks to the bones (landing awkwardly) can all help bo

5. Over emphasis on stretching & foam rolling

Stretching definitely has its place, I believe that dynamic stretching pre-run should be where more time is spent and prepare the body for the run. However, I do believe that if runners optimise their loading (e.g. intensity of runs and distance building) and strength training within their running programme, that stretching and foam rolling could be reduced without negatively impacting their running. So instead of the 30 mins stretching and foam rolling post run - this time could be spent more valuably on strength training which has been shown to significantly reduce injury risk. A systematic review on the effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries by Lauersen 2014 found that strength training reduced sports injuries to less than one-third and overuse injuries could be almost halved (2).

References

(1) Gabbett TJ. The training—injury prevention paradox: should athletes be training smarter and harder? Br J Sports Med 2016;50:273-280.

(2) Lauersen, J. B., Bertelsen, D. M., & Andersen, L. B. (2014). The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med, 48(11), 871-877