How to get back to running after a break
It can be an injury or some personal circumstances, a new job or an event that has changed your habits and messed up your running routine. The result is that you were forced to stop running for a while. It can be a few weeks, a few months or even years. So, when you’re ready to hit the road again, it becomes hard and can sometimes be more harmful than beneficial. During the break, you lost muscle strength and cardio fitness, so don’t expect to be where you were before. Obviously, it depends on the period of time that you were off from running. The more time you are inactive, the greater the amount of fitness you lose.
Here’s my advice: when you are ready, you should always follow a plan to gradually regain what you lost and not suddenly jump to the previous level of fitness. If you don’t follow a gradual program, there is a risk of getting injured - again.
In December 2021, I sprained an ankle. While I was walking down the stairs, I missed a step. After 15 days on boot, I started physical therapy, and after almost 2 months, I was able to slowly run for 5-10 min on the treadmill. You can imagine that running 5-10minutes is not the same as running a full marathon. After an initial frustration, I started taking cardio classes, doing more strength exercises and slowly increasing the mileage of my runs. I ran mostly inside due to my injury, and finally, after 3 and a half months, I did my first run outside, which is what I love.
Every case is different: different injuries, different experiences, different levels of fitness, but the same challenge: “how can I safely run again?”
Here are 4 tips that can help you slowly transition back to running after a break:
Build your baseline:
a. Don’t increase your speed: Don’t look at your watch. In the beginning, intensity shouldn’t be hard; you should run at an easy, comfortable pace. There is a temptation to rush and go back to the previous fitness level, but this would only increase the chance of getting injured.
b. Walk/Run intervals: If necessary, start slow with a light jog or alternate jogging with walking at least for the first few weeks.
c. Reduce your mileage: Test and try a few minutes: Start with a few minutes as a test and then slowly increase the amount of time.
Cross Training: In the initial phase, you can implement cross training activities such as swimming, biking, or elliptical to activate and improve your aerobic system.
Maintain a proper form: This is the perfect time to focus on your form and make sure there are no imbalances. Especially, if you were injured, make sure one part of your body compensates for the injured side.
Strength Training: Always follow a strength training and mobility program with particular exercises focused on the healing part. If your physical therapist has prescribed you specific exercises, implement them in your running routine. There is a temptation to quit once you feel great and ready to start running. Instead, they are extremely beneficial, especially when you return to running.
Rest & Recovery: Always dedicate a few days to rest and recovery. Recovery days are great for regenerating.
Running is a high-impact sport, putting a lot of stress on your body, so you need to make sure your body readapts. After a break, your musculoskeletal system is not ready for such stress. Therefore, it’s highly recommended you start with low-intensity, easy runs and only later you can focus on the cardiovascular system and increase the intensity. In the case of a previous injury, in particular, the musculoskeletal system is weaker and there is a high probability that the injury will come back again and even in a more severe form.