Running Tips From An Orthopedic Surgeon

With the New Year right around the corner, many are planning to start the new decade off running! Whether your goal is to run faster, further or to simply start running, it’s important to have a game plan to begin the year right.

Training Plan

You’ll need to determine how much you’ve run in the past and how much you plan to run moving forward. This is always the best place to start so that you can set sufficient goals for yourself. You’ll be able to see if you’re progressing too quickly, which may result in overexertion, or not progressing fast enough.

Decide how many days a week you want to run. You should run at least two days a week to maintain progress and at least three days to increase. You shouldn’t run more than six days a week, giving yourself at least one rest day. Plan according to your own schedule to ensure you have enough space to progress.

If you increase speed, don’t increase mileage. If you increase mileage, don’t increase speed.

Check out this video on the 10% Rule featuring Dr. Adam C. Morse! Dr. Morse is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine.

Rest & Recovery

Leave at least one day a week for recovery. The harder you work, the more you need to recover. You don’t necessarily have to stop working altogether, but you can substitute a particularly strenuous day of running with an easy walking or jogging day. Cross-training is also recommended to prevent overuse injuries.

Hydration

The amount of water you should drink during a training session depends on a few variables that you should take into consideration. You should be aware of the temperature where you’ll be running, the humidity level and the time and distance of your run. Dr. Morse recommends drinking at least 16 ounces of water 2 hours before running. While you’re running be sure to drink between 4-8 ounces every 15 minutes.

Want to see more Running Tips? Watch our videos below with Dr. Morse as he stays Keeping You Active!

December 27, 2019