Are You Committing to Supplementary Training?
Just getting your mileage itself in can be tough, not to mention scheduling extra supplementary training sessions. But the experts will tell you that if you want to prevent injury, strength and flexibility work and cross-training will pay off in spades.
"Strength is so important because it makes you more stable," says Merlino. "The athletes who weight train with me are PRing and not spending time at the doctor's office."
"[Cross-training] should be an inherent part of your training—workouts that are not running, but are increasing cardiovascular fitness."
By choosing low or no impact cardiovascular cross-training activities, you'll bump up your endurance without the pounding. Activities like swimming, cycling and rowing can perfectly complement your run training by increasing performance and decreasing the chances of injury.
Are You Allowing for Proper Recovery?
"One thing I always stress with my runners is that recovery is part of the training," says Merlino. "You have to take downtime to recover and build that muscle tissue back up."
This is why it is important to take rest days and even plan a down week every four weeks or so. When you give your body time to bounce back from training, you actually gain strength. Conversely, if you neglect recovery and train when your body is begging for rest, you're likely to run yourself into an injury.
More: The Art of Post-Workout Recovery
In addition to allowing yourself adequate rest, your nutrition plan is also a vital part of recovery. This is why coaches often suggest drinking a protein recovery shake within 30 minutes of a hard workout. That's the time when your body is most receptive to nutrients that will help rebuild ailing muscles, preparing them for your next run.
By taking some basic precautions, you can avoid many of the most common early-season injuries that runners encounter—meaning more healthy training days and increased performance when you toe the line at your next race.
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