If you’re looking to pick up your career journey, it may seem like a challenge. He may even be intimidated by the idea of starting over. Whether you’ve been recovering from an injury, felt unmotivated to run, or just haven’t run in a while, it’s important to slowly bring your body back to activity. With time and dedication, you will be able to run again without problem. So grab your running shoes and follow the tips to get you back on track.
Start slow and stick with it
If you’re wondering how to start running again after a long break, it’s important to take it easy. This will help you avoid injury and burnout. Starting too fast or pushing yourself too hard can cause you to lose motivation and feel exhausted too soon.
Start with short runs of a few minutes at a time. You don’t have to run for hours on end when you’re starting over. Jogging or running a couple of times a week can still be good to ease the entry and get the body used to the motion of running again. You can also incorporate run-walk intervals by switching between running and walking to help build your stamina. As you gain more confidence and stamina, you can gradually increase the duration and intensity of your runs, as well as the distance and speed.
Be sure to pay attention to how your body feels and give it time to adjust. There will be some days when you feel great and can push yourself harder than others. But also don’t hesitate to take a break and let your body recover.
create a schedule
It can also help to create a consistent race plan or training schedule so you don’t feel overwhelmed or burned out. Make sure your training program is tailored to your stamina and abilities. Starting slow and gradually increasing pace, intensity, and mileage as your stamina builds is always best.
You can start by running three days a week with a day or two of rest in between. On the first race day, take a leisurely jog for 10 to 20 minutes. You can then increase this by 10 minutes on the second day and again on the third day. On days when you’re not running, you can do a light exercise like swimming, yoga, or even stretching to keep your body moving but don’t push yourself too hard.
Once you’ve gotten used to running three times a week, you can add an extra running day if you’re comfortable and ready. If you choose to increase your race days, make sure you get plenty of rest in between. Your race days should also be spaced out throughout the week rather than back to back to make it easier for you. Creating a weekly training plan and race schedule can help you see a bigger picture of what your return journey can look like.
As always, be sure to stretch before and after each run and listen to your body to avoid injury or overtraining.
power train
Strength training can help you get back to running faster. Not only does it help build muscle, which can increase your speed and stamina, but it also helps prevent injury by strengthening the muscles and joints that support your body while you run.
There are many ways to incorporate strength training into your training and running routine. If you’re just getting back to exercising, consider starting with low-impact core exercises or beginner workouts that don’t put too much stress on your muscles and joints. As you become more comfortable, you can modify your workouts to include more intense exercises.
Stretch and Rest
Returning to running can be hard on your body, so it’s important to give your muscles the rest they need to stay healthy. While you may be looking forward to running again, focus on incorporating stretching and rest routines. Stretching helps maintain flexibility and prevents muscles from tightening or cramping. This is especially important when you are starting over. A good stretching routine can also help prevent injury.
Rest is also important to help muscles recover and can reduce fatigue. Taking at least one day off a week and incorporating rest days after longer runs will prevent muscle injury and strain and prepare you for your next race. Also, it is important to get enough sleep each night to ensure that your body is well rested. When you give your body the rest and recovery it needs, it will be easier to get back to running.
Get back on your journey with Chuze Fitness
Ultimately, getting back to running is about taking it easy and listening to your body, which will help you in the long run. While your way back can seem challenging after a period of not running, it can also be rewarding when you start to feel like yourself again and start to see progress. Once you feel you’ve made enough progress, you can start incorporating other types of exercise into your routine.
If you are looking for support to get back to running, please join our Chuze Fitness community. With gyms across the country, you can pick up and upgrade your journey along with a variety of amenities and workout equipment. If you don’t want to start your routine alone, we offer you a wide choice of fitness classes to help you find what you need. Find a location near you today!
Reviewed by:
Ani is the vice president of fitness at Chuze Fitness, overseeing the group fitness and team training departments. She has had a career spanning over 25 years in club management, personal training, group exercises, and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and she loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
