One of the most frustrating aspects of being a runner is getting an injury. It hurts and it can be a lonely place. Over the years I have built a large part of my social life around running. From the time COVID-19 came into my life, like a lot of people, running has been my only social life. If I have to miss my weekend run and coffee because of injury, well that’s just not something I want to entertain.

So why do so many runners suffer from injuries? Research shows that over 50% of regular runners suffer from an injury each year. Some come from trips and falls, but most often, from overuse.

So what can we do about it?

How do we stack the odds in our favour?

Mix It Up!

We moved house again recently. When we came to West Cork at the start of 2021 it was on a six month trial. Not knowing if it could feel like home, we took a short rental and left the door open to move back to Dublin. But we fell in love. So when the time was up, we had to find somewhere new to live. The house we found is in the most stunning location, surrounded on three sides by water, but the thing most people comment on when they arrive?
The sunken trampoline in the lawn.
And guess who gravitates towards it? Adults. Yep. Big, hairy, fully-grown adults who haven’t jumped on a trampoline in decades.
And why do you think they do it?
Well you only have to listen to the shrieks of laughter and see the smiles on their faces to see how much fun they’re having.

That’s the aim with your cross training. Find something you enjoy and you won’t miss running at all. If you do it right, it could elevate your run days. Some types of alternative exercises, like cycling, will support your running more by using the same muscle groups, without the impact, while others, like pole dancing, will get different parts active.

If you feel like a bit of a plodder, try cross training, it could be the missing ingredient.

The benefits of cross training:

• Banish Boredom - switching up your weekly training with alternative exercises will help you to stay active across the week

• Prevent Injury - reducing the amount of impact on your body

• Improve Running Fitness - cross training is a reliable means to becoming a faster runner

• Recover Quicker - workouts help you achieve athletic conditioning only when followed by rest and recovery-promoting activities

SOME CROSS TRAINING SUGGESTIONS:

Strength Training

No matter where you’re at in your life, you will benefit from weight training to increase your muscle tone and bone density. Find a place that feels like home (there’s a gym for everyone), work with a strength and conditioning coach or get yourself some weights and train at home.

Stretching

Start stretching regularly, to work all your muscles. A more flexible runner is a stronger runner. Stretching improves the efficiency of your mechanics. Try to schedule two dedicated stretching sessions and follow each run with a short cool down stretch and a walk the next day to ease out tight muscles.

Cycling

A great alternative exercise for running. Fast-paced and intense, without putting the same amount of strain on your joints. With biking, you can control your workout’s speed and intensity to customize it to your needs. Spin classes, mountain biking, road cycling or commuting to the office all count.

Swimming

This is my cross training of choice these days (well I’m training for a big swim next year so maybe running is my cross training for swimming). Works your whole body while causing little or no impact on your joints. It increases your heart rate, tones your muscles, builds body strength and builds endurance.

Hill Walking

I’m now lucky enough to be living within a short distance of some beautiful mountain trails on Mizen Peninsula and Sheep’s Head, both in West Cork. I love running on the trails but getting out for a few hours of hill walking is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Looking for something a little less traditional? Try:

Pole Dancing, Trampolining, Hula Hooping, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Boxing, Dancing or Skiing.

HOW I MIX UP MY WEEK:

My week looks different if I’m training for an event or if I’m in maintenance mode, but either way I try to include a mix of the following to avoid taxing joints and muscles:

• Running - I’ll generally include a long slow run, hills or sprints and a shorter recovery run

• Cross Training - at the moment I swim at least twice a week; one pool training session and a long easy sea swim

• Strength Training - I’m not a member of a gym right now so I train at home with weights, gymnastic rings and bodyweight exercises

• Stretching - my stretching programme takes about 30 minutes and I do it twice a week

• Rest - I always have at least one rest day each week

My upcoming online digital course, The Resilient Runner, will support runners like you improve mobility, correct imbalance and increase stability to improve pace and help you to run injury free. If you’re interested in finding out more, drop your name below and we’ll let you know once it opens for enrollment.