Women’s Running USA – September 2019

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26 WOMEN’S RUNNING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

WHY DO I KEEP GETTING HURT?

Don’t blame your genes for your running injuries—blame your training plan.

Pete Magill gives five easy ways to stop training stupid and start staying healthy.

TRAINING ASK THE EXPERTS

Sure, some runners do get injured due to genetics. Osteoporosis
and osteopenia can lead to stress fractures, for example. Predis-
position to osteoarthritis is a factor in knee and hip degeneration.
And, speaking as a member of one of the top masters (age 40+)
running clubs in America, the physical condition baked into
our genetics known as “getting old” can certainly contribute to a
pulled hammy or two.
But the reality is that you—and most of the millions of runners
who get injured each year—are probably suffering from the more
common ailment known as “incorrect training.” Runners often
roll their eyes when I suggest this, but science backs me up: A
2015 meta-analysis of 400 running injury studies concluded that
“a history of previous injury and of having used orthotics/inserts
was associated with an increased risk of running injuries.” Other
risks were harder to substantiate. Nothing about bad genes. A
2016 study on injuries among half marathoners and marathon-
ers suggested that “interval training on a regular basis may be
recommended to marathon runners to reduce the risk of injury.”
Again, no endorsement for gene therapy.
Trust me, I get it. When I was younger, I pounded every interval
workout and raced every chance I got. Nowadays, I take three to
four weeks off every year, then return to running with a week of
walking, followed by a couple weeks of walk-jogging, followed by
the gradual introduction of all the above.
I still get injured. We all do. But I’ve now gone more than two
years without so much as post-workout calf soreness. The bottom
line is this: Don’t covet better genes; instead, avoid injury by imple-
menting better, smarter, more well-rounded training. Here are five
things I’ve adjusted in my training since the injury-plagued days of
yore, which I’d suggest you integrate into your own training plan:

Target incremental improvement

Your body can only improve a little bit at a time, so never train

harder than required to trigger that improvement. No monster

interval sessions. No 3-hour runs out of the blue. Training too

much or too hard only increases the tissue damage associated

with injury—without adding any benefit.

Take a balanced approach

You love distance, hate speedwork. But you have three types of

muscle fibers, and distance trains only one of them. Since all are

used in a race, train them all. Otherwise, expect engine breakdown

the first time you put pedal to metal.

Do injury-prevention exercises

You have weak spots that don’t get trained by running alone. Do

exercises for hamstrings and Achilles. Do lower-body training for

muscle and connective tissue development. And keep in mind

these exercises aren’t competitions. Just do them. Don’t win them.

Schedule adequate recovery

Feeling good isn’t a green light to train hard again. Training damages

muscle and connective tissue and depletes your body’s resources.

First, repair and replenish. Then add an extra recovery day to allow

improvement. And remember that muscle strengthens faster than

connective tissue. Most running injuries occur because runners

base workouts on muscle development—and forget that tendons,

ligaments, and bones are lagging behind.

Have confidence in your body

Stop poking, prodding, rolling, freezing, shocking, and otherwise

assaulting your body as a daily remedy for the normal aches

and pains that accompany everyday training. You wouldn’t pick

at a scab. Stop aggravating your body. Time is the only surefire

recovery tool.

Pete Magill is a world-class runner and coach, and the

author of Speed Runner: 4 Weeks to Your Fastest Leg Speed

in Any Sport.

No, you weren’t born

this way. If you feel

like things are always

breaking, it’s time to

take a look at your

approach.