Running seems simple enough. You get moving, pick up your pace and off you go. But if you get off on the wrong foot, you could risk injury on the road to a triathlon, marathon, half-marathon—or even a run around the block.
“It’s a sport in which people of all skill levels can participate,” says Tyler Heath, PT, DPT, FDN-1, a physical therapist at Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Webster.
Heath discusses common running mistakes and shares tips for staying safe and achieving success on your fitness journey.
Mistake: Wearing shoes and socks that rub you the wrong way or lack support. “Many people don't realize that wearing the wrong shoes can lead to foot, knee and hip injuries,” Heath says.
Success: “To run safely, you’ve got to have a good pair of running shoes, with arch support. You also need moisture-wicking clothes—especially socks to avoid too much heat, sweat, blisters and possibly athlete’s foot or eczema,” says Heath.
Mistake: Overinvesting on gadgets. “You don’t have to spend all this money on the newest and coolest technology to achieve your goals,” Heath says.
Success: “Stick to basics and it’s not as intimidating,” says Heath, who is a runner himself. A regular stopwatch is a sufficient timer.
Mistake: Cramps due to dehydration. If you don’t drink enough water before, during and after a run, you risk cramps, fatigue and a poorer performance.
Success: Stay hydrated. “If your urine is light and clear, it’s a safe level to go running, but if it’s dark and cloudy, you need to drink more before heading out,” he says.
Mistake: Doing the same stretches—or, worse, no stretches—before and after running. “If a stretch is painful, you’re going too far,” Heath says.
Success: Heath recommends 10 to15 minutes of stretching before and after running. Before a run, he suggests repetitive moving (such as dynamic stretches) and kicks during a 10-minute warmup. “That gets your blood flowing,” he says. Afterward, he suggests cooling down for 15 to20 minutes, then holding each stretch for 30 seconds and repeating it on both legs. “Hit all the muscle groups in your legs, including your hip flexors, quads (front thigh), hamstrings (back thigh), calves, groin and back.”
Mistake: Doing too much too quickly. “People think you need to do sprints right away,” Heath says. But that’s the fast track to injury.
Success: Focus first on creating a routine, starting with three to four weeks of easy runs during which you can maintain a conversation. Increase your mileage as much as five miles every two weeks. After a month, you can add sprints, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with timed easy and fast bouts, or fartlek—Swedish for speed play—in which you pick up the pace and slow down based on your energy level.
Mistake: Skipping strength training. “You actually need to keep your muscles strong to maintain the requirements of running,” Heath says.
Success: He recommends strengthening your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves via squats, deadlifts, lunges, leg presses, hamstring curls and leg extensions. This allows you to strengthen your glutes (buttocks), quads, hamstrings and calves.
Mistake: Running too often or too rarely.
Success: Run three to four days weekly to allow your body to recover between runs.
Mistake: Flatlining. To perform at your best, you need to add one thing absent in most area of Houston: hills. “They will help make you stronger,” Heath says.
Success: If you don’t have access to bridges or hills, you can alter the incline on the treadmill.
Mistake: Getting in a rut.
Success: If you’re not feeling motivated, change up your workout with music, podcasts, running with a friend or taking a different route, such as trails in The Heights or Memorial Park.
And while running is to some extent a solo sport, joining a group can help you learn how to set goals and train for them.
Mistake: Avoiding running due to concern of potential for muscular or joint-related injuries.
Success: Lace up those shoes. “Not only do you build strength and heart health by running, but research has found that there’s no correlation between distance running and developing long term joint conditions,” Heath says. “Your risk is based on your genetics, weight and lifestyle.”
