- Sleep. As mentioned in my last post, I'm making sure I get quality sleep even when getting up at the ass crack of dawn
- Foam rolling. Ouch. Sometimes in training, I have been a runner who neglects their foam roller until I *need* something from it. As in, my left knee no longer functions, or my hip is popping in and out of place. When I go to town on my foam roller I realize HOLY CRAP NO WONDER I'M HAVING PROBLEMS. This time around I'm foam rolling at least once, if not 2x/day everyday, regardless if I'm having issues. Oftentimes, by the time I start to have pain, my IT bands are SO jacked up that it's impossible to roll out their issues, and I'm forced to take unplanned rest days. By doing it everyday, I'm keeping on top of any issues before they occur.
- HR training. Some injuries are spurred by running too much, too fast, too soon. By training with my HRM, I'm forced to run the pace my heart tells me is okay for recovery runs, long runs, general aerobic runs. This *should* lower my odds of injury.
- Hydrating. The beer to water ratio has lessened around here, which is sad. But since I'm doing HR training, I know how much dehydration messes with your HR, and how important it is to be well hydrated on my runs. Also, in this heat, I'm sweating out way more water than I'm able to keep up with while running, so it's even more important to be well hydrated before I go.
- Compression socks. I rewarded myself with the pink argyle compression socks from Pro Compression for putting in some quality miles lately, and I love them.
- Eating healthier. Food is fuel. My eating habits are hit or miss depending on the week, but I seem to do better at eating healthier when I'm running a lot, so I'm trying to get back on track with that. I've also been tracking my calories to be sure I'm getting enough fuel on days that I'm running higher mileage.
- Core work. Part of my running issues stem from my pelvis sitting at an angle instead of flat, so core work is super important to help keep it in alignment.
Anything to add?
I just want to say, hearing about your training is encouraging me to run more (this week, I've kind of lost my flame)! Keep up the mileage and injury-free training.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I might add to the list is cross training. It's something I struggle to fit-in, when my mileage gets over 30 miles a week. I've never really struggled with a major injury, I think it's because I run a semi-comfortable pace for most of my runs, but really hit the gas when I race. It's worked for me, but I know everyone is different and everyone has different running goals.
PS. Vegas looked like a blast!
-dom