The quickest path to landing yourself on the injured list is to run too much, too soon. Endurance training is an art; every runner has to figure out what they love about it and what works for them. Georgetown store run ambassador,

balancing hard and easy workouts

When we push the limits and challenge our muscles and mind, the endorphin rush that ensues is hard to beat! We runners have been known to chase that high over and over, whether it’s through a tough but fun run, a kick-your-butt bootcamp class or a hot Vinyasa flow. Sweat once a day but make sure those efforts are balanced.

Go hard…

Tough workouts make us stronger mentally and physically; they are completely essential to any training plan. Long runs, hill repeats and tempo runs usually hold a spot on the weekly agenda, not only to build up strength and endurance, but also to teach our muscles how to operate on low fuel and fatigue. You’ll need that mental and physical strength when it comes to race day!

…then take it easy

After those tough runs, our muscles and minds need a break to recover. Alternating hard workouts with lower-intensity days is essential in preventing overuse injuries, fatigue and burn-out. Easy days give the body time to recuperate – a day to replenish glycogen stores, repair tissues, rest and rehydrate.

the balancing act

Here are some ways to turn off the runners-brain and get in an easier workout after you’ve maxed out:

cross-train
Use alternating days to balance the ever-increasing mileage and time on the run with another favorite form of exercise. This could include yoga, Pilates, cycling, hiking, walking or some free-style dancing in your living room.

slow it down
Go for a low-mileage, low-effort jog. Leave the watch, heart rate monitor and/or tunes at home and just go slow for 20-30 minutes at a conversational pace.

park it on the couch
Overuse injuries are easily preventable; take a rest day at least once per week – Consider this permission.

mix it up
Take it back to running basics by going out for run/walk intervals. Alternate the two every 3-5 minutes, keeping the effort notch on “easy” (of course).

treat the tissues
After the peak of heavy training weeks logging high mileage and hours on the run, treat those hard-working tissues to some TLC! Schedule a massage, soak in an ice-bath, and/or go to restorative yoga. Most importantly, refuel with nutrient-dense meals and snacks to keep all systems going!

Taking on the hard/easy balance isn’t just for everyday athletes, even the elites set at least one day aside for complete rest, relaxation and recovery. Keep the focus on getting to that starting line injury-free, full of energy and ready to rock! Not sure where to start? Check out the SeaWheeze TackleBox!

Whether you’re donning your first pair of trail kicks or training for your fifth marathon, adding a little yoga to your routine is a great way to amp up your run. Seattle University Village store ambassador, Erin Jasmine Taylor, shows us a five-minute, pre-run Jasyoga sequence that will help warm you up, align your stride and prevent injuries.

five pre-run poses to warm up your engine

For maximum benefit, complete the entire sequence in order and hold each pose for 5–10 deep breaths, engaging the muscles you need and relaxing the ones you don’t.

interlace and fold

opens chest and shoulders, stretches hamstrings

• start by standing hip-width apart. On your inhale, bring your arms overhead.
• exhale as you reach your arms out and back, interlacing your fingers behind you—use a strap or towel between your hands if it’s a struggle. Take a few breaths here to broaden the chest.
• fold forward, taking your arms up and overhead, keeping bend in your knees.
• shake out your head and relax your neck. Eventually release the interlace and drop your hands toward the ground for the last few breaths.

high runner’s lunge

(from forward fold)

trains the knees to stabilize, strengthens and lengthens stride

• take a long step back with your left leg and come into a lunge with your front knee at 90 degrees, tracking directly over the ankle.
• keep your back leg straight and your front knee stable over the ankle as you raise your arms overhead.
• find your balance, relax your neck and shoulders and breathe deeply—think less effort and more ease!

high runner’s lunge with side bend

(from high lunge)

lengthens side body, stretches top of the IT band and improves balance

• place your right hand on your right hip, bend your torso to the right and reach your left arm overhead and to the right—stretching the left side of your body.
• remember to keep that right knee stable over that ankle!

warrior III

(from high lunge)

strengthens ankles, legs, core and improves proprioception

• balance on your right leg and lift your left leg behind you as you drop your torso parallel to the ground.
• keep your arms out like airplane wings, or reach them forward.

low lunge twist

(from warrior III)

stretches hips and twists spine

• step your left leg back into a lunge, dropping that knee to the ground and releasing your hands to the ground.
• put your right hand on your right thigh as you rotate your chest to the right, while keeping your left hand on the ground.
• reach your right arm up and look skyward.

and repeat...

Return to your standing forward bend and repeat poses 2–5 with the opposite foot forward…

Now you’re ready to get sweaty and hit the ground running!

Erin Jasmine Taylor is the owner and head coach of Jasyoga, a mobile yoga studio that helps athletes around Seattle—from rec soccer players to NBA basketball players—find their flow. Special thanks to Nate Burgher for all the amazing photography!

As an athlete and running coach, Burlington Mall store ambassador, Kristina Pinto likes to baffle friends and clients by telling them she spent years in tutus, sparkles and an Ozone’s worth of hairspray. These days, you won’t find her on centre stage but that’s not to say she doesn’t rock a plié every now and then. 

3 ballet exercises for running injury reduction

For the first week perform one set of each exercise (10 repetitions) on each leg every day. On week two, add a second set. Leave the pointe shoes out of it and do all of these exercises barefoot.

closed demi and grand pliés

benefit: opens hip flexors; stretches calves, achilles, quads and glutes; strengthens gluteus medius

1. Facing a table or chair, hold on with two hands (once your balance improves turn to the side and use one hand) and stand with your heels together making a narrow ‘V’ (toes pointed out at about a 45-degree angle) with your feet.

2. Slowly, for a count of two, bend your knees and lower into a demi-squat. Be sure your knees are pointed over your toes, not collapsing inward as you bend. Your heels should remain on the ground.

3. Raise back up to the original position for a count of two.

4. Slowly, for a count of four, bend your knees and lower into a deeper squat. Keep your heels on the ground for as long as possible. Again, be sure your knees are pointed over your toes, not collapsing inward.

5. Raise back up to the original position for a count of four.
 
 
 
 

side leg devlopés

benefit: opens hip flexors; strengthens and elongates calves, hamstrings, adductors and arches; tones glutes; promotes balance

1. Start in the same position as in exercise one.

2. Supporting your weight on one leg, without sitting low in your hip, lift and bend your other leg pulling your heel up along your calf until it reaches your knee.

3. Straighten the raised leg so that it is in an open position (out to the side) hovering about 8-12 inches off the floor. Make sure your hips are straight, facing forward and that the hip of your raised leg is not tipped upward.

4. Keeping your leg straight, lower it back to the original position.

rond de jambe

benefit: opens hip joints; strengthens arches, achilles, quads, hamstrings, glutes and hips; stretches adductors

1. Stand with heels together and toes turned out in a ‘V’ as in the first two exercises. In this case, you will need to turn so that you have one hand on the table or chair in order to have a full range of motion.

2. Supporting your weight on the leg closest to the table, raise your outer leg forward while keeping the turned out position of both feet. It should reach a height of about 6-8 inches off the floor. Both legs should be straight throughout this exercise, which is performed in a slow, fluid motion to the count of four.

3. Open the raised leg to the side, maintaining its height off the floor. Be sure not to tilt your outer hip upward as your working leg makes its way to the side. Stay strong in your core to keep the hips level.

4. Continue the fluid movement from the side position to the back. Make sure your torso is lifted and straight, not pitched forward, and that your shoulders are relaxed. Try to keep the hipbone of your working leg angled down, rather than opening your hips to the outside.

5. Lower the working leg back down to the original position. Then, lift the working leg to the rear and reverse the circle in another fluid motion to a count of four.

If these exercises have left visions of a younger-you dancing in your head, try a barre class to channel your inner ballerina and get a kickass workout.

The big race is almost here! You’ve done the hard training. So how are you going to make this your best race yet?

A proper warm-up may be your secret weapon to race success.

The start of any big race is like a battle for the best racing position. There will be lots of excited runners prepared to blast off from the starting line and you need to be one of them. A good start will help you avoid people traffic and lead you along the road to a great race. If your body isn’t prepared to run fast right from the starting gun your cold muscles will be forced to work overtime to function. The race can go from an all-time best to an all-time worst very quickly thanks to gridlock and early fatigue.

change your tune

The good news is you can change your racing fate. Your muscles are just like your car: You’d never turn on the engine and immediately speed down the highway, so why do this to your body? Get your motor running with a good warm-up before hitting the highway, or in this case the racecourse.

Finding your perfect warm-up requires a bit of trial and error but here are a few tips and tricks to help you along the way.

45-50 minutes before: Begin with 10-15 minutes of easy jogging to slowly elevate your heart rate.

30-35 minutes before: Follow-up with some stretching and 50-metre strides to help prepare your body for a fast start.

20 minutes before: Use the porta-potty (believe me do this even if you don’t need to) and change into your racing shoes.

10 minutes before: Head to the starting line and complete a few more strides.

5 minutes before: As people accumulate along the starting line bounce on the spot and shake out your legs to keep your muscles warm.

A proper warm up will get your engine going so that you'll have a great race from the start! Good luck in your next race!

I’ll admit it looks silly, but pool running is one of the best forms of cross training for runners. It has the many cardio boosting benefits of normal running but the water creates a low-impact environment so there’s less chance for injury.

Injury is possibly the most dreaded word in the running world and the constant strain from your feet pounding the pavement definitely increases the risk. The good news is water workouts can be done in place of running as injury prevention.

With any new running program a few minor aches and pains are to be expected. If those aches and pains become more frequent listen to your body. Instead of pushing to the breaking point, opt for a day in the pool. You don’t have to sacrifice your body’s well being to have a great workout!

What you need:

• a pool
• a flotation device (optional but great for beginners)
• a timing watch
• a positive attitude (especially if you’re rehabbing an injury)

Holly has suffered a stress fracture and she is using pool running to stay fit while her injury heals.

To begin, place a flotation device tightly around your waist (you can rent these from your pool). This will help you stay upright so you can focus on your form instead of trying to stay afloat.

In the pool, running mechanics are very similar to normal running except you will be moving a lot slower. Your knee drive should be similar to normal running and the front foot should “land” in front of the body. Your trail leg will need to be actively pulled forward because of the water resistance.

Keep your body upright, remember you are running not swimming. Your hands should form relaxed fists so you don’t cup the water and bend your arms to roughly 90 degrees.

Choosing to crosstrain can feel like torture for some runners. The guilt of taking a day off the track seems counterproductive but in the long run (no pun intended) choosing recovery is the best way to stay injury free!

As runners, we learn to push through pain and discomfort. However, we are often stubborn when it comes to listening to our own bodies.

When you are in tune with your body, you can recognize the signs that tell you to rest to prevent the onset of an injury. Runners that can recognize these signs often choose to ignore them, and push through the pain because we don't want to miss a workout, but listening to what your body needs is the best way to keep you running strong.

Any time I have ever had a running injury, I always look backwards to what occurred leading up to the injury. Every time, there were warning signs - and now, after 12 years of competitive running and two stress fractures this year, I finally know when I am in danger of another injury.

For me, the signs that I am overtraining or need to take an extra day off begins with nagging pains in a tendon. Often, the pain is not bad enough to warrant a day off, but it's enough for me to be aware of it. Secondly, my injuries are always preceded by a bad cold or flu. Before both of my stress fractures, and a tendon injury in ’08, I came down with a lingering flu-like cold. Before my first stress fracture, I even lost my voice for a couple of weeks, but I foolishly did not take time off from running. Irritability is also a sign of overtraining for me.

Every runner is different. Often runners who are over-training report difficulty sleeping, an increased heart rate, or lack of motivation. The important thing is to recognize the warning signs that your body gives you.

As I become a more mature runner, I am more in tune with the needs of my body, especially during periods of intense training and racing. Last week, after a hard, 15 mile run, I felt a nagging in my ankle, coupled with feelings of stress. Instead of training through it, I took two days of complete rest, and visited the physical therapist to have it worked on right away. Those two things knocked out the nagging pain, and I probably prevented a more serious injury. Three days later, I went on to place 2nd in an 8k!

Listen to your body! Racing and hard training is enough of a challenge without being injured. Stay healthy out there.

How are you listening to your body?

My First 100 Marathons: 2, 620 Miles with an Obsessive Runner By: Jeff Horowitz

As someone who has an extensive library of running books, I was happy to add My First 100 Marathons to my collection. Horowitz takes the reader on his journey from newbie runner to experienced marathoner. Each recounting of his races tells of lessons learned through both triumphs and disappointments, and how the experience of every one of his marathons has enriched his life.

Each chapter begins with running tips, which includes advice for trail running, injury prevention, race recovery, form drills, and beyond. The book reads like a novel, but is packed with valuable information for both the novice and elite runner. Further, this book is filled with inspiring words that make you itch to lace up your running shoes and head out the door more and more with each turn of the page.

Horowitz lives, runs, writes, and coaches in Washington, DC. I have been fortunate enough to get to know Jeff, and I now count him as an important mentor and friend. He has also worked directly with our lululemon Logan Circle run club! For more information about Jeff Horowitz’s book, check out www.runtothefinishline.com