COMMON RUNNING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Too excited to start, too excited to run long and fast.
Most newbie runners tend to make mistakes that may soon lead to injury.
We don't want that to happen! So, we listed the Most Common Running Mistakes and How To Avoid Them so you can be a more efficient runner.
MISTAKE 1: NOT HYDRATING ENOUGH
Many runners don't drink enough to avoid having side stitches or having frequent visits to the comfort room, especially during a race. They forget how much fluid they'll lose during each run.
SOLUTION:
- Practice hydrating even on days you don't run.
- Drink only 16 to 24 ounces before running.
MISTAKE 2: OVERTRAINING
Oftentimes, runners get excited to run everyday especially, when training for a race. But overtraining may sometimes lead to burnout, injuries, and inefficient use of energy.
SOLUTION:
- Take days off. Rest and recover most especially, after a race or hard training.
- Do cross-training to build up strength and endurance too, like Yoga/Pilates, Walking, Cycling, Swimming, etc.
- Either just rest, do easy runs or walks.
MISTAKE 3: WEARING THE WRONG CLOTHES
No one wants to experience the pain of chafing.
SOLUTION:
- Use anti-chafing creams/gel/stick.
- Avoid wearing clothes that are 100% cotton when running as it absorbs sweat that can make you feel more hot and heavy and loses its breathability. Instead, choose nylon, polyester, or spandex.
- Better to try and test newly bought apparel during easy runs or walk to check if they will chafe.
MISTAKE 4: IMMEDIATELY INCREASING DISTANCE
A lot of runners oftentimes increase their distance without proper training. This may lead to unwanted injuries.
SOLUTION:
- Take your time, you will build your mileage as you train.
- Experts advise that you can add no more than 10% of your weekly distance.
- Stick to your plan and build your speed and endurance through hill repeats, intervals, and sprints.
MISTAKE 5: LOSING CONTROL ON HILLS
One of the most common mistakes that runners do is overexerting on uphills, and losing control on downhills.
SOLUTION:
- Reserve your energy when running up a hill, and control your pace when running down. You don't want to stumble and slip.
- Uphill: Stand tall, swing your arms, relax, but lift your knees while running.
- For downhills, control your pace and relax. Do not lean backward too much.
MISTAKE 6: RUNNING TOO FAST RIGHT AWAY
A lot of newbie runners start fast but end up losing energy in the long run. Too much too soon can be bad especially, when you're body is not ready.
SOLUTION:
- Stick to your training plan.
- Reserve your energy so that you can run faster midway or slowly build up a faster pace.
- Do not be too tense. Just relax and enjoy your run. You will eventually run faster as you train regularly.
MISTAKE 7: NO WARM-UP
Some Runners skip the Warm-Up and go right to the run. The Warm-Up is crucial because it prepares your body for activity, awakens cold or stiff muscles, and increases blood flow.
SOLUTION:
- Do dynamic stretches to awaken your body. It can be an easy run, squats, side lunges, jumping jacks, arm circles, etc.
MISTAKE 8: WEARING THE WRONG SHOES
Wear appropriate running shoes that fit your feet to avoid injuries.
SOLUTION:
- Check the life of your running shoes. Typically, you can use running shoes for 300-500 miles before you throw them away.
- Make sure that your toes have enough space to move. Always put an allowance on your shoe size.
- A gait analysis can be help determine what shoe you need for your type of feet.
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