A Marathon Mom’s Guide to Staying Injury-Free

One year, three months, two weeks, five days, 12 hours, 30 minutes and 18 seconds – that’s how long I was injured (not that I was counting). I was training for my second marathon, doing a training program that I probably shouldn’t have been doing, and I got injured two weeks before the race. When I realized I wasn’t going to be able to run, to say I was devastated would be an understatement. It was an awful feeling, to train so hard for something and not be able to see it pay off. It felt like a really bad breakup or like losing a pet. It was heartbreaking. It led to what would be a very hard year.

Injury Prevention Bridget

It all started after having my first daughter, Addy. I was so eager to get back in shape that I started running four weeks after having her, which as I’m sure you know is way too soon to get back into any kind of vigorous exercise after having a baby. I think the reason why I enjoyed running so much was because it was something that I could do that would challenge myself; something that I could set goals and train for, not to mention it was the easiest and fastest way to lose weight after having a baby.

As moms, we don’t always have time to go to the gym every day and benefit from cross training, and for some, running can be the most convenient and fastest way to lose weight and stay in shape. Unfortunately, there is no one telling us how much and how long to run, and what steps we need to take to ensure that we are able to walk when we grow old. After spending an enormous amount of time and money recovering from my injury, here is the advice I can offer to you so that you can prevent yourself from having to go through what I went through:

Warm-up/Stretch

There has been a lot of debate over the years on whether or not stretching is beneficial before and after a run. In the past, coaches and athletes focused most pre-exercise routines on static stretching (when you stretch and hold the muscle for several seconds just beyond the normal range of motion). Today, however, most experts are saying that it is more beneficial to warm-up and perform various dynamic stretching exercises in order to properly prepare your muscles for a run or workout. You can find a good warm-up routine of dynamic stretching here.

JMB Post Race Group Pic

Massage

No, unfortunately I’m not talking about Swedish massage or a hot stone massage. I’m talking about a sports massage. Sports massages focus on the areas of the body that are overused and stressed from repetitive and aggressive movements associated with exercise. I’d like to say they are relaxing and calming, but in reality they can be pretty painful. That’s not to say that any type of massage wouldn’t be beneficial, but a sports massage will help with more specific areas that get overly tight from exercise.

Trigger Point Performance Therapy

If you’re like me and don’t have time for weekly massages, you’re in luck. You may remember Mary Lauren’s post about Trigger Point Therapy. She goes into detail about the benefits of this “at-home” massage technique that has helped several runners and mothers alike avoid injury and workout any aches and pains that accompany all types of vigorous exercises. You can find Trigger Point Performance Therapy products at Jacksonville Running Company along with free monthly clinics on how to properly use the tools.

Trigger Point Therapy at JRC

Strength Training

Not only will strength training help you improve your running times and decrease your risk of injury, it will also help you lower your body weight and burn additional calories. This doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym everyday, just aim to incorporate about three days of strength training per week. This can come in the form of yoga, pilates, bootcamp classes, crossfit, whatever you choose. You could even pull out your P90X DVDs that you swore you were going to do every day for 90 days but only lasted three days (or was that just me?). Don’t have time for strength training? Then check out Jax Stroller Strength, it’s a bootcamp style class that you can bring your kids to! Your kids get a play date while you get to workout!

Rule of 10%

This is one of the simplest yet important principles in running. It states that you should never increase your weekly mileage more than 10% over the previous week. For example, if your mileage for the week is 10 miles, do not exceed 11 miles in the following week. This one seems easy enough to follow, but it can actually be very difficult if you get hooked on running like I did.

Shoes

Finding shoes that fit is a no-brainer, right? Wrong. There are several types of shoes out there and finding the ones that are right for your feet can be difficult. That’s where the experts at Jacksonville Running Company come in handy. They will give you a one-on-one consultation to find shoes that properly fit your feet using a comprehensive digital foot analysis program. They can also tell you when it’s time to get a new pair based on the wear and tear of your shoes, although a good rule of thumb is every 300-400 miles.

Listen to Your Body

In my opinion, this is THE most important rule of injury prevention. You can follow all of the rules and listen to all of the advice that anyone has to give you, but no one knows your body like you do. If a body part starts to bother you or you feel pains that you have never felt before, just take some days off. Only you know if your body is over-worked and over-trained. If you aren’t feeling back to normal after a couple of days, consult with a doctor to rule out anything serious.

Although it was a rough year not being able to run, it taught me that I need to find balance in my life and take much better care of my body. Whatever your mode of exercise, it’s important to incorporate injury prevention techniques into your routine so that you can continue to do what you love!

JMB Post Tri Pic

Thank you Jacksonville Running Company for sponsoring this post! Please checkout the JRC Facebook page for more information on community runs, products of the week, and special events!

Bridget
Bridget was born in Jacksonville but raised in Tallahassee where she developed a strong love for soccer and other sports. She went on to play soccer for the University of West Florida where she met her husband, John. After earning their graduate degrees from Florida State University, they moved back to John’s hometown of Atlantic Beach where they now reside. Bridget worked in the finance field for several years and is now a stay at home mom and the mother of a fun-loving, very energetic daughter Addison, and her adorable newborn daughter Cameron. She recently became certified as a group fitness instructor and teaches class two days a week at Jacksonville Stroller Strength.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Bridget! I was seriously contemplating starting to run this week. Whit is 4 weeks old. After reading this I’m now not so sure! Just getting antsy. 🙂 Great post!

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