Starting back after an injury.

The biggest mistake an injured runner can make is to return to running too soon. There is an enormous temptation felt by any serious runner returning after a layoff to push too hard too soon. The longing for the wind in your face is so intense after a setback that it may overwhelm your good judgement. It is nearly a guarantee that you will lengthen your layoff, delay a real return to healthy running, and worst of all, increase the odds that your injury will remain a chronic impairment. So, how do you make a healthy comeback after an injury?

First and foremost, you must give yourself enough time to really heal. Respect the limitations imposed by an injury. You really don't have a choice. Second, diagnose and correct whatever problem caused the injury to begin with--overtraining, poor biomechanics, bad shoes, inadequate conditioning--whatever the problem, figure it out and fix it. Get professional advice if you're not sure. Finally, take an intelligent approach to retraining. Your injury may be healed but your body isn't what it was when you got hurt. In terms of general cardiovascular fitness and the particular muscles needed to support your running body, you need to rebuild before you are truly running again. The silver lining to an injury is that you can come back stronger than ever with the right approach to reconditioning.

Next, take one step back and recognize that there is often a lot you can do to maintain cardiovascular conditioning and even to make certain strength gains during your layoff. A broken metatarsal bone with your foot in a cast will obviously keep you from running, but could you use a stationary bicycle? Would it keep you from resistance training? There are often many alternatives available to make the transition back to running less difficult than it otherwise could be. These options can often do wonders to maintain your sanity and serenity while patiently enduring the healing process. Explore your options with your doctor or physical therapist.

Assuming that you are really ready to retrain for running, the principle that must be applied during your return is slow and steady wins the race--a gradual reintroduction to the motions and stresses of running. Even if you have maintained fitness during a layoff with cross training, running needs to be reintroduced gradually. Also, make sure that you have an ear for any messages your body may send during your return. If it hurts, cut back, give yourself a little time and go back to the beginning with your retraining. Patience will pay off.

Running & FitNews Editorial Board Member Doug Lentz, C.S.C.S., developed the following ten-week retraining schedule and guidelines for a return to running after a prolonged layoff. It can be used to make sure that you don't do too much too soon. The schedule is based on your pre-injury or pre-layoff base pace and mileage. For example, if you were running an eight-minute mile, and about 40 miles a week before your layoff, you would start week one with a pace of 50% of eight minutes or about 16 minutes per mile (basically a walk or very slow jog). During that week you would run (or walk) no more than 50% of your pre-injury mileage or 20 total miles. High mileage runners should make adjustments to this schedule. Even a 60-mile-a-week runner should not return to 30 miles the first week back. Calculate your retraining pace for each week by dividing former minutes-per-mile pace by the decimal equivalent of the percentage--eight divided by .50 or eight divided by .70, for example, to calculate 50% and 70% of an eig ht minute per mile pace. Within ten weeks you can be safely back on track.

By Week 11, you're back to your former pace and mileage. Note that this schedule basically applies the runner's Golden Rule of Training: never increase intensity or mileage by more than 10% and never increase both at the same time. Lentz also advises that you work up to your former mileage and intensity by starting out on a smooth, flat surface--the track is ideal since you can also gauge your pace and mileage easily. He also suggests that you run alone to avoid the temptation to keep up with a running partner who may not need to adhere to the same pace restrictions.

Save this article. Few runners last their whole running life without a layoff. Having good guidelines for re-entry saves you from the mistake of doing too much too soon. (CN)

Pace and Mileage for Retraining Afte Injury

WEEK  Pre-injury PACE  Pre-injury MILE

 1          50%              50%
 2          60%              50%
 3          60%              60%
 4          70%              60%
 5          70%              70%
 6          80%              70%
 7          80%              80%
 8          90%              80%
 9          90%              90%
10         100%              90%