Top 4 Things to Avoid while Training

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Top 4 Things to Avoid while Training for SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon 2009

1. Avoid Being Impatient
Your body will take awhile to adapt to the training and reach the running fitness that you desire. The general idea is to slowly increase your mileage and incorporate some speedwork at the later stages of training. The mileage for each week should build off the previous’. Avoid increasing running distance by more than 10% from one week to the next or you might injure yourself. Many people make the mistake of running too much or too fast for a start and then burning out. You can build your endurance gradually once you have a proper training plan.

2. Avoid Overtraining
Your body would show symptoms when you are training too much – a common pitfall during high-mileage and high-intensity training periods. Do not ignore obvious signs like chronic fatigue, persistent muscle soreness; not to mention subtle signs like feeling unmotivated or irritable. The best thing to do is to take a break from training or simply lower your training volume or intensity by doing easy runs. Allow time for your body to recover. You would be able to gain more out of your runs when you resume training again.

3. Avoid Playing Catch-up
If something unexpected interrupts your training program, do not try to play catch up by increasing mileage drastically and cramming hard workouts back to back. If such training layoffs are caused by an illness or injury that leaves you in a weakened physical condition, the worst thing to do is to make up for lost time by training harder than usual the minute you resume training. Ease back into your training by doing easy runs of similar or slightly lesser distance where you have left off.

4. Avoid Ignoring Injuries
Always be aware of your body condition and listen to it. If you have soreness, aches or pains, manage or treat them. Do not ignore them and allow them to worsen into injuries. When you are training hard, some of these are unavoidable. Back off a little on your training if the symptoms are affecting your training. You can ice the afflicted area several times a day for at least 48 hours to reduce any inflammation and minimize pain. Visit a specialist if the condition does not improve. Regular massages can also help in recovery from workouts. The best time for a massage is the day after your long run or after a speed workout.