With the end of this spring’s rainy season and the arrival of longer days and the warmer temps of summer, chances are, if you’re a runner, you’re looking to pound the pavement a little more often. Perhaps you’re looking forward to training for a road race (dozens of events from 5Ks and fun runs are set for this season), setting your own personal record or using the great endurance sport to slim down in preparation for beach weather.
You could just want to see more of coastal Virginia up close and personal, running some of the beautiful spots in the region from the Colonial Parkway, the Capital Trail, Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg and Yorktown Battlefields.
No matter what the goals, as you plan to lace up your running shoes and hit the streets, be sure to follow these simple rules to stay injury free, brought to The Local Scoop by accomplished endurance athletes Kristina Carter, PT, DPT, CMTPT of Tidewater Physical Therapy Williamsburg’s location, and Karen Kovacs, PT, MPT, OCS of the practice’s Gloucester Point clinic.
BE PATIENT
As your body transitions from working out in cold weather to the hot summer temperatures, be patient with yourself, Carter says. You won’t be ready to work out at your best. In fact, it might take up to 14 days of warmer weather for your body to fully adjust. Give yourself some time and take it slow to adjust to coastal Virginia’s humid and warmer temperatures.
Hydrating is more than remembering to bring a water bottle with you to the gym or on a run. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association recommends athletes begin to hydrate nearly two to three hours in advance of your workout with 17-20 ounces of water. Down another 10 ounces 10 minutes before you begin, and keep water nearby during the workout.
And when you’re done, be sure to continue to hydrate for the two hours following your training session, Carter says.
If you have set your sights on a road race and are looking to increase your mileage, be sure to pace yourself. The most current research, Kovacs says, suggests increasing your total weekly mileage by not more than 10 percent and to increase your longest run each week by not more than 10 percent.
“This allows for a controlled increase in the strength and endurance a runner will need to prevent injury,” Kovacs says.
It’s tempting to see the early morning light and want to run before work. But don’t force it if it doesn’t work for you. And if you have to change your running times, train for it.
As one patient once asked Kovacs, “I prefer morning runs. I can’t do morning runs because of my work schedule. Can you do anything to change your body’s natural predilections? Silly, I know, but I’m better and stronger earlier, not around 3. My times show it, too.”
Kovacs says “I’m not sure you can change your natural circadian rhythms, but I know from my personal experience that over time your body can adapt to the change in training time. Changing training times to match the conditions and time of a competition is one of the recommendations for triathletes so that your body has practiced working out during a time period that may not be when you typically exercise.”
Something to consider, Kovacs says, is to figure out how and what you will eat to accommodate the change in training time. This may take a couple of trial sessions to determine what works for you.”