pro-tip: coming back to running in a healthy and strong way

Alexa Hasman, Owner and Coach at Fit Life and Gorgeous Guru

​Winter has come to an end and Spring Break is wrapping up, which means that race season is upon us but how do we get back into running after maybe taking a break to avoid the cold and dark time of the year? This is a question that plagues runners all across the Pacific Northwest and as running coach, this is the season where I see a lot of people jump both feet in back into running and racing and often times getting injured or frustrated. Here are my pro tips on coming back to running in a healthy and strong way:

1. Start small- Whether you ran marathons previously or just casually ran, jumping back into running full force will set you up for injury and failure. Start small with easy, slow and short distances and slowly build upon it. This will allow your body to adjust and get stronger without compromising your bones, muscles and ligaments. 
2. Recover and stretch- As a runner, I know how hard both of these things are. Runners are typically go, go, go so when we are asked to slow down, it really doesn’t seem appealing. Why go slow when we can go FAST!? Well, going slow and recovering is just as important if not MORE important than going out there and hammering out the miles. Your body grows and gets stronger in the recovery stages. Take the time to stretch, take recovery days, take Epsom salt baths and drink lots of water. Your body will thank you and you will see the results of your hard runs a lot faster. 
3. Be kind to yourself- No runner has ever jumped back into running and had it feel easy. It isn’t easy when you are returning to something, no matter what level you previously ran at. It is going to be hard and it is going to be frustrating and that is part of the process. Be kind to yourself and patient, the results will come but they will not come over night. I hear so much self-deprecation from clients as they start back into a fitness routine. Being hard on yourself isn’t going to do anything good for you. Be easy on yourself and proud of the fact that you are getting out there and working on yourself. 
4. Don’t quit- As stated in the last point, it isn’t easy coming back to fitness but the one thing that will make it harder is quitting. So, do not give up yourself. Be confident and positive about your goals and keep your head up as you work towards them. You’ve got this!

Go out there and get your goals! The Gorgeous Series is cheering you on and we can’t wait to see you out on the relay courses this year! 

For more tips or advice on returning to running, feel free to message me at info@thefitlifepdx.com. 

Get more tips, strategies, coaching and encouragement from Alexa at Fit Life. Alexa coaches all abilities in groups and one-on-one. We love having people from Alexa's groups join us for group runs and relays - they are fun to run with, have such a positive attitude, and are fun to hang out with post-run, as well!