Photo: lululemon athletica / Flickr

I’ve been training for a half marathon, and the deeper into the routine I’ve gotten, the more and more evident the risk of serious injury has become. The thing is, even if you run moderate distances, in the 2 to 3km range, your risk of injury is still astronomical. So below we look at how you can pack on the distance while better protecting your body from running injuries.

Facts, first

Retired long distance runners world over have serious problems with the joints on their lower bodies, from their hips to their knees and right down to their ankles. You need to realise that this is a risk you’re putting yourself at, and while this guide will help you curb unnecessary (or excess) running injuries, long term wear and tear is unavoidable.

Run with proper posture

The best way to run is with an upright body. Even if you’re struggling up a hill, and are gasping for air, the worst thing you can do is run with your body slouched over, since this does significant damage to your back. If your posture is upright, the other components of good running posture fall into place, and this is a very important part of not picking up a running injury.

The surface you run on matters

Training on the concrete surface you’ll be running your marathon on makes the most intuitive sense yet it’s the worst for your body. If you have a forest near your home, or even a park with trails, run on that. The reduced impact from running on softer, more shock absorbent surfaces, will do your knees, ankles and hips the world of good. And other than the odd uneven surface on newer trails, there are far less hazards on trail tracks than on the road, thus negating the worst running injury there is – getting hit by a moving vehicle.

Your running shoes matter

While a £15 pair of running shoes will get the job done, you expose yourself to running injury more than you would with a more expensive, better-crafted pair of shoes. Running shoes determine how your feet strike the ground, how impact is distributed and absorbed, as well as how you propel your feet off the ground. The difference something as seemingly insignificant a higher in-sole can have on your body’s posture and form is remarkable, and this is the reason why manufacturers like New Balance and Asics are so praised in running circles.

Do yourself a favour when next you buy running shoes – spend the little extra for the additional protection a good pair offers. Running injuries suck, yet they’re inevitable. Do all you can to negate them.

Tags: exercise, keeping fit, running, Running Shoes