Earlier this year, I got a stress fracture in my foot. It finally healed in July, but I put off a serious return to running until after I’d done the Camino—I did not want to jeopardise our holiday. I feel like the days of strenuous walking while we were away helped build more strength in my feet and hips, which suffer when they are not constantly loaded. Since coming home, I’ve been determined to get back to running and gently increase the load so my hips/pelvis can adjust (they’ve never been the same since my pregnancies but are much better under constant running). I’ve coupled this with several weekly strength training sessions at the gym. This is the program I’ve been following. Each level is done at least twice but can be repeated as many times as needed if I cannot complete the next level. So far, I’ve been able to move through, only doing each level twice. I usually start with about 5 minutes of walking and walk at the end as well. I’m running every second day and am now at level 6. If things keep going smoothly, I should be able to add interval sessions or the odd longer run by Christmas.
- 30 sec run / 1 min walk for 20 mins.
- 1 min run / 1 min walk for 20 mins.
- 1 min run / 1 min walk for 26 mins.
- 1 min run / 1 min walk for 30 mins.
- 2 min run / 1 min walk for 30 mins.
- 4 min run / 1 min walk for 30 mins
- 5 min run / 1 min walk for 30 mins.
- 10 min run / 2 min walk for 36 mins.
- 15 min run / 2 min walk for 34 mins.
- 30 mins run
- 35 mins run
- 40 mins run
- 45 mins run
When I first started running about ten years ago, I did the Couch to 5K program, which has a similar gradual progression. If you’re a runner, do you remember how you started running? Have you ever had to follow a program like this to recover from injury?
Comments
17 responses to “List #14: Return to Running Program”
I was always a walker. That was my main form of exercise. I think I was in my early 40s when I started running my same walking route. I would run probably 1/2 a mile and then walk a stretch and then try to run again, until eventually I was able to run the 4.5 mile thing without stopping. I was very unscientific about it. Looking back I shudder to think of those early runs. I thought I was in such great shape. My current self laughs at my former not-in-shape self, despite all the walks I took. I’ve added high intensity workout classes, usually a combination of strength and cardio. My PT husband made me dial back and alternate runs every other day, because of the wear and tear. I don’t run outside in freezing weather. Not interested in falling on the ice, etc. So my first run back after the winter is sometimes hard. I will occasionally run on an indoor track, but I dislike it. I refuse to run on a treadmill. Hate those.
Hoping your foot feels great as you transition back to running. (I’ve never done a 5K or any kind of organized race).
We can run all outside all year here so we are very lucky. It is always so hard getting back to running after a break.
I fell pretty hard and hurt my knee years ago, and a few months later I went on vacation to France. It was hard due to my knee with all of the walking. we spent the first part of our holiday in Brittany, but when we got to Paris, there were all of those stairs up and down using the metro. OMG, they helped so much. I gained so much strength. Was it because i waited enough time? Or could I have healed sooner if I had done stairs sooner? I don’t know. I didn’t go to a physical therapist for it.
It’s always hard to know with these things. I think if your body is ready for it the strenous wlaking certainly helps prime the body for starting running.
As a non runner this does sound like a solid plan. So much so that I wonder if that would make emergency want to run… But only wander. I rather take a walk.
Walking is good too!
I am a runner, and I have been injured a little, but I have to admit that I do not love the start and stop of a presrcribed run walk program. I get that it works, but would rather do a shorter run, then a longer walk and change the percentage of those two things as time goes by. However, trail running is a great way for me to fix that, as sometimes you just have to walk up hills and then run the flats and downs, so you kind of force the run walk! So I usually would go for a trail run and try to increase my total running time for the same loop as I got stronger.
This is the first time I’ve come back to running with a walk/run program, but this is the most serious injury I’ve had with the longest downtime and I want to get it right.
That is VERY smart of you, and a lot of runners I know would not have the patience and would probably reinjure themselves soon enough. I am glad you are being smart about it.
I’ve done Couch to 5K multiple times. It really is a great program. I need to do it again because I basically haven’t run in over a year. Or maybe I’m just done with running for now?
I’m so glad you’re foot is feeling better! Happy running <3
Don’t be done with running, maybe you’re just done for now.
I’ve done Couch to 5K several times, too. Now I just start by running for five minutes and walking for two or three until I do thirty minutes and it seems fine. But I’m super slow, so maybe I should go back to basics.
I was not very fast on completing the couch to 5K. I think if you want to get faster you need to do speed intervals – 400/600/800 m repeats or fartleks.
I followed a similar plan when I was coming back to running after my 2nd pregnancy. I saw a pelvic floor therapist and she put together a plan like this when she felt I was healed enough to run. It worked super well. I ended up training for a 10 mile race that summer/fall and that it the day our youngest turned 10 months. That is the longest race I’ve done since (and I have only done one other 10 mile race since then). I hope your return to running continues to go well!!
That’s impressive getting back to running a 10-miler, the plan obviously worked for you.
I am so happy you’re getting back to running and I think it’s fantastic that you’re going about in such a smart and structured manner.
Luckily, I’ve never had an injury from running yet (knock on wood), but I followed a running program when I first got into running more seriously (I think it was called “Run 50 min nonstop in 6 weeks”.
You obviously do everything right, not to get an injury.