Running by its very nature is a game of attrition. Hour after hour of pavement pounding, trail Running and hill sprinting all adds up and can lead to Training setbacks, injury and even race cancelations if you aren’t careful. The good news is that most common running injuries can be avoided with the help of a few simple training aids. As well as following a balanced running program that includes stretching, rest days and strength training, there are a few added accessories you can buy to help reduce the risk of certain injuries.
Foam Roller
Foam rollers are essential bits of kit for any serious runner looking avoid injury and improve their running style.
Foam rollers can be used to stretch the IT band that runs from your pelvis down the outside of your leg to your knee. By rolling the outside of your leg over the form roller you are releasing tension and tightness that can build up naturally when you run, easing the pressure on your knees, pelvis and leg tendons. Releasing this tension can not only protect against common overuse injuries such as tendonitis but you can also find that your running gait becomes smoother and more efficient as the small muscles and tendons that support your stride function correctly and don’t fatigue as quickly. Without adequate stretching or employing a foam roller you can quickly find that your running form collapses over long distances and you tire quicker.
Heart Rate Monitor
Chances are that if you have been running for more than a few weeks then you will have employed some sort of Heart Rate monitor in your training routine – if not then you should do! Many runners train within specific heart rate bands depending on their type of race distance and specific training session they are running as it is an easy way to measure intensity levels. For example, high intensity sessions such as hill sprinting you want to be training at something close to the top 90% of your heart rate
One of the best ways to prevent over training and over training related injuries is to ensure that you keep your heart rate under 60 % of maximum when on recovery training runs. This allows your glycogen stocks to replenish as well as promoting blood flow around sore muscles and tendons to flush away toxins and lactic acid. Low intensity recovery runs should be undertaken the day after intense training sessions to ensure that you are giving your body ample chance to recover from high intensity sessions such as sprints and hill reps.
A decent Heart Rate Monitor will have an alert system that can warn you if you exceed certain heart rate thresholds as well as keeping track of your average heart rate throughout your run. Higher end models can track a large number of training metrics such as distance, speed, time and can even be used to track your cycling and swimming as well as your running performance. Thankfully a model that records basic stats such as heart rate and distance doesn’t have to cost the earth but the shear amount of training benefit that it can bring should make it more than pay for itself
Running accessories and fitness equipment from Argos can be useful for training, especially when trying to maintain and manage your fitness levels for your next marathon or big race.
