The trainers are out, the excitement brews and the legs are getting primed for the running seasons ahead. Being a Chiropractor in Cardiff it is all hustle and bustle with people wanting get get rid of some set back niggles or coming in for some general maintenance care. What do I see the most? Over use of course, which is not surprising how much the body goes through when training for long distant running.

So without further ado here are some of the best tips for running without pain, increasing performance and doing it with a great big endorphin (happy chemicals) educed smile!

1. Actually be ready:

I see it regularly, the person training through constant pain, getting frustrated and even depressed that things are not going as planned. The simple answer is to hold off and try next year. Injury affects many runners, but by pushing through it does not always work and in fact can cause long term issues left untreated. In most cases we do too much too soon and the body reacts. We are a fine tuned machine that is incredibly tough but it does take time to adapt and build on current fitness levels. By being ready and taking the right steps and preparing properly is the way forward. Also get some good footwear!

2. Train sensibly:

It's hard I know, you get the trainers on, you decided I’ll only do 5k, but it's feeling amazing, sod it i'm going to just keep going. Yes at the time it's wonderful but then you are wondering why you did it! It's important to push it but we have to push slowly over time. It's the equivalent of taking a packet of crisps from a family sized pack and then devouring the whole lot minus the guilt. It's good practice to get your base levels of fitness and increase every two weeks. The body then gets used to running a certain distance so it can cope with the demands of increased output.

3. Nutrition:

Hitting the wall in a marathon happens, but if this is happening regularly during training then a quick nutrition check might be in order. If you think you are doing everything right then maybe do a bit less or go and get a blood test to see if there are any deficiencies. You need fuel before a run and after, as we spoke about the finely tuned machine it needs some quality fuel to keep us in peak performance. You can find some good info here.

4. Half n half:

Nope I'm not talking about curry and chips i'm saying if nothing is going to stop you finishing a marathon then think smart. Run half and walk half. You could either run as far as you feel you can without the paramedics shoving you in the van and walking the rest. Or you could run for 5 and walk for 5 K or minutes. Believe it or not many people do this, you can also take in the atmosphere, just finishing the marathon is a great accomplishment no matter how you do it. Think about your own achievement rather than what people are thinking of you. The likelihood of being judged is small and if people are judging you then it is those who are not even in the race so think about that.

5: Sleep and R&R

Probably a favourite past time of mine, quality sleep has shown to reduce stress, increase mood and energy. If you are heavy training and getting a poor quality of sleep then this is really going to reduce your performance and motivation. Resting between runs is also very important. Many runners I see feel like they need to run everyday. It's too much unless you are an athlete (athletes need rest too by the way)! Take more days off and do the things you like as well as running. Instead of running do some interval training, load some weight, yoga or a swim. Running is one type of fitness. You could have a seasoned marathon runner who struggles to swim many lengths of the pool and vice versa. By working on a more rounded fitness strategy, it can actually help you in your training. Read my blog about sleep.

6: Injuries

It sucks, a niggling pain in your knee, a low back on fire, the buttock that feels no more or the foot that actually hates you. Yes I'd love to plug my services but I actually get a bigger kick out of getting people to keep moving through life WITH pain if we have to. The body can take a while to heal, sometimes my magic hands take affect and people are feeling great after a few sessions. But sometimes it takes longer depending what it is. So how can we keep up the cardio without running and flaring up that gremlin that seems to have made home in some part of your anatomy? Cross training of course, it's a low impact and depending on you, a high intensity workout for your cardio. Interval training has been all the rage for years now, it’s also quick to do and you will still get that buzz you get from running without loosing your fitness.

7: Come and see me! That's right, nothing like a little plug but also I love helping people so everyone wins! Whether it's knee pain, back pain, feet or ligament/tendon issues my job is to eliminate that gremlin(s) and get you back on track. We look at how you are moving, muscle test, nerve test and decide what treatment is best suited to your needs. Send us a message or simply book online on the home page. If I don't see you, good luck!

Yours in health

Matt Corbin D.C