Were you forced to take a break from running due to an injury? Maybe you lost motivation with everything going on with COVID-19. No matter the reason, when you take a break from running, it can be hard to get back to it.
There are ways you can go about getting back to running if you’ve been derailed from your training schedule. Whether it was a personal issue, injury, COVID-19, or any other reason throwing you off your training schedule, it’s time to get back to running.
Tips to Help You Get Back to Running After an Injury
1. Start slowly
After an injury, you don’t want to push yourself too hard. Take it slow and steady as you gain back your strength and endurance.
2. Don’t Skip Physical Therapy
While you might have been given the go-ahead from your doctor to run again, you cannot skip physical therapy. Your PT will help you continue to recover and can help you get back to running longer distances sooner.
3. Don’t Make Comparisons
If you know someone that suffered the same injury, don’t compare yourself to them. Everybody heals and recovers at different paces. Comparisons can be demoralizing and can derail your progress.
4. Take it One Day at a Time
You will likely have good days and bad days with running after an injury. Take things one day at a time and expect some days to be better than others.
Getting back to running after an injury isn’t easy. Take your time, listen to your doctor, and be patient with your progress.
How to Get Back to Running After COVID-19 or a Lack of Motivation
Losing your motivation can happen due to any life event. Many runners suffered a lack of motivation after COVID-19 hit and might still be struggling with it. Maybe you’re on your second or third bout with losing motivation over what’s going on in the world.
If you’re ready to get back to running, here are a few tips to help you after losing motivation due to COVID-19 or for any other reason.
1. Build Your Running Habit
If you haven’t been running for a few months, start by building the habit of running again. Don’t focus on how far or how fast you run, at first. Just focus on building a consistent habit of running on a regular schedule.
2. Use Cross-Training
When you cross-train, it can help you stay motivated, especially if running gets boring for you. Use another activity, such as swimming, strength training, aqua jogging, or cycling to stay motivated.
3. Join a Group
Running groups are a great way to get back to running after taking time off. They can help you stay motivated, make new friends, and add a social aspect to your running. While this is a bit harder with COVID-19, there are groups out there both in-person and virtual.
4. Use Races to Stay Motivated
Runners often find it easier to stick to a training schedule when they are committed to a race. While finding in-person races isn’t as easy, you can find plenty of virtual running events to keep you motivated.
There are many reasons why you might have taken a break from running. Getting back to running after taking time off might not be easy. With these tips and the help of a professional running coach, you can get back to running consistently.
