As the snow melts and the temps are warm up a bit, this is the time when many runners are intensifying their training in order to get into peak condition for spring and summer races. Finding the right balance between more intense training and injury prevention is not always an easy task. Offering up my best tips on how to Ramp Up For Spring Races Without Getting Injured. This post is sponsored by BODYARMOR Sports Drink and all opinions are my own.
How To Ramp Up For Spring Races Without Getting Injured
Start Where You Are
A check on your calendar and you realize that winter weather has you a few weeks behind in your training? No Sweat! We have all been there. It is easy to get swept up and try to jump in on a training plan that you are not ready for. Do a serious self check and assess where you currently are in your fitness and training and start there.
Balance it out
Balance out your training to avoid overuse injuries. Too much of a good thing is not always a good thing. Adding in strength training and yoga really does a runner body good. Active recovery days are key to staying injury free and help to avoid mental burnout as well.
Fuel Your Body
An increase in training often requires small tweaks to you nutrition and hydration routine. As the temperatures become warmer, you may find your body needs more in the way of electrolytes.
Sometimes on more intense training days, I need a little more than plain water to fuel my workouts. Enter BODYARMOR Sports Drink, a fan favorite of amateur and professional athletes alike. I had the opportunity to try out 2 of the new formulations for 2018.
BODYARMOR Sport Water has the taste of spring water with electrolytes and performance ph8+ in a wide mouth bottle that is perfect for the gym. Some workouts don’t require me to need extra carbs or calories but I do want to replenish some of what I have sweated out.
On more intense training days, I am looking for a little boost without a ton of extra calories and sugar. The new BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink is naturally sweetened with small amounts of cane sugar to provide potassium packed electrolytes and coconut water. I enjoyed the subtle yet fruity flavors (cherry berry, peach mango, orange citrus, blueberry pomegranate) and with only 20 calories and 3 grams of sugar per serving, that fits into my lifestyle and training just perfectly.
Tell me-What tips do you have for staying injury free while upping your training miles?
Linking up
It can be very tempting to do too much too soon when starting to gear up for a race. It’s definitely important to do more than just run!
I agree it’s hard to pull back when you get excited about ramping up
Cross training and yoga keeps me mostly healthy! I try not to overdo anything, too.
The CrossFit box where I workout has BodyArmor products but I’ve never tried them. Thanks for the review–sounds good!
I really like the electrolyte water let me know if you try it
When upping training miles, I always take notice of what I’m eating to make sure I’m getting enough fuel. Not enough fuel leads to my form suffering which leads to a risk of injury for me.
Yes I definitely agree. I like to do an evaluation of my nutrition with each season to make sure I am in a good place
That drink is new to me. I’ll have to check it out.
I am bad when it comes to avoiding injury. I’ve been trying to foam roll more but now am at a point that it hurts a bit when doing so. I need to keep it so I can be at the start line of my marathon this month. Why is it that the things I need to do to avoid an injury (stretch, foam roll, etc), I don’t do it on a regular basis?
I know! It’s a struggle really to do enough but not too much.
I think that starting where you are is the most important. Sometimes I think we can see a training plan and think that we have to hit x amount of miles by a certain time, but that’s the easiest way to get injured.
Yes indeed! I have made that mistake before myself a number of times
You already know I am in this boat carefully easing back from injury. I am listening very closely to my body. I didn’t know Body Armor is clear now. My kids enjoy it after track.
I know it’s so hard to hold back when you just want to go go go! Yes the electrolyte water is clear and it’s great tasting
I think everyone is excited about Spring racing season! I agree with your tips, don’t overdo it and cross train! I am great with running 3-4 times a week and I make myself stick to it. For my body, running 5 days a week is too much. I always tell myself that an extra day of running or running too many miles can leave me unable to run for a long period of time and that keeps me from overdoing it.
Yes me too! I have made that mistake before and it never turns out well for me
These are awesome tips! Something else I would say is to pick a training plan based on your current ability – not “well I ran this PR 2 years ago so surely this is my half marathon pace now” (speaking from someone who has made that mistake several times LOL)
Oh yes we have all made that mistake!
I would say, DON’T GET TOO EXCITED and over exert yourself too quickly cause BAM, injury will totally result!! Ease in and praise the small successes!!! 🙂 Happy Spring Racing!
Praising small successes is great advice!
What great info! I love that yoga mat! I need a new one 😉
I just found a great deal on one on Zuilly
This post speaks to me! Now that the weather is getting nicer all I want to do is run outside…but keeping up with my strength training helps keep the injuries at bay!
I know the struggle is real isn’t it?!
Ugh. I wish I knew the secret! I think doing less than I think I should is key for me.
That right there is my biggest problem!
These are great tips ! Awesome post love
Thanks!
I think the main thing I have learned about upping my training is to listen to my body (and not someone else’s). Even if my running partner is recovered from her previous run and wants to run faster or further than I do, it’s usually not wise to follow suit. It’s alright to push yourself some (and, in all honesty, you need to push yourself in order to reach new goals), but sometimes your gut will tell you when you need to keep things on the down-low.
Yes so true but not always easy to do for me
I have never heard of this drink. I need to drink more water and this would be perfect after my long runs!
I really like the electrolyte water give it a go!
I feel like yoga provides such a good balance to any workout routine. I’ll have to keep an eye out for those drinks.
Yoga has really helped me balance things out the past few months I love it
balance and adequate rest is so so important. i tend to burn myself halfway through so i need to remember these.
I think we have all done that!
A healthy balance of running, strength training, yoga, and proper nutrition are key for when you want to take your training up a notch! Great tips and yay for warmer weather and Spring training!
Thanks! Still waiting for the warmer weather part 🙂
I really need to try that sports drink, I try to stick with ones that are lower in sugar and it sounds like there are a lot of great flavors. For myself I will be starting over with running this month after almost two years off from running, so I plan on taking it slow and doing a LOT of stretching!
Taking it slow is certainly the way to go! Look forward to hearing about how it goes
Great tips Deborah! It’s so easy to get pumped about training and overdo it, but slow and steady wins the race!
Thanks I totally agree!
Starting where you’re at is such good advice. It’s better to be a little behind on training that to try to jump in where you’re not ready.
Yes exactly! (not always easy to do for me though)
Adding in strength training and yoga is a great suggestion. For me, I’d add that I always do strength training after, not before, my skating. Skating when I’m already tired is a recipe for injury. Does that hold true for running too?
Yes I would say so. I usually do not do them on the same days anyway when I can avoid it
Makes sense.
I can’t wait until warm weather when I can really start running again. I’m not a good treadmill runner at all. I’ll definitely have to try some of that BodyArmor this summer!
No I am not a treadmill runner either. I do really like the BodyArmor electrolyte water
Great tips here! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for checking them out
Super tips. Actually I don’t have any tips to add! I think what happens a lot of time is that people try to catch up their mileage by overdoing it. That is not a good thing! you are so right – start where you are and assess. Then do what you can and CROSS TRAIN! when we only just run and we are behind on training there is a chance that it will go wrong! I’m currently in that situation but focusing on the here and now and doing what I can NOW for my race in 7 weeks.
Yes it’s really easy to fall into the trap of overdoing it!
It sounds interesting! There are definitely times I need more electrolytes but don’t need the carbs — warmer days, travel, stress.
The hardest part of training is listening to your body. Because we don’t want to listen, we just want to do.
Taking my resting heart rate each day has been extremely helpful to me.
yes I have to remember to take my resting heart rate more often
These are great tips!
I also remind friends starting out to take time to stretch and foam roll between runs. Hope you have some wonderful spring races!
Yes always important and I am off to do mine now!
These are fabulous tips.
I find it’s really important to cross train, and to increase mileage slowly. I’m also very much in favor of taking it easy when the body is tired. It’s so important to try to stay ahead of injury.
Agree! Not always easy to do though
When I need to put in long miles I make sure I get enough rest before and after. I also make sure I stay hydrated. I have never seen Body Amor sports drinks but I will take a look next time I’m out. I occasionally use a powder mix from Costco (I can’t recall the brand) which tastes pretty good.. I’m not a fan of coconut water.
I am not a fan of coconut water either. Definitely resting before and after is key!
Thank you for the tips! As a beginner runner I struggle with not pushing myself too much. The past two weeks I have been going slow and steady and I was able to complete my first 5k with no shin splints!
that’s fabulous! Shin splints are the worst and hard to get rid of
Great tips, Deborah! I listen to my body and give it rest days as necessary, especially now that I’m older!
I know I hate to admit that I need more rest now than I used to
Great tips! I think the most important thing is to recognize your fitness level and to (as you say) “start where you are!” Sleep is critical, too!
Yes I totally agree and sleep is so necessary for me too
Hi Deborah
Living in the deep south makes it easy to run year round. Of course some days are colder than I like, and some are warmer (downright hot), and then there’s the rain.
But even without the snow, balancing running with good body sense is a challenge sometimes. I try to do yoga several times a week to keep my muscles and tendons stretched and pliable, along with mild weight training that seems to help me with endurance levels.
I will have to give the BODYARMOR LYTE Sports Drink a try. I’ve just about stopped using sports drinks because of the sugar content.
Balance is key to life, Thanks