At last it seems that everything is going to return, little by little, to normal and our routines will begin to resemble what they were before the nightmare of the Coronavirus. Undoubtedly, what we are experiencing will mark a before and after in our history but it is time to progressively recover our lives, including our facet as runners. Have you lost physical shape? Have you gained a few kilos? Do not be discouraged, if we are able to overcome this crisis, we can overcome whatever is ahead.
Can I Run Back Like Always?
Unfortunately, no. If you haven’t been able to keep running (even on a treadmill) during this time, the way your body will react to running will not be the same as before. The blood volume and lactate threshold that was in your body is no longer the same as it is now and your muscle mass, probably not either. Not even your joints, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues will be 100%. There is no exact formula that can tell us how much aerobic capacity we have lost, because each person is different and each one of us had a different training volume and progression.
If you have continued training at home with the exercises we recommend, you may have maintained some of your conditioning percentage, but it is difficult to know a specific loss figure. However, we can make a relatively approximate calculation taking into account the duration of the confinement or the time that we have been without running:
2 weeks: 5-7% less than VO2 Max.
2 months: between 15-20% of VO2 Max.
3 months: between 25-30% of VO2 Max.
Will it cost a veteran broker the same as a novice?
Usually not. Unless you’ve gained a lot of weight or lost a lot of muscle mass, the longer you’ve been running, the easier it will be to get back into the routine. The adaptation of a runner who has been running for 10 years will be much faster than that of one who has only been training for a year.
Why? Well, because the longer you have been a runner, the greater your aerobic base will be. That means you will have a higher level of mitochondria to produce energy, more red blood cells to generate oxygen for the muscles involved in running, and more metabolic enzymes than someone who has been training for a short time.
Where do I start to run again?
Right now our musculoskeletal system is weaker than usual so just starting to run will only cause us to cause an injury or, by not seeing ourselves capable, we become demotivated.
If we want to run again, we must do four important things: eliminate the percentage of fat that we have gained by dieting, run slower, reduce mileage, and do more rest or recovery days. Before running again, in fact, it is good that we dedicate at least a full week JUST WALKING for 45-60 minutes a day. If we walk we will be able to recondition the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, fascia, ligaments, connective tissue) and prepare them again for a more intense exercise such as running. The first thing: put aside your ego and your impatience to be the one from before. It can take weeks or even months to get your muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments back strong enough to run at the same level you ran.
In fact, the lower body muscles will take longer to adapt than your own lungs, so don’t risk unnecessary injury. After a first week of walking, start training at a very gentle pace and don’t be too demanding of yourself. To do this, go out every other day and do short, easy runs of 5 to 10 minutes with walking breaks, which we know as CACO (Walk-Run) training.
Try to do 20-30 minute workouts the first few days and forget about mileage. You will have to start running for time, like when you were a newbie, at least in the beginning. Do not forget (now more than ever) to do a long warm-up at the beginning and some good stretches at the end, even if they last almost longer than the training you have done.
Only then will you be able to regain your usual flexibility, because shortening of the muscles is common after a period of inactivity. You will also avoid the appearance of pain, cramps, discomfort and injuries.
Can I Run the Same Distance as Before?
The good thing about our body is that it has muscle memory and sensory memory. So as soon as you start running again, everything will feel familiar. Psychologically, it is much easier for us to go back to something we have done before. Hence the famous phrase “Riding a bicycle is never forgotten.” So, do not be discouraged, because it will be easier than you probably imagine.
What Plan Is Right for Me to Run Again?
Not at all. Forget about rushing 10-15 km like you did just before confinement. Not even with a gentle pace or a CACO workout. You will have to progressively increase the distance of your workouts. Consult this guide to calculate the kilo-meters:
15-30 days without running: start running 40% less than the previous mileage
30-90 days without running: start running 50% less than the previous mileage
More than 90 days without running: start from scratch
Experts recommend gradually increasing your mileage with the 10% rule. According to this recommendation, if we have been without training for a few months we should not increase our mileage or weekly pace by more than 10%. As the weeks go by, instead of taking two days off between each workout, you can take just one. Remember, for everything to go well and recover your bottom, you must respect those rest days and make a progressive increase in both pace and distance.
Do I Combine It with Strength Training?
Yes. We have already recommended you on numerous occasions that you alternate your running outings with a few days of strength training. Well now, even more. Focus primarily on strengthening your lower body muscles to help your body regain lost muscle mass and stamina. But don’t neglect your upper body either, also dedicate some time to it, even if it’s less.
As we already mentioned in this article, training to maintain strong legs will help us to: delay the onset of fatigue, tone up and lose weight, reduce the appearance of ailments and improve endurance, performance and speed (among other benefits). In addition to the legs, do not forget to also strengthen the buttocks and the core (abdominal area, hip and lower back) as they are essential to maintain stability and withstand the impacts of the race.
But beware! If you are going to use machines or weights, do not lift the same weight now that you did if you did not exercise during confinement. Do not demand more from your body than it can give and also start little by little.
Do I add Cross Training to my Routine?
Of course. Now that we can leave home, we can also take up other disciplines that we liked so much and that we couldn’t practice either. Combine your adaptation to running with other sports such as cycling, rowing, swimming or skiing, for example. Those that are allowed to perform, obviously.
It will be great for us to practice any type of aerobic sport again and combine it with running, because we will accelerate our cardiovascular state. Apply, yes, the same distance and intensity advice that we have given you for running. You will also go back to being a ‘beginner’ in those other sports.
Although you can alternate your workouts with other practices such as hiking, which mentally will also help us reconcile with the environment and enjoy (and appreciate) nature again. Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi are also activities that we can do one to two times a week to regain lost flexibility, proprioception, and agility.
How Can I Be Motivated Right Now?
It is true that we can feel a little sad and unmotivated when thinking about all the lost progress and hours of inactivity that may have taken their toll. But do not punish yourself, instead of seeing the negative you should focus on seeing the positive things. You are free again and you can do what you like the most.
And what a pleasure to feel that feeling of freedom again when running! true? There is nothing like a good race to feel ourselves and enjoy the outdoors, the sun, the wind. As you improve, your confidence and self-confidence will increase and you will feel much better physically and mentally.
Can I sign up for it now?
If you used to run regularly with the motivation to train for a specific race or even a marathon, the answer is yes. But being realistic, of course. Start by signing up for a short and simple event, like a 5K, and give yourself a few months to recover and prepare well. Don’t even think about signing up for a race that right now is way above your physical condition.
Having a date on the calendar can be the goal you need to stay motivated and go out to train without leaving it at the first change, especially now that you want to take up many more things that you had left behind when you were confined. If you have never participated in a race and you only run for pleasure or to enjoy the sport, you can try running through different routes or explore new locations, the essential thing is that you stay inspired and do not lose it.
Although, On second thought, it may also be the best time to start preparing your first race, why not? If we have learned something lately, it is that if we want to do something, it is better not to leave it for tomorrow.
Running Back Will Change Your Life, Again!
Have you taken note of all the tips? It’s time to get out there and take over the world again. If you reached your goal, you can do it again with more enthusiasm than ever.
Do not be overwhelmed with what you have lost and now enjoy the freedom to run again, that is the most important thing. Your physical performance will increase slowly and gradually but you will go back to being your usual self.
It’s just a matter of time and patience, remember that starting running changed your life once and running again will do it again!