New to Trail Running? Tips and tricks in preventing injury while running
Tips and tricks in preventing injury while running. Running on trails and mountains is now becoming a fast-growing sport, with popular trail races happening the whole year ‘round – from Europe’s Transvulcania and Ultra Trail du Mont-Blanc to America’s X-Terra Trail Run World Championship in Hawaii to the Ultra Trail Mount Fuji race in Japan. If you’ve been thinking of hitting the trails and you’re new to the sport, the Dubai Sports Medicine team recommends that you keep in mind the following tips and tricks to prevent injury and keep those runs more fun and epic!
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Shorten your strides. If you run regularly in pavements, you are probably used to long stride lengths. However, if you start running trails, you’ll find out that having shorter strides will be an advantage as it provide more stability. As you encounter more unevenness in the surface, rocks, sticks, and holes, short strides will save you from falls and ankle injuries.
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Lift your feet. Lifting your feet while running trails prepare your body for a new terrain which happens frequently (of course!) in trail running. For road runners, this could be a difficult transition as they are used to running fast and keeping their feet closely to the ground.
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Don’t be afraid to walk. So why would you walk when it’s supposed to be a trail run race? Since hills tend to be steeper, it’s actually more efficient (and less tiring of course!) on your end to walk the hills. If you’re not convinced yet, check out those pros who walk their way to uphill terrain.
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Plan to run for a specific amount of time rather than mileage like in road runs. This will help you adjust to the new terrain and avoid injuries at the same time.
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Embrace the dirt. Worry about getting dirty will only make you more prone to injury as you tip-toe your way a stream or a muddy trail.
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