Returning to Running After a Break: How to Build Up Safely
Returning to running after a break can be motivating, whether you’ve taken time off because of an injury, a busy schedule, illness or simply a change in your routine.
The challenge is knowing how quickly to build your running back up. Even if you feel fit, your muscles, tendons, joints and other tissues may need time to readapt to the repeated impact and workload of running.
A gradual return can help you rebuild your running capacity while reducing the likelihood of doing too much too soon.
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Why is returning to running different after a break?
Running places repetitive loads through the feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back. Your muscles and cardiovascular system may regain fitness relatively quickly, but other tissues can take longer to adapt to increased running volume.
This means you might feel capable of running further or faster before your body is ready to tolerate the additional workload consistently.
A common mistake is returning at the same distance, pace or frequency you were doing before the break.
Instead, think of returning to running as rebuilding capacity progressively.
How quickly should you increase your running?
There is no single progression that is appropriate for everyone.
The often-used 5–10% rule — increasing running volume by no more than 5–10% each week — can be a useful starting point, but it should not be treated as a strict scientific rule.
Your appropriate progression depends on factors such as:
- How long you have been away from running
- Your previous running volume
- Why you stopped running
- Your current strength and fitness
- Any previous injuries
- How your body responds to each session
- Other physical activities you are doing
For some people, even a 5% increase may be too much initially. Others may tolerate a larger progression.
A better approach is to increase your workload gradually and monitor how your body responds over the following 24–48 hours.
Start with time rather than distance
If you are returning after a significant break, run-walk intervals can be an effective way to reintroduce running.
For example, you might alternate short periods of easy running with walking rather than immediately trying to complete your previous continuous running distance.
As your tolerance improves, gradually increase the amount of running while keeping the intensity relatively comfortable.
There is no need to make every session a fitness test.
The goal initially is to establish consistency and allow your body to adapt.
Don’t increase everything at once
Distance is only one component of running load.
You can also increase workload by:
- Running more frequently
- Running faster
- Adding hills
- Increasing the length of individual sessions
- Adding intervals or speed work
- Running on more demanding surfaces
Trying to increase several of these at the same time can result in a much larger increase in overall training load than you intended.
When returning to running, it is often sensible to change one variable at a time.
What about hills?
Hills can be an excellent part of a running program, but they change the demands placed on your body.
Uphill running generally increases the muscular demands of running, while downhill running can increase braking forces and load through the lower limbs.
If you’ve been away from running for a while, starting with relatively flat routes can make it easier to control your workload.
Once you are comfortable with your current running volume, hills can be gradually reintroduced.
Check your running shoes
Running shoes don’t need to be expensive or provide a particular level of “support” to prevent every running injury.
However, comfort, fit and condition are worth considering.
If your shoes are heavily worn, uncomfortable or significantly different from what you have previously been running in, replacing them may be appropriate.
It’s also worth remembering that shoes are only one factor in running-related injuries. Training load, strength, recovery, previous injury and individual biomechanics can all influence how your body responds to running.
Warm up before running
A warm-up can help prepare you for the physical demands of running.
Rather than needing an elaborate routine, a warm-up can simply involve several minutes of gradually increasing movement intensity.
For example, you might begin with walking or easy jogging before progressing towards your planned running pace.
If you’re returning from an injury, your warm-up can also include a few movements or exercises that are relevant to the area previously affected.
What if you have an old injury or recurring niggle?
Previous injuries don’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t run.
However, if you repeatedly experience pain in the same area when increasing your running, it may be worth having your movement and training load assessed.
At Balance Osteopathy, an assessment can consider factors such as:
- Strength and capacity
- Joint movement
- Muscle and soft tissue function
- Running-related movement patterns
- Previous injuries
- Training volume and recent changes
- How symptoms respond to different activities
The aim is not to identify one particular movement pattern as the cause of an injury. Instead, the assessment can help identify factors that may be relevant to your symptoms and determine whether changes to training, exercise or rehabilitation could help.
How do you know when you’re ready to progress?
A good sign that your running workload is appropriate is that you are able to complete your sessions consistently without a significant increase in symptoms.
Some mild muscle soreness after returning to exercise can be normal. However, pain that progressively worsens during running, changes your running pattern or remains significantly aggravated afterwards is a reason to reconsider the workload.
Progress doesn’t always mean running further.
You can also build your capacity by becoming more consistent, improving your strength, gradually increasing your pace or becoming more comfortable with your existing running distance.
Build back to running — don’t rush it
Returning to running is a process rather than a single test of fitness.
Start with a manageable amount, give your body time to adapt and increase your workload according to how you respond. If you have a history of injury or persistent symptoms, an individual assessment can help you determine what may be limiting your return and how to progress appropriately.
At Balance Osteopathy, we can assess your movement, discuss your running goals and help develop an individualised approach to returning to running.
Ready to get back to running? Book a running assessment with Balance Osteopathy in Melbourne.