How Do I Start Running Again After A Lay-Up?

A common question asked by many runners is how do I start running again after I've been laid up for a while? Layups may result from a number of reasons including injury, vacation or just life getting in the way. It's been a common theme for myself as I have had several running injuries in my running career that left me laid up for varying periods of time.

So you've had a lay up for a while, but now you're ready to get back on your feet. What do you do? Should I just pick up my runners and head out the door, or maybe I need to ease myself back into it? How much mileage should I do? These are great thoughts but before they can be answered, you need to answer a few key questions:

• How much and how often did you run before your lay up?


• During your lay up from running, did you do any cross training? Did you swim, bike, walk or work out?


• What is your current level of fitness?

Let's start with that last question. If your level of fitness is not very high, you'll also have to get fit while you get back to running. That will certainly make your return to running feel more difficult than a person who has remained very active even without running.

We often speak of muscle memory as it contributes to our ability to perform physical tasks. That muscle memory will be helpful as you start running again. However, if you've been absent from running for years, your muscle memory will have faded and you'll need to re-establish the connections between your mind and your body. If you were a runner for a long time before your lay-up, those connections will come back more quickly than if you only ran for a short period of time.

You'll also need to consider your mental memory of running. I remember once when I started running again after a lay-up due to injury, I was ready to jump right back on the training program with my running partners. My mind was ready, but my body certainly wasn't. I really wanted to do what my friends were doing, but my body needed more time. Fortunately, I had a good coach who held me back enough to let my body catch up to where my mind wanted to be.

The key then to starting running again after a lay-up is to go slowly at first. You need to ease back into running so that you don't get injured and/or discouraged.

• Run more slowly than you think you can.


• Run less distance and time than you think you can.


• Run with less intensity than you think you can.


• Run less often than you think you can.

Your return to running will certainly be slower than you might think you are capable of. You might have to go all the way back to a beginners run/walk program. You might have to take longer to reach the start line (and finish line) of some event you want to train for. If you're thinking of running a marathon, you might have to settle for a half or even a 10K. But, in the long run, you'll be miles ahead if you train carefully and arrive injured and happy.