Injuries- The Percentages
70% of the injuries in runners occurs from the knee down..that fact does tell us that the cause must have something to do with pounding the pavement.

I cannot stipulate enough that overuse of any part of the body will cause it to protest loudly...DO NOT RUN EVERYDAY is what the sore parts are screaming at you.

You only need to run 3 or 4 times a week to get the maximum benefits from running. Muscles are designed to grow when we work them, the way in which they do that is the fibres tear a little each time we workout, it takes 24 hours for those little tears to mend and once they do they have increased the muscle size, got stronger and are ready for some more little tears. It is a very fine line between those little tears happening and healing, to those little tears not healing and being bombarded by new little tears.

80-90% of your running should be long, slow self paced running. It's the running you feel comfortable with, there shouldn't be discomfit or agony in this running. It is the running you have worked your way up to slowly.

5-10% is the amount you should increase your distances each week. That is why I have my courses marked to every half kilometre. It sounds like a slow process but, it's amazing how quickly the weeks pass. 

If you are running 5km when you start a new Lazy Runner program, you can expect to be running 10km by the end of that program, I think that is perfect training. You may feel fantastic on the day of our long run and feel you could push it another kilometre but what's the bet that sort of training will come back and bite you on the bum(sometimes literally)..in terms of pain or an injury.

5-10% of your running training should be the hard and fast stuff. That is the session I do midweek. It is designed to toughen and build those muscles, but remember the little tears in the fibres, they will need to recover, so take it easy the next 24 hours after these sessions.

60% of your fitness regime should be running the other 40% should be some other form of exercise or cross training. On the days that you are not running, 3 or 4, make three of them some other activity. WALK- a lot of runners think walking is not for them, walking is a great recovery to running. SWIM-get those legs off the ground and give the upper body some attention. CYCLE-uses the legs but different muscle groups, mainly the upper legs. PILATES/YOGA- Stretch those muscles until you hear them scream Yes, Yes, YES.

15%(thats 24hours) of  your week should be used to do NOTHING..give those poor muscles a rest, let them eat cake, give them a glass of red, treat them to a full cream latte..enjoy