Taking care of myself and staying uninjured is more important than any training run or race. If I’d worked that out last winter when I turned over my ankle badly, I would’ve taken the time to get better, even though it would’ve meant skipping the Boston Marathon. Instead, I tried to train through it and made the injury worse. So I missed Boston — and months of training along with it. I’ve made a solemn vow to never do that again. You must be patient and sensible about injury recovery.

1 – Rest after hard runs.
I’ve highlighted the importance of rest in a general sense, but you should always take a day off after a dif-ficult run. Your muscles and joints need time to repair themselves, and they won’t get it if you hit the streets again right away.
Heed early warning signs All-over aches and minor dis-comfort come with the territory when you’re starting out, and you’ll experience them again when you increase the intensity

2 – Increase distance before speed.
For beginners who have just enjoyed week after week of improvement, it’s easy to want to increase distance and pace at the same time. That’s a recipe for injury. A solid base of running at easy, slow speeds is essential before you build speed work into your workouts.

3 – Wear the right shoes
Your awareness of how your body feels during and after your workouts is your first line of injury defence, but your shoes are a close second. If you’re wearing the wrong kind or they’re worn out, it’s time for a new pair.

4 – Crosstraining
It’s worth stress-ing how effective other physical activities, especially low-weight strength training, cycling and
swimming are, for strengthening your body.

5 – Stretch and strengthen
Regular running can tighten your muscles, leading to reduced range of motion and poor form. This, in turn, can place added stress on your body, and lead to injuries. You can break the vicious cycle by always including a stretching routine in your training to lengthen and strengthen your muscles.

Run on a variety of routes and surfaces Wise runners mix it up on both counts, and their ankles benefit from it. Concrete and tarmac are especially tough on your feet, and inclined roads can place unequal stresses on legs. The solution: get off the road and onto grass, trails, paths or even bare earth whenever you can. Sandy beaches and grassy parks are great for building flexibility in your feet and ankles, and the soft surfaces absorb impact so your body doesn’t have to.

6 – Feed your body
Dehydration and lack of the right types of food will negatively impact on your running in many ways, making it both more difficult to complete your workout and to return to full strength afterwards. Drink up and fuel up for success.

7 – Listen to your body
At the first sign of persistent pain, stop training for 3 days and ice the sore area twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. During this period, resist the urge to stretch your injury; a partially-torn muscle or aggravated joint can actually be injured further by trying to stretch it out.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen can also be effective at reducing swelling and any pain you may experience. After 3 days, start training again slowly — a walk is a great way to start — and assess yourself sensibly. If the pain returns, contact a physiotherapist or sports medicine practitioner for some professional advice.