The Safe and Smart Way To Make Your Return To Running
- Posted on
- By Benny Ralston
Ready to return to the incredible sport of running? Congratulations! But before you jump back in, it’s important that you do so safely. That’s where our return to running program comes in!
Our program allows you to return to the sport you love in a fun and healthy way by gradually increasing your activity all while ensuring your body has time to safely adapt. Meaning that you can enjoy yourself while staying injury free – let’s write your comeback story together!
Before you begin…
The return to running program offers a progressive structure where you journey through several phases, with each phase building off the former. At the end of each phase, you’ll be required to review your performance. Did it feel relatively easy? Great! You’re ready to move onto the next phase. Were you struggling a bit too much for your liking? Then repeating a phase is never a bad idea.
Note: Our program is based on completing 3 runs per week. We highly recommend adhering to this as it will ensure you provide yourself with enough physical activity to gradually improve while allowing enough time for recovery.
Phase 1
Your first workout is a gentle progression where you begin with an easy walk followed by 6 sets of progressive strides. After completing the final set, your cooldown will be another 5 to 20 minutes of walking.
PRO TIP: During the workout, if you feel like it is too much or if you are feeling sore, then you can simply go into the cooldown and try again during your next workout.
For a visual breakdown, see below.
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Phase 1 Progression |
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Warmup |
5 to 20 minutes of walking |
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Set 1 |
10 run strides, slow and easy! |
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Set 2 |
10 walk strides plus 20 running strides |
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Set 3 |
10 walk strides plus 30 running strides |
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Set 4 |
10 walk strides plus 40 running strides |
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Set 5 |
10 walk strides plus 50 running strides |
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Set 6 |
10 walk strides plus 60 running strides |
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Cooldown |
5 to 20 minutes of walking |
PRO TIP: When walking, make sure your hands are placed on your hips to ensure proper posture and alignment.
Phase 2
If you have completed several phase 1 workouts and each went well, then it’s time to move onto phase 2. Phase 2 involves you completing a near identical workout, except once you complete the sixth set, you’ll then be required to turn around and run back to the starting spot of the first 10 RUN strides. Followed by 5 to 20 minutes of walking.
For a visual breakdown, see below.
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Phase 2 Progression |
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Warmup |
5 to 20 minutes of walking |
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Set 1 |
10 run strides |
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Set 2 |
10 walk strides 20 running strides |
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Set 3 |
10 walk strides 30 running strides |
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Set 4 |
10 walk strides 40 running strides |
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Set 5 |
10 walk strides 50 running strides |
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Set 6 |
10 walk strides 60 running strides |
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Set 7 |
Turn around and run back to starting spot of set 1. |
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Cooldown |
5 to 20 minutes of walking |
Once again, we highly recommend successfully completing at least three phase 2 workouts BEFORE moving onto phase 3.
Phase 3
Once you’ve successfully completed three phase 2 workouts, it’s time to go up another round! The remainder of this program will use the same workout structure, however, the amount of running after the final set has been completed will gradually increase.
Once you complete set 6 in phase 3, you will then run 2 minutes and 30 seconds, turn around, and run back to the starting spot of your 10 run strides in set 1.
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Phase 3 Progression |
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Warmup |
5 to 20 minutes of walking |
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Set 1 |
10 run strides |
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Set 2 |
10 walk strides 20 running strides |
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Set 3 |
10 walk strides 30 running strides |
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Set 4 |
10 walk strides 40 running strides |
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Set 5 |
10 walk strides 50 running strides |
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Set 6 |
10 walk strides 60 running strides |
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Phase 3 |
Continue running for 2 minutes and 30 seconds, turn around and run back to the starting spot of set 1. |
Once you have successfully completed phase 3 three times with no limitations, and you are interested in taking the next steps come out and do a 2-week trial with our run club.
For more information on our run club days and times click here.