How to Return to Running After a Break

Returning to running after a break can be difficult. It’s easy to get excited about your new goals or races and then when you head out on that first run you tend to get discouraged because your paces have slowed and each step seems harder than before.

The important thing to remember is that you will get your running form back and can even come back stronger. But this will take commitment and consistency from you. Building up fitness can take some time, but it WILL come back and often if comes back sooner than you think. Your muscles still have muscle memory, so just getting out and doing the work every day can be a huge step, if not one of the hardest steps, in the right direction.

Need some tips for getting back into running? I’ve come back from injuries and pregnancy and each time it is hard at first and I am much slower than I was pre-break. When I show up for myself each day, the results come every time.

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5 Tips for Coming Back to Running

  1. GIVE YOURSELF GRACE. Yes, be okay with not hitting the same paces you hit pre-break. You will get there. Start out with short workouts. 20-30 minute runs and work your way up. Don’t be afraid to take walk breaks at the beginning. This will help you avoid injury, excessive soreness and burnout. Take the first few weeks to just ENJOY running again.

  2. GET A PLAN. Find a plan online. Write your plan down in a training journal. Ask a coach for a plan. Join a local running club that meets weekly. The options are up to you, but you need to have a PLAN. You need to visualize where you are going and how you will get there. Find a plan that is challenging and doable. If races motivate you, pick a race 3-4 months out and plan your training leading up to the race. Having a goal race is one of my favorite ways to train and get back into running.

  3. SCHEDULE YOUR RUNS LIKE AN APPOINTMENT YOU CAN’T MISS. Put your runs into the calendar on your phone and set an alarm so you don’t miss them. Make them mandatory. If you don’t have them scheduled into your day it is so easy to skip them altogether when the days tasks mount up or you get tired.

  4. START SLOWLY AND BUILD UP. Don’t run all out on your first day or week of training. Start with a mile or two. Alternate running and walking around the block. Then increase your mileage weekly, increase the time you run and decrease the time you walk. Make slow, incremental steps. increase your mileage by a few miles a week as you work your way up. Save speed work for a few weeks into your build up.

  5. FIND A RUNNING BUDDY OR SOMEONE WHO WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. Finding a running buddy or hiring a coach can be a HUGE step in the right direction to staying committed to your goals and plan. If you can afford a coach, do it! It’s been the best investment I have ever made and even inspired me to become a coach. It’s rewarding and keeps you accountable to your goals.

Trust the Process

You will reach your goals and you will be the runner you use to be again, maybe even better, stronger, faster and smarter. Remember to always find the joy in running. There will be tough days and really good days in training, but always make sure that it brings you joy. Trust the process you lay out for yourself, make a plan and execute. I believe in you. Now go out and run!

Karen Poole