Unfortunately, getting injured is a very common occurrence no matter how careful we are. Recent research estimates that eighty-two percent of runners will get injured at some point in their running career!
I’ve had my fair share of injuries over the years, including a double sacral stress fracture at the end of 2015 and start of 2016. Injuries can be both mentally and physically challenging but having a good injury training plan is crucial to returning to running stronger and also gives you a higher chance of maintaining pre injury fitness.
This eight-week plan reintroduces running during week six. However, you shouldn’t hit the roads again without approval from your doctor or physiotherapist.
Feel free to adjust based on the guidelines outlined by your physiotherapist based on your injury and diagnosis. For example you might have a certain type of injury that prevents you from cycling so substitute the form of cross training that you can’t do and replace with one you can. Also not everyone can swim and not everyone has access to a gym or bike so this plan will require a degree of flexibility.
If your injury is shorter, or unfortunately longer than 8-weeks simply increase or remove some of weeks 3-5.
The plan includes a mixture of activities and intensities. Similar to running, just because you’re injured doesn’t mean you can go out and hammer intervals everyday as you can actually return to running burnt out and over tired.
Injury Maintenance Plan PDF File
WEEK 1
MON: Rest – light stretching or yoga
TUE: 30-45 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
WED: Strength and flexibility work
THUR: 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
FRI: Aqua-jogging intervals (80% effort for 20 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
(Cross training – swim, elliptical, bike (indoor/outdoor or aqua jog)
WEEK 2
MON: Rest – light stretching or yoga
TUE: 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
WED: Strength and flexibility work
THUR: 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
FRI: Spin intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
(Cross training – swim, elliptical, bike (indoor/outdoor or aqua jog)
WEEKS 3-5
MON: Rest – light stretching or yoga
TUE: Aqua-jogging intervals (80% effort for 20 minutes of total workout)
WED: Strength and flexibility work + 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort, if time)
THUR: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
FRI: Spin intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
(Cross training – swim, elliptical, bike (indoor/outdoor or aqua jog)
WEEK 6
MON: Rest – light stretching or yoga
TUE: Aqua-jogging intervals (80% effort for 20 minutes of total workout)
WED: Strength and flexibility work + 30-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort, if time)
THUR: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
Inclusion of elliptical this week for efforts, which mimics running action closer
WEEK 7
MON: Rest – light stretching or yoga
TUE: Aqua-jogging intervals (80% effort for 20 minutes of total workout)
WED: Strength and flexibility work + 10-minute run alternating 1 minutes running/1 minute walking.
THUR: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort)
FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 45-60 minutes of cross training (65% effort) + 12-minute run alternating 2 minutes running/1 minute walking.
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
WEEK 8
MON: 16-minute run alternating 3 minutes running/1 minute walking.
TUE: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
WED: Strength and flexibility work + 20-minute run alternating 4 minutes running/1 minute walking.
THUR: Rest – light stretching or yoga
FRI: Elliptical intervals (80% effort for 30 minutes of total workout)
SAT: 24-minute run alternating 5 minutes running/1 minute walking.
SUN: Cross training for the same length of time as a normal long run
How to Gauge Intensity:
60 to 75% Effort—Like an easy, conversational run
80 to 85% Effort—Harder to chat, but sustainable for longer times
More than 85% Effort—Like a 5K; no talking in complete sentences
