Getting back to running is easier with small goals and immediate rewards

Dusting your shoes after a break can be intimidating. If an injury, pregnancy, or a busy work schedule got in the way of your passion for running, now you might wonder if you’re too out of shape.

Will your body remember how to run at a certain pace? Or will your legs be weak and wobbly? And how many times do you have to step on asphalt or jump on a treadmill before feeling pleasure again?

The good news is that your muscles retain the memory of their former strength, which can make recovery easier than if you were starting from scratch. If you’ve only been out of racing for two or three weeks, you may not notice a significant change in your performance, especially if you’ve been physically active during your free time.

If it’s been longer, you may not want to go back to multi-mile runs. Mix running with walking, take time to strengthen unused muscles, and adopt a few tricks to motivate and reward yourself.

It can take about two months for a new behavior to become automatic. Once that happens, it also becomes less stressful. But until then you want to minimize the potential for injury and frustration. Use these expert-approved tips to get through the annoying retraining period so you can be on your way with passion.

Adopt an easy routine

You are more likely to maintain a running habit if you start with small goals. This can mean holding back a little in terms of pace and distance. “Slow and steady wins the race,” said Karena Wu, a physical therapist and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York. Slow down until you can pass the speaking test, which means carrying on a conversation while you run.

Try to do two to three short, easy runs a week. You can also follow a “couch to 5K” training plan, designed for beginner runners and those just starting over after a long break. Alternatively, you can use a strategy that includes stretches of walking in your runs.

Whichever plan you choose, make sure it has elements of strength training, stretching, and rest. The point is to stay consistent and remember that you are using this time to recondition the muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues in your legs, said Dr. Wu.

Adopt immediate rewards

You might think you can push yourself in the first few weeks or months of running, but research suggests that motivation alone isn’t always enough. Combining small, immediate rewards with a task — such as watching Netflix while on the treadmill or indulging in a salt bath after a long trail run — can make it easier and more enjoyable to maintain these activities.

“People repeat behaviors they like,” said Wendy Wood, a psychologist and researcher at the University of Southern California and author of “Good Habits, Bad Habits.” “If you hate running, there’s probably not much you can do to motivate yourself to do it again.”

Short-term rewards can help you on days when your motivation is low. And they can even accelerate the formation of your new running habit.

Research shows that you can also get psychological rewards by running with a group of friends, listening to encouragement from a coach or your favorite music. Some studies have shown that people who listen to music are able to run faster, perform better and feel less exhausted.

Start strength training

Strength training helps prepare your body to run again and can keep you injury-free in the long run. Many physical therapists and running experts even recommend strength training a few weeks before returning to running to increase muscle strength and flexibility, and improve overall biomechanics.

“I think a lot of people use running to get in shape, but I really recommend getting in shape to get back into running,” said Irene Davis, an expert in running biomechanics at the University of South Florida.

Runners tend to have weak feet and ankles, as well as hips and glutes, said Dr. Davis. To strengthen these areas, try weight lifting, yoga, calisthenics, or plyometrics at least two days a week.

Davis and Wu recommended exercises that train multiple muscles at once, such as one-legged and two-legged calf raises, side walk (or monster walk), planks, lunges, squats, and steps.

Stretching

A well-planned warm-up can also get your blood flowing and prepare your muscles to run. Drs Wu and Davis recommend dynamic stretches, in which you move your joints and muscles through full ranges, mimicking the movement you are about to perform without holding them in place.

For runners, these are often the same exercises used in strength training, such as lunges and squats, as well as butt kicks and knee lifts.

Get plenty of rest

Just because your body remembers how to do a mile in five minutes doesn’t mean your muscles and joints are ready for the price that running can take. While you’re regaining stamina and strength during your runs, you’re also wearing down your body in a variety of ways, like opening up microscopic wounds in your muscles. Taking at least one day off a week will help prevent injuries and allow you to come back stronger, letting your body recover.

During every run, your body also depletes stores of glycogen, a type of carbohydrate stored in your muscles and liver. Resting and refueling helps replenish those reserves so you can use them for energy when you get back to running.

Remember that you are progressing through the entire process. Running is an invigorating way to exercise with the breeze in your hair and the ground at your feet. So dust off those sneakers and get out of the house.

Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves