Fitness drops more slowly than tissue tolerance. That is why the first runs back often feel easy for the lungs and hard for the calves and knees a day later.
Three checks before you start
- Twenty single leg calf raises on each side
- Thirty seconds of easy hopping on each leg without pain
- A brisk thirty minute walk that feels fine the next day
A simple walk-run start
Begin with one minute of running and two minutes of walking, repeated six times, three days a week. Add running time only when the previous week felt fine the morning after.
