Hi, this is Jennifer Comrade and you are listening to the Run to the Top

podcast.

Hi there, my running friend, this is Coach Claire Bartholic, the Planted Runner,

and this is the Run to the Top Podcast, one of the first and only

running podcast dedicated to making you a better runner with each and every episode.

We are created and produced by the expert team of running coaches at runnersconnect.net where you can find the best running information on the internet as well as running coaching plans to fit every runner and every budget.

Depending on the statistics you look at,

somewhere between 30 to 70% of runners will get injured in any given

year. Now I would argue that a much smaller percentage of runners would be sidelined if they

took the time to focus on proven injury prevention strategies like a solid

strength training plan, great nutrition, and plenty of recovery.

But even if you do everything right, sometimes an injury will crop up and you're

forced to take days, weeks, or even months off running. Of course this doesn't sit well

with most runners, especially those with a big race coming up, or those who have just worked too hard to risk losing their fitness.

So what can you do?

A great place to start is by looking at other activities you can do besides running that won't affect your healing.

Cross training on the bike, elliptical machine, or swimming laps in the pool can all be good options to keep up your fitness.

The main problem with the bike and the elliptical is that you're still using your legs and bearing weight,

which is probably not the best choice if you're trying to heal a leg injury or a stress fracture.

Swimming is great because it's zero impact, but it's not specific at all to running.

A far better option is aqua jogging, also known as deep water running.

By using a flotation belt which keeps you vertical in the water, you can mimic a land-based running workout with no impact on your injury.

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