Joining a run club is more popular than ever, and with run clubs taking over the world, it is worth thinking about a few key factors before you sign up. A run club is a great way to join a supportive community that gives you motivation and accountability, but jumping in unprepared is one of the most common causes of running injuries in beginners. This guide covers how to join a run club and avoid those running injuries, with the right footwear, sensible pacing, a proper warm up, some strength training and better running technique.
Get the Right Footwear Before Your First Run Club
A suitable pair of running shoes is a great starting point. The right footwear matters not just for comfort, but for performance and for reducing running injuries. Rather than choosing on looks or price, it is worth being fitted properly, as a specialist running store can assess your foot mechanics and recommend a shoe that suits how your foot moves.
The main thing to look for is a shoe matched to your foot type and running style. If you tend to roll inward through the foot, for example, a shoe with more medial support may suit you better. A proper fitting takes the guesswork out of it before you turn up to your first run club session.
Avoid the All-or-Nothing Approach
A common mistake, and a common cause of running injuries, is running flat out from the very first session. Do not. Pacing matters, especially for preventing burnout and injury.
Let your body build cardiovascular endurance gradually without overloading structures or creating unnecessary stress. Start at a comfortable pace and build from there. Jumping straight into intense effort is physically and mentally exhausting and leads to people burning out. Easing in reduces your injury risk and stops you developing poor running technique under fatigue, since good running technique is harder to hold when you are exhausted.
Warm Up and Cool Down Every Session
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just starting out, warming up and cooling down are not optional, and they should never be skipped at a run club.
A good warm up prepares your body for exercise by increasing blood flow, raising body temperature and getting you mentally ready, all of which helps prevent running injuries. It should combine light aerobic work, dynamic stretching and activations.
A Simple Pre-Run Warm Up
- Skaters
- Hip flexor psoas march
- Wall sit calf raises
Just as you should never skip the warm up, do not skip the cool down. It needs only ten to fifteen minutes. It lets your body transition from effort back to rest, allowing your heart rate to return to normal safely, and it helps clear metabolic waste to aid recovery. Keep it to light aerobic activity, static stretches and mobility.
Do Not Skip Strength Training
A common misconception among runners is that strength training will hurt performance, stiffen the joints or slow you down. This is wrong. Research suggests around 60 to 70 percent of running injuries are due to overuse, with as many as 35 to 50 percent linked to poor biomechanics and muscle imbalances, which is exactly what strength training helps address.
Strength work ensures your tissues and joints can withstand the forces running puts through the body. Running is a single-leg sport, so a progressive strength programme with an emphasis on split-stance and single-leg strength and stability is ideal. Core strength matters just as much, with extra attention to the deeper core to limit trunk rotation and reduce shearing forces further down the chain.
If you are just starting out, two lower-body strength training sessions per week is a good target to build the baseline strength needed to back up the demands of a run club.
Consider a Running Assessment
Assessing your running technique is a great way to highlight weaknesses or imbalances when you run. It improves your efficiency, reduces your risk of running injuries, and shows which areas of your running technique need more focus.
Throughout your runs, listen to your body. If pain or awareness increases, that is your cue to ease off. As a rule of thumb, keep pain no higher than three or four out of ten during, immediately after, or the day after a run.
If you are keen to join a run club but feel hesitant about starting, our running assessment takes you through a full movement screen so you can transition into running safely. Our sports physiotherapy and performance physiotherapy teams can also help you build the strength and technique to get the most out of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prepare for my first run club?
Get properly fitted footwear, start at a comfortable pace rather than going flat out, warm up and cool down every session, and build some lower-body strength beforehand. These steps reduce your risk of the running injuries that commonly catch beginners.
Do I need to be fit before joining a run club?
No. Most run clubs cater to a range of levels. The key is easing in gradually rather than matching faster runners straight away, which is the most common way to pick up an early injury.
How do I avoid injury at a run club?
Pace yourself, do not skip your warm up, include strength training twice a week, and work on your running technique. Listen to your body, keeping pain to no more than three or four out of ten. A running assessment reviews your running technique and can flag issues before they become injuries.
Is strength training really necessary for running?
Yes. A large share of running injuries relate to overuse and muscle imbalances, and strength training helps your joints and tissues cope with the load of running. Single-leg and core strength are particularly valuable.
Related Reading
For more on running safely, see our guides on why a running assessment can prevent injuries before they start and how physiotherapy helps with running injuries.
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BeFit Training Physiotherapy Edgecliff
Ground Floor, 287-289 New South Head Road, Edgecliff NSW 2027
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BeFit Training Physiotherapy Coogee
Shop 1/2 Byron Street, Coogee NSW 2034
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