- A number of people started running as a regular form of exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- For new runners, experts suggest ramping up slowly rather than beginning at a higher intensity to avoid injury and burnout.
- It’s normal to feel self-conscious about your form or your body’s gradual adjustment to withstanding the demands of a new activity like running.
For many people, their approach to physical activity and exercise shifted during the pandemic.
From embracing home workouts to navigating how to return to exercise after recovering from COVID-19, the pandemic has reoriented our relationships to physical activity.
Running has been a big part of this. The period of gym closures and shelter-in-place guidelines led people to embrace running as a new part of their routine — many for the first time.
In fact, a recent survey from athletic shoe review company RunRepeat suggests we’re experiencing something of a pandemic-era “running boom.”
If you were one of the many who took on a new — often rigorous — physical activity like running during the pandemic, it’s important to keep your overall health and physical safety in mind.
Experts say it’s all about being mindful of things like incorporating running organically into your routine, doing stretching and warmup exercises, and picking appropriate footwear to ensure you avoid injury and stay motivated to keep running a regular part of your life beyond the pandemic.
Source: healthline