A study of 784 runners training for a half marathon has concluded that training load, specifically milage and pace, are dominate factors in causing running related injuries.
However, the study called ProjectRun21 concluded that it was those who ran less and slower who were more likely to become injured, stating "runners covering less than 15 km per week, and/or runs slower than 6 min/km, may sustain more RRI than their counterpart runners."
Of the 784 runners taking part, 136 suffered injuries during the 14 week training plan with a "tendency toward fewer injuries amongst runners categorised as having high experience or high pace and a combination of both high experience and high pace, compared with their counterpart peers."
What everyone's reading
The solution? If you're following a low milage plan and don't wish to dramatically increase the training load (experience), focusing sessions on speed work will help you to improve pace without the miles, which in turn will improve your running economy, gait and cadence.
Ben is Runner's World's Multiplatform Director and has worked at the title for over 11 years. He has always had a deep interest in running shoes and tech and has amassed a wealth of knowledge on running products during this time and through countless hours of testing. Ben also enjoys exploring the science behind running and how it informs advances in training and racing. He is also the co-host of the weekly podcast. Ben is a firm believer that running is just as much about adventure and fun as about chasing PBs, and he likes nothing more than a day spent explore new trails.
