Starting Back up

[schnoodle]

When I retired 4 years ago, I took a sofa-to-5k training program and was so excited I got back into running. Then I ended up injured; in PT. Had to start back up. Then I broke an ankle. Now I don't know where to start or how

[Sydney - Guru Team]

Hi, thanks for your question. If you haven't already, be sure to get clearance from your doctor to start running again. Assuming that you already have, it's important to start slow and listen to your body. I would begin with walking only, assuming you haven't been able to move around much with a broken ankle. Once you feel up to it, try increasing your walking pace and go for longer periods of time. It's when these begin to feel easy, you could try adding in light jogging increments with the walking. From there, is where you can slowly increase your pace. It takes time to build endurance as well as a consistent, sustainable workout routine. Walking can be done every day, but we don't recommend running every day, especially when you're just starting out. It's important to give your body rest to allow your muscles to recover. 

Are you hoping to just get back into running? I'm only asking because running is a high-impact activity, so it can put a lot of stress on your joints and legs. Equipment like exercise bikes, rowing machines, and ellipticals are low-impact so you don't get stress on the joints like you do with running, but you'll get similar benefits with these activities.