First step is to keep working with your health care provider on a diagnosis, because depending on what’s got you sidelined, your return could look very different. Next step is to walk, short amounts at first, and then more and more. If that goes well, then you start to think about peppering in some running segments. But put your overall health as your first priority, and your sports should come around soon!

I hope it all goes well!

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I am a pretty young athlete and I play soccer and rockclimb. I have (soccer) practices 4 times a week that last up to 3hrs each and have 4 games every weekend, so I run 10+ miles every week. In addition, I would work out quite often as well.

I have been unable to do any physical activity for about 4 months due to undiagnosed medical problems though, so I have become very out of shape (mentally and physically)and I’m having a hard time motivating myself to begin working out again.

What do you reccomend for me to do to regain endurance and strength so I can become even healthier then before, stay motivated, and maybe set ambitions for some marathons?

Thank you very much!

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I have run two marathons in recent years and both times have got injured in training while increasing the distances i ran. As a rule i believe you should only increase your weekly mileage by no more than 5%. I think this is where i went wrong and got injured as a result.

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On the second question, I’d tell you what I told Kristine: add variety. I’d also recommend you run on trails, which is softer, cooler, and more interesting. There, focus on time rather than distance.

The question of weights is a good one. Run-specific strength training can include squats, lunges, core work, and exercises that train your arms to hold form as you tire. If you’re lifting a lot of heavy weight with your lower body, you might be too tired to run well. I’d encourage you to think about *strength* training rather than *weight* training. You can do a lot just using your body weight (think yoga!). But adding some resistance can be useful for bone health. Check with a qualified trainer familiar with runners’ needs, and let me know what you come up with!

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Thanks for your input…

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If you’re feeling sluggish, be sure that you are eating enough over the day and especially before your workouts. While you don’t want a full meal in your stomach, a little snack of 100 calories or so in the hour before your run might make a huge difference. Sleep is important, too–basically, you can’t get too much.

Finally, don’t worry about embarrassing yourself as a runner. No one but you is worried about your pace!

Good luck–please let me know how it goes.

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Without knowing the intensity, duration, or frequency of your runs–as well as the cumulative effect of your other commitments–I can’t tell if you’re overdoing it, but it’s certainly a possibility. Two crummy weeks won’t detrain you; they will, however, show you that something is a little off.

Take a few days of total rest, then try a short run. (Thirty minutes should be plenty.) You might also sprinkle in some faster segments of twenty to thirty seconds’ duration in that short run. If, after a few of these short trial runs, your mojo is still gone, I’d suggest you check with a medical professional. Any number of issues, from anemia to hormonal imbalance, can affect how you feel during exercise.

Hope that is helpful!

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