Moderation is key!

Often times we get so excited jumping into training or overzealous when running starts to actually feel good that the tendency is to overdo a good thing.

But conservatively adding distance, frequency and intensity to workouts is a smart move in the long run that will allow you to build a solid foundation.

Someone very dear to me used to say, “Cat, you see something you want and you GO for it.

The only problem is that you fail to see all of the obstacles and objects that lie between you and that thing you want.

Experience has showed me, however, that being shortsighted can create far more issues, roadblocks (and injuries!) than necessary.

I’ve learned to slow down when making decisions.

I’ve learned to step more consciously, both on my mat and out in the world.

KNOW your body.

Know when it needs a break, needs an extra 15 minutes stretching, or a 5 mile run as opposed to a 12. Mentally allow yourself to listen to your body and not your regimented workout schedule.

My best advice for avoiding injuries is to diversify your practice.

I love running and I’d do it every day if I could, but I know my physical and mental health benefits greatly from other activities like strength training, stair climbing, hiking, and yoga.

For me avoiding injuries, or appropriately dealing with them if they arise, is both mental and physical.

And if an injury does arise, don’t ignore it or avoid dealing with it.

Go into this space of your body, feel and breathe into what is there, and ask for help when you need it.

Avoiding injuries requires proper assessment of your body, your nature, and your capacity in a certain moment.

Then you have to leave your ego aside and take the proper action for yourself.

Listening to all the signals the body sends is crucial.

The entire body is connected to the spirit, mind, and emotions.

Allowing ourselves to give ourselves the time to place these things in balance is important for our overall health.

Bring the practice of mindfulness and breathe to absolutely everything you do.

My go-to preventative measure to avoid injuries that I can do anywhere is making sure that my tissues are well hydrated, by drinking lots of water.

Rest should be just as much of a priority as running.

If you have the option to sleep for five hours and go for a run or sleep for eight hours and skip a run, I’d recommend the latter.

Rest and recovery are critical for improving performance and most importantly for avoiding injury.

In order to prevent running-related injuries, I make sure to do the following:

• Foam roll every morning and night, before and after runs. Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release (fancy term for self-massage), and can significantly loosen up your muscle and enable them to have proper, pain-free movement.

• Post-workout or run, I make sure to include a cool-down (slow my pace, walk, auxiliary stretches).

• When I am training for a race, I make sure to increase my mileage by no more than 10% weekly. Gradual mileage buildup is important in order to prevent overuse.

My advice for avoiding injuries is to stay aware and mindful during your yoga practice (challenge yourself, but don’t overdo it), incorporate restorative yoga into your weekly flow of activities, and get a massage at least once a month.

My advice for avoiding injuries is to listen to your intuition.

When I’ve talked with students after an injury they almost always say they knew when they pushed too far.

In yoga we are learning to become more in tune with the subtle signals our body is sending.

When we are present we can manage our energy and stay within our limits.

When we not aware enough to listen to our intuition, our egos may take over and push us over our edge to stress or injury.

Here’s the deal.

We get injured when we are going through the motions, but not truly present.

Or when we try something new and throw our bodies in too quickly without proper guidance or space to accomplish the task mindfully.

Or when our minds run ahead to the next step, or worse, go numb with fear and we step out of the driver’s seat completely.

I practice AWAKE and intentional movement that captivates my whole attention.

Each vertebra getting its time to shine. Smart feet underneath me receive messages from the earth and respond back.

It’s a conversation and I ask my entire being to show up to the party

I’ve built trust in my hands over the years and now I can balance on them just and easily as I do my feet.

Use everything and overuse nothing!

I take my rest days as seriously as I take my training days.

As a runner, I like to think of my rest days as one giant savasana.

This is the time for my body to absorb all of the work I have done prior to the rest.

Without this, my muscles don’t have time to refresh, restore, recover, and get stronger.

Honor the rest as much as you honor the work.

Listen to your body! It will give you A LOT of accurate feedback. Pay attention to how you’re feeling on any specific day or week and adjust your training plan accordingly. Take little walking breaks or otherwise move around a bit if you’re stuck at a desk or seated much of the day.

Training is one third of the puzzle of performance.

We all too often look at training as “king.” It’s not.

The other two pieces are fuel and recovery, and all three are equally important.

If one is out of balance, the other two will suffer.

Mix it up! The body craves variety.

Whether it’s cycling, weight training, self-massage or dance, explore different movement modalities.

You’ll build better awareness of your body in space and learn your weak (and strong!) spots.

Then you can import that information into your primary practice and view it with fresh eyes.