Clinic Notes - Joe Vigil - How can you avoid leg injuries early in the season?

[George Payan]

Early season leg injuries are usually the result of improper adaptation to the stress encountered in a training program. Following are four major causes, with some suggestions for alleviating the problem.

(1) Too much early season volume. During the summer, when your athletes are working on their general preparation for cross country, have them start their program at 50 percent volume in miles or kilometers. Each week, increase this volume so that by the end of four to six weeks, you are at the maximum.

(2) Too much intensity too soon. Athletes (and coaches) are often too excited about getting the season under way and start running too fast too soon-which leads to injuries. So take a progressive approach to intensity as well. Allow your athletes sufficient time to adapt to training stress; this will reduce the risk of early season injury.

(3) Too much hard-surface running. Running your total mileage on asphalt or concrete is not good. Approximately 50 percent of your volume work should be done on dirt roads or grass areas. The good feel of fast and easy running on hard surfaces is always inviting, but it will take a toll if you don't follow the 50/50 principle.

(4) Wearing shoes that are broken down. When running shoes break down, athletes often develop abnormal biomechanics of leg movement and compensatory mechanisms that alter foot strike. Eventually, injuries begin to occur. It's a good idea to have a couple pairs of good training shoes and to alternate use of them.

Joe Vigil,
Olympic Coach and exercise physiologist
and former Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
at Adam State, Colorado