Central Health Derby 10K – Don’t Let Injury Get In Your Way!

As we come to the end of the Couch to Central Health Derby 10K Training Plan and race day on 9th April is on the horizon, it’s time to think about remaining injury free pre, during and post-event!

So to help you stay in great shape during the last few days before the race, and to make sure race day itself goes as smoothly as possible, here Kevin Huffington from race sponsors Central Health offers runners of all standards some last minute tips and advice.

Final Race Day Preparation

As race day quickly approaches and you start tapering off your activity, it’s very important to keep stretching before and after those final few training runs (dynamic stretches before – static stretches at the end). Continuing with your stretching regime will stop you from tightening up and being vulnerable to any twinges that could harm your last minute race preparation.

Also at this stage, try not to change anything dramatically, such as trying a new activity or even buying new running shoes. This close to race day stay with what’s already been working and got you this far, and that also includes any hydration and energy plan you’ve been following.

Warming Up on Race Day

On race day itself get to Pride Park earlier enough to prepare in a relaxed fashion and so you have time to fit in a good warm up. There will be a group warm up session taking place right outside the stadium before the race, but it would also be good to do a little low level running combined with some drills like high knees, heel flicks and side stepping. Dynamic stretching before the start will also help you to prepare properly, and also go some way to preventing any niggles during the race.

A good warm up gets everything going in preparation for the event, So this part is all about getting your system ready for the running to come. You’ve come too far in your training to let things go now, so plan to arrive early and make the best possible start to the day!

Last Minute Niggles & Injuries

If you wake up on race day with any last minute niggles, the Central Health team will be at Pride Park (early!) to try and help and hopefully patch you up a bit.

However, the sooner you get things looked at the better. So if you experience any problems in the approach to race day, act immediately and seek help. Here at Central we specialise in running injuries, so it might be well worth taking advantage of your exclusive race entrant’s discount and coming in to see us! There’s also lots of free tips and advice on our website, including specific articles on Running Injury Prevention and Dealing with Running Injuries

Don’t forget, we will be offering free pre-event massage on race day to get everything warmed up in preparation for your run – so again, make time to fit one in if you can.

Recovery

When you finish the race, remember your warm down and don’t forget those static stretches! It’s all too easy to ignore the good habits you’ve followed during training, and those that got you to the start line in great shape, with all the euphoria of completing the race. A good warm down will aid recovery, help to alleviate stiffening up in the hours/days after the race and actually be the very first thing you do to prevent injuries in the future.

Central Health will also be providing free post-race massage at the event to help get rid of those muscle toxins, and the team will be around to offer advice and answer questions about any niggles you might have picked up along the way.

And Finally!

Enjoy it and take in the atmosphere! It’s a great achievement to reach the start line, and whether you’re looking for a PB or just wanting to complete the distance – remember to run within your race plan, trust your training will keep you strong and have a great day!

We’re extremely proud to sponsor the Central Health Derby 10K, and look forward to sharing in your achievements on race day!

Good luck!

Blog compiled by Kevin Huffington, Clinical Director at Central Health

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