Runners should recognize that sooner or later they are likely to develop a running injury. Minor or major, it's in the stars. To be sure you can maintain a healthy positive attitude when you do get hurt, incorporate some form of cross-training into your program now. Then if you have to stop running, you'll have other activities that you enjoy to keep you fit. Weight training is a good option since it has been found to enhance your speed as well as reduce your risk of injuries.
Nobody enjoys sports injuries.
The physical damage is bad enough, but injuries cause psychological pain too. Injured athletes become depressed and angry, while their energy level decreases. And the longer the layoff from your sport, the more depressed you will become, according to Aynsley Smith, R.N., M.A., at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. So look for a silver lining. Susan Kalish is executive director of the American Running and Fitness Association and the American Medical Athletic Association.