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This is important for any run but particularly important before you start any speed work. A proper warm-up helps prepare your muscles and joints, reduces stiffness, and lowers the risk of injury — so you don’t start your run feeling cold, tight, or restricted.

After your warm-up, ease into the run by starting slow and relaxed before building up to your target pace.

Open Warm-Up Stretches in the Runna app for a quick, effective warm-up before you head out.

Be especially mindful of this if you have a desk job where you aren’t moving regularly throughout the day. Any breaks from being sedentary is great.

Strengthening your muscles, ligaments, and tendons helps build a strong, resilient foundation for running. This significantly improves your ability to absorb impact, supports bone density, and enhances both power and endurance.

We highly recommend incorporating strength workouts into your Runna plan. All sessions can be completed either at home or in the gym, making it easy to fit strength training around your running.

Old trainers won’t offer the same support and trainers that are too big or small could give you blisters or compromise your running style which could consequently lead to injury. You should consider replacing your running shoes after you have completed 300-500 miles.

Whether you're training somewhere hot and sunny or in the cold, it is imperative to dress well for the weather to help you regulate your body temperature. You can find discount codes in our app for many different clothing brands!

Running on hard surfaces (i.e the treadmill or pavement) is tougher on your joints and bones. Aim to introduce some softer surfaces, such as a grass or trails. Variety is optimal.

Aim to recover well through sleep and nutrition. Rest is when your body adapts to the hard work you have put into training. Without rest, you will find your body will recover slower. Where possible, aim to get close to 8 hours sleep.

Increasing your mileage too quickly is one of the most common causes of running-related injuries.

Runna sets your weekly mileage and progression for you based on your running experience, current fitness, and goals, helping you build volume safely and sustainably.

Trust the plan, listen to your body, and remember that steady progress is what leads to long-term improvements.

Some people like to regularly incorporate a sports massage to prevent injury; however this is a personal preference. The science to back this is mixed but there is no harm in a monthly trip to your physio if this is something you can afford and enjoy.

Regular stretching, foam rolling or yoga at home will also work very well. Get to know your body, where your tight spots are, and work on these areas 3-4x a week.

We hope these tips help you become the best runner you can be. Injury prevention isn’t about one single thing – it’s the combination of smart training, good habits, and consistency over time. Build those habits now, and they’ll support strong, sustainable progress for the long term.

If you're looking for more specific injury prevention advice, visit the injury management tab in our support hub.
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