Running Programs for Clients

Having a running program offers advantages for both you and your clients. And the very idea of running is gaining steam. A RunRepeat.com report recently showed that 28.76% of current runners began running during the pandemic. More than 7o% of these new runners run primarily to improve physical health. That’s up 18.03% from runners who began running before the pandemic.

Whether you’re coaching your clients to run a 5K or they’re cross-training on their own between sessions, it’s a growing demographic. Here are some facts and resources to help you make the most of training clients on the run.

Running Programs Support Mental and Physical Health

According to a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, running provides some powerful positive outcomes.

“Running has important positive implications for mental health, particularly depression and anxiety disorders,” note study authors in this comprehensive study review.  “Running” included jogging, sprinting, marathon running, orienteering and treadmill running.

Here’s more good news. A study reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that any amount of running is associated with

• 27% lower risk of death from any cause,
• 30% lower risk of death from heart disease, and
• 23% lower risk of death from cancer.

And listen to this: Running with music lessens mental fatigue.  Sounds pretty good, right?

Keeping Your Running Program Safe

Understanding the potential for injuries—and helping your clients avoid them—is also critical. A team of Swedish researchers, for instance, recently found that recreational runners with a prior injury were twice as likely to sustain a running-related injury as runners with no previous injury.

IDEA can help with resources, such as tips on how to address the four most common running injuries and a course on how to run injury-free.

There are also running programs that use other disciplines—such as yoga and resistance training—to keep you clients strong and healthy.

You can rely on the evidence-based content at ideafit.com to help you navigate the steps to getting a running program out of the starting blocks.