In this episode, coach Jessica Marie Rose Leggio offers up a complete checklist to keep you running injury-free. So get out your pen, paper, phone, computer and take note! Never miss foam rolling and sports specific prep work.  Foam rolling and athletic conditioning is a runner’s warm-up. By definition, corrective conditioning and functional movement are to prepare the body to perform. This prep work gives your body the ability to move and be mobile. It is a mini-workout before you start running. If you don’t have time for your warm-up, don’t run.  Only do sport-specific training.  A long-distance runner trains for long-distance running. That’s why track work doesn’t help. Listen to our podcast on the topic, Speed Work! Why Marathoners Should Avoid Doing It! Speedwork for a marathoner is akin to asking a basketball player to train for football. It’s not sport-specific.  Cross-train  Sport-specific cross-training is crucial for long-distance running. The key is to have an activity that builds functional muscle endurance and your aerobic system. For more information on cross-training pitfalls, listen to our podcast on Cross-Training No No’s.  “Focus on your sport, and what cross-training activities will support those dynamics. That’s what gets you to your best baseline for your sport.”  Long-distance runners need the ability to endure hours of cardiovascular work. At the same time, track workouts are anaerobic with ballistic bursts of energy and then nothing. Does that sound like a long-distance run? No, so don’t do it when cross-training.  Stay in constant contact with your coach.  Your coach should oversee everything you are doing and everything you don’t. Everything impacts how your body conditions and respond to the workouts. Your job is to be an athlete; your coach’s job is to make sure you can be an athlete.  Get a qualified coach. Make sure you have a qualified coach in injury prevention and biomechanics. Joe Bloggs, the marathon finisher, won’t cut it. You may opt for an injury prevention specialist and a strength coach. In this case, you need both parties to talk together. The injury prevention coach should inform a strength coach’s approach.  Be completely honest with your coach.  Consider your weekly chats with your coach, like going to confession. There is no way you are going to running heaven if you are not honest with them. It will help if you put it all on the table, from your running workouts to what you’re eating, how you are sleeping, and how much time you spend on the couch.  “There is no movement conditioned more than daily activity.”  Your lifestyle also impacts how your condition as a long-distance runner. Most people do their sport and workouts with intention, but they don’t lie around with intention. You need a coach to expose what daily habits are dysfunctional.  Honor any pain  The only way to avoid injury is to honor any pain your feel. If you feel even a twinge of pain, you should stop. You will progress more if you call your coach and talk it through rather than finishing your run. To stay injury-free, always lean on the side of safety and precaution.   #RunPainFree hot tip: If in doubt. Stop, drop, and foam roll.  Do all of the above.  It would help if you used every tool available to stay injury-free. Any pain or tweak needs to be addressed early, so it doesn’t become an injury. Document how you feel after each run, and share your running log with your coach.  Take away lesson: listen to your body and take action. The common denominator of this checklist is your body. Your body is your baseline. On any given day, your body is telling you where your fitness is at and where it is not. Listen to it, don’t run through pain. Conditioning is about having a conversation with your body and taking action on what it needs. This practice