Nearly half of all runners get injured each year, according to research by Yale University. Taking on a race, whether a 5K or a marathon, means taking care to avoid injuries that can end your race before it starts. 

Common running injuries include plantar fasciitis, shin splints, hamstring strain and overuse injuries.  

There are steps you can take to help limit your risk of running-related injuries. Pay attention to different aspects of your training, from how you run and what you wear to how you recover after the race, says Dr. Earl Han, a sports medicine physician at Tidelands Health who is also an experienced marathon runner. 

“I’m definitely passionate about injury prevention,” Dr. Han says. 

Here are five ways to help keep yourself in top shape for your race, regardless of the distance: 

Whether you’re a new runner or an experienced marathoner, pushing yourself too hard too fast to reach your training goal is almost guaranteed to produce injuries.

“Build up the mileage,” Dr. Han says. “There’s no substitute for good old hard work.”

Your running shoes are the only thing between you and the street, so getting the style and fit right is a key part of making your race a success. Whatever the brand, your purchase should start by visiting a running store to have your gait, or the way you run, analyzed to find the shoes that match, Dr. Han says.

While running is its own form of exercise, weight training can help strengthen the muscles that will power you through your race. Lower body exercises such as squats and calf raises will give you power throughout your legs, while training your arms can give you a boost in that final sprint to the finish line, Dr. Han says.

While weight training builds power, stretching helps warm your muscles and loosen them up so they can perform with less risk of injuries. Stretching protects your muscles, but also prevents damage to the tendons, such as your iliotibial, or IT band, that connect them to your bones.

“Stretching is critical,” Dr. Han says.

After an extended workout like a long run, your muscles can build up lactic acid – what causes you to become stiff and aching later. To avoid post-run pain, keep yourself hydrated and stretch your muscles to flush out the lactic acid. While that may be all you need to recover from a 5K, Dr. Han has different advice for people running longer distances: go for a run.

“I’ve found the best way to recover is, on the next day, to go out for a light jog,” he says. “That will help get rid of the lactic acid.”

Above all, the best way to train for a race is to pay attention to your body, Dr. Han says. Trying to push through a slightly painful situation can make a potential injury worse.

“It’s critical to listen to your body and avoid overtraining,” he says.