BACK TO RUNNING, WITHOUT THE BOOM AND BUST.
A clinically-led walk-run return from your first one-minute jogs to 30 minutes of continuous easy running in nine weeks, gated by the same checks our physiotherapists use with their own patients.
IS THIS PLAN FOR YOU?
You are coming back from a running injury, you are pain-free in everyday life, and you can commit to three short runs and two short strength sessions a week. Back after a break rather than an injury? Choose HP3 Base Conditioning: Return to Running.
WHAT'S INSIDE
✓ A start-check: six simple tests tell you if you are ready or should see a physio first
✓ A pain rule on every run: up to 2/10 is fine if settled by the next morning; if not, repeat the session
✓ Three heart-rate runs a week, never on back-to-back days, synced to your watch
✓ 18 home strength sessions for calves, hips and single-leg control, with calf tests in weeks 1, 5 and 9
✓ Repeat weeks at weeks 4 and 8, so a setback does not derail you
✓ No session more than 10% longer than your longest run in the previous month
WHERE IT LEADS
By week nine you run three times a week for 30 minutes or more, pain-free, ready for the HP3 Ultra & Trail Base Block or HP3 Running Maintenance.
BEFORE YOU START
Bone stress injuries need 10–14 days of pain-free normal life and clinical clearance first. Hip, navicular or front-of-shin stress fractures, post-surgery returns and flaring tendons need a physio-led plan: see HP3 online physiotherapy.
WHY HP3
Written by Tim Pigott BSc MSc, Chartered Physiotherapist, lecturer and endurance coach. Includes free access to the TeamHP3 community.
Syncs to Garmin, COROS, Wahoo and Apple Watch. Covered by the TrainingPeaks refund policy.
Sports Physiotherapist (HCPC, CSP, MSc, Univeristy Lecturer and researcher) & Ultra / Endurance Coach.
Coaching for endurance athletes who want to reach the start line healthy and the finish line strong. As a sports physiotherapist and coach, my specialism is durability; building athletes up for a goal event, and rebuilding them after injury or time out, from first-timers to the world stage.