Injury is not nice, quite often not running is worse than the injury itself. However, injury can be avoided following the laws mentioned in section one (ie the 10% rule etc) and running on more forgiving surfaces. Also, make sure you wear the correct footware. My last injury most likely surfaced because I couldn't control my urge to run, I broke the 10% rule and the hard-easy law. I paid, but luckily the price was only a few days. Research has shown that the chances of injury greatly increase above 40 MPW. Stopping running is very difficult to do if you are in your prime. I recommend cross training whilst injured to maintain fitness, and ease the transition back into running. Generally speaking, you won't lose any fitness for the first week, but after that, you will lose around 2-3% fitness per week.

Most people swear by RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Pain has three duties, to stop you using injured parts, to prevent further injury and to aid recovery (ie you may have to keep your leg still) - this is why we rest. Ice reduces blood flow to the injured area, reducing inflammation. Compression and elevation also do this. Don't ice for over 20 minutes at a time, and never apply ice directly to skin. As for compression, a simple bandage will do, comfortable compression is enough, don't restrict bloodflow. I will cover some injuries here. I should note that, where ice will help, so will anti-inflammatories (ie asprin).

Ankle Sprains: This is a very nasty and common injury. It occurs when ligaments are overstretched or torn. Quite often, these injuries won't occur whilst running but are results from other sports - or simply from falling off the pavement. Recovery is fast in the first 48 hours, but the pain can be immense. Stay off the injured ankle until you can bear to walk. Avoid running for 1 to 2 weeks, and then begin easy running. The old advice of rest is useful, but only to a certain extent. If you do not rehabilitate your ankle, it is likely you will suffer more sprained ankles in the future. When I came back from a sprained ankle, I began running as soon as my foot fitted into my trainer. RICE will help, and so will ankle exercises, try spelling words out with your big toe on the carpet, and standing on only the injured leg for a few minutes each day.

Chondromalacia Patella (Runner's Knee): This occurs when the cartilage around the knee softens. The knee is then forced out of it's normal tracking which in turn irritates the cartilage. Pain will most likely occur below or to the sides of the knee. Again, be sensible in recovery, lower mileage, check your surfaces and strengthen the quads. The quads help stablise the knee - cycling is good for this. I would also recommend checking your footware.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): DOMS is the soreness you feel the next day after exercise, it is felt by most beginners when they start a training program. It occurs usually within 24-48 hours after exericse, experts generally agree that the cause of DOMS is down to microscopic tears in muscle fibres that occur during exercise. Most people, even the most unsporting will experience DOMS at some point in their lives. In principle, it is down to overuse. However, even experienced runners may become sore after a hard run or race. Getting blood to the muscles affected will help, so light exercise is recommended, such as walking. After a few days, when the soreness has subsided, resume your running.

Illiotibial Band Syndrome: The Illiotobial Band is tissue that runs from the hip to the knee, stabilising the knee. Pain can occur at the knee and upto the hip when the band is inflammed. A reduction in mileage will be necessary, along with frequent icing. Run on more forgiving (level) surfaces if possible, and stretch the IT band. Stretching exercises can be found here.

Muscle Strains: These are significant tears in the muscle, usually resulting from an inproper warm up. The less conditioned you are, the more important warming up is. Stretching will help, but only after a warm up. If you are inflexible, it may be wise to do stretching exercises throughout the day. I wouldn't usually say you should control your running, but shortening your stride may help. Ice the injury and avoid using the muscle(s) concerned until you can run without pain.

Shin Splints: This is a very common injury for beginners. Probably the most common. It is also the easiest to diagnose - pain along the shins, mainly when running. When I began running, shin splints were an every run occurrence. To be honest, I just ran through it and eventually, it went away. However, I was probably doing no more than 12 miles a week. RICE will help with this one, to reduce the swelling of the damaged muscles. Shin splints can be caused by many factors. Footware, and too much too fast are common ones. Avoid hills and try to run on your heels. Build your mileage up slowly.

You may have heard about ice baths. Many professional athletes use these to get fresh blood pumping to the leg muscles. This in turn carries waste products away from the muscles and reduces soreness, some people consider them a God send. I will only take an ice bath after a race or very long run - you need a lot of courage! See also: Not an Illness, Not an Injury. Remember, that prevention is easier to master than the cures. Be sensible when you begin running, listen to your body, and use common sense.