The last week of blogs definitely has been a lot about running; I think it is safe to say that I have running on the mind. I, myself have been trying to train for an upcoming relay race that I am participating in, called the Ragnar Relay (will share more about this race in a different blog). I also seem to be surrounded by people lately that have either been making great progress when it comes to their own personal goals with running or are beginning to run for the first time. There are things that I have learned over the years from running that I feel will help me to continue being able to run for many more years. In the past I have always shared these tips with other runners, but now having a blog, I didn't want to just share these tips with everyone; I first wanted to do a little research on the subject to see if I was even on the right page. The information that I found didn't prove that what I have been saying is correct, exactly, but I feel that the responses that I found supported my recommendations enough to possibly provide help for other runners out there.
Knees always seem to be one of the biggest issues for people when running. In fact, one half to three quarters of all running injuries are related to overuse and involve the knees. I have been fortunate enough to have never encountered any injuries and I want to say that it is due to the fact that over the years I have taken a few steps to ensure this doesn't happen (I say this while knocking on wood). So here are a few basic pointers that have worked for me and have kept my knees injury free over the years.
First of all, shoes, of course proper fitting shoes are very important, but more so replacing your shoes on a regular basis. Shoes should be replaced at least every 300-400 miles. Running on shoes that have been worn too far down can start to put to0 much pressure on your joints, causing shin splints and/or knee problems. I tend to need to buy new shoes about every 6 months and although I love to shop (especially for shoes) shopping for running shoes is not on my top ten list of things I like to do. I can usually start to tell when I have waited too long to buy new shoes when I feel added pressure in both my shins and knees.
Weight lighting; I looked into the research regarding weight lifting and whether it benefits runners or not, and the results were mixed. So for this recommendation I am going off my personal experience. I have noticed that when I have a balanced workout routine that includes weight lifting and running, I feel no pain in my knees or shins. I believe that including workouts such as squats and lunges in my normal routine helps to strengthen the muscles in the leg that don't normally get worked just by running alone. The muscles that are strengthened by these extra exercises help the muscles that support the knee and will help to provide more balanced muscles in the legs.
Running in the sand, is also one of my suggestions for runners that are having problems with their knees. Depending on how intense you want your workout to be depends on whether you run in dry or damp sand. Starting out, I suggest sticking to the damp sand and building up to the dryer sand. Running in sand forces your body to work harder to stabilize you; meanwhile working your feet, calves, and the muscles supporting your knees. The sand also takes away a lot of the impact of running, so it is easier on your body than it would be running on pavement. Another bonus is that you burn on average 1.6 more calories per mile running on sand than you would on pavement.
Stretching, is probably my least favorite activity to do, which I guess is why I have a hard time touching my toes. The worse part is, I understand the importance of stretching after I run, I just don't like to take the time to do it. One cause of a knee injury can be due to tight muscles; especially hamstrings. Making a point to stretch and even foam roll after a run will help to reduce the tightness that muscles take on after a run. For some good foam roller exercises after a workout check out this website: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11556-0,00.html .
Running in the sand, is also one of my suggestions for runners that are having problems with their knees. Depending on how intense you want your workout to be depends on whether you run in dry or damp sand. Starting out, I suggest sticking to the damp sand and building up to the dryer sand. Running in sand forces your body to work harder to stabilize you; meanwhile working your feet, calves, and the muscles supporting your knees. The sand also takes away a lot of the impact of running, so it is easier on your body than it would be running on pavement. Another bonus is that you burn on average 1.6 more calories per mile running on sand than you would on pavement.
Stretching, is probably my least favorite activity to do, which I guess is why I have a hard time touching my toes. The worse part is, I understand the importance of stretching after I run, I just don't like to take the time to do it. One cause of a knee injury can be due to tight muscles; especially hamstrings. Making a point to stretch and even foam roll after a run will help to reduce the tightness that muscles take on after a run. For some good foam roller exercises after a workout check out this website: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--11556-0,00.html .
Hope this helps!
Pura Vida!
Alica Ryan, NTP
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