by The Mizuno Shoe Guy
Regardless of your ability, speed or body shape, the greatest challenge almost all runners face—especially beginners—is staying healthy. By the very nature of the aerobic benefits of the sport we love, we are certainly healthier than our sedentary counterparts. But it is an undeniable fact of the running life, that we also tend to pick up all sorts of niggling injuries that can set us back.
Fortunately, most of our running injuries usually aren’t too serious, but even the minor ones tend to slow us down. Still, most common running injuries can be avoided if you follow the rules of healthy, injury-free running.
Here are my 10 rules:
1. Stretch after every run.
Running tends to tighten the primary running muscles of the legs, hips and back. Over time, the muscles contract and if this happens enough, you will get injured. Guaranteed.
Conventional wisdom used to suggest you stretch before you run. Baloney. Stretch after each and every run. I’ll say it again: Stretch after every run when the muscles are warm and pliable. Try to stretch within 10 minutes of completing a run.
Consistent, proper stretching is what counts. Set up a routine of stretching all the major muscle groups—primarily the hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors, Achilles and calf muscles—and devote at least 15 minutes of stretching every day. Even more if you’re an older runner.
If you don’t know how to stretch properly, join a yoga class. Most gyms offer yoga classes and even many hard core yoga studios now offer some classes that cater to runners. A qualified instructor will show you the proper poses and what to do. Once you learn the poses and stretches, practice them. And stretch after each and every run.
2. Wear a high-quality pair of running shoes that you rotate every 300-400 miles with a new pair.
It is absolutely essential to your running health that you buy a quality running shoe (hopefully, a Mizuno) which fits your feet and meets your individual biomechanics. To find that shoe, you must go to a running specialty store. For a beginner, in particular, there is no other reliable way to buy the proper shoe, other than to get examined and fitted at a running store.
Once you have that right shoe, stick with it. But even the best running shoe will wear out over time and lose its ability to cushion and support the foot. Once that happens, it’s time to buy a new pair. Any delay in replacing a worn out shoe places you at risk to injury.
When is a shoe worn out? Impossible to say. Each shoe, each runner is different and the maximum mileage you can get out of a shoe differs greatly. Suffice it to say, a good pair of running shoes should last at least 300 miles and as long as 500-600. Some runners get more; some less, It’s much better to replace a pair of shoes a little too early than too late.
3. Walk in, walk out.
Every run should start and finish with a walk. When you go for a run, begin it by walking a couple of minutes. When finished, do the same thing.
Walking accomplishes a few things. It’s a brief transition from being at rest to moving (running). During this short walk, check out the various aches and pains, warm up your legs, adjust shoelaces and determine if you’ll need to add or shed any clothes before taking off.
The walk out is a little different, longer and more enjoyable. Loosen your shoes, cool off a bit, grab a water and bask in the endorphin rush of yet another satisfying run. It’s a moment or two to celebrate a good run by enjoying the sweat, the effort and the glorious day.
4. Avoid sidewalks.
Sidewalks suck. They are are rock hard, cracked, full of pedestrians and an awful surface to run on. Sidewalks are made out of concrete and concrete is so hard (eight times harder than asphalt) that—over time—it will crush your legs. No surface is worse. If you can, avoid sidewalks at all costs.
5. Uphills are great; downs are not.
There’s no question that hills are an integral part of any runner’s training program. Climbing a variety of hills provide quick results in terms of building strength and power. That is, the uphills do. The downhills don’t.
Quite obviously, uphills are much harder to run than the downhills. The problem with running down the backside of a steep hill is it places plenty of stress on your back, knees and shins. The pounding is a killer. And since there isn’t much of a training effect going down, it makes good sense to gently ease your way down. Or even easier: Walk the steepest parts to save wear and tear on your body.
6. Ice is cool.
One of the greatest masters runners was a New Zealander by the name of Jack Foster. Jack died several years ago, but at one point he was the fastest masters marathoner in the world (2:11 at the age of 41). Jack’s “secret” to stay healthy was that he finished every run by hosing down his legs with icy water drawn from a deep well. Foster said that’s what horse trainers do for their thoroughbreds after every workout and race. He theorized, “If it’s good enough for horses, it’s good enough for me.”
Too right. An icy, cold compress applied to your legs right after you run and stretch, reduces the muscular inflammation that results from any run. Left unchecked, this inflammation can worsen into a full blown muscular strain or tear. Ice keeps the inflammation under control.
It doesn’t matter what you choose to use as long as you use something cold. Ice cubes in a plastic baggie, ice baths, commercial frozen gels, frozen veggie packages do the trick if you ice your legs after stretching and running. Or just spray your legs with cold water from a garden hose for a few minutes while watering your garden.
7. Take one day off a week.
Recording a big fat zero in your training log can be a good thing. The type of dedication where you never miss a day of running can be self-destructive. Especially if you dutifully slog out a few miles just to avoid having to record a zero for the day.
Follow your weekly long run or race with a rest day. Your family will appreciate it. So will your body.
8. Run by time, not miles.
Here’s a newsflash: Your body doesn’t know the difference between a five-mile run and a 45-minute run. You might think there’s a difference, but your body doesn’t recognize any distinction. Here’s the problem: We’re addicted to mileage. Would you rather go for a 20-miler or a three-hour run? Of course, we’ll say the 20-miler, then record it in our logs and compile the mileage.
But thinking in terms of miles is counterproductive because we tend to become obsessed with the weekly and monthly mileage totals as if that is an end in itself. It isn’t. Getting in great running shape and staying healthy is the goal, not padding our training logs with impressive mileage totals.
9. Pause that refreshes.
Many of us grew up in the era when football and basketball coaches refused to allow players to drink during practice. The belief was that withholding water somehow made players tougher. Unfortunately, such ignorance didn’t make them tougher; it made some players dead.
The same held true for running. Not any more. A properly hydrated runner is a healthier runner. Especially older runners who are more susceptible to running injuries. As you age, the blood and oxygen supply to your muscles isn’t as good as when you were in your early 20s. If you are dehydrated during or after a run, it can only aggravate the situation. That’s one reason older runners have more muscle strains, spasms and pulls as they age. They’re dehydrated. Drink up.
10. Have fun.
This is a no-brainer. This won’t make your running any safer, but if it isn’t fun, enjoyable or at least a satisfying experience, why even bother? Sure, we all want to stay healthy, fit and trim but you can accomplish that on a stationary bike, elliptical and or treadmill in a health club. But that’s drudgery.
Having said that, running isn’t quite as high on the adrenaline-rush, fun scale meter as say, snowboarding. Or kite surfing or wake boarding.
Running’s different. A good run, a completed marathon gives you a sense of accomplishment, an inner glow, a feeling that you’ve done something for yourself today and only yourself.
Nothing else can duplicate that feeling.