Stay sharp!

Track is winding down and it is time to maintain your peak. It is often hard to stay sharp without over working the quality. Check out this link to the High School Runner. There you will find a great workout which will help keep your acceleration in the days before a big race without a negative impact on your legs.

Check your running shoes!

A brief reminder to check your shoes! April is a good time to check the wear pattern on the out sole. If you have been training for a May half marathon, now is a good time to break out a new pair (175- 250 miles). Is it time for a new pair?

Yes, someone was actually using these shoes.

Simple injury prevention tip 6...Treadmill running

Today, here in central Indiana we received 9 inches of new snow. This is great to look at and for skiing. Alas, here in central Indiana we don't have any ski slopes nearby. Running outside is going to difficult and will drive most of us to the dreaded treadmill. I decided that I would remind everybody of some common treadmill running/walking mistakes which can lead to injury. This is especially true if you don't run on a treadmill often. There is a tendency when running on the treadmill, to run the same pace for the entire run. This doesn't happen when running outside. We are constantly varying our pace for wind, curbs, terrain and stop lights. Another common mistake is to run an entire workout on an incline. It is very rare to find a 5 mile uphill at 5% incline. Furthermore, when running on the treadmill the trail leg travels further backwards thus increasing the load on the Achilles and 1st toe. On an incline, those forces are even greater which will significantly increase the risk of injury. We advise our clients to avoid sustained inclines and vary the pace frequently during the workout. The treadmill still beats trying to run outside in poor footing.

The neutral shoe quest

If you are looking for a neutral shoe for fitting an orthotic, it just got harder to find. I just got to check out the New Balance 1063 and I am somewhat disappointed once again. In my opinion, the 1063 is nowhere near the feel of the 1061. The 1063 now has a large crash pad resting on a Mizuno like midsole. In my opinion, if you weigh more than 130 pounds and heel strike on the outside edge of your heel, this type of crash pad will increase the angle of heel strike (supination or lateral heel strike). This could contribute to lateral hip, knee pain or shin splint symptoms. It will also likely change the effectiveness of your 400$ orthotic. We try to fit our clients in a running shoe with a more traditional midsole without a large soft crash pad. If you have a neutral shoe that works for you, please share in a comment below. Thanks
Check out my previous thoughts on this topic: Retro Shoes / Soft Crash Pad /Neutral shoes

Early season half marathon guidelines

Well, It is almost that time of the year to begin half marathon training. It seems that January and February are the most common time for clubs to begin their organized training programs for the May and June races. Locally these races include the 500 Festival Indy Mini, Geist Half and the Flying Pig. Hopefully prior to beginning these programs all of you have been running at least 3 miles 3-4 times per week in December. If you are not currently a runner and are thinking about a spring half marathon we would encourage you to re-think that as a goal for much later in 2009. Stick to the 5k or 10 k distances and have fun with those distances. Let your body adapt to the demands of running for several months, injury-free before committing to a half marathon. For the more experienced runners, hopefully you backed off your weekly mileage in December as compared to November and October. This downtime is important to allow the body a break from the rigors of late summer/ early fall training and the late fall racing schedule. Give the legs a break! Here in the Midwest, it also works out well as our weather begins to really SUCK! Late December is also a good time to work on our functional strength and mobility exercise or add swimming as a way of cross training. Over the month of January and February most half marathon programs begin with a gradual buildup of weekly mileage and long runs. No speed or quality workouts yet. This is a good time to begin to get into a pattern of "de-loading" (2 weeks up / 1 week down). This will allow the body time to recover between the harder work load weeks and will help to decrease the risk of injury. In another post, we will share our guidelines for the next phase of half marathon training for the month of March. Check out some of the online programs but make sure to adapt them to your schedule, skill level and perhaps some of the guidelines on this blog. Good Luck in your training and Happy New Year!

The Bridge

This is a simple exercise that will help to build functional strength in your gluteals and core.


Start with the level one bridge. Both feet are on the ground with knees bent. Toes up to minimize the activity of the hamstrings during this exercise. Contract your gluteals or buttock muscles and tighten lower abdominals simultaneously. Push through your heels and lift pelvis off of the ground slowly and under control. Lift until your pelvis in line with your thighs. Do not arch back. If you are arching you're probably going to high. Lower your pelvis back to the floor under control. Remember are to keep both sides of pelvis level as to not let either hip drop during the movement.



Once you are able to perform level one with minimal fatigue and with good form and control, move on to level two. This level is performed using a single leg. The same principles apply. Use buttock muscles or gluteal to lift pelvis off of the floor. It is important to remember while performing this movement to maintain a level pelvis. Weakness can be seen if the unsupported side of the pelvis drops during initiation of the movement or throughout the movement. Keep core tight and perform slowly to maximize gluteal activation.

This exercise along with clams and standing band exercises are a great functional warm-up before a run. We also recommend doing these exercises on off days/strength training days to increase functional strength and prevent many lower extremity injuries.

A proper hip flexor stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch: Kneel onto one knee. Perform a gentle pelvic tilt by contracting your abdominal muscles. This motion is similar to "rolling the belt buckle toward the nose." When the pelvic tilt is performed, a slight stretch should be felt down the front of the thigh. If no stretch is felt with the pelvic tilt, then leaning forward slightly is allowed but the pelvic tilt must be maintained and the back should be straight. If no stretch is felt in this position then it is not necessary to stretch this muscle group. Again it is important that the stretch should be light to moderate in intensity. 3 times each leg, holding 20 seconds.

Dead legs?

The topic this week on take and run Thursday at the Runner's Lounge is overtraining. Back in March I put a link to a excellent article on overtraining. This article helps to explain the science behind over training. I decided to post it again just in case you missed it. Crash and Burnout! The second link is to another interesting post by Vern Gambetta on recovery. I hope you all find it this helpful.

Functional Strengthening/Mobility

I decided that it would be beneficial to provide an occasional link to our previous posts/ video regarding functional strengthening and mobility exercises.
the why...
Got Strength?
You don't have squat?
Be Hip
the video...
Squat
Lunge
Step downs
Step overs

Note to readers: Always consult a physician before starting any exercise program. The posts on this blog are purely for educational purposes only. The information written in the posts is the opinion of the authors and should not be taken as medical advice.

Deloading!

Here is a link to a fantastic post on deloading. Elitetrack
This could be my new favorite link.
I may not need to write another word; these guys just plain get it.

Simple Injury Prevention--Tip 1

At The Runner's Lounge, this week's "take and run Thursday" we are to share the obvious. We will call these topics simple injury prevention. Lou & I will share these tips over the following weeks. Here is tip 1.

With summer approaching, flip flops suddenly become one of the most popular shoe choices. I see them everywhere. My wife & daughters like them because they are convenient and stylish. But unfortunately flip flops are not good for the runner's foot. Runners as well as non-runners, should avoid wearing them for long periods of time (shopping, school, anytime with long-term standing or walking). Why? Next time you are at the mall, take some time and watch people walking in flip flops. Notice how the heel slides off to the inside and sometimes even off the sole. If you look up from the foot at the ankle, you will see an increase in pronation (rolling inward). The toe flexor muscles have to contract more to help keep the flip flop on the foot. The combination of these actions will cumulatively increase the stress to the soft tissue of the foot and leg. This choice of shoe combined with your running and training will lead to a higher probability of injury. These injuries may include: Plantar fasciitis (heel pain), Posterior Tibialis tendonitis (shin Splints), Achilles tendonitis, knee and hip pain. So try to avoid wearing flip flops for a long periods time; it will help you in the long run!

Be Hip!

(c) http://www.physiotherapy.co.uk/
This weeks topic on take and run Thursday is running injuries. This guy has a problem. Check out that hip position. This is a great picture of hip drop which is a problem we see often. The left hip drop is most likely because of right Gluteus Medius weakness. The primary function of this muscle during gait and running is to help stabilize the hip when the foot is in contact with the ground. It controls stance leg hip adduction. This can lead to multiple running injuries including ITBFS, knee, groin, lateral hip & lower back pain. The best way to correct this problem is to train/strengthen this muscle the same way it functions during gait. That is with the right foot on the ground. With my left groin strain last year, we noticed that my pain would increase in cushioned running shoes which allowed more pronation. We also noted that along with that I had more right hip drop (left gluteal medius weakness). I initially worked on left single leg stance exercises while simulating where my hip should be during stance (level hips). This is done by contracting or squeezing my left buttock/ leveling the pelvis. I would hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds and would fatigue very quickly. I then progressed to higher level functional exercises but only if I could maintain this position. In my case, flexibility had very little to do with why I was having pain with running. With a different neutral running shoe and increased functional strength of my hip I was able to return to pain-free running.

Our previous post on the step down, is an example of one of the higher level exercises. We will post some more video of others. Check out this related post. Got strength?
I hope this helped to explain this common hip issue.
Be hip!

Learn how to read!

This week's topic in the Runner's lounge: "Take It and Run Thurday" is Building the miles and going long!

My input this week involves learning how to read your body. As the weather finally warms up and the spring races draw nearer, most of us are adding to our training. We are either adding some miles and or introducing some quality (speed). During any change in our training which requires an increase in effort it is important to determine how our bodies are responding to this change in stress levels. We must learn to read our bodies / to be able to determine what we can ignore versus what is trouble brewing.

Here is a common scenario:

Fred ran 4-8 X's 400 in the first week and that this is the first time he has done any up tempo workouts this season. He wore the same shoes that he has been wearing all winter (250 miles) and they are showing some wear. On this workout, he felt really good and went quicker than scheduled. The next day was an easy run and he felt just a little tight. The next time he ran, his legs felt great so he pushed a little, but toward the end of the run he noticed a slight tightness or pinch in his distal Achilles. After the run, he gave it a good stretch. The next day he felt slight soreness during the day but a mile into his scheduled 10 miler it went away. At 3 miles it comes back and by the end of the run it is more of an aching pain. After he stopped, it goes away so he stretches it out some more. The next AM, Fred can barely walk as his Achilles is very sore and tight.

Where did Fred go wrong in this scenario? How could he have avoided this injury?

The biggest issue here, was his inability too read and listen to his symptoms. When he felt the tightness the first time, he should have used ice on his Achilles and avoided the aggressive stretching. But the biggest mistake was continuing to run during the long run when his symptoms got worse. I advise that when symptoms are felt during a run and they don't go away or they worsen, stop. At least slow down and shorten the work out. ICE and avoid aggressive stretching. If the symptoms had gone away and not returned, he could have finished the work out. It still would have been prudent to shorten the run and ice. If symptoms are felt during the day just walking around, it is better to not run. REST and ICE! No running until pain-free during everyday activities. Then the return to running needs to be a short and easy, followed by a rest day. This will allow Fred to evaluate how the Achilles is handling the return to running with less of a chance for re-injury.
Learn to read your body!

Other contributing factors:
Stick to the scheduled pace especially on the first quality run of the season.
Never a bad idea to break out a newer pair of shoes when doing quality runs or long runs.

I hope this is helpful!

The Mini

It's that time of year again. Here in the great state of Indiana, i think people are surprised to hear that there are other half marathons on this earth besides the famous "Indy One America Mini Marathon". You'll see what i'm talking about while you're waiting the 20 minutes to actually cross the start-finish line after the gun goes off. Personally, the indy mini is the only half-marathon i've ever done. I need to get out more i guess. John has completed many, many more and i'll let him give his own colorful commentary on those (wink, wink...he's been around a little longer than i have). The first time i ran a half marathon, i did it as a challenge to myself. Now that i've finally decided to up the ante and train for a full marathon, i'm beginning to think the half-marathon is the perfect distance for a race. It's not too long and it's not too short. It doesn't require a PDA to schedule 20 mile training runs. I don't need a GPS to actually figure out where i'm going to run 20 straight miles! I don't have to EAT while i run. More on this topic later as i continue with quest for 26.2.

Now for the good stuff:

There are several things to watch out for when training for the half-marathon. Like others have stated, just because it's a "half", doesn't mean it's going to somehow be easier to train for or that it can't cause injury if one doesn't train properly. We see many, many runners this time of year and it always seems to be the result of the same issues. In no particular order:

TOO MUCH TOO FAST
IMPROPER SHOE CHOICE
NOT LISTENING TO YOUR BODY (just because you can, doesn't mean you should)
NOT ESTABLISHING A GOOD BASE (cardiovascular base and strength/core base)

As a fellow runner, i have been guilty of all of these things at one point or another. I really have problems with number 3 eventhough i see the results of it on a daily basis (For a good real-life example see the excellent post by Frayed Laces). Hopefully, in the weeks to come, we'll be able to post some more examples, ideas, questions, and opinions on those issues and more. In the meantime, we encourage your comments and questions whether you agree or disagree. We love reading, learning, and discussing new ideas! Now Hit the Road!

You Don't Have Squat?

Photo Credit: Dan in conjuction with Horizon International Inc.

The big question is: Should I squat? Squatting, in my opinion, is one the fundamental movements that the human body can and should be able to do if all parts are functioning normally. Certainly, there are exceptions to being able to squat fully. Knee, hip, back, ankle, or foot injuries may limit your ability to perform a full squat. However, from the time a baby begins the developmental sequence, a squat is a way to get up and down from the floor, keep a good center of gravity, and keep stability when losing balance. Over time, adults tend to lose this ability because we don't squat. The result is muscle imbalance. These muscle imbalances can be seen from the shoulders all the way down to the ankles. The muscle imbalances translate over to all athletic movements, including running. Performing a correct squat requires a good mix of core strength, hip mobility and stability (like John mentioned in his previous post: Got Strength), knee stability, and ankle mobility/stability. Many times when performing a squat in a mirror, a person can see, or even, feel the muscle imbalances.