Runners: let's talk

[zygoat]

Who here runs? Like, a lot?

I'm 26 and I'm starting to get injuries, mainly shin splints and lower back tweaks. And I know exactly what it is, I strike my heels pretty hard and have a monster stride going on. But I never really thought about that until recently, since I was always fairly happy with my run times (5K is usually 19-20 minutes).

At my work we have organized physical training and someone recently told me I have terrible running form, he's talking about the heel strike. He showed me this thing he learned called the Pose method which is basically landing on the balls of your feet. It looks pretty smooth and seems to make sense, but I've been trying to do it for the past week and it feels so wrong to me.

If you have been in a similar situation, were you able to change things for the better and have it become natural, a second nature thing? It's really annoying not being able to run like I used to due to these recent pains.

[Tonemeister69]

I run, not 5K's a day though. Once I start feeling pain I will either modify my stride or switch to swimming or something....

[mbargav]

Hey,
I'm 27, ran competitively in college, and still run as much as I can. I started Pose in high school & think it's the absolute best way to run, but there are some big caveats to be aware of if you attempt to make changes in running technique:

1) If you switch to Pose, you'll have to switch to running with much lighter shoes (look up Asics Pirhana). This will bring muscles in your lower leg that might have been severely underused with different running technique. If you push yourself to do your best 5K pace before all these smaller muscles catch up, you are in for a world of pain and possible injury.
2) Pose requires much more ankle flexibility. If you decide to do it, also start on a good stretching routine for your ankles. (some of the yoga poses like the lotus position are great for this).
3) One of the best ways to learn Pose is to learn how to sprint properly. If you know how to get your knees up, pump at a regular cadence, and drive with your arms, running 5k with Pose technique is MUCH easier.

My suggestion: take it easy for a bit and run long sprints with proper form (200-800m). If you do this, you'll see why your body moves much quicker with a shorter stride and higher knee action, and you'll get used to rhythm of keeping semi-sprint form for 5K. Starting with Pose on longer runs will feel a bit awkward. But ultimately, use your judgement. Pose isn't the only/best way to run, and it's definitely biased towards a certain body type. I have a light distance runner's frame, and Pose works really well for me. If you find it doesn't work for you, don't force it. 19 mins for a 5K is a very respectable time, but if Pose works for you, it's very likely you'll be able to crack sub 18. The jump in times is HUGE.

Hope this helps. PM if you need anything else.

Mike

[PinoyBoy]

Originally Posted by zygoat

He showed me this thing he learned called the Pose method which is basically landing on the balls of your feet. It looks pretty smooth and seems to make sense, but I've been trying to do it for the past week and it feels so wrong to me.

I started to run again after several years of not doing so. When I was in 5th-7th grade, I helped my dad run a running clinic sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. We did it for a couple of years. I handled the beginners batch. I don't recall a "pose" method. But what I recall was that most people land on the backmost part of their heel and then "roll" off on their toes. What we were taught was that you have to land on your heel but not too far back... somewhere close to the middle of the foot. That will make the "roll" more natural.

But that was like 30 years ago. I'm sure better techniques have been developed since then.

And, wow... 'love your 5K time. Last Saturday I clocked in at 29 something. Would like to at least get to 25s.

[karmadave]

You are a bit younger than I am, but I still run around 20+ miles a week. Never 2 days in a row. Maybe your body just needs more time to rest and recover. Also, replacing your running shoes at least every 6 months is a good idea. The cushion will start to compress depending on your shoes and running style and it could be that your body is simply taking too much punishment. I am not too big on form, because what works for one person may not work for another. That's about all the advice I can offer. Good luck and keep running...

-KD

[timmers]

Hey man -

My wife, 34, is a fanatical runner & a triathlete. Your story reminds me a lot of hers: self-described bad running form (she freely admits that she has "f*cking terrible" form), good race times, loves to get out there, injuries/pain setting in in her mid to late 20's. From age 15 to 27 or so, she ran anywhere from 3-20 miles a day, every single day. Eventually all the miles started to catch up to her, & she developed some pretty painful knee problems right around 28.

The short version of what ended up really helping her is that she cut way back on her running mileage, and started to cross train like a mofo. Swimming, biking, light weights w/high reps. Not a gym rat by any means, but for the past 5 or 6 years she probably only runs 15 miles a week, but now augments her road work with a mile in the pool 3 times a week, a decent bike ride on the weekend (25-30 miles or so), & just some general sporty fun (I play baseball and ultimate frisbee), & she's out there with me throwing the disc around and running the bases & whatnot.

The switch to this "cross training" approach REALLY helped her knees out, & she says now she can run at the same pace she used to keep for the same distances, but is pretty much totally pain free.

Not sure if you have access (or the time!) to a pool, bike, & whatnot, but she swears by the cross-training thing.

Getting a good, custom-made pair of orthotics for your running shoes is also pretty crucial if you have less than picture-perfect form.

Anyway, rant over. Good luck, man! You'll find the answer!

[mbargav]

Also: +1 on cross training. In college I ran 5-6 times a week, and now I run 3 times and do other workouts 2 times, and it works very well for me.
Mike

[zygoat]

Lots of awesome stuff here, thanks guys. I did increase the mileage a bit more than I should have right before the shin splints, so that's an obvious reason right there. I'm going to take it very easy for the next few weeks and then fine-tune my stride to where my feet are landing closer to my center of mass. My feet have always hit way out in front and it worked fine at the time but it's catching up with me now.

[Tuberoast]

Shoe weight should be on light side (this is my preference).
I run either a 3.5 mile, 5 mile, or a 7mi every other day for training, but I prefer the longer 8-15mi races.
I workout on the off days.
+1 on the cross training

[Mike Fleming]

Most trainers will tell you what you've been hearing, which is to get your feet under you when you land. this goes hand in hand with the shorter strides/quicker cadence, and it will also have you landing less on your heels and instead using your whole foot to land. The foot is like a cantilever spring, absorbing the energy of a landing by plantarflexion, whereas the heel on its own can't absorb any energy, and simply transfers the energy into your leg and your back.

You also might want to take a look at your flexibility and core. Many of us spend our whole days in chairs, and as years go by we end up with shortened/weakened quads, hip flexors, hamstrings, iliopsoas, etc, often resulting in what physical therapists call anterior pelvic tilt, which affects the alignment of your back and legs.

[The_Whale]

Originally Posted by karmadave

Also, replacing your running shoes at least every 6 months is a good idea. The cushion will start to compress depending on your shoes and running style and it could be that your body is simply taking too much punishment.

Another good tip is to have several pairs of shoes and wear a different pair every run.

[sfletch]

You didn't mention your overall size/weight. I'm an avid runner (50+ miles/week for the last 10 years) and have been through most common running ailments. I'm a really small guy, though. 5'4" (generously) and 120-125 lbs. depending on how much fun I'm having, so I'm pretty easy on shoes. A lot of bigger dudes need motion-control shoes or additional cushioning. It also just takes a lot of TIME on your legs to build up to big mileage. The rule of thumb is to not increase mileage by more than 10% per week, ever.

Rest is also crucial, I've always taken one day off per week. I turned 40 this year, though, and am finding that I often feel the need for an extra day of rest here and there, especially the day after a late gig with a long drive home/late load out, etc. Listen to your body. If you feel too beat, let it go. You'll run stronger with a little rest. You can also split up longer days into 2 runs. Sometimes I'll run some "junk miles" in the morning and see how I feel in the afternoon. If I'm feeling good, I'll throw in another run in the afternoon/evening.

It's (generally) a marathon, not a sprint. Don't push yourself if you're hurting. Also look at your pace, sometimes shin splints are a sign you're just running a little too fast. Think about the run/walk method advocated by Jeff Galloway and others. The general formula is: walk 1 minute for each mile. It allows your muscles to recover as you do a long run...running and walking use different muscle groups. I've used the run/walk method on several marathons - and recovered almost immediately. It's not worth it to trash yourself on any given long run if you want to run consistently high mileage. I ran 25-26.2 long runs almost every Saturday this summer by using the run/walk method. I don't think I could have maintained that kind of consistency without the walk breaks. Galloway has some good ideas, and some bad (he eschews stretching).

On long runs, some people say that "elite" runners (like the Kenyans) alternate between 4 different strides. Read Galloway's book for details, but there are some interesting ideas there.

Overall, just keep at it - but give yourself a break when you're in PAIN ("annoyance" and pain are different).

Also, do some work in the gym. Stability work on your legs/calves/ankles helps a lot.

Good luck and keep at it! It really helps with singing/performing. I ALWAYS run on the mornings when I have a gig, I need the extra energy.

[zygoat]

I'm 5'9" and 150 lbs.

[Jazzydave]

There is some good advice going on here! I'm quite surprised actually bc I hear so many crazy theories all the time when talking to people about running.

I'm 28 and was all state as a freshman in high school - have always ran. My 5k time used to avg around 17-18 mins (low 15s in high school). Then, almost two years ago I twisted my ankle at the beginning of a 12 hr run for the Relay for Life. I didn't think much of it until the swelling didn't go down and was half way up my leg on my inner calf. Come to find out, I had torn my tibial tendon and also had to have a fascia repair this last Feb - NO FUN!

I've always focused on good form but now that I've gained some weight due to being inactive for most of this year, I'm starting to feel more and more pain. It shouldn't be too much longer before I can be out there getting my stride back.

Once you get yourself as effecient as possible, be that through the pose technique or some other, keep in mind that you need to do what's best for YOU. There are certain aspects of running that apply across the board but we're all built differently. Many Kenyans train barefooted and don't stretch in the traditional sense. I used to do barefooted runs on the football field a few times a week and always minimized my shoe weight down to using super light strings and even no socks! People thought I was crazy but when it came to race time, it worked!

After my surgery, they decided I had flat feet (yes, I already knew that!) and gave me inserts, had me change my shoes due to overpronating, etc, etc. I've been running all my life and never had any issues with it before. I KNOW that the extra weight is playing a huge part in the pain I'm having. Yes, I'm getting older but not THAT old!

And...I strongly agree with taking it easy for awhile when feeling pain. I find that taking a long hot bath with epsom salt followed by a cool shower helps as well.

Happy trails! I can't wait to get back out there...

[Polynitro]

Originally Posted by Jazzydave

My 5k time used to avg around 17-18 mins (low 15s in high school).

Crikey thats pretty quick! My best time was 19:12 for 5K.

The OP sounds like a friend of mine who's form is like a Neanderthal. You can hear him running from a mile away he lands so hard. He has shin splints as well. This is something from how I understand it will never go away completely, he saw a PT for it and they gave him some stretches and told him to work on his form. One thing we do which is kind of weird, we run the first 1/4 mile or so backwards to warm up his shins.

I never had a problem with knees or shins or anything but Im pretty small, I feel bad for those big guys that almost always have problems. Just get good shoes, stay light on your feet, and don't run everyday. I run 3-4 days a week every other day sometimes 2 days in a row once, or I'll skip 2 days once.