The Pacekeeper

Between the fact that running is a relatively cheap sport, and people, crunched for cash, are more eager than ever to run-off the stress of financial woes, it’s no surprise that running is shaping up to be somewhat recession-proof.

A Denver Post blogger cites a report that found running specialty stores have experienced a 5 percent jump in sales over the past 12 months–a trend that has made headlines everywhere from Crain’s New York to USA Triathlon News.

Sure, running is a cost-effective way to stay in-shape–the price to sign up for a 5K and buy a pair of shoes is a fraction of what a gym membership might cost you– but don’t let the easy-on-the-wallet perks of the sport seduce you into doing too much too fast. This, experts say, is maybe the most common–and potentially dangerous–rookie mistake.

Again, let’s go to Ben Reuter, strength and conditioning specialist.

One of the things to think about is, if you look at the generally recommended training programs, it’s to never increase your training more than 10 percent per week.

Fortunately or unfortunately, and this isn’t to downplay the value of these various charity running organizations, but they take somebody who maybe doesn’t have any running experience and, in three or four months, they go from doing nothing to running a marathon. So you can do the 10 percent starting at zero and work it out to a marathon. But, with the 10 percent rule is not in three or four months, it’s much much longer than that.

Cardiovascularly, you can probably train somebody so their heart and lungs can handle longer distance events in maybe six to eight weeks, maybe 12 weeks, but musculoskeletally, getting used to the pounding, it can take a lot longer.

I wish I’d known this before cramming my marathon training into 10 weeks instead of 16. Before I fork out $50 for my next big race, I’ll be sure to make sure that I have plenty time to prepare for it.

Photo by: Pineapplebun/Creative Commons

If you’ve read or heard anything about running, chances are at some point you’ve been told to “listen to your body.”

I don’t know about you, but my body constantly babbles all sorts of things at me (usually it’s “feed me!!”), making it difficult to discern what’s really important. While I had strength and conditioning specialist Ben Reuter on the phone, I picked his brain about this topic.

So here’s a little more from my interview with Reuter–think of this like the “deleted scenes” feature on your favorite DVD, only less wacky. Or, if you’re already sick of my voice, you can read it below.

What I hear across the board is “listen to your body,” but what exactly should we be listening for?

That’s a really good question. One of the things especially for somebody who hasn’t been physically active in sports is learning to differentiate between discomfort and pain. Or sometimes what we call good pain and bad pain.

What you’re looking at for something that could potentially be a concern is lots of pain whenever you’re running—so it doesn’t matter what you do, it always hurts—pain after you’re running—so, to give you an example, say you go out and run three miles as fast as you can, your legs are going to burn, but when you slow down it goes away, and maybe you’re a little sore the next day, but gradually gets better.

If something is really uncomfortable, and really painful or it’s a pinpoint spot that’s probably a sign that something serious is going on.

Stay posted for the third installation of my interview with Reuter, where we discuss the dangers of doing too much too fast.

Photo by Dirac3000/Creative Commons

I really drag my feet when it comes to going to the gym–the pace of lifting weights seems dull compared to running, and I can only take the scent of sweat and machismo for so long. However, after this chat with Ben Reuter, strength and conditioning specialist and associate professor at California University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Health Science and Sport Studies, I’m making a conscious effort to incorporate resistance training into my running routine. You can listen to the highlights of our conversation here.

Or, here’s the gist of our talk:

Q. How can distance runners benefit from strength training in general?

A. Every time that you run or every time that you walk, it takes a certain amount of muscle force. So if you have a certain level of muscles strength, the stronger you are and the less the percentage each muscle contraction or each foot fall takes. So, this isn’t a perfect science, but consider for example somebody who just runs. And the only overload placed or stress placed on their muscles is the running activity, so they’re limited in how much force the muscles ever have to produce.

On the other hand, you take that same person and in addition to running you add some resistance training where they’re stressing they’re muscles at a much higher level. So two things can potentially happen: the muscles can get stronger, in other words they can produce more force – well actually three things can happen.

Potentially the muscles can get larger (but that’s probably not going to happen because of all of the aerobic training. And with the muscles stronger and they design the program right they can have more muscular endurance. So in other words, the muscles can exercise longer before there’s fatigue. If the muscles have more endurance and the muscles have more strength that means potentially when they’re running longer distances there’s less stress placed on the bones and the joints.

So people who complain about having foot pain or ankle pain or knee pain when they’re running longer distances, in many cases, that’s because the muscles are fatigued or the muscles aren’t able to absorb the forces and are either changing the way you run or they might even be possibly be stressing the bones.

Q. When you talk about strength training for running, I instantly think of doing work on my legs, but are there also benefits to strengthening the arms and core as well?

A. I think strength training the core for anybody is important because potentially strengthening the core can reduce the risk of low back injuries and anybody who has had a low back injury would do anything they could to prevent it because everything you do hurts.

Strengthening the upper body can be important if you talk to a lot of marathoners, especially new marathoners or people who are age group marathoners—people who aren’t running those fast paces, a lot of their arms get tired. If you’ve got somebody who’s running a course where there’s hills, upper-body strength can really help also because the pumping of the arms actually helps facilitate and helps give you more power to get up those hills.

Q. When you say resistance training, what exercises or what all does that entail?

A. The two extremes would be various types of body-weight exercises – push-ups, pull-ups, various types of squats and lunges – all the way up to somebody doing Olympic lifting. There are a variety of ways to strengthen the muscles. You could even say if you’re used to running on a flat terrain, and once a week you’re running hills, that’s actually a form of resistance training.

Q. Is there any kind of rule-of-thumb for how much resistance training a runner should be doing a week?

A. Semi-sarcastically, more than they’re doing. I’d love to see a runner do some sort of resistance training three times a week, but realistically two times a week is probably more reasonable. The way I’d sell it to them is, yes, there is the health aspect, but the way I’ve had success at selling various things to athletes is the fact that, you like to run and this is something that you do so you’re able to continue running.

Q. If you had just one piece of advice for distance runners or endurance athletes, what would it be?

A. Decrease your aerobic training by 10 to 15 percent and exchange it for strength training.

photo by: jerryonlife/Creative Commons

Turns out running may not completely destroy your body. Take a peek at this short article from Women’s Health.

Dedicated road ­runners, listen up: You’ve probably had to defend your sport a thousand times against this persistent myth, so take note: Running will not wreck your hips and blow out your knees.

According to a research ­review in the Journal of Anatomy, running does not increase your risk of osteoarthritis, the ­decay of cartilage that causes joint pain and inflammation.

In fact, many researchers even propose that the strong muscles you develop putting in all those miles could actually help guard against osteoarthritis.

Exercise will definitely help you avoid one ­important risk factor for the disease in women: obesity.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy collapsed Sunday during a jog (the result of a condition where exhaustion and dehydration can lead to a loss of consciousness) prompting questions about the risks associated with running. Here’s what a BBC article had to say about the hazards of jogging:

The benefits far outweigh the risks, says Andy Dixon, editor of Runner’s World magazine, and it’s very rare to hear about the kind of vasovagal episode experienced by Mr Sarkozy.

“It seems to have been triggered by a combination of the exertion of running, the strict diet he was on and dehydration from the heat,” he says.

Two ways to prevent this would be to hydrate your body while running – but not too much – and warm down properly afterwards so that the heart rate, blood supply and the muscles can return to normal.

“The current advice is to drink only when you feel thirsty, because the body acts like a sophisticated sensory device and you’ll get a dry mouth and feel dehydrated when you need to drink.

“And at the end of a run, rather than just stopping dead, it’s better to run a bit more slowly and slow down until walking fast, allowing the body to adjust gradually back to rest.”

About a week ago I asked readers where running is hurting you the most. Here’s what you had to say:

Looks like your IT bands, hips and “other” are causing you the most pain. While I’ll cover common injuries in later posts, here are a couple of videos about stretching your IT bands and hips from Runner’s World to tide you over. Runner’s World has a nice feature on its website that helps you identify what part of your body exactly is injured and offers tools for prevention and treatment. You can see it here.

A stretch for your IT band

A stretch for your hip

Oh holy hangover.

You know exactly what I’m talking about.

Maybe last night started with one drink but somehow it became two, and then three. All of a sudden it’s the next morning and you’re cursing that third PBR as a woman old enough to be your grandmother sails past you at a  geriatric pace and your stomach threatens to do something humiliating.

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that you should refrain from nursing your next hangover with a jog. If you manage quell your hangover headache long enough to consider running, read what Joe English, had to say on his blog before groggily lacing up your shoes.

I have often spoken of my “Four Hs of Hurt,” which are Heat, Humidity, Hills and Head-winds. There is actually a fifth member of this terrible group: Hangovers. The problem with drinking alcohol, is that your body has to get rid of it. In the process of metabolizing the alcohol, you lose a whole lot of fluid. When you’re hung-over, you are in essence, quite dehydrated. That’s why you’re peeing all night long when drinking beer. And that’s why you feel so bad when you wake up in the morning.

So if you’ve got a hang-over, you’re going to start your run dehydrated. And as I said in my column “10 things you need to know about hydration”, if you start out dehydrated, it just gets worse from there.

And for a little more science behind the toll drinking can take on your performance, take a look at what the National Strength and Conditioning Association said in an issue of their Performance Training Journal had to say about the detriments of dehydration.

If an athlete is thirsty, they may have already lost 1- 2% of body weight through dehydration (4). Performance can be decreased up to 10-20% at this level. Alcohol can cause the body to  lose 3% more body fluid in a 4-hour  period, leading to dehydration even  quicker (5).

Happy hydrating, folks!

So maybe my last post on blister prevention was too little too late? An article in the July/August 2009 issue of Fitness magazine (though it doesn’t appear to be available online) had the following advice (warning: not for the faint of heart, or fearful of needles!):

When you do get a blister, pop it to stop it from growing. “Heat a needle with a match, puncture the blister, and drain it. Then apply an antibiotic ointment and a bandage,” Dr. [Robert] Brodell instructs. “Next time you run, wear a bandage so you don’t get a blister on top of the blister.”

But before you get needle happy (why is the prospect of popping a blister so tempting?), take a look at what the folks at Podiatry Today say about dealing with blisters once they happen.

Since it’s not always possible to prevent blisters, it is important to relieve pain, prevent enlargement or infection, and promote a speedy recovery when they do occur. Small, intact blisters that don’t cause discomfort usually don’t need treatment. The best protection against infection is a blister’s own skin or roof. To protect the roof, you can cover this type of blister with a small adhesive bandage or blister guard.
However, you should drain larger or painful blisters that are intact without removing the roof. Proceed to apply an antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage. Remind runners to change their dressings daily.
If you’re dealing with blisters that have large tears, you should “unroof” them and cleanse the base thoroughly with soap and water or an antibacterial cleanser. Then cover it with an antibiotic ointment and bandage.

Hope no one read that before eating!

I may have running to thank for keeping me relatively in-shape, but I have no gratitude for the sport when it comes to the absolute havoc it’s wreaked on my feet. The scores of blister scars are by far the most unflattering evidence of my running career (and, okay, maybe a bit of an indication of my penchant for impractical shoes).

So, here are some tips from an article published in Podiatry Today for preventing blisters.

• If the shoe fits (then blisters won’t form)
  

…shoes should fit comfortably, with about a thumb’s width (3/8-inch to 1/2-inch) between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. Narrow shoes can cause blisters on the hallux and fifth toe. A shallow toe box can lead to blisters on the tops of the toes, while loose shoes often create blisters on the tips of the toes.

• Put a sock on it (but make sure they don’t rub you the wrong way)

Socks made from synthetic blends are best. Socks made from polypropylene or other new synthetic materials can wick moisture away from the skin more effectively than wool or cotton, further decreasing the likelihood of blisters. … It is also a good idea for athletes to carry an extra pair of socks to change into if their socks become too damp.

• Lubricants (for your feet–get your mind out of the gutter)

When athletes have areas of the feet that are prone to blistering, applying lubricants (like petroleum jelly, bag balm or even dry soap flakes) before they put on socks helps reduce friction. Athletes should reapply large amounts of petroleum jelly every 10 miles during long walks or running events.

• Additional Protection (also for your feet)

Protecting or “shielding” areas of the foot with a high potential for blister formation is an excellent preventive approach. Some of these susceptible areas include bony prominences such as: The dorsum of hammertoes; medial prominence areas of bunions and tailor’s bunions; the posterior heel; and the middle of the arch, especially when the athlete is using orthoses. Products such as Band-Aid Blister Block (Johnson & Johnson, Skillman, N.J.) and Dr. Scholl’s Cushion Blister Treatment (Schering-Plough Healthcare Products) are self-adhesive, silicone-like pads that act as an extra layer of skin to absorb friction. They are available in various sizes. If athletes apply them properly, these pads can stay on the skin for several days, even through showers.

• Toughen Up (your feet by conditioning your skin)

Toughening the skin is another method of avoiding blister formation. Conditioning the skin by gradually increasing activity tends to lead to the formation of protective calluses rather than blisters. Applying multiple coats of tincture of benzoin to sensitive areas or soaking feet in strongly brewed tea (tannic acid) are commonly used skin toughening procedures.

Well, it’s happened. Grad school has taken over my life (hence the infrequent blog posting of late), allowing for little time to workout.

Thankfully, it’s summer. The days are long, and I can typically carve-out thirty minutes from my hectic day before dark. The challenge becomes making those scarce minutes count. So, I searched the internet for workouts 30 minutes and under, and found two articles with exceptionally good ideas for quick, feasible and worthwhile runs.

The first trio of recommendation comes from the January 2009 issue of Runner’s World, and you can read the rest of the article here.

Tempo Run
WORKOUT: 20 minutes of running at a comfortably hard pace, about a half-marathon pace or slightly faster
VARIATIONS: Every 4 to 6 weeks, pick up the pace by 4 to 6 seconds per mile.
BENEFITS: Trains the body to process lactic acid more efficiently, and prepares you mentally to sustain a hard race pace

Hill Repeats
WORKOUT: Run for 1 minute uphill, rest for 30 seconds at the top, run down the hill, and rest for 2 minutes at the bottom. Repeat 4 times.
VARIATIONS: Try to go farther in 1 minute, or try to get up the hill faster. In inclement weather, run up stairwells.
BENEFITS: Increased speed, strength, and running economy

Speedwork
WORKOUT: Run for 30 seconds at mile race pace, then recover with 30 seconds of jogging. Build up to 20 minutes.
VARIATIONS: Build to 2 minutes of race-pace running, and reach a total of 20 minutes of fast running.
BENEFITS: Gets fast-twitch muscle fibers firing and teaches the muscles how to hold a faster pace

Enrico, a personal trainer out of Italy, offers suggestions for quick workouts on beginnertriathlete.com. Of his tips, I selected some of my favorite, ruling out ones that had more to do with biking or swimming or required going to the gym (when I’m in a hurry, I can’t usually spare the time it takes getting to and from the gym). Check them out below.

Long Run: If you need to put in a long run, but can’t come up with a full hour all together, you can still try the following: 20 minutes before work, 20 minutes at lunch time, 20 minutes in the evening. The effect on your body will be similar to a full consecutive hour.

(This one’s good in theory, because those long runs can be really tough to squeeze in on busy days, but might not save much time if you factor in the time it takes to shower after each short run.)

Fartlek workout: after 10 minutes warm-up, alternate 3 minutes fast pace and 3 minutes slower pace for the remaining of the 30 minutes. How fast is fast? It depends on your level, but probably a 10KM or 5Km pace could be a good start. How much slower for the recovery time. This should be faster than the recovery jog pace you use during your repeat workouts, but still be slow enough to allow your heart to recover.

(I like this one because you can still get a quality speed work-out in and adjust the distance based on how much time you have.)

Out and Back: Twenty minutes medium pace: run out 11 minutes at a medium pace, then turn around and try to get back to your starting point in the remaining 9 minutes. If you pace yourself well, don’t start too slow or too fast, this is a great workout because you will be running back 20% faster than your way out.

(This is my personal favorite. Sometimes a limited amount of workout time tempts me to slack, but this one turns the time-crunch into a challenge.)

And here are the rest of the sub-30 minute workouts from beginnertriathlete.com