How many things are out there that you tell yourself, "If only I knew then what I know now..."?
There are too many to count for me but at least I'm still learning. I had this revelation recently on how too much shoe for me is a bad thing. I bought my last pair of trainers (Gel Nimbus) last October and also got a pair that is a step above a racing flat (Kinvara's) at the same time. As I rotated between shoes, I noticed a big difference in how I run. With the Kinvara's, I'm much more in tune with my footstrike and tend to land the "proper" way. I think I tend to be more lazy in trainers as the feeling is hidden due to the cushioning.
What highlighted the above is what I've been working on with my footstrike. My biggest crutch over the years have been achilles issues. Overstriding and heel striking have been the culprit. I read ChiRunning last year and have worked on a few things with that. My posture/form has always been OK, so I focused on stride length, cadence and footstrike. With all of the work, I am so much further along than I ever have been in nearly 12 years of consistent, injury free running.
With all of the work, I am so much further along than I ever have been in nearly 12 years of consistent, injury free running.
Excellent! Glad to hear the issues are getting smaller in the rearview mirror.
I've been doing something similar, although not as formalized. It's tough to say whether it's helped greatly. I think my legs are less injury-prone, especially my formerly "weakest-link" lower legs. I do still accumulate workload stress in the calves and Achilles, but not as much as before. And I'm certainly running more miles and more days/week than before, too.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Somewhat on subject.
But let me begin with...My running has effin sucked since the beginning of January!
Runners Knee...I don't know but what started out as a little discomfort has now become every run starting off with a gimp. It last for about 15 mins then will gradually subside...the pain never fully going away but allows me to run without looking like an 80 year old man.
I've cut my mileage back substantially...There has been zero improvement.
Back on track...I've experimented during a couple of runs where I would run without my heel striking the ground at all. Completely fore foot. I would transition this to more of a midfoot strike. This seems to significantly reduce the pain. I wouldn't call myself a heal striker. In the few times I experimented with barefoot running I couldn't tell if I was running differently or not.
I'm wondering if I shouldn't throw on my flats and go for a run. Ya got me thinking Mark.
BTW...this knee pain started at the very tail end of the stoopid 300 mile month challenge...C-R
Feeling the growl again
Glad to hear people are finding ways through things....we were a broken group last year. It is nice that my pelvis is not trying to break in half on the mileage I've been running.
Biomechanics are a fickle beast. Interesting discussion.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Ummm damn That stinks Slo Ive been where mbehr is Too much shoe and get hurt but now if I go with flats all the time get extra sore after five days So now I switched evry third day and that seems to do the trick
It is good to experiment and, stunts aside, I learn new tricks in here quite often Spaniels breathing advice to my son was great never thouight of it but it works with some practice and concentration
So Slo I owe you a beer or two for the stunt havent had any ideasately heh
"He conquers who endures" - Persius "Every workout should have a purpose. Every purpose should link back to achieving a training objective." - Spaniel
http://ncstake.blogspot.com/
I've cut my mileage back substantially...There has been zero improvement. Back on track...I've experimented during a couple of runs where I would run without my heel striking the ground at all. Completely fore foot. I would transition this to more of a midfoot strike. This seems to significantly reduce the pain. I wouldn't call myself a heal striker. In the few times I experimented with barefoot running I couldn't tell if I was running differently or not. I'm wondering if I shouldn't throw on my flats and go for a run. Ya got me thinking Mark.
I recently had my own case of runners knee, and have been running in flats almost exclusively since. It changes your footstrike a bit but also puts you lower to the ground so you are more stable.
If the issue is your knee collapsing in while running I would suggest some single-leg squats. I believe that exercise alone fixed my issue. Since i've committed to do doing 3 sets of 10 every other day I have had zero knee issues.
Prince of Fatness
Interesting. I have been laid up off and on for going on three years now. If I knew back then that it would drag on like this I would have likely up and quit altogether. As much as this has sucked in this case I am glad that I did not know, as I am still plugging away trying to figure this all out.
Not at it at all.
For a moment wasn't I the king But if I'd only known how the king would fall Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all And now I'm glad I didn't know The way it all would end the way it all would go Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain But I'd of had to miss the dance Yes my life is better left to chance I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance