Marathon Trainers

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Question for Bugs (Read 82 times)

Kimmie


    Yes, I could have made this a PM, but then I thought maybe others would poke their head in here and chime in.


    Bugs- you said that you fixed your calf issue by changing your foot strike, is that right?  My right ankle/calf is acting up on me a little again, so just wondering about possible ways to fix it.

      zensah calf sleeves? Just a thought

      Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson


      Bugs

        Kim,

        Sorry I did not see this sooner.

        You've had a massage this then, which is good. That is what I would have done..well I would have went to graston doc, but you know that.

         

        Well here is the whole story..

         

        I ran on the TM for many months this winter and then when I went outside I did not transition slowly. I kept getting terrible knots just on the inside of my calves. I actually wasn't in pain when I ran, running pretty good but knew this was a bigger injury in the works. I went to my cousin who is certified in graston treatment but not the chiropractor that I have had huge luck with, well he worked them out, but the knots kept coming back. The knots seem to spread up the leg to right below the knee.

         

        I started ready Chi Running (for fun) and it mentioned not to push the ground when your foot toe's off and simply to pick your foot up instead. Nobby talked about how you can run fast if your legs are strong, and I think he is right. I remember me telling him that in a 5K I will run the entire time pushing the ground as hard as I can, but he said in a marathon you would never do that, it should be natural.

         

        However I tend to be a forefoot runner so if I push-off when toes off my calves never rest. By chance I run on the TM, boy my legs felt good, much better than after running outside. Ah, I can't push the TM. The more I read about good form the more my problems made sense to me. I kept thinking, the big muscles are the hamstring and quads and they are never even tired. what am I doing that is overworking this one muscle, that is smaller than them.)  Chi Running said is to land with a bent knee. That is in Born to Run also.  I did not know that your knee should be bent, I was just running.

         

        The second change I made was stop pushing the ground on toe off. So when my foot is behind me and I need to bring it forward I just pick it up. Your legs work harder, and your calves less. My calves relaxed and have been able to run more miles again. I think even if you are not consciously pushing the ground your calves are still working... there is probably some push-off even if it is not a forced effort. (Mine were worked when I ran my 18 miles on Sunday)

        I think that fast running (even if you land mid-foot) has to work your calves too, which is fine, as long as they are not overworked. . But that is why you have to be careful with fast running. However as we get in shape (aerobically) a form that overworks a week link is going to bust your butt. (For me that is my calves.)

         

        I really disagreed with some of the thread in the General Running thread that say "Just Run More".  Dude, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. There are so many running injuries, has to be a result of form.

        Bugs