It happens to all of us at one point or another. It doesn't matter if you have the muscles and strength of LeBron James from the Miami Heat or the speed and soccer skills of Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. Sometimes there is just no avoiding it: we all suffer from a sport's injury at some point in our lives. Although avoiding injury should never be a constant concern on your runs, there are alternatives to keep you going while your body is healing should you ever end up with a sprained ankle or a stress fracture.
Michael Phelps would certainly agree, swimming is an excellent, low-impact alternative to running. As the water supports your body, your joints do not experience the same degree of stress and impact they do during a run. There's no doubt that swimming is a strenuous sport, allowing you to increase your endurance and reach your cardio fitness level just as easily as running. Besides working out, water is also frequently used for rehabilitation purposes, such as kicking your knees back and forth to build strength and increase range of motion after a knee injury or writing the alphabet with your foot to help the healing process of an ankle sprain. If you are someone who often struggles with shin splints, incorporating a swim into your training regime can help to eliminate this problem. Moreover, swimming is a total and complete body exercise, working everything from your arms and abs, down to your heels and toes.
If you are more of a land mammal than a dolphin, biking can be another substitute for running. A stationary bike is a great start following a knee injury as it enables you to adjust the resistance you're pedaling against to minimize your pain. As you heal, you can increase the resistance and adjust your speed accordingly, or even switch over to a road bike. Similar to swimming, biking reduces the amount of stress on your joints when compared to running, but can still be used to burn calories and boost your endurance.
When swimming and biking can't satisfyingly scratch your itch to run, why not try something completely different? It might not be the first thing you think after an injury, however yoga could be another new and unique alternative to running. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word yoga is probably stretching. Yoga exercises work to stretch and extend every aspect of your body, including your skin, your muscles, your tendons and your ligaments. All the varying yoga postures will improve the flexibility of your body and ultimately help you to avoid future muscle tears and injuries. Yoga can be utilized as a way to build strength as well. Such positions as the upward dog and downward dog require you to support your body weight with your arms. These postures are then out held for a period of time, requiring the use of your muscles to maintain your balance. The benefits of yoga will not only help you avoid injuries in the future, but will help to perfect your overall running form through improved posture.
When you do find yourself suffering from a battle wound, it can be difficult to accept the fact that you can not and should not run. Furthermore, that runner's high, the natural endorphins our bodies create when we run for long distances, can allow us to easily ignore even our most excruciating pains. As addictive as the runner's high is, I urge you to listen to your body! You will know better than any doctor in the world when something is not right. When your body is sending you signals to take it easy, don't ignore them. For example, what started out as three to six weeks off may quickly escalate into a year's worth of recovery time if you push yourself past your limits. What begins as a partial ACL ligament stretch in the knee could develop into a complete tear with accompanying meniscus damage.
No matter what, always stay positive! Don't forget that you will bounce back from an injury, just like you always have in the past. As long as you have the desire and drive to run, an injury will never hold you back for too long.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
How Music Can Help You Through A Tough Run
As the summer concert season kicks off in June, Kenny Chesney’s Goin’ Costal tour will be hitting such cities as Houston and Cleveland, while Lady GaGa’s Born This Way tour will be making stops in Nashville and Orlando. Whatever your preferred taste may be, music can be an easy addition to enhance your current running regime.
Anyone who favors the use of an iPod or MP3 player will tell you that music makes their run easier. There is a great deal of psychological benefits to listening to music while running. When you hear a song you like, it boosts your mood, leading you to become excited and happy. When such a positive mental state is reached, your mind is in a place where it can best reach its optimal level of performance. In the last half-marathon I completed, I was amazed when the song “If You’re Going Through Hell” by Rodney Atkins that came on at mile 11 instantly gave me the inspiration I needed to complete the race and PR. Being in a positive mental state is a major key to success for runners of all skill levels. Let’s be honest, running is not an easy sport and anything that keeps you positive and upbeat, especially when you are just beginning your training, is going to give you the extra dose of motivation you need to continue to push yourself.
In addition to affecting your mood, listening to music gives your mind something to focus on besides how hard you are breathing or how fatigued your muscles are feeling. By immersing yourself into your playlist while you run, you can begin to forget everything else around you and completely attune your body to the rhythm of the music. Mentally engrossing yourself in the songs, you to forget how hard you are really working. Moreover, music cadence can be used as a means to pace your run. Each song has a constant, unchanging rhythm. While running, we unknowingly begin to adjust our own body rhythm and tempo to match it with the beat of the music we’re listening to. If you are looking to improve your time, simply playing songs with a greater cadence can aid you in your pursuit of a faster run. Ultimately, music will allow your entire run to flow better, improving your overall experience by keeping you focused and at pace.
Today, music is something that is extremely accessible and affordable. With the popularity of smart phones and internet radio applications, such as Pandora, you need not even own an iPod. Your playlist can be easily adjusted and edited to help you with your run. It acts as a great way to spice up your monotonous running routine simply by incorporating new, never-before-ran-to music.
Music, of course, may not be for everyone. If you have never used an iPod or MP3 player during a workout but are considering trying one, I encourage you to start by listening to a wide variety music that you find enjoyable and entertaining. As you continue, you can fine tune your music collection and pinpoint specific songs that put that bounce into your step. It can be utilized to boost your mood during your run and set your pace. It can assist you in building your endurance both mentally and physically. Why not try it out and see what happens.
Anyone who favors the use of an iPod or MP3 player will tell you that music makes their run easier. There is a great deal of psychological benefits to listening to music while running. When you hear a song you like, it boosts your mood, leading you to become excited and happy. When such a positive mental state is reached, your mind is in a place where it can best reach its optimal level of performance. In the last half-marathon I completed, I was amazed when the song “If You’re Going Through Hell” by Rodney Atkins that came on at mile 11 instantly gave me the inspiration I needed to complete the race and PR. Being in a positive mental state is a major key to success for runners of all skill levels. Let’s be honest, running is not an easy sport and anything that keeps you positive and upbeat, especially when you are just beginning your training, is going to give you the extra dose of motivation you need to continue to push yourself.
In addition to affecting your mood, listening to music gives your mind something to focus on besides how hard you are breathing or how fatigued your muscles are feeling. By immersing yourself into your playlist while you run, you can begin to forget everything else around you and completely attune your body to the rhythm of the music. Mentally engrossing yourself in the songs, you to forget how hard you are really working. Moreover, music cadence can be used as a means to pace your run. Each song has a constant, unchanging rhythm. While running, we unknowingly begin to adjust our own body rhythm and tempo to match it with the beat of the music we’re listening to. If you are looking to improve your time, simply playing songs with a greater cadence can aid you in your pursuit of a faster run. Ultimately, music will allow your entire run to flow better, improving your overall experience by keeping you focused and at pace.
Today, music is something that is extremely accessible and affordable. With the popularity of smart phones and internet radio applications, such as Pandora, you need not even own an iPod. Your playlist can be easily adjusted and edited to help you with your run. It acts as a great way to spice up your monotonous running routine simply by incorporating new, never-before-ran-to music.
Music, of course, may not be for everyone. If you have never used an iPod or MP3 player during a workout but are considering trying one, I encourage you to start by listening to a wide variety music that you find enjoyable and entertaining. As you continue, you can fine tune your music collection and pinpoint specific songs that put that bounce into your step. It can be utilized to boost your mood during your run and set your pace. It can assist you in building your endurance both mentally and physically. Why not try it out and see what happens.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Running Off The Pounds
Congratulation on making the decision to become part of a wonderful community who all share the same goal to improve their health by embracing the challenge of running. No matter what your running level, this activity is an excellent addition to implement in your weight loss plan. Running is a great way to lose weight, but there are many other components that are essential to reach your ideal weight, and the ability to maintain it. Eating greens, fruits, lean protein, and avoiding processed or sugar packed foods contributes to dropping a few pounds. But most importantly, consuming fewer calories than your body burns during a day will keep you on track for your ideal weight loss.
A good place to start is to calculate your basal metabolic rate, BMR, which determines the amount of calories the body naturally burns when an individual does not exert any energy. For example, the BMR for a 25 year old female, height 5’6’’, and weight 140, is about 1,450 calories. Therefore, getting dressed in the morning, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and engaging in your daily cardiovascular exercise are all activities that contribute for increasing the body’s ability to burn more calories. The 25-year-old female’s weight is within the healthy range for her height and age; therefore, she most likely consumes more than 1,450 calories and probably the number is closer to 1,800 calories in a day to maintain her weight. And now the big question, how many more calories can you add onto your BMR caloric amount and still lose weight? The simple answer, as previously stated, is to eat fewer calories than your body burns, so your body can begin eliminating unwanted fat that the body is currently storing.
There are many great online sources to calculate how many calories an individual consumes and burns in a day, but a simple way to avoid over-eating is to only eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full. However, those two methods can be very difficult to embrace when you are encouraged to consume energy gels or protein bars during or after your workouts. If you are exercising less than 2 hours, than your body probably only needs water and some sort of low sugar sports drink to replace some electrolytes. Anything more will just add on the calories, which unfortunately counteracts the whole purpose of exercising. So the next time you are about to purchase “energy” products save your self some money, and unwanted calories, by filling up a bottle of water instead.
A good place to start is to calculate your basal metabolic rate, BMR, which determines the amount of calories the body naturally burns when an individual does not exert any energy. For example, the BMR for a 25 year old female, height 5’6’’, and weight 140, is about 1,450 calories. Therefore, getting dressed in the morning, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and engaging in your daily cardiovascular exercise are all activities that contribute for increasing the body’s ability to burn more calories. The 25-year-old female’s weight is within the healthy range for her height and age; therefore, she most likely consumes more than 1,450 calories and probably the number is closer to 1,800 calories in a day to maintain her weight. And now the big question, how many more calories can you add onto your BMR caloric amount and still lose weight? The simple answer, as previously stated, is to eat fewer calories than your body burns, so your body can begin eliminating unwanted fat that the body is currently storing.
There are many great online sources to calculate how many calories an individual consumes and burns in a day, but a simple way to avoid over-eating is to only eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full. However, those two methods can be very difficult to embrace when you are encouraged to consume energy gels or protein bars during or after your workouts. If you are exercising less than 2 hours, than your body probably only needs water and some sort of low sugar sports drink to replace some electrolytes. Anything more will just add on the calories, which unfortunately counteracts the whole purpose of exercising. So the next time you are about to purchase “energy” products save your self some money, and unwanted calories, by filling up a bottle of water instead.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Why Do You Run?
Everyone has different goals and motivations when it comes to running. For Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya, the sole objective is running at top speed for 26.2 miles over grueling courses. On April 18th, he did just that at the Boston Marathon, finishing the race in 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 2 seconds, setting a new world record for the fastest time ever logged.
While the majority of the running community only dream of running that fast for that long, they too have a passion for racing and pursue their own unique challenges. But why do these individuals dish out registration fees, make time commitments to running, and sign up for races months before the race day? Every one of them has found their own, distinctive reason for why they run. Whether it’s raising money for a charity, running in memory of a loved one, or simply striving to get in better shape, your reason must be something important to you, to get you out the door on cold, rainy days, or to make you drive to the gym after an exhausting day of work. Your reason must be important enough that you can overcome adversity on the way to completing your goal.
After establishing why you run, write down goals that you will accomplish, because “a goal not reduced to writing and reviewed often is a mere wish” (Rem Jackson). And with each objective, be “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound) while writing the goals. For example, a 20-year female misses training for the sports she played during high school and wants to begin training for a half marathon 4 months away. She will likely have success because she has a specific goal of finishing a half marathon, an underlying reason for why she wants to run, and sufficient training time to be ready for the race day.
Jim Rohn has popularized the concept of the mastermind alliance and he states, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Therefore, if there’s someone in your running group who often misses workouts or tries to encourage you to skip your planned runs, maybe it’s time to find a new running crew that shares your aspirations. Even if you don’t dream of running a 2 hour marathon, your reasons for running could be include anything from reducing stress to waking up at 6am to run with Fido.
Whatever the reasons, make it personal, write it down, and always find enjoyment during this journey!
While the majority of the running community only dream of running that fast for that long, they too have a passion for racing and pursue their own unique challenges. But why do these individuals dish out registration fees, make time commitments to running, and sign up for races months before the race day? Every one of them has found their own, distinctive reason for why they run. Whether it’s raising money for a charity, running in memory of a loved one, or simply striving to get in better shape, your reason must be something important to you, to get you out the door on cold, rainy days, or to make you drive to the gym after an exhausting day of work. Your reason must be important enough that you can overcome adversity on the way to completing your goal.
After establishing why you run, write down goals that you will accomplish, because “a goal not reduced to writing and reviewed often is a mere wish” (Rem Jackson). And with each objective, be “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound) while writing the goals. For example, a 20-year female misses training for the sports she played during high school and wants to begin training for a half marathon 4 months away. She will likely have success because she has a specific goal of finishing a half marathon, an underlying reason for why she wants to run, and sufficient training time to be ready for the race day.
Jim Rohn has popularized the concept of the mastermind alliance and he states, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Therefore, if there’s someone in your running group who often misses workouts or tries to encourage you to skip your planned runs, maybe it’s time to find a new running crew that shares your aspirations. Even if you don’t dream of running a 2 hour marathon, your reasons for running could be include anything from reducing stress to waking up at 6am to run with Fido.
Whatever the reasons, make it personal, write it down, and always find enjoyment during this journey!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Is Spring Training Over Yet?
After struggling early in the batter’s box this season, some have suggested that Derek Jeter should be dethroned from the top of the Yankee’s lineup. At the very least, he could have stayed in Florida a few extra days to tweak his swing mechanics. However, spring training is over for the Houston Astros players and fans are soaking up the warm weather and enjoying the magical first month of Major League Baseball.
Although baseball’s training period ended two weeks ago, runners across the country are currently in the midst of their spring training season. For those who have signed up for summer races, this is the time to keep up with that training schedule, because the balmy showers of spring can change into the pounding heat of summer overnight. In order to get the most of your race day experience, it pays to stay on top of your training.
If the warm weather has piqued your interest to sign up for a race, there are many running program available for free online. Among the most popular plans are those crafted by Hal Higdon, which provide comprehensive guidelines to help runners finish their races healthy and on pace. Whether you’re a beginner toeing the line at your first 5k or a seasoned veteran simply looking to spice up your workouts, Higdon has developed running schedules tailored to your individual needs.
Regardless of what training program you decide on, an important rule of thumb, or in the case of runners: “rule of the big toe,” is the 10% rule. Too often, novice runners get lost in the excitement of training and attempt to run too much, too soon, and inevitably find themselves injured. By implementing the aforementioned rule, you should increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 10% each week. For example, a runner is more likely to incur injuries by rapidly increasing the mileage of 2 miles 3 times a week to 3 miles 3 times a week, because the body may not be physically ready endure a 50% increase in mileage.
Over the course of training, runners may experience sharp pain in their shins, which is usually the result of overuse. Unfortunately for enthusiastic runners, the best cure is to rest and reduce mileage until the pain mitigates. But on a positive note, you may still be able to run on race day. If your event offers multiples distances, you may be able to drop down to a shorter distance race. While minor injuries are frustrating, try to keep in mind the bigger picture: resting your legs for a week or two to mend an overuse injury is much better, physically and mentally, than being on the disabled list and waiting months for a stress fracture to heal. So follow that 10% rule, get off the bench and spit out the wad of gum, because spring training is not over yet for runners!
Although baseball’s training period ended two weeks ago, runners across the country are currently in the midst of their spring training season. For those who have signed up for summer races, this is the time to keep up with that training schedule, because the balmy showers of spring can change into the pounding heat of summer overnight. In order to get the most of your race day experience, it pays to stay on top of your training.
If the warm weather has piqued your interest to sign up for a race, there are many running program available for free online. Among the most popular plans are those crafted by Hal Higdon, which provide comprehensive guidelines to help runners finish their races healthy and on pace. Whether you’re a beginner toeing the line at your first 5k or a seasoned veteran simply looking to spice up your workouts, Higdon has developed running schedules tailored to your individual needs.
Regardless of what training program you decide on, an important rule of thumb, or in the case of runners: “rule of the big toe,” is the 10% rule. Too often, novice runners get lost in the excitement of training and attempt to run too much, too soon, and inevitably find themselves injured. By implementing the aforementioned rule, you should increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 10% each week. For example, a runner is more likely to incur injuries by rapidly increasing the mileage of 2 miles 3 times a week to 3 miles 3 times a week, because the body may not be physically ready endure a 50% increase in mileage.
Over the course of training, runners may experience sharp pain in their shins, which is usually the result of overuse. Unfortunately for enthusiastic runners, the best cure is to rest and reduce mileage until the pain mitigates. But on a positive note, you may still be able to run on race day. If your event offers multiples distances, you may be able to drop down to a shorter distance race. While minor injuries are frustrating, try to keep in mind the bigger picture: resting your legs for a week or two to mend an overuse injury is much better, physically and mentally, than being on the disabled list and waiting months for a stress fracture to heal. So follow that 10% rule, get off the bench and spit out the wad of gum, because spring training is not over yet for runners!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Who Else Has Run A Marathon?
Marathon runners knows they're in good company. You all have many friends and family, colleagues, and members of your running club who also have run marathons. There are also several high-profile celebrities who have documented their marathons, such as Lance Armstrong. But did you know that Ted Koppel has also completed a marathon?
There are many others. I was informed about a great post on NursingSchools.net about 20 Surprising Celebrities who Have Run a Marathon. Go Check it out and come back and comment!
There are many others. I was informed about a great post on NursingSchools.net about 20 Surprising Celebrities who Have Run a Marathon. Go Check it out and come back and comment!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Podiatrist's Barefoot Running Blog (Part 5)
Another short update from Dr. Randy Beckman and his experience running in the Vibram Five Fingers:
I was in the country with my wife this weekend and we decided to go for a short run, kinda slow, but in the hills. I wore the five fingers from the beginning of the run and we ran for 2 ½ miles. I certainly felt some soreness in my right Achilles after the run. It was interesting to feel more pain when going downhill vs uphill. Also, the next 2 days my feet were pretty sore, making Monday’s run difficult.
Beckman out!
You can learn more about Dr. Beckman at www.TxFootDoctor.com. I thank him for continuing to share his experiences and look forward to more.
I was in the country with my wife this weekend and we decided to go for a short run, kinda slow, but in the hills. I wore the five fingers from the beginning of the run and we ran for 2 ½ miles. I certainly felt some soreness in my right Achilles after the run. It was interesting to feel more pain when going downhill vs uphill. Also, the next 2 days my feet were pretty sore, making Monday’s run difficult.
Beckman out!
You can learn more about Dr. Beckman at www.TxFootDoctor.com. I thank him for continuing to share his experiences and look forward to more.
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