PT Diaries

Yesterday I was consumed with worry. Personal troubles aside, I couldn’t stop thinking about my leg and how my injury has negatively impacted my last three weeks of training. I hadn’t had a decent run in forever “Can you forget how to run?” I kept thinking to myself.

My girlfriend Alicia brought me out for a pre-race meal at the KEG. Filet minion, baked potato and spinach salad! Yum… I tried to fall asleep early but I kept tossing and turning. This was not my usual pre-race excitement but more worry that leg may not carry me to the finish line.

I woke to overcast skies… rain was definitely upon me. Most of you know how I loathe running in the rain. “Just hold off for a few hours” I thought to myself as I stood fidgeting with my iPod in the crowd of anxious BMO runners.

The gun went off and instantly I felt a rain drop. “For f** sakes…PMS, a damaged leg and rain… this is not my race…” I cursed crossing the start line.

Amazingly, 27 minutes in I was right on pace at five kilometers. “Ok, I can do this…” I forced myself to think of nothing but my breathing. Thoughts of current events kept popping in my head and I kept pushing them aside. “Nothing else matter right now…” As I entered Stanley Park, I saw Mike and Michelle, I waved. “Hey…” Mike said starting to run alongside me “You’re doing great!! 2 hour pace bunny is way behind you! Keep it up!” Kilometers ten I was at 55 minutes. I started to brace myself as the hilliest part was coming up: seventy five meters of elevation between twelve and fourteen kilometers and half way up the sharp pulling pain in the back of my leg made a furious return. I slowed down but refused to stop (or walk) “This is not even a hill compared to the UBC!! SUCK IT UP!!!” I yelled inside.

Around kilometer sixteen Mike popped out of nowhere again running with me. “How are you feeling? You want me to run with you?” I gratefully declined knowing I would use him as a crutch. Whenever someone runs with me I automatically start whining “I’m tired, it hurts, omg… blah blah blah…” I was already a bit behind pace “Thanks Mike I’m good… gotta focus!” I pointed ahead. “Ok push it!” he yelled!

Mental battles, trying to ignore my leg pain as I pushed up the last hill under the Granville Bridge. Then my caves started to cramp making me jump out of stride. The finished line was so close. I saw Julie to my left “Go Banana!!!” then Alicia and Chris “CRANK IT!!” and I crossed the finish line…soaking wet, absolutely frozen and wobbling off my left leg.  My Garmin said 1:59:30… I should be happy? But I wasn’t… I knew I didn’t officially make it in less than 2 hours. The damn chip says 2:00:46 (MOFO, Shit… *@%^@ *!&** ….there aren’t enough swear words) Afterward I kept replaying the race in my head …and it came to me…the damn water stations!!  I had pre-picked three stations to hydrate (6km, 11km and 16km) But it tasted so good… I grabbed water five times, coming to a complete stop at the last one…IDIOT! In the end I did shaved off three minutes from last year’s race time,  felt exhilarated from the actual run and was super grateful to be surrounded by great friends.  But  I don’t feel the sense of accomplishment I was hoping for. Luckily I’ve already signed up for the Scotia Half marathon in June to redeem myself!

PS – whoever says the BMO half marathon is flat and fast is full of SHIT!

Regardless of my performance I would still like to give thanks:

Eric of deWolf Training: My personal trainer who has a very unique way of pushing me…wouldn’t have it any other way.

Witch Dr. from 6^th street Chiropractor & Wellness: without him there is no doubt I wouldn’t have been able to run this race. He helped immensely with my ridiculous self inflicted injuries.

Toby from the Sinclair Wellness Center: Female massage therapist who has just the right touch!

Support & self esteem team: Mike and Hank who are always there to listen to my PT and fitness dramas.

Cheering Team: Iron Mike, Michelle, Julie, Alicia and Chris. (Eric the Billy Goat Gruff was under the bridge…but I didn’t see him)

PT Girl xo

Next time I say “I’m tired” “I’m not motivated” or “I don’t feel like it” I promise myself to remember the last 7 days. I was not allowed or able to run/workout for the last week because of a stupid self inflicted injury.  The lack of activity was extremely difficult; I had way too much pent up energy. Anxiety that my race was quickly approaching and the exaggerated thoughts that I was losing precious training time made me absolutely insane; after only two days on hiatus I was going mental.  My boredom and restlessness turned into a girl’s night out which lead to a massive hangover! The hangover was followed by ingesting crap food for 24 hours, which made me feel guilty because I couldn’t go burn off the greasy poutine calories with a long run… SELF SABOTAGE.

Yesterday I had the second visit to my chiropractor since my injury happened. (I refer to my chiro as the “Witch Doctor” because he does wonders. Unlike any other chiropractor he has never cracked a single bone in my body yet strangely with no more than a few prods and pokes he heals me.) I explained that as recommended I took four days off since I last saw him and went for a short run on Sunday. “The pain in the back of my left leg is still there and made my run uncomfortable.” I told him “Of course,  why do you think I told you to come back today?” he asked.

Laying on my back he poked at my leg and butt. “Turn around” he said and dug into the left side of my stomach. Then he asked me to push my left leg with as much force as possible against his hand and said “There you go crazy runner, you’re all fixed!” I smiled,  jumped off the table and slid back into my beige stilettos.  As promised, the constant pulling pain in the back of my leg was GONE! “Come back a few days before your race and I’ll make sure you’re fine tuned” he suggested. “Abso-fucking-lutely!” I thought waving goodbye.

I was excited for today’s personal training session; it may not have been my best performance but my leg didn’t bother me during the workout. After I ran five kilometers (actually 4.2 km) back to my truck. It may not have been my quickest but the pain in my left leg and butt cheek was definitely less prominent than on Sunday. A great sweat after a week off felt fabulous! “Damn right… the bitch is back!” I thought smirking  as I drove away.

PT Girl xo

Most people buy shoes to go with their clothes but I will seek out an entire outfit base around a fabulous pair of shoes. Last week I decided to do a massive purge in my shoe closet because so many don’t fit, are out dated or are just plain ugly and are taking up precious space. During my cleanse I found an old pair of black patent Calvin Klein stilettos. “Ahhhhhh” I sighed. “My good friends! You carried me painlessly through many nights of drunk dancing….” I reminisced.  The good memories made me feel all warm in fuzzy and I knew I had to wear them one more time before they hit the trash can. So, last Thursday before leaving for work I slipped them on. “Still as comfortable as ever.” I thought to myself. “So what if the left heel is worn down about an eighth of an inch….right?!”

I arrived at my personal training session at six p.m. and could feel a slight twinge in my lower back. “Probably nothing…” I thought to myself. The session went fast as de Wolf worked me hard. During stretch I felt tighter than normal but didn’t think much of it. By the time I got home there was definitely a pain in my back. I popped a Robaxacet^® and went to bed. On Friday morning I could still feel the ache which seemed to worsen as the day went on.   But like with many other things in life, I ignored it and  swallowed two more Robaxacet^®. Tunnel vision “Nothing is going to stop me from doing my 25 km run.”

I woke after a great sleep “Yeah! This is going to be a great run” bouncing out of bed! “Ouch ouch…wtf my back!” I limped out of the bedroom. “Lala lala” ignoring that there was anything wrong I went into the kitchen and prepared my ritual pre-run meal; oatmeal and green tea. I turned the tunes up loud and started to put my running gear on. “Runner’s water belt or no?” I contemplated testing the belt around my waist. “Nah! Screw that! It’s so uncomfortable” I tossed the belt aside, put a pack of Cliff Bloks in the back of my Lululemon shirt pocket and crossed my fingers that the water fountains along Kits beach would be turned on.

Every single time my left foot hit the ground a sharp pain ran up my leg into my lower back which put me behind pace by about three minutes at 5 kilometers. “Suck it up!” I told myself pushing to pick up the pace. I zoned out ignoring everything around me and managed to get back on track at 10 kilometers at the foot of my nemesis: UBC Hill. The two kilometer, 75 meters of elevation was painful. Relieved to have made it to the top I realize I was behind pace again. I turned around and headed down the hill picking up as much speed as possible. I actually felt great from twelve to sixteen kilometers and the pain in my leg and back seemed to disappear only to return furiously. I was panting and needed to hydrate. The water fountain was insight; I washed two Cliff Bloks down with some cold water and off I went. I wanted to get this done. I was behind again but managed to hit 21.1 kilometers in 2:01. (5:44 per km) I was tuckered out and my legs were strained. I walked for a half block and then decided to run the last two kilometers to home. I felt great… for the time being.

A few hours later… agony and immobility!! The pain moved from my lower back deep into my left butt cheek making it difficult for me to maneuver in any direction. I figured I needed a good stretch, so I went to West Coast Yoga in Yaletown where my friend Leo teaches a hot yoga class. He was quick to point out that my friend Julie and I were newbie’s and gave us tons of “special’ attention. I enjoyed the class, but it did nothing for my injury. I hurt even when I sat on soft furniture, so I thought it wise to take Monday off completely. Not knowing what to do with myself I went to my personal training session yesterday. “How am I supposed to fill and entire hour with just arms?” deWolf asked me. He spent a great deal of the session stretching me out and using that odd stick to roll out some knots. When I stood up I was actually felt pain free; for about 45 seconds.

This morning I went and saw my chiropractor. He performs miracles and has never failed me before. I’m usually in and out and fixed under five minutes!  “WOW! You are really messed up!” he said lightly feeling my back. With my face down “Don’t say that! This is not what I want to hear!” I exclaimed. He laughed “Well you did quite the number on yourself!” He continued, poking, pulling and prodding at my back and legs; with my face still down on the table I said:  “Can I go to hot yoga tonight?”

Chiro: “No.” he laughed

PT Girl:  “F**K! Can I see my personal trainer tomorrow?”

Chiro: Still laughing and still working on me he said “NO!”

PT Girl: “F**K!!” as I visualized the shoes that had betrayed me!

Chiro: “You need to rest and heal if you want to run your half marathon. You can walk, that’s it! Try a light run on Sunday and come back to see me on Monday.” he said now laughing out loud.

I couldn’t believe my ears! One week left of training before my tapering starts and I’m being told to completely STOP all physical activities for  four full days!  Sheer panic!! For two reasons:

1. What if I don’t heel in time for the race?
2. What will I do for four days with no workouts scheduled?

PT Girl xo

The BMO Half Marathon’s gun goes off in 25 days, 16 hours, 41 minutes and 30 seconds and I have officially started to freak out!!!  How many more long runs, hill intervals and speed workouts can I squeeze in before race day?  I figure I still have three full weeks of training ahead of me; giving myself a full week to taper. But will anything seriously make a difference in my performance at this point? Or am I at my full race potential already?

Last Saturday I ran my fastest fifteen kilometers ever. Finishing in 1h22mins (5:28 per km) but during the entire run I kept thinking about what I could have done better during my training. What if I’d run on the rainy Saturdays rather than stayed in bed?  I could have definitely done more hill training and logged more miles! I thought of all the lazy runs I took where I didn’t push myself.  I remembered the countless drinks I consumed in February during the Olympic celebrations which hindered my training for ten long days; and I replayed the training session with de Wolf where I could have honestly given a better effort.

I know I’m stronger this year and there is no doubt I am faster yet I’ve been having anxiety that on the day of the race I’m going to blow up.

I started training for BMO Half Marathon mid January and since then I’ve ran about 300 km and been to over 25 hours of training sessions. But will it be enough? Have I trained to my full potential? Will I conquer my goal finish time?

PT Girl xo

With only 32 days before my race I decided to up my training for the next few weeks. On Monday I followed-up my spin class with a five kilometer run on the treadmill. On Tuesday I was pumped and ready to add a five kilometer run after my personal training session with deWolf. I thought this was pretty ambitious. But I was quickly told differently.  Seemingly I should be putting in a ten kilometer run rather than a measly five. I quote, straight from the “Fitness Lord’s” mouth “Lazy! God forbid if you actually put real effort into your training, imagine what you could accomplish.” I laughed because I knew he was somewhat teasing. This is our rapport, this is how we communicate; we banter back and forth, we mock each other and we argue about everything! Amused I said “Oh pleeeze… stop poking the bear already?!” to which he replied “Haha a bear? You’re no bear! You’re as threatening as a kitten!” Alight, I was ready to rumble; in five minutes he’d called me lazy and unintimidating.

As the training session went on he continued the abuse me, poor PT Girl, calling me untrustworthy with no substantial reasoning. Is the “Personal Training Domain” not a place where the client can share stories, concerns and woes?  This is definitely the case on the Biggest Loser. Where is my compassionate Bob? I know Personal Trainers don’t actual take a PT-Client oath but I assumed it went without saying.  What am I supposed to talk about? The character development of the TV series Lost? Movies reviews? Or the weather perhaps? BORING!!

The session wrapped up and during a stretch deWolf started to snicker. “What?” I asked. “Nothing.” he said. I looked up at him unconvinced and he followed with “PT Girl, it’s not all about you, you know!”Absolutely perplexed I said “WHAT?? …It’s not?” Can someone please tell me what this man is talking about?

I changed into my outdoor running shoes and got ready for my run. Listening to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance my mind drifted and I started replaying the events of today’s session in my head “lazy…kitten… can’t keep a secret… lazy, kitten …it’s not all about you…” As the words ran through my mind I started to laugh and my legs went faster and faster. “Ahhaha, another great workout!” I giggled. I’m looking forward to getting ribbed some more at my next session… Meow!

PT Girl xo

The weather forecast had been calling for rain but the sun was shining Friday after work. Everything in my mind told me I should be excited about going for a long run. Unfortunately there wasn’t a bone in my body that wanted to do so. This was odd behavior for me but I think my sleeping disorder had finally taken a toll on me. A slight ache in my right knee combined with my lack of enthusiasm, I decided to listen to my body.

I made plans to meet my friend Keith for a late dinner and drinks. We hadn’t seen each other in almost 7 years yet we conversed as if we’d seen each other just last week.  It’s funny how so many events took place over the years and we’d both developed new interests, hobbies and goals yet fundamentally so much of us remained the same.  This realization struck me and was somewhat refreshing.

This morning I first opened my eyes at 11:30 a.m. I had slept for over 11 hours, I was stunned!  I can’t remember the last time I slept in so late and so long? I lay in bed soaking up the unfamiliar feeling … and then …guilt. “Oh my god!  It’s sunny outside (it was supposed to rain today), I should be running!! There’s only five weeks before the race and I shouldn’t be slacking” I thought to myself.

I got out of bed, headed to the kitchen and started to prepare my yummy peanut butter protein shake. I picked up the phone and called a bunch of spas trying to schedule a massage, with no luck.  My fifth call was to a Massage Therapy Clinic and the receptionist said there was an opening at 4 p.m.  Even though the voices in my head were telling me to lace up,  I still wasn’t feeling it. All I wanted to was relax and was looking forward to a real good massage;  especially after my last mortifying rubdown experience. (See  blog dated March 7^th – A Woman’s Touch) So with lots of time to spare before my appointment instead of running I decided to do some cooking.  When I’m not in a rush I enjoy cooking and find it quite therapeutic.  Roast beef and creative quinoa was on tonight’s dinner menu.  I also decided to whip up a batch of my favorite ‘Healthy’ Oatmeal & Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The roast beef was seasoned and in the oven on low heat, all the ingredients needed for the quinoa were cut up and set aside and I even managed to get the doughy cookies on the cooking tray before I had left for my appointment.

I arrived just on time and was greeted by a young, small man at the reception desk “Hi, are you here for the 4 p.m. appointment?” he asked.  “Yes.” I replied. “Nice to meet you. My name is Brian; I will be your RMT for today.” he said shaking my hand. I sighed and thought to myself “Here we go again….”

PT Girl xo

I had an off week. My legs were sore and tight at the beginning of the week and don’t feel any better today. Work was busier than usual and had a hard time sleeping. I either tossed and turned all night or suffered through crazy nightmares. This combination made me irritable and cranky; so keeping positive and on track with my training this week was definitely trying. Monday was my rest day, which was needed after my long hilly run last Sunday; but sleep deprived I went my Tuesday personal training session with de Wolf feeling lethargic. Wednesday I ran 9 km, slower than I would have liked. Thursday I was in a mood but went to my second personal training session anyways. Come Friday I was exhausted after work but forced a short 6 km run before going out for dinner. Fatigue finally caught up to me and I actually slept 7 hours. Saturday morning I felt sluggish. I could have sat around, read the paper and sipped on coffee and Baileys till noon. But the sun was shining and I knew I should stick to my scheduled 19 km run in case the rain came on Sunday.  I psyched myself, pulled on my favorite Nike crops and luluemon shirt, pressed shuffle on my iPod and started running.  I had a slow start but gained momentum around 7 kilometers and felt strong through to 14 kilometers. I popped a Cliff Blok at 15 kilometers. I refused to carry a water bottle on my runs but find that a few Cliff Bloks gives me the boost I need.  My glutes were burning during most of the run and I mentally struggled, feeling as if I was behind pace; yet somehow managed to finishing 19.1 km in 1h 49mins. Considering my negative state of mind and the pain in my legs I was content with my time; for this week.  Saturday night I attended my friend’s birthday party and indulged in a little alcohol for the first time in 20 days.  Although I didn’t have to nurse a hangover this morning I was “fuzzy” and sat around watching “Mean Girls” on TV. Once the credits ran at the end I was mortified that I’d lost 2 hours of my life on such a ridiculous movie. I tried to read but was unable to relax so I laced up for a short recovery run, hoping it would take the edge off; with no avail. Blah! I’m looking forward to my rest day tomorrow…. maybe I’ll make an appointment with a registered massage therapist to loosen up my legs.

PT Girl xo

Last year I ran my first half marathon falling short of my goal finish time by less than 90 seconds. Determined to run  the BMO Half Marathon under two hours I started a new training program in January with a positive attitude and lots of determination.  I knew I was physically stronger because of all the work I’d been doing with my trainer but my running pace remained unchanged the first few weeks back in training. (I’ve always ran an average pace at 6:19 per km)  Rather than get discouraged I laced up again and thought of my friend Mike (3time Penticton Iron Man Finisher) who always said “The way to become a faster runner is by running!!” Then mid February something changed; one day after work I set out on a short run… and with complete ease I ran 9.1 km in 51 minutes (5:35 per km). I was in shock and honestly thought there was something wrong with my Garmin.  “Where the heck did that come from?” I decided to test myself and my Garmin that weekend and even though I was hung over I managed to run 13 km in 1:14 (5:46 per km). The following week I ran a flat 17 km in 1:38 (5:45 per km) and this past weekend I ran the hilliest 18 km route I could map out and sustained my pace finishing in 1:43 (5:43 per km).  Ok, I know these times aren’t world class by any means but 5:44 per km was my race pace at the half marathon last year and I nearly lost a lung; now I am running this pace without difficulty. So what has changed? How am I gaining momentum? In no particular order here are my theories:

HILL THEORY:

Without fail I’ve been running  my hill intervals once a week mixing it up between doing ten 200 meters up hill & down hill runs in 30 minutes, incorporating five fast 50 meters sprint up a very steep hill at the end of my short runs, as well as mapping out more challenging “hilly” routes on my longer runs.

Compared to running on flat surfaces, hills force the muscles to contract quicker as a result making them more powerful.  While hill training the muscles can develop two to three times as many muscle fibers as running on flat surfaces.

The benefits of hill training:

• Helps stride frequency & length
• Aids develop power & muscle elasticity
• Encourages the proper use of arm action during the driving phase
• Improves strength endurance
• Short hills – develops maximum speed & strength
• Mixed hills – improves lactate tolerance
• Downhill – develops control & stabilization as well as improved speed

PERSONAL TRAINER THEORY:

I’ve been seeing my current personal trainer twice a week for about six months now. We spend a lot of time focusing on strengthening my core. A strong core will improve your posture, making it easier to stay upright and thus run more efficiently. Implementing a weekly core workout to your training is certain to improve your running performance.  Try using the Medicine Balls, Kettlebells, Stability Ball, Bosu Ball or a stability board to keep the workouts interesting and varied.

Strong leg muscles are another key component to running efficiently. One method of achieving stronger legs is by incorporating Plyometric Exercises: a form of exercise that requires your muscles to reach peak force in a very short amount of time.  My training session always involve exercise such as squat jumps,  jump to box, split squat jumps and lateral hurdle jumps to name a few. I’ve been told these kinds of exercises will improve my speed and power. The third component of my training sessions is intervals: sprint intervals on the treadmill (flat and hills) and sprint drills with Resistance Bands (flat and hills).

ACID ZAPPER THEORY:

This natural supplement was introduced to me last year by an associate. I started taking it religiously in January when I started my training.  “Acid Zapper® is a mineral based composition that boosts body alkalinity to systemically neutralize metabolic acids created during exercise, helping athletes train harder and achieve peak performance.” * This product is 100% natural certified drug free. It is said to reduce recovery times, increase endurance and help with minimizing muscle cramping.  I can tell you first hand that Acid Zapper has definitely reduced my recovery time and has completely eliminated the muscle cramps I used to get in my legs.  Although difficult to prove, I believe Acid Zapper has had a huge impact on my over all endurance and performance.

PT Girl xo

* http://www.acidzapper.com/

The weather has been accommodating this winter. Vancouver hasn’t had any snow and barely any rain; since the New Year I’ve ran in nothing but sunshine.  After a long hectic work week I was exhausted so I canceled my Friday night plans and was tucked in bed by 11 p.m. Day five of my detox I woke up early, the sun was shining (again) and I felt good. I leisurely ate my oatmeal and drank my green tea while catching up on some e-mails.

I hit the pavement by 8 a.m. and I had a very specific run pace in mind. The seawall was just the way I like it, quiet. One of the best things about running is that I can just tune out.  I have a fatal obsession with my blackberry; which is connected to five email addresses, bbm, text message, twitter and facebook. I have an overzealous dog and 3 demanding clients; running is my only real solitude.  My first check point was kilometer five, I was ahead of pace as I entered Stanley Park just under 28 minutes. The sun was warm on my face and I let my mind go blank. At kilometer ten I was right on track at 56 minutes and still felt strong.  As per normal around kilometer 14 my hamstrings started to burn… A LOT, but I managed to stay on pace and got to kilometer fifteen in 1hr25mins. My legs got heavier and heavier but I refused to slow down. I pushed, ignored the burn and got to my front door in 1h38mins (17.3 km).  “Yeah!! I did it… Now it’s spa time!”

As I lay on my stomach totally relaxed after my facial, the esthetician said “The masseuse will be right in.” There was a knock at the door, I looked up and there stood a dude “Hi ma’am I’m here to give you your massage.” I’ve been to lots of massages, hundreds and I’ve never had a male masseuse. I first thought about the Sex in the City episode where Samantha got banned from the spa for trying to get the male masseuse to pet her ‘cookie’.  Except my guy wasn’t 6’2 blond and build like a brick house, he was a long haired, tubby Spanish dude. My second thought was that I’ve never been alone in a room with a guy with just my underwear on without the intention of ‘giving it up’, so this was just weird. Usually when I’m getting a massage I am so relaxed time flies by, sometimes I actually fall asleep; but not today. Although his man hands may be strong and more efficient since they can cover more ground, the entire experience was wrong. He was fumbling, making noises and kept dropping the bottle of oil. I felt like it was never going to end and I started cursing the receptionist for not telling me the masseuse would be male when I originally called to make the appointment. Spa Utopia would never book a female with a male therapist without her consent. “It will be over soon. No, no you can’t ask him to end the session early, that would be rude!” I told myself. Anyone who knows me would tell you I am incapable of masking my body language and I was sure he could feel my annoyance; for which I felt bad. “For god sake it’s not his fault… but make it stop! “ I sigh out loud.

I’ve always preferred to work with men and it goes without saying that I like my trainer to be a man but after today there is no doubt I prefer my massage be performed by a woman.

PT Girl xo

Surfaces

Where do you typically run; concrete, treadmill, trails, the running track? All these surfaces have pros and cons. Your best bet is to try and mix it up whenever you can.

Walk breaks

I personally dislike breaks and try to avoid them. But when I first started to run I took walk breaks a lot.  Professionals say walk breaks are key and should be taken before feeling gassed. This type of training is designed to increases your endurance and help avoid injuries. (Especially for newer runners)

Chat

Keep a comfortable pace while training. You should be able to maintain a light conversation or recite a poem (slightly winded). If you are signing along to Lady Gaga or Britney on your iPod you are not pushing hard enough but if you can barely get a word out, you’re definitely pushing too hard – slow down!!

Mileage

Running 101: only increase your mileage 10% every week.  Add an extra run day to your schedule or add extra minutes to your existing runs. Always listen to your body and if necessary only increase your mileage every second week.

Rest

Take a day off every week, recovery is very important. Get eight hours of sleep and make sure your diet includes plenty of carbs and protein to help recovery.

Mix it up

Trade in one of your runs for a spin class, do some laps in the pool or modify one of your runs to include some sprints, hills and speed work.

Shoes

Your running shoes should be worn outside and on the treadmill.   A good pair of sneakers should last you 300-500 miles.  Check the bottoms every 5-6 months and invest in a new pair when the bottoms are worn to avoid injuries.

Soft Landing

Your heels or mid foot should hit the ground first then transferring your weight into your toes; always landing softly without expending extra energy. If you tend to run on your toes for long periods of time, don’t be surprised if you encounter shin splints.

Aches & pains

When slight aches and pains start affecting your stride take a break until you heal. Running through it or ignoring the issues can cause serious problem which will inhibit you from running for an extended period of time. Trust me… when your knee locks up 15 km away from home you’ll wish you’d taken the time off to heal. I know I did! Read standard RICE.

We all have an injury story and we all have our bad habits. Recognizing our bad behaviors is the first step to correcting them. I never carry water or electrolytes and I rarely stretch. What’s your bad habit?

PT Girl xo