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Newsletter Archives: May 1999

Words from Jeff | Blisters | Injury of the Month | Snips

It's possible to completely turn around a non-productive attitude during a run.

Choosing the "right" speed programŠfor you

To run faster in races you mustŠ.run faster. Without a plan, however, runners find that speed produces more injuries than they've ever had in their running lives. Following are my suggestions which should help you to step up to faster times while avoiding the running vacations required when you exceed your speed limit.

There are many types of speed play and most of them will lead to success if you can 1) gradually increase your intensity and 2) do them at least once every seven days. Talk to other runners, read, and settle into a non-rigid program that best fits your daily schedule and lifestyle. If you maintain some of the fun in each session, you'll look forward to the next in a series of workouts which gradually allow your body to adapt to faster running. It's important to seek out the parts of the speed session that you find interesting or motivating and include them each week. This will motivate you to a progression of gentle challenges, while you are improving each week.

The most common mistake runners make when they insert speed is doing too much too soon. Some try to run race pace or faster almost every day. Others mistakenly assume that if a little speed work is good then a lot will be better. I've discovered through the experience of working with those of differing abilities that you will get yourself into trouble and probably not come close to your potential when you follow a program that is even slightly more ambitious than you're ready to handle.

Highly respected coach, Jack Daniels, has had great success, even with 1500 meter specialists when doing most of the speed repetitions at or slightly slower than goal race pace. He increases the quantity of repetitions to a higher level than most middle distance coaches. The improvements seen in his athletes speak for themselves.

Above all, remember that stress must be balanced by rest. When you run slightly faster than you've done in the recent past in a speed session, you tear down the muscles and overwhelm their capacity. They will rebuild stronger with greater capacity if, and only if, you allow enough quality rest after a hard session. For most runners, this means no running the day after a speed session (but walking and non pounding cross training are very beneficial). One challenging workout or a hard race per week is sufficient speed training for most runners.

Choosing the Right Running Shoe

If possible, go to a specialized running shoe store. They are in a better position to know your foot up how the running foot works and can match with a shoe that fits and works.
If a specialized running store is not available, see Return of the Tribes, page 24 and Galloway's Book on Running, pp. 248-259.
Find out if you have a floppy or rigid foot. That will determine the type of shoe to get. (See Galloway's Book on Running, pp. 251-252.)
Take your most worn out shoes with you, and be prepared to spend some time. You're more likely to get a good fit if you take the time to consider several options.
Always run and walk in each shoe you're considering. If the store doesn't let you do this, find another store.

Injury of the Month: Knee Injuries

Runner's Knee.The first symptom is usually stiffness, especially after sitting for a long time. There's pain inside and around the knee a general ache. This condition can occur when the (floppy) foot rolls in and puts great pressure on the inside and middle of the knee. The leg rotates and the patella often moves outside its normal path, wearing out the cartilage. As time passes, this may become chondromalacia a true medical problem where the cartilage softens and begins to disintegrate. Early chondromalacia is felt as a "creaky" joint, with a rough feeling under the kneecap.

Tendonitis.This is pain on the inside or outside of the knee. Tendons connect muscles to bones and they can become inflamed from a direct injury or overuse. Floppy feet tend to get tendonitis on the inside, rigid feet on the outside.

Patella Tendonitis.This is pain and inflammation in the soft tissue just below the kneecap, or where it connects to the tibia, just below.

Plica syndrome is another, but rarer problem of pronators. It involves a pinching and folding of the membrane at the knee joint. Symptoms are similar to chondromalacia with pain around the joint line, either medially or laterally, but not always under the kneecap. There may be a clicking sensation, which indicates damage to the meniscus, a shock-absorbing structure inside the joint.

Treatment of Knee Injuries

Ice massage. Keep a styrofoam cup in the freezer for this. Ice twice a day, 10 minutes on, 20 off, 10 on.
Don't run for at least 2-3 days to get the healing started, longer for a more advanced injury.
When you start back, run very little at first, every other day.
No speedwork or hills for at least two weeks, or until the soreness is gone.
Knee injuries usually take more time because we run on them and aggravate them.
Even when it seems healed, continue icing, reduce mileage and avoid speed and hills for two weeks.

From Galloway's Book on Running by Jeff Galloway (Shelter Publications, 1984), pp. 213-214

Snips

Here's an example of the growing number of women runners: In the June 1999 issue of Runner's Journal, Cedric Jaggers cites finish percentages of male runners in the Cooper River Bridge Run 10K from 1978 through 1999. The female finishers have gone from 14.8 percent to 40%. All age groups except the youngest (these have stayed steady) have grown.
From the Nutrition Action Healthletter (published by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest) comes a list of 10 super foods that you should eat: sweet potatoes, whole-grain bread, broccoli, watermelon, beans, cantaloupe, spinach & kale, oranges, oatmeal, and skim or 1% milk (not 2%).
In "Tips for Running Safety, " the RRCA suggests that all runners should carry identification, including blood type and medical information.
Another safety tip for runners is to carry enough change to make two phone calls. Try one of those little velcro change pockets that can be attached to your shoelaces. These are also good for keeping a car key. Also, most water bottle belts have pockets for change or keys. Since the weather has warmed up, carrying your own water is a good idea anyway.