Fit Mom's Blog

Guest Post by Coach Al Lyman. Very appropriate topic as I am battling an injury now. So true- little twinges here and there can get turned into injury faster than you think. This guy KNOWS his business and I truly appreciate the time and effort he has spent just helping me.

September is a key training month for many runners who are preparing for a fall race, such as the half marathon or marathon, or even a 5 or 10k. At this point on the calendar, many of you are in the middle of your most important and challenging workouts, or have just come through the most difficult weeks of training. This can be a very challenging time in your preparation, and it may be the most important time! You might even be nursing a minor “twinge” and are worried that it will turn into a full blown injury. How much should you run, and how should you proceed with your training? More than ever, now is the time to be patient and smart, and to be sure you are paying attention to the little things that will help you stay healthy and injury free so that you can continue to train, improve, and run as well as you hope in that most important race.

Unfortunately, managing minor “twinges” (that sometimes develop into full blown injury) seems to be a way of life for many runners. The fact is, the high impact forces in running mean it will expose just about every weak-link you may have. Clearly, avoiding injuries all-together, or simply keeping any minor twinge from developing into a major injury that causes lost training time, is key, if you are to have your “hoped for” success on race day.

Here are some TIPS that will help you get through this important period, avoiding a debilitating injury that would keep you off the start line or running less than your best.

• Listen to your body and all of the subtle signals it sends you ALL of the time. Most importantly, when you are running, if you sense that something isn’t “right,” have the courage and discipline to stop immediately and assess the situation, and then if it’s warranted, be willing to walk home or walk back to your car in order to prevent the “issue” from escalating further. Be smart!
• Be consistent and disciplined with your warm up and cool down periods, in every single run! If you’re running behind schedule or are short of time, its human nature to want to skip a warm-up period and jump right into your run. That’s a big mistake! Your body needs time to go gradually from a resting level to a higher intensity level, especially your muscles and connective tissue. Skipping or rushing your warm-up means that you may be stressing tissues that are not ready to be stressed.
• Don’t forget that when a pain or twinge appears in your knees or your lower legs, very often the cause isn’t at the location of the pain, its’ probably in your hips! Simply put, when our hips are too tight, or too weak to HELP absorb the ground’s impact forces, the muscles and joints in our legs have to work harder then they normally would to absorb those forces, and often, they simply can’t do it. When they are pushed beyond their capacity, pain and injury result. Improve the mobility and elasticity of your hips and pelvis, and your body will thank you with lower risk of injury!
• Trust your training! Many runners get into trouble with injury because they run through pain! They do that because they are worried that their fitness will disappear instantly if they take a day or two off! It won’t! If you need extra rest, take it! If you feel a twinge, stop running and rest! Trust that your training will carry you through.
• Take time each week to include strength training in your daily routine. Running well and fast requires that your legs are STIFF and strong, as well as flexible and mobile. The scientific community has also shown us that improvements in the “stiffness” of the legs during running actually allow the legs to store and utilize impact energy more effectively. The right kinds of strength training will improve this stiffness. You’ll have less soreness, and will run faster with less effort!

If you do find that you are experiencing some pain that is not normal or expected, take some time off and consult with a medical expert immediately to assess the situation. Acting quickly and intelligently can often mean the difference between a short interruption to your training, versus a long term issue that can spell disaster for your race day plans. Train smart, have confidence in your training, and show up on race day ready to achieve your best. Good luck!

Coach Al Lyman, CSCS, is the owner and founder of Pursuit Fitness LLC, a nationally recognized coaching company for endurance athletes. An author, columnist, and motivational speaker, he has been coaching athletes of all ability levels from novice to elite, since 1999. Coach Al is certified by USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the American Swim Coaches Association and USA Swimming. As an athlete, Coach Al has competed in hundreds of races over his career as an endurance athlete and is a 25-time marathon finisher with a Personal Best of 2:39 at the Boston Marathon, as well as being a 9-time Ironman Triathlon finisher, including having qualified for and finished 3-times at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

Coach Al’s theories and beliefs about the best ways to train for endurance sports, developed through practical experience over 25 years as an athlete and researcher, have always been cutting-edge and often considered “out of the box” thinking. His approach to coaching revolves around a more holistic, balanced approach that includes Yoga, flexibility and mobility training, and smart functional strength training. Most importantly, he advocates a balanced approach that blends training and racing goals within the context of the “triangle of life,” which is family, work, and sport. This approach also led him to develop his now widely acclaimed running-specific functional and core training program, Runner-CORE, which is now being used by hundreds of runners and triathletes world wide with great success! For more information on Coach Al and his available programs and plans, go to: http://coach-al.com. For more information on Runner-CORE, go to: http://runner-core.com