Ready to Run?

It’s been 48-hours since my first run of 2020. I was quickly reminded of a couple things:

1. Running is high-impact and not for everyone.

2. I am out of shape.

3. You can’t ignore the ‘little’ things.

Running is a great form of exercise. It develops muscular endurance, leads to physiological adaptations at the cellular level (increases mitochondria), improves heart health and lung capacity. But for most of us, including myself, it sucks! Feelings of light-headedness, nausea, burning in your chest, and pain coursing through your body are not great selling points.

(Some of) The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

For the record, I’m not against running. I just believe in a more holistic approach. Cycling and swimming, along with seasonal activities like hiking, kayaking, and cross-country skiing can be equally effective at improving health. The average person will likely maintain a healthier lifestyle by engaging in a number of activities (don’t forget resistance and mental training). Given that each activity recruits different muscle groups working at different angles, they will likely have a higher overall fitness level and avoid overuse injuries compared to someone that focuses on a single activity.

Variety is the Spice of Life

As someone just shy of 200 lbs, long-distance running can be extremely painful on the joints. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed ‘pool running’ or shorter distance/higher intensity running. After one run (2.5km), I had pain in my feet, ankles, and knees. My sciatica had returned the following morning, making it near impossible to walk downstairs or sit for any length of time.

But I can’t blame running for this. It is my fault due to negligence.

Old running shoes. No warm-up. Running on angled pavement. Dehydrated. No cool-down. No recovery work. No post workout nutrition/hydration.

… at least I’ve been carb-loading like I’m preparing for a marathon.

Freshly Baked Bread. Best. Smell. Ever.

It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you are performing, you can’t overlook the small details.

If you are looking to start running, get yourself a good pair of running shoes. And if you’ve never been to a podiatrist, have them assess your gait. If you’re like most of the world, you overpronate (any calluses on your big toe?). With a number of kinetic chains linked to the foot, Achilles Tendinitis, Runner’s Knee, and Shin Splints might be in your near future. An orthotic can correct any biomechanical foot issues.

You should drink water throughout the day. Dehydration reduces blood pressure and perfusion pressure, restricting blood flow to exercising muscles. Your body won’t be efficient at delivering oxygen and nutrients, as well as clearing accumulated waste products. And while we want to avoid running on a full stomach, having a light meal 1.5-2 hrs or a small snack 0.5-1 hrs before, will help regulate our blood sugars and provide additional fuel for exercise.

I wish we had more rubberized tracks in our community, as they offer an ideal surface for running on. While it might be boring to run the oval, it makes it easy to track your pace and distance. Asphalt is another predictable surface that provides a little give. Well-maintained park and hiking trails help to alleviate some of the boredom and provide an extra challenge due to elevation changes. Whatever you do, avoid running on the sloped edge of a concrete road.

Start your workout with a low-intensity run followed by some dynamic stretching. This primes the body for exercise by increasing blood flow to working muscles. A cool-down is equally important and should include progressively slower running, jogging, and walking followed by dynamic or static stretching. An ice bath or cold shower, foam rolling, re-hydrating, and eating a full meal (protein, carbs, and fats) an hour after running are all important pieces of the recovery process.

One component of “The Recovery Process”

If you are a beginner, less is more. Your runs don’t have to be very long and you don’t need to run daily. A 15-minute run, 2-3x/week is a great place to start. If you are looking for a program to follow, try Zero to 5K. Just remember, “it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish”.

Be Well. Stay Well.