EDITOR'S NOTE: Batesville's Women Run Arkansas clinic directors want to emphasize the importance of safety in all our endeavors. On these pages you will find basic information about choosing footwear, preventing injury and staying informed of best practices. We explain what we expect of participants and what you can expect in return.
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Our 2017 registration/info night will be 5:30-7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the First Community Bank George Rider Room, Harrison/St.Louis.
By BRUCE OAKLEY
Women Run Arkansas—Batesville Co-director
Stay connected
YOU ARE HERE: Women Run Batesville Web pages: http://www.wrroadrunners.org/WomenRun/WRA-index.htm
Women Run Batesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/362849626917/
White River Roadrunners: http://www.wrroadrunners.org/
Starting points
We are not doctors: With regard to injuries, listen to your body — you know your pain tolerance and normal condition. Always warm up; always stretch; always dress and hydrate appropriately.
BEEP — Balance, Efficiency, Effort, Patience.
Get the right shoes for your feet, gait and weight.
Rules of thumb
Basic fitness requires 20-25 minutes of continuous exercise three times a week. Total mileage should increase no more than 5%-7% per week.
Balance: What one part of your body does, other parts will follow.
Running is easy but not effortless; it takes work and attention to detail to do it well.
Grand plan
We will meet two to three times a week to limber up, stretch, walk a 5-minute warmup, work out 30 minutes, stretch again. Leaders will offer advice on the move, present longer talks/blog entries as your curiosity demands, and support and encourage always.
Choosing shoes
Your footprint should match one of the images below, and your shoes should be built to encourage proper mechanics for that type of foot. Your weight and frame determine how much cushioning and support you need within each type.
A little knowledge
Arches: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-326-7152-0,00.html
Shoe Finder: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/shoelabshoefinder/1,7154,s6-240-325-329-0-0-0-0-0,00.html
Prevent 5 Most Common Injuries: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--13676-0,00.html
Injury Prevention: http://www.runnersworld.com/channel/0,,s6-241-0-0-0,00.html
Lacing Shoes: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--12334-0,00.html
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/lacingmethods.htm
http://herbie13.multiply.com/journal/item/68/Reposted_Shoe_Lacing
A bit of a stretch
So you're ready to get started on a new you, a new lifestyle, as you chase new fitness, distance and speed goals. Please don't leap from the couch right into these workouts as if you are a kid going out to play. Remember to warm up and stretch those muscles, or they'll snap back at you!
How and when do you stretch? Different times take different actions, but simple principles apply.
First, different strokes for different folks. Research (Does stretching prevent injuries?) suggests that you need to do what works for you: If you usually stretch just a little, don't decide to do twice your normal routine all of a sudden. If you usually stretch a lot, don't skip it before trotting to the start line. Bad stretching is worse than no stretching. Make a just-for-you routine, paying special attention to areas where you have a history of trouble.
Second, conquer the cold, feed the fire. When you're cold and tight, do gentle dynamic stretches to warm up. Don't do long, slow stretches or jerky, bouncing, quick moves or you'll tear muscles rather than loosen them. Before a run, you should do dynamic limbering motions, rather than long slow stretches. These are gentle dance-type moves just to get the blood flowing and wake up those tired areas. Work your way top down, from your neck to your shoulders to your arms, back, butt, thighs, calves, feet.
When you've finished a run, then do slow, steady stretches while your muscles are warm and at their most receptive, because this will build suppleness and prevent injury. You may ease some post-workout soreness besides.
Third, get to the core of the matter. When you've got a spare half hour, or even in stolen moments as you go through your day, do some core strengthening exercises and stretches to build support areas. You will run easier and more efficiently with strong, supple muscles and connecting tissues.
Fourth, you know it flows downhill. Injuries generally indicate a problem farther up the chain. Trouble with the feet may come from the Achilles tendon or an imbalance with the calf; knee pain often starts with the iliotibial band at the hip. When you start feeling strain, think about what's going on higher up and look for ways to build strength from the top down.
The five most common running injuries are knee pain, ITB syndrome, shin splints, Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis. Easy exercises for these are half squats for the knee, side leg raises for ITB, heel walking and big toe raises for shin splints, calf drops for the Achilles and the tripod arch raise for plantar fasciitis.
Check out Runner's World online for a fantastic years-deep archive of articles and videos on proper stretching and strengthening exercises. The site is easy to navigate with category tabs, pull-down menus and a search engine that will guide you to a specific solution to any strain, injury or fear you might have. Another great place for running information is the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training, with training programs built on the best and latest research.
A little advance work will pay off handsomely in the home stretch.
Beep.