Running - It's a Buy One Get One Free Deal

            Ever buy something and get something free? A two for one sale? Yeah, that’s how running works. You happily buy running and get injuries for free. In my running history I have had a few injuries, however one specific one that changed and put limitations on how I am able to run today. I developed plantar fasciitis in my left foot about 4 months ago. Plantar fasciitis is a disorder where the plantar fascia muscle is slightly torn in many places. It causes pain in the heel and bottom of the foot into the arch. Due to this injury, I was forced to quit running for about 3 weeks. I found out that the reason I had been diagnosed with Plantar fasciitis was because I had been running on uneven ground 5-6 days a week with cross country. Through recovery, I had to draw the conclusion that I can only run on even ground. Preventing an injury and recovery can be challenging, but not impossible.

It is very important to strengthen muscles through the training process by doing more than just running. In Jeff Galloway’s book entitled Marathon, he writes, “On long or hard runs, those with weak postural muscles will lose their form more quickly, their pace will slow and recovery time will increase. A slumping upper body also cuts down on the efficiency of breathing and reduces oxygen absorption” (32). Through my current half marathon training, I have been doing core and arm training as well. I have noticed a difference in the quality of my runs and overall feeling post-run. While running, posture is something I try to keep in mind. I have found it to be easier to focus on when I feel stronger and able to keep good posture. Galloway suggests that runners work specifically on crunches to build core strength and arm running which he describes as, “This exercise can be done in the standing position with legs spread about as wide as your shoulders. Use handheld weights in both hands, move the arms through the motion you’d use when running” (Galloway 33). Using simple exercises can be beneficial to runners not only in basic strength but to improve quality of runs and lessen chance of injury.

Another tip that Galloway shares about injury in Marathon is about how to know if you are just sore or truly injured. He writes, “Temporary aches and pains will come and go through a marathon program, usually disappearing after a day or so, and thus indicating that you probably don’t have an injury. But if the pain increases or continues for five to seven days, treat it as an injury: Take at least 2 days off from running and use ice and other treatments as necessary” (Galloway 163). Knowing when to take time off from running is necessary if you are planning to train for a race. By having an injury and continuing to run, the injury will become worse and the chance you will be able to race slims down. Allowing yourself proper and enough healing time will allow for a good race in the end.

Question: Have you ever been injured playing a sport? What could you have done to prevent that injury?
Galloway, Jeff. Marathon: You Can Do It! Bolinas, CA: Shelter, 2001. Print.