Running Myths
By Coach Mark Konicek
Over the course of these next articles, I will be focusing on running not only as a triathlete but as a pure runner. I will write about ways to improve upon your running through form, function, nutrition, strength training, and rest (yes, I mean rest) and how this will pertain to training and ultimately racing.
I first want to start with some myths that pertain to running and put them to rest....
Running causes knee injuries: Nothing could be further from the truth. Research shows that running builds lean muscle and helps strengthen our tendons.[i] What causes injuries are poor running mechanics or form (an article for another time). For instance, being too far forward at the waist can add about 30-40 pounds of pressure to your lower back, eventually leading to lower back problems. You might function well as a runner with poor mechanics in the beginning but eventually your body will give in and break down.
Stretch before your run: This is a common mistake made by many runners. I see people walk into the gym all the time, approach the treadmill, and grab the foot to stretch their quad or place one leg over the other to stretch the hamstring. This type of stretching (static/hold stretching) should be done only after warming up first. A cold muscle has no blood flow or elasticity, which leads to small tears in the muscle. Plus a cold muscle after stretching will actually shrink instead of stretch. Both these conditions can lead to injury. So please take the time to warm your body up with a short walk, spin or run before stretching.
Runners don't need to strength or resistance train: If any athlete needs to strength train, it's the runner. I said above that running builds lean muscle and strengthens the tendons. True, but running alone is not enough to maintain lean muscle. The constant high impact pounding that running puts our muscles through and the calorie burn that we endure as endurance athletes can and will eventually break down muscle. Runners need to resistance train (again, another article) on a year round basis to help maintain lean muscle and reduce injuries. The type of strength training and number of times per week changes throughout the year. ET coaches use the scientific principle of periodization to ensure athletes do the right strength, swim, bike and run workouts at the right time of the season.
Lactic Acid is a waste product: Everyone has heard the Lactic Acid Warnings. It builds up in your muscles, makes your muscles burn and leads your muscles to tire and give out. Some athletes do all their training just below their Lactic Threshold (LT) where diminishing results start to begin. Better performance results are produced with the proper amount of run workouts that are below, at and above LT. Lactic acid is actually a fuel produced by the muscle from glucose and the muscle burns it for energy. One of the reasons elite athletes can perform so hard for so long is because their intense training at and above threshold causes their muscles to adapt from aerobic (fat burned as fuel) to anaerobic (glucose burned as fuel) more efficiently.
I hope this helps address a few common running myths and provides an understanding that can lead to better results with your training.
See you all on the black top!!
Coach Mark
Mark Konicek is a triathlon coach with EXPERIENCETriathlon. He has 20 years of experience in coaching and participation in the health and fitness industry. Mark started his career as a runner and continued to grow as a triathlete, ultramarathoner and Ironman. Click here to read more about Mark or schedule a coaching session.
[i] Digitale, E. Running slows aging and postpones disability, study finds. Stanford Report. 2008; August 20. Available at: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2008/august20/med-aging-082008.html?view=print. Accessed December 7, 2009.
