Up Hill, Both Ways

It was close to this time last year that I started thinking about training to run a 5k.  I didn't have the cash to be joining a gym or buying equipment so I figured running might be a lower cost option to take.  I wanted to do the Run For The Cure and I wanted to get in better shape.  I should have gotten new shoes and talked gotten someone to take a look at my form and help me get started but there was that problem with cost effectiveness and I set out on my own.  Following a couch to 5k running guide I set out on the sidewalk... and almost immediately hurt myself.  My knee was in pain, my feet hurt a lot and my shins were a mess.  I rested for a long while, moved to running on the road and swapped out my shoes for a slightly larger and even less supportive pair but they didn't hurt.  I had far better results and was in much less pain.  Once I managed to run the 5k in October my running petered out a bit.  It was getting cold and I started to swap out running for more time on the elliptical at home.  Part way through the winter I had my breast reduction surgery as well and my exercise was limited to... well, nothing for about 2 months.  Though I did start back up with using the elliptical and I introduced the occasional attempt at P90X videos, I've been a little reluctant to get back out on the road for a run.  For another thing my shoes are honestly embarrassing!  I know they aren't the best for my feet but although I know they don't help me they haven't really hurt me either so I figured I was fine. 

There was a blog entry about running form that a friend of mind shared on Facebook a few weeks ago.  It mentioned a few different issues people might have with the way they are running and how to fix them.  I read it and figured I wasn't doing to badly.  One point did strike me though.  This person mentioned that you don't want to be landing on your heals.  The goal was to land further forward on the balls of your feet or at the least more flat footed.  I knew right away I was landing to hard on my heal.  It also seemed my strides might be a little long, this can sometimes be a contributing factor in landing on your heal.  I had figured the longer the stride the faster I would go.  Turns out I have to work on faster steps, not longer ones.  

Another problem is my shoes are honestly embarrassing!  I know they aren't the best for my feet but although I know they don't help me they haven't really hurt me either so I figured I was fine.  If I do want to improve though and make sure I'm not going to hurt myself it really is going to be necessary for me to pick up a proper pair of running shoes.  I'll just have to put that on the top of my financial must do list.

So today I headed out on a run because the kids fought non stop and I really needed to get out before I lost my mind.  For some unknown reason I decided to do my usual 5k rout backwards.  Instead of heading right from my door I took a left.  I wanted to know how much harder it was.  Turns out, a lot harder!  How it can be up hill for almost the entire route I'm not sure but it almost is.  Also as soon as I started to run I knew I had been doing it all wrong before.  Running more forward on my feet felt totally foreign.  I was using completely different muscles and taking a far shorter stride.  It was like starting again from scratch.  My heart rate went up much quicker and I wasn't as able to keep it regulated and continue to run.  I had to take a few walking breaks again and stopped running all together about 5 min before I would have normally.  Surprisingly all this extra walking, shorter strides and up hill battle only added about 3 min to my usual time.  This is also only the second time I've been out running this year.  I think once I do become accustom to this style and get the appropriate muscles in shape it will be a much faster method.  New shoes might help too.  After all, my kids do say wearing running shoes makes them run fast.  Maybe there is some truth to that.  I guess I should find out.   

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