The traffic of runners on the bike trail and treadmills at Ping is nothing short of glorious. Yet after only a few jogs, it becomes clear that some Bobcats run like proverbial chickens with their heads cut off. Here are a handful of proven ways to improve and not be an injury statistic.
Thou Shalt:
1) Disband Thy Treadmill
When temperatures reach sub-zero, treadmills come off as godsends. But running outside versus running on the belt are biomechanically very different. Treadmills tend to target the legs and ignore the core, which would be great if you only ran races on the great indoors. If you're confined to a treadmill, put it on a slight incline. When you step out of the car, a 35 degree Turkey Trot won't faze you after running through Athens' infamous 20 degree drizzles.
2) Disband the Track
Off the treadmill? Now you've inevitably moved to the track. My old track coach always shared the same line for us before races: Run hard
turn left. Injury comes from repetition. Remember half the distance on an outdoor track is turning left. Indoor tracks are worse. Runners with any imperfections in form are picked off like weak gazelles of the herd. Hit the road.
3) Return to the Track
Return? Only when you're ready. The track and hills are sacred places, temples of sorts for sprinting and puking, and damned is the fool who neglects it. After building that aerobic base, track and hill workouts will give you that boost you need late in a race. One track workout a week can teach your body a snappy pace and hill sprints can give you strength to keep it up.
4) Run on the Right Side of the Road
Now you're officially logging real miles on real roads, it's time to learn street etiquette. Note the quotation marks. Runners disagree on specifics, but it's generally a good idea to stay on the left so you can see who's approaching, a mantra familiar to cyclists. If you're spooked by a blind spot ahead, look both ways, cross, then cross back.
5) Steal from Thy Fellow Runner
If you're hitting the road for the first time, you can learn a lot from others: what to wear, when to pace, how to pee in a front yard properly, etc. Even for the veterans, a pre-race conversation with a stranger could trigger new inspiration. Still, second opinions are advised. Milk or alcohol are never good pre-run drinks.
6) Remember the Long Run and Keep it Holy
Think back to 7th grade health class: Jogging is aerobic. A long run once-a-week remedies a slew of aches from stress to sore muscles to monotonous training regimens. What's the best time? Friday afternoons before the legitimate weekend begins seems like a good bet.
7) Honor Thy Legs and Thy Core
Some swear by static stretching, some curse it. Either way, pick a school of thought and, after a mile of running, stretch. Doing so after a run may easily tilt the scales between injury to personal best. If you're not a lifter, post-run push ups and sit ups should be the minimum.
8) Tread Softly
Shin splints plague the beginning runner. One day my high school track coach told me I ran too loudly. I haven't had shin splints since, no small feat for a 180-pound two-miler. Take the pun as you will.
9) Find Thy Running Buddy
Even if you're training for a race, most of your running will take place within a conversational comfort pace. Conversational pace is easy when you have someone to converse with, and someone to drag you out of the room. Partners are essential, too, if you plan on running The Gauntlet, our creep-laden bike trail at midnight.
10) Eat...
... correctly. Diets that toss out carbohydrates or proteins starve the runner of what he or she needs most to recover quickly. Because you're burning extra calories, you could in theory afford to eat more and still lose weight.
All of these commandments neglect one of running's key edicts. Enjoy what you do. The running gods created us bipedal cretins to run.
Adam Liebendorfer is a sophomore studying journalism and Spanish and a columnist for The Post. If any exercise gods smote you lately, send him an e-mail at al211307@ohiou.edu 4
Opinion
Adam Liebendorfer
