Reflections on Running

This past weekend I ran a wonderful long run of about 15-16 miles, and by the end of it I was scared.

Not because of my usual inner demons, but because I finished the last 2 miles with pain in my right foot. I've read and heard enough stories about running injuries to worry not about the pain, but about not being able to run.

It's a runner's worst nightmare: being saddled with an injury and being told by your doctor that you'll be OK, but you can't run for six weeks. Or worse: you can't run again without pain -- ever.

The thoughts going through my mind as I ran those last couple of miles with pain in my foot went along the lines of: "OK, Leo, nothing to worry about; it's just a little pain; you'll still be able to run after today."

As if my old trick of positive thinking could affect whether or not I have an injury.

So, of course, I did a bit of reading on injuries, treating injuries and injury prevention. And today I'd like to share some of the tips I've learned because, being the good friend I am, I don't want any of you to be sidelined with injury either. Nothing should stop us from the run!

I can't go in-depth at all about injuries because there's enough information to fill several books. I recommend you do some reading online, on sites such as runnersworld.com and coolrunning.com, and look in some good running books, such as "Lore of Running" by Dr. Tim Noakes, and "The Competitive Runner's Handbook" by Bob and Shelley Glover.

What I can offer are some general tips. First, on injury prevention (from a Runner's World pamphlet on "Running Injury Free" and "Running to Win" by Dr. George Sheehan):

•Buy good shoes. They're the most important equipment we runners own, and we shouldn't go cheap. Do some research online, be sure to run in the shoes for a minute and be sure they're comfortable. They should fit snugly but with a thumb's-width between your toe and the end of the shoe.

•Also get an experienced runner to watch you run and tell you if you are an overpronator, neutral runner or a supinator -- different shoes can adjust for the way your feet roll when you hit the ground, helping to prevent injury. You may also need some type of corrective footwear device, and if you suspect this, it's best to see a doctor (preferably a sports podiatrist).

•Start training gently. Many of us are overambitious in the beginning, and the result can be overtraining or injury. Start slowly, and only progress to the next level after your body has adjusted to the stress of the current level. Don't introduce more than one stress at once -- don't add speed and distance in the same week, for example, or hills and speed. Do one thing one week, let your body adjust for two to four (or even six) weeks, and then add another stress.

Finally, a few tips on treating and recovering from injuries:

•The runner's best tools for treatment are rest, ice and ibuprofen. Many injuries are caused by overtraining (see above), and the best cure is a little rest and then cutting back on training and increasing more gradually. Ice is great for any pain.

•Treat not only the symptoms, but also the cause. Every running injury occurs for a reason, and it's always a sign that you have reached a breakdown point. Investigate the cause (overtraining, the wrong shoes, worn-out shoes, tired or inflexible calf muscles, etc.) and find a way to fix it. This can take a bit of research, or advice from a doctor who is also a runner.

Finally, some words from the late Dr. George Sheehan, life-long runner and philosopher:

"There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly, I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be.

"No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences. My times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged: each race a drama, each race a challenge, each race stretching me in one way or another and each race telling me more about myself and others."