Off on the right track

By Liz Barry

Published: March 5, 2008

The midlife crisis. Some buy red sports cars; Kevin Uhl runs marathons.

At 45, Uhl set out to complete the World Marathon Majors, a series of five marathons for elite runners from around the world. An ambitious undertaking for any runner, it was especially so for Uhl, a newbie to the sport.

Like many new runners, Uhl learned about injuries the hard way. In the past two years, Uhl has developed three injuries.

“Whenever you push mileage and intensity too fast, you will get injured,” Uhl said. “For me, that took more than one lesson.”

With the help of professional treatment, Uhl’s healthy again and smarter about running. He has completed three of the majors: Boston, Berlin and Chicago. Now he’s training for the Flora London Marathon in April.

Running 101
Whether you’re training for elite marathons or getting in shape for the New Year, there are steps you can take to avoid running injuries. Josh Bailey, a physical therapist with Rehab Associates of Central Virginia, and Jeff Fedorko, owner of Riverside Runners, weighed in on healthy running.

Fedorko - the former distance running coach at Lynchburg College - knows the strain of running firsthand. He was a distance runner in college and is an accomplished triathlete, who has completed the Ironman Triatholan. Twice.

“Running is the highest impact activity you can do,” Fedorko said. “It’s two to three times your body weight with every footstep.”

Running has three main components: aerobics, strength and flexibility, Fedorko said. Even people with a strong aerobic base must train their bodies and muscles for the unique strains of running.

Safe Running
Bailey said the most common mistakes boil down to six words: “Too much, too soon, too fast.”

The excitement and good intentions of new runners can backfire.

“They’re excited about the new activity,” Bailey said. “It’s just like New Year’s resolutions, they think, ‘I’m going to get in shape, and do it in a week.’”

The body can handle a 10- to 20-percent increase in mileage per week, which isn’t a lot for beginners. That means if somebody is running 10 miles a week, they can safely add about one mile to their training regimen the next week.

Another danger is picking up speed and intensity too aggressively, a common mistake for beginners who are eager to improve their mile time.

There are ways to test whether you are pushing yourself too hard without a fancy heart rate monitor. Fedorka said you should be able to hold conversation while running. Other tests: being able to whistle or to respond to a question with a one or two word answer with ease.

Just as important as getting up for that early morning run is knowing when to stop and let your body rest. Fedorko recommended that beginners run every other day, at most. The in-between days should be for rest or cross-training.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, Bailey said research indicates that stretching before running might actually increase a person’s risk of injury.

“Most people stretch like they did in gym class,” he said. “They stretch, and then go out and work out.”

Instead, Bailey recommended a dynamic warm up. For example, jogging for 5 to 10 minutes before getting up to speed. The end of the workout is the best time to stretch.

Nice Kicks
Bailey and Fedorko emphasized the importance of having well-fitting, high-quality running shoes. Old tennis sneakers should be reserved for yard work or tramping through the mud, not for running.

“Beginning runners need to know that there are specific running shoes for specific types of feet,” Fedorko said.

The average price of quality running shoes is $90. They last about 400 miles.

Riverside Runners specializes in fitting people for running shoes. They look at your old running shoes,watch your lower leg mechanics when you run and make a personal recommendation. You test-run shoes until you find the perfect fit.

Injuries No More
The most common running injury is shin splits, a lay term for certain types of pain in the lower leg resulting from overuse and lack of flexibility, Bailey said.

“They’re easily fixable, if you catch them early,” he said. “Otherwise, they can turn into a stress fracture.”

There are a host of other injuries you can get from running. The common denominator: they usually result from overuse or overtraining, Fedorko said.

The difference between typical soreness and pain that might signal orlead to an injury can be hard to discern, said Bailey.

“Running is inherently an uncomfortable sport,” he said. “No other sport do you cross the finish line, throw up and say, ‘That was awesome.’”

Fedorko said that any pain that lasts longer than two or three days means you are training too hard, too much, too soon. If it doesn’t get better with rest, it’s time to see a physician.

The bottom line, in Bailey’s view, is to see a professional for any consistent pain that lasts 10 or more days.

Eye of the Tiger
An often-overlooked consideration for beginning and experienced runners alike is motivation. How will you ensure you won’t give up after a week? What will keep you going in the winter, when it’s cold and the light is limited?

“It’s not easy to run with the sun sets early or rises later,” Fedorko said.

Motivators vary. Some people get pumped up by training for a race. Others use running partners to keep them consistent and to make it social. Still others have a reward system for successful training, like a massage or nice dinner.

Fedorko emphasized that running can and should be fun. He said he would rather see more people view races as a way to meet people than as strictly a competitive venture.

For Uhl, turning 45 was a strong motivator.

“I realized that life doesn’t last forever,” Uhl said. “I decided that if this is something I wanted to do, I better get started.”

Running Resources:
—Lynchburg Roadrunners promotes health and wellness through running. Visit
.org.
—Riverside Runners. Visit http://www.riversiderunners.com.