Month: August 2016

3 Foot Injuries to Watch Out For When Running

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

When you’re a runner, there’s always the fear and possibility of injuring yourself. One of the most common injuries are foot injuries, naturally, as this is the part of the body that takes the shock and impact whilst running. The foot is active in both the landing and push-off phases of the running cycle, so it’s involved in absorbing the shock of impact (upon landing), then controlling the forces generated by running (during push-off).

In this post I will discuss the three most common foot injuries to watch out for when training, and how to treat and prevent them.

Plantar Fasciitis

This is pain along the bottom of your heel – it is particularly bad first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. This is caused by excess tension or pulling on the plantar fascia, which runs along the bottom of your foot, resulting in painful inflammation.

Treat it by:

  • Cross-training
  • Taking anti-inflammatories
  • Rolling your foot over a frozen water bottle
  • Pumping your ankle up and down 10 times before getting out of bed
  • Wearing shoes with arch support
  • Stretching your calf

To prevent Plantar Fasciitis stretch, strengthen and foam roll your calves regularly. Additionally, shorten your stride – aim for 180 foot strikes per minute.

Ankle Tendinitis

This is pain on the outside of your ankle beneath the bone and toward the back of the joint. This may start out mild but can worsen over time with repeated running. Ankle tendinitis is caused by a big bump in mileage stressing out the two tendons that run along the outside of your ankle, causing them to become in flamed.

Treat it by:

  • Cross-training
  • Applying ice for 15 minutes, five times a day
  • Stretching and foam rolling your calves
  • Talk to a sports doctor if discomfort lasts – they may recommend a brace

Ankle Tendinitis can be prevented by doing regular foot eversions and calf raises.

Stress Fracture

This is a pain in your forefoot or heel, which is usually most pronounced during running and worsens over time. This is something that can develop over time when the demand on the bone exceeds the bone’s ability to withstand the force.

Treat it by:

  • Seeing a sports doctor for immediate diagnosis – they will advise you to rest and this can reduce recovery time.
  • Cross-training

Stress fractures can be prevented by upping your mileage gradually. If you over pronate whilst running, try arch supports. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D can help prevent stress fractures, and additionally you should strengthen your core and hips with exercises.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

Top 10 Running Shoe Lacing Techniques – Infographic

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi there, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

You may never have thought that the way you lace up your shoes would have such an impact on your run, and neither did I. However, in running there are a lot of factors that could secure the fit and comfort of the feet – this in turns translates into either a good run or a bad run.

Each pair of feet is unique, which is why using the right lacing technique will matter in your running performance. This infographic below from Run Repeat shows you just how you can relieve the foot fatigue or nagging pain by adjusting the laces on your running shoes. Lacing techniques are basic to master. The effectiveness of a technique might depend on the lacing material, number of holes or just how tight the laces are secured before going out for a run.

mohsin salya

 

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

 

Why Should I Do Tempo Runs?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Whether you’re training for the 5K, the marathon or some other kind of long run, you will definitely benefit from the tried and tested running workout – the tempo run.

The tempo run is also known as a lactate threshold run, and it will train you to run faster and farther no matter what the distance.  On the scientific side, tempo runs increase your capillary density, the volume of your mitochondria and the activity of your aerobic enzyme activity.

How do tempo runs work?

The theory behind the tempo run is that each runner has a lactate threshold. The lactate threshold reflects the fastest pace at which your muscles can sustain aerobic energy production. When you accumulate too much lactate the aerobic enzymes shutdown, reducing your muscles’ ability to contract. This in turn slows you down. To increase your lactate threshold (and ultimately run faster at any distance) you need to run at or slightly faster than your current lactate threshold.

How do I pace a tempo run?

The most common advice is to run your tempo runs by perceived effort. This helps you run according to your current fitness, rather than a time goal. Running by perceived effort also allows for variations in terrain, how you feel on that particular day and weather. It also keeps you from worrying about your pace too much and in turn getting stressed out.

More and more studies are suggesting that your lactate threshold is a range, rather than specific pace. As a result, recreational and competitive runners will benefit more from an effort-based approach to pacing.

Three tempo runs to try

  • The standard tempo run – This workout should be a standard inclusion in your training plan, regardless of your goal race distance. Warm up for 1-2 miles, run a tempo effort for 3 miles and then cool down for 1-2 miles.
  • Tempo intervals – This is a great option for 5K and 10K runners. Warm up for 1-2 miles, run 2 intervals of 10-15 minutes at tempo effort with a 1-5 minute recovery jog in between and then cool down for 1-2 miles.
  • Tempo long run – Advanced runners can add a tempo segment to their long run, and this is especially beneficial for half marathoners, as it mimics the duration and pace of a half marathon. Run at your normal long run pace for 6-10 miles, and then run for the last 3-4 miles at your half marathon goal pace or tempo effort. Do these runs no more than once every two weeks.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

Hip Strengthening Exercises Every Runner Should Do

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Some runners sometimes shrug off the importance of strength training when it comes to avoiding injury and improving performance. However, strength training should be part and parcel of your training program, as it will help you in many ways, including avoiding injury and improving your performance.

One of the regions you should be focusing on as a runner, to increase strength and mobility, is your hips.  The hips are one of the most important, and yet ignored, aspects of biomechanics. Hip weakness is a major injury root-cause, so when it comes to warding off running pain (especially knee pain), your hip strengthening exercises are some of the most important you can do.

By committing to a hip strengthening routine two to three times a week, you can increase stability and support of your core region. By starting with one set of eight reps and gradually building on it so that you are doing three to four sets of 12 to 15, you should start noticing major improvement in less than two to three weeks. Here are some suggestions:

Single Leg Bridge

  • Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms pressed against the floor by your sides. Lift your hips, tone your thighs and squeeze your glutes.
  • Next, raise your right leg up in the air as straight as possible, keeping your foot flexed and extending it whilst raising your lower back. Lift your hip as high as possible by engaging your abs and pressing down through the left heel.
  • Hold the position for five to ten seconds, and then lower your hips to lightly touch the ground. Now switch legs.

Donkey Kicks

  • Get on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, and your wrists aligned under your shoulders.
  • Draw your abdominals in as you gradually lift your leg behind you until it’s almost parallel to the floor, with your knee bent and your foot flexed.
  • Hold this position and pulsate your flexed foot towards the ceiling by engaging and squeezing your glutes. Keep the motion small and controlled with the muscle doing most of the work.
  • Focus on the muscle, and avoid using momentum. Also make sure you keep your back straight and spine in a neutral positon.
  • Lastly, return to the starting position and complete one rep.

Bird Dog

  • Get on all fours on your hands and knees with your palms flat on the floor and shoulder width apart. Your knees should be directly under your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders. Make sure to keep your lower back and abdomen in a neutral position.
  • Next, engage your core to keep a good balance. Raise your left arm and extend it straight out in front of your body as you raise your right leg and straighten it behind you.
  • Hold this position for three to five seconds, and then return to the starting position and repeat.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

A Guide to Runners Lingo

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi there, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

When you first start running, and often if you’ve been running for years, you can often hear words or phrases thrown about by fellow runners that you have no idea what they mean. On the other hand, you may think you know what they mean, but in fact they have a whole other meaning to them instead.

This can cause confusion, which is the last thing you need when you’re training for that all important marathon. Today I want to break down some of these terms for you, to make your running journey that little bit easier.

Aerobic – This is a broad term, and although it bring up certain images, it actually refers to any type of physical exercise that’s intended to improve how your body uses oxygen to generate energy. Although it may sound strange, running, walking and hiking are all types of aerobic exercises.

Anaerobic – On the other side, anaerobic is the term to describe any exercise which may cause you to be quickly out of breath. This term usually describes very high-intensity exercise that’s not intended to boost the efficiency of your body’s cardiovascular system.

Endurance – This is simply your body’s ability to withstand pain and discomfort and run for extended periods of time.

Running Economy – This refers to the many biomechanical and physiological factors that may contribute to your running performance, and is a very broad term.

Recovery Run – This refers to an easy, slow and short run. Usually at 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate, it takes place within a day after a challenging run or marathon.

Tempo Run – This is a type of running workout in which you typically run at 75 to 85 per cent of your maximum heart rate for a sustained period of time of 20 to 30 minutes, or a specific number of miles. Usually, tempo runs must be performed at a comfortably challenging pace.

Fartlek – A Swedish term that translates to ‘Speed Play’. It’s a form of speed work format, in which a runner performs bursts of faster running, following an unspecific and unstructured training pattern. Unlike traditional interval training, which centres on specific distances or timed intervals.

Runner’s High – This refers to the state of euphoria and joy experiences by runners either during a workout or just afterwards. On the science side, this is the release of norepinephrine, serotonin, endorphins and dopamine, which promote a sense of well-being and happiness.

The Wall – This usually occurs during miles 19-26 of a marathon, in which the runner’s energy and power plunge, making the runner feel physically and emotionally drained. I previously wrote a blog post surrounding what it means to ‘hit a wall’.

MP – Simply your Marathon Pace.

GMP – Your Goal Marathon Pace.

Race Pace – Your ideal running pace during a race.

World Marathon Majors – These are big guys when it comes to marathon racing, and they comprise of six prominent races: Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, NYC Marathon, London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, and Tokyo Marathon.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya

What Should Beginners Know about Running?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi there, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

If you’re thinking about starting running for leisure, to keep fit or to take part in that marathon you’ve always wanted to, there are definitely a few things you need to know beforehand. Today I’ll be sharing some of these with you, as this will ensure a smooth and safe transition to becoming a true runner.

Running gets easier

It may sound like a cliché people throw around at you when you first start running, but this truly is one of the most profound lessons you ever learn when you are just starting out. When you start out, the high impact nature of the sport can take a toll on your body, which can lead to soreness, cramps and blisters. Even mentally it can take a toll, and it isn’t uncommon to suffer from burnout or mental fatigue.

However, as you get stronger and fitter, your body will adjust. The quickest way this will happen is to run at least 3 times a week when you first start out, sticking to a routine and scheduling your sessions just as you would a work meeting or family event. Don’t go running long distances from the start, build up to them realistically and gradually increase your mileage.

Running doesn’t cancel out a bad diet

It is true what they say – you are what you eat. It’s very easy to put on any weight that you have lost from running, and there is no amount of running you can do that balances out a bad diet. Your body needs the right kind of nutrition to run at its best, whatever your fitness goals.

If you don’t fuel yourself with the right food, the chances are you will struggle when running. As a result, you’ll blame it on the running when it’s your diet choices that are the culprit. Ideally you want to be eating complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fat. Stick to these food groups and you’ll find it a lot easier.

Running is a mental game

If you don’t train your mind the same as you train your body, you will definitely find the whole process a lot harder, and in turn fall short of achieving your personal goals. To become the best runner you can be, you need to accept the fact that your inner state (thoughts, feelings and emotions) and your outer state are related, and one has an impact on the other.

It’s important to believe that you can go the extra mile, and that all of the discomfort you are feeling during your run won’t last forever. Once you build up enough mental and physical endurance, that discomfort will become less and less.

Bad weather doesn’t exist

This is possible one of the toughest lessons you’ll learn throughout your running journey. If you’re going to become an all year round runner, you will have to learn how to keep your runs consistent under all sorts of weather. You can’t afford to believe that it’s too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.

You have to try and remember that running in bad weather won’t kill you. Once you have the right attitude, it’s completely possible to run when the weather isn’t perfect. And once you start truly believing that, the run will be over before you know it.

Until next time,

Mohsin Salya