Taking it to the Streets: Keys to Running Outside
It appears that spring has finally arrived! For runners, this means a great deal, because we can finally get off the treadmill and hit the lakefront path or our favorite forest preserve trail. But, just because the weather outside looks inviting, it doesn’t mean that our bodies can handle the transition as easily as our minds can. There are a few things that we need to remember to help prepare our bodies to handle the change in environment and prevent us from the usual nagging injuries many of us face each spring.
The first thing to be aware of is the difference between running on a treadmill and running outside. Treadmill running can be a great change of pace because it provides some cushioning, allows you to easily control your pace, and it doesn’t come with the elements of outdoor running such as unstable surfaces, wind, rain, and hills.
Better mechanics = Fewer injuries.
There is also a big difference in how the forces enter your body on the treadmill as opposed to outside. On the treadmill, the ground is moving under you, and when your foot strikes the belt, it is being pulled through the midstance of your gait. The moving belt can drastically change some runners' mechanics. Many of us have a tendency to lean forward to keep up with the belt, while other runners tend to have a little more bounce in their stride due to the treadmill's slight give. It's very important to focus on your running mechanics to avoid injury when you move outside. A relaxed running form is key. You should focus on an upright form, with a slight lean through your body.
TIP: Try to imagine a box around your waist about two feet in front and back of you. Focus on staying within this box, regardless of your pace. Over-striding outside this box will require unneeded effort and put more stress on your knees and hips.
Go for a soft landing.
In terms of foot strike, when running outside, remember that you are already impacting the ground much harder than you are on the treadmill, so focus on a softer strike.
TIP: Think of landing as softly as you can. This will force you to land more with the center of the foot, just below the balls of your feet. That means a more efficient force transfer through the joints in your feet and ankles up through the hips.
Running can be an excellent form of exercise, as well as a great way to take our minds off of the daily grind. But with every reward comes risks. The more we take care of our bodies and prepare them for the stress of running, the more enjoyment we will find from hitting the path and feeling that “runner's high”.
- Brian Eccles, Symmetry Trainer & Running Coach
Don't Forget to Strength Train
Every runner should be strength training as well. A good strength program for a runner will not only make them more efficient and stronger, but will help prevent injury. One of the biggest problems with runners is that they are reactive instead of proactive, meaning that they will wait until an injury occurs before they start doing the right exercises. A proper program will keep the body's resistance to stress high and prevent the most common running injuries. This is especially true when moving from the treadmill to the outdoors.
A couple of things to keep in mind are focusing on core strength and glutes. Your “core” area includes the abdominal group, your hip extensors, hip abductors, and hip flexors. Think of the repetitive motion through the hips while you run and perform exercises that will mimic this movement. When your foot strikes the ground, your body is held up on one leg, so exercises with one foot off the ground will help stabilize muscles of the hips, knees, and ankles. One of the hardest working muscle groups while running is the glutes. The glutes help propel you forward as you push off, while slowly decelerating you as your foot strikes. Train the glutes with exercises mimicking running, such as a standing single leg hip extension.
Taking it to the Streets: Keys to Running Outside
It appears that spring has finally arrived! For runners, this means a great deal, because we can finally get off the treadmill and hit the lakefront path or our favorite forest preserve trail. But, just because the weather outside looks inviting, it doesn’t mean that our bodies can handle the transition as easily as our minds can. There are a few things that we need to remember to help prepare our bodies to handle the change in environment and prevent us from the usual nagging injuries many of us face each spring.
The first thing to be aware of is the difference between running on a treadmill and running outside. Treadmill running can be a great change of pace because it provides some cushioning, allows you to easily control your pace, and it doesn’t come with the elements of outdoor running such as unstable surfaces, wind, rain, and hills.
Better mechanics = Fewer injuries.
There is also a big difference in how the forces enter your body on the treadmill as opposed to outside. On the treadmill, the ground is moving under you, and when your foot strikes the belt, it is being pulled through the midstance of your gait. The moving belt can drastically change some runners' mechanics. Many of us have a tendency to lean forward to keep up with the belt, while other runners tend to have a little more bounce in their stride due to the treadmill's slight give. It's very important to focus on your running mechanics to avoid injury when you move outside. A relaxed running form is key. You should focus on an upright form, with a slight lean through your body.
TIP: Try to imagine a box around your waist about two feet in front and back of you. Focus on staying within this box, regardless of your pace. Over-striding outside this box will require unneeded effort and put more stress on your knees and hips.
Go for a soft landing.
In terms of foot strike, when running outside, remember that you are already impacting the ground much harder than you are on the treadmill, so focus on a softer strike.
TIP: Think of landing as softly as you can. This will force you to land more with the center of the foot, just below the balls of your feet. That means a more efficient force transfer through the joints in your feet and ankles up through the hips.
Running can be an excellent form of exercise, as well as a great way to take our minds off of the daily grind. But with every reward comes risks. The more we take care of our bodies and prepare them for the stress of running, the more enjoyment we will find from hitting the path and feeling that “runner's high”.
- Brian Eccles, Symmetry Trainer & Running Coach
Don't Forget to Strength Train
Every runner should be strength training as well. A good strength program for a runner will not only make them more efficient and stronger, but will help prevent injury. One of the biggest problems with runners is that they are reactive instead of proactive, meaning that they will wait until an injury occurs before they start doing the right exercises. A proper program will keep the body's resistance to stress high and prevent the most common running injuries. This is especially true when moving from the treadmill to the outdoors.
A couple of things to keep in mind are focusing on core strength and glutes. Your “core” area includes the abdominal group, your hip extensors, hip abductors, and hip flexors. Think of the repetitive motion through the hips while you run and perform exercises that will mimic this movement. When your foot strikes the ground, your body is held up on one leg, so exercises with one foot off the ground will help stabilize muscles of the hips, knees, and ankles. One of the hardest working muscle groups while running is the glutes. The glutes help propel you forward as you push off, while slowly decelerating you as your foot strikes. Train the glutes with exercises mimicking running, such as a standing single leg hip extension.