Runners- are we to be blighted forever?

Most running injury is from the fact your body does not adapt as fast as your cardio vascular system. People end up piling on the mileage before they are ready.

Also, as you mentioned, we do not have coaches to teach us form, On the flip side, most of us just assume we can run right and do not do any research on technique which is EASY to find.

I have run years with issues, no I have switched to barefoot running. I am keeping myself mindful to advance slowly, and have been trouble free since.

Pose running and chi running are also two techniques you can learn from books to reduce injury via a midfoot strike.

I have to agree with KavemanKarg. I have switched to minimalist running and increased my strength training and have greatly reduced my injuries.

Some may find the blogs on this website informative whether you are veg/vegan or not. Surely helped me.

http://www.nomeatathlete.com/

Happy Running!

I had the shin splints, I had the achy muscles and then the knee problems. I found that a really good round of stretching before and after my run helped with the shin splints and muscles but that the knee problem persisted. Then I bought new shoes and my knee problems seem to have gone away. Although I'm still hitting up the doctor later this week just to make sure that there's not anything wrong with me physically (other than being incredibly overweight of course).

I've also started my running with the C25K program, so that I'm building up my stamina and endurance as I go along.

You might need orthotics. Have you had anyone look at the way you run (your gait). I went to a running shop and they did an analysis on the way I ran and gave me trainers accordingly (I overpronate).

Hope that helps.

Don't give up, it will all come good :-)

Stretching helps Icing it down helps but yeah I feel your pain . My feet my knees my shins even my right hip (which was the worst) have all had pain. It is hard because at some point you get past running for fitness and it becomes something you just want to do. I have had to take some days off here and there I took a week off for the hip lots of pain (I think I hurt it while doing lunges). I have read online that you shoes need to be in good shape or your body will suffer. I just keep trucking and mostly the stuff goes away. I ice everything I can especially my knees after every run it helps.

I have run for years (started when I was 11 and ran competitively through the end of college continue running today about 4 days a week). I'm not an expert or a coach but I've had my share of minor and major injuries over the years. A few things that help me (some that I've learned the hard way!):

* I agree wholeheartedly - most injuries occur from increasing your mileage too fast. Your body simply can't handle it. You may not see the effect of this until weeks/months down the road so you keep increasing until you inevitably crash from overexertion and injury. My college coach had a rule of thumb that you did not increase your mileage more than 10% (approximately) in any given week and after three consecutive weeks of increasing, you took a "break" by bringing your mileage back down for a week. Seems counter-intuitive but your body needs rest to be able to run more. The same thing for your longest run of the week, don't increase it by much - maybe add a half a mile or a mile each week (if you do a single longer run during the week).

Example:
Week 1: 20 miles
Week 2: 22 miles
Week 3: 24 miles
Week 4: 20 or 22 miles

Week 5: 24 miles
Week 6: 26.5 miles
Week 7: 29 miles
Week 8: 24-26 miles

and so on....

* When you get an injury (even minor) the best thing to do is to cross-train (aka bike, swim, eliptical, etc.) or REST. Running through the pain sometimes works but most of the time doesn't.

*Once or twice a year (minimum) give your body and complete break from running for 1-2 weeks. This gives it a chance to heal and recover. Yes, you will have to start back up at a lower mileage but it's good for you to re-charge every once in awhile. If you can't do this, just significantly lower your mileage for a few weeks.

* Finally, (I personally find this the most beneficial of all the advice. Has significantly reduced my injuries even when running 70 some miles each week and 13 out of 14 days). Invest in at least two good pairs of running shoes. They are expensive ($70-150) but worth it. If you avoid a dr. visit you have saved the money right there. Buy two different brands if they fit well and buy them from a running store (at least the first time until you know what brands/styles work for you). Switch pairs every other run - that way if one pair bothers something (like your knees) the next day the pressure is relieved and that body part gets a break. Works incredibly well!! I usually have 2-3 different pairs of my favorite brands and switch often. Also, replace them when you have put 300-500 miles on them (I just routinely place them every 6 months based on my mileage). Keep the old ones for muddy trail runs or races and chores!!

That's it - sorry so lengthy but I've found a lot of these things worked for me over the years. Good luck and happy running!!!

I'm sorry to say, I'm confused by much of your terminology - amateur/recreational athletes. Isn't almost EVERY runner an amateur/recreational athlete? I know many slow, and many fast runners (like, really fast) and they're still recreational athletes, who simply do it for the joy. So I'm not really sure where you're headed. To be blunt, it makes you sound a little jealous of the our speedier brethren.

I have a friend, she's a machine. She's never had a coach, or anything like that. She races ultra marathons as B races. She trains limitless hours a week in-between her family and job. And her only injuries have been falling down some stairs while gardening and driving a belt sander into her tummy. Some people never get injured, even without the benefit of coaches, and all that other good stuff that you hint at.

You know that there are plenty of coaches for people of all speeds, right? You don't have to be a pro to have a coach. People from all over the spectrum do it every day. There are coaches who work specifically with the newer athletes, or less talented, or those simply looking to figure out why they can't go from 10m/m to 9. You're not as disadvantaged as you may think.

Some places to look: Your local dedicated running stores. They almost always have some form of coached running program going on. Your local running club. And your local triathlon club (or for that matter, tri store if you're lucky enough to have one). These are all places where you can find somebody who can help you become the healthy injury-free athlete you're yearning to be.

I hope this helps. I'm not trying to be confrontational. I do think though, that you have more options than you think.

I've only recently started to the walk/jog interval training. Two weeks in and I was having problems! I have plantar fasciitis and posterior shin splints, my feet work completely differently to eachother and my one leg is an inch shorter than the other. I had a motorbike accident years ago and broke my femur, fib, tib, hip, pelvis crushed my ankle and multiple fractures every 5ml down my leg. I'm seeing the podiatrist again on Tuesday to be strapped for three weeks and start the process for orthotics. He told me I might not be able to run at all!!! I'm gutted! I felt like I was finally getting into the swing of it, and it feels like I take one step forward, only to be forced 20 steps back!! So I completely get your point!..