I used to run in brooks beast with orthotics made for me by a podiatrist working with the VIS. My feet look in different directions when i hang them off the end of a bench. I had two years of no running because of ITB issues while using those orthotics.
There are two schools of thought.
If you dont have perfect structure throughout your body, use gizmos to enable you to keep doing things
If you dont have perfect structure throughout your body, slowly adapt it to whatever you are doing and leave the gizmos out.
I’ve been in both, am currently in number, have been for a while, and been able to run many times longer distances this way.
My advice to anyone, injured, just starting out, whatever, is:
The bad news is that you are currently weaker than you think you are and arent capable of sustained running, but the great news is that you (and we all) are probably only 6 months or so away from a lifetime of running without injury and being strong. You only have to do this super slow and conservative build once, then you are set. Jog 5mins easy every second day for two weeks, add 5 mins every second week til you are at an hour easy for each run, then add 5 mins every second week to one of them til it is at 2.5 hours. By then you will be a beast and capable of smashing just about anyone, without ever running “hard”. Add intensity whenever you like after that, but do it slowly.
Most people cant do it, though…cant accept the bad news, try to show that theyre actually quite strong, get hurt, start again. Some people get bored, don’t want the outcome enough to go through the at-times-tedious build up. As cyclists, we can let hte build happen in the background, dont think about “run training” until a few months down the track… use it as a warm down from cycling, whatever.
I think it deserves a chance before signing up to orthotics, physio, massage, water aerobics, etc just so you can run 30mins.
Thanks JP, that is some great advice. I have just been introduced to the foam roller and ITB stretching, fun times.
I’ve started running again this week and will take it slow and work up the time/distance.
i think it depends on the person, i was at the point of not being able to walk after half an hour of moderate exercise (talking school pe shit) before i got orthotics. i have no arches whatsoever, my feet roll in(pronate), my tibia aren’t straight and for a while certain muscles in my knees were way over built, fucking things over royally. within two months of getting them i could do pretty much anything, and i don’t need to wear them anymore(granted i was growing at the time of getting orthotics). 5 minutes at a time didn’t and wouldn’t work for me, because walking itself became painful.
getting the correct shoe for you(as i did when i was training for IM) is very different to getting orthotics and other ‘gizmos’, the shoes i got were well suited to pronating feet and fit my foot shape(fat flippers) well, this helped me train better and reduced fatigue/pain.*
i very much agree with you that taking it slow is the best option and will get you better results than any podiatrist ever will though. the number of nufty middle age idiots i have whinging about their ITB issues and sore whatevers who can’t realise that the 800m sprints/3.30min/km training their dipshit coaches are getting them to do (as ironman training) is the reason is ridiculous.
*I sound like i’m reciting the brochure in the front of podiatrist, because i feel bad about spending money on a service and want to justify it to myself. I’m not though, because my podiatrist is a friend and i don’t pay him despite my best efforts.
I’ve decided to start running in training for inward bound (35-70K inter college divisional orienteering event) and a possible Annapurna circuit trek this summer. Might start just running the 3 ks to uni instead of riding and plan on alternating fastpacking overnighters with bikepacking ones (this will be sweet once I make a hammock so I can do some serious bushwhacking and camp in the trees). I find that my lungs usually pack in when running even though I’m a reasonably fit cyclist who doesn’t struggle with the aerobic side much. I also can never seem to settle into a good rhythm even though I have a smooth gait. Hopefully in the two years I’ve spent not running at all something has changed…
UPDATE: went for my first run in two years (3rd voluntary run ever) and it was great! Didn’t feel like I needed to stop as long as I didn’t go too quick. When I got to the wilderness area I power hiked/bushwhacked to the top of ainslie (800ish m) and down again then ran home.
The main thing I learnt is that running is much more enjoyable than riding in the rain…
i’m going running in about 20 mins. probably gonna do about half an hour or so. i run real slow. like, barely a jog. i also take a footy with me to make it more interesting. anyone wanna come?
haha! A few people I know run with footies, like you, to make it more interesting. If all you’ve got is foot paths and cleared fields, I reckon thats the way to go.
a.davis for sure, some people are truly FUBAR (a nice vonnegut short story, too) and need a lot of help.
Can’t wait for PiledHigher’s report from Pikes Peak! what is it, 2 and a bit weeks? Wooo!
My update, I’ve been sick for over a week now, but am somehow still running and riding relatively OK. I took a strava segment off an olympic marathoner this week and am wondering if/when strava performances will be considered in athletics australia’s olympics/worlds selection policy.
My mate ran a quick 30k at prini park on the weekend in sketchers, hows that for nuts!! apparently theyre pretty awesome. My other mate crashed so badly running the salomon series that he considered getting stitches in his face.
I’m thinking about racing in Albury in mid sept… theres a 23k trail run that is apparently steep and techy.
Yes, taper kind of started, some sharpening racing this weekend.
From Vic, now you can figure out my real name! But if you do ignore my time estimate for Pikes Peak, it has been revised since I entered and did a bit more homework.
Good luck mate! After some soft stalking of internet results, I think you might just sneak in under you estimated time, too Far out, this weekend! Will be following.
I entered Great North Walk 175k this week. Its got me scared and excited about trying to do stuff to get “ready” for it. Anyone spent much time on that track?
Ran a 15.1 on the beep test on Sunday. Pretty pleased considering I have been on under 5 runs since I last did it in 4 years ago. Ran a 10.10 or something back then. It runs every week and there is free pizza afterwards so I’m aiming to bump up to 16 in a month or so. Should be easy as improvements happen pretty quick when you’ve just started a new sport.
Rapha…
But if I wanted a jacket for running in light spray/cold wind I’d get a patagonia Houdini and use it for running and mountain biking.
15 is pretty good! We started doing beep tests at soccer training (early season) and guys were falling over at 10… Ha
I just started running in my new shoes, saucony hattori LC. So far so good, feel so much better than my nike free runs.
Any trail runners got some tips for descending/technical sections? I found my time up a steep and rocky trail today was only marginally slower than my time down as I couldn’t really work out how to go quickly, tried to just bump between rocks as the loose sections were slippery but found my self putting the brakes on a fair bit.
Brendan, I have the montane VO2 jacket for racing (gots to have a hood and taped seams for most long trail races). Its bloody light, and has taken a fair bit of abrasion in its time, though it feels incredibly delicate. I have one of the kathmandu pack n go jackets (and pants) that i take on long runs in iffy weather when not racing. I like it better in every way except that it weighs about 4 times as much and packs 4 times as big. i rate that jacket. No pit zips, nothing fancy… if you’re running in a jacket in Aus, you will sweat in it.
Aeons, its just practice mate. I was MASSIVELY humbled running down bon accord spur at the start of last summer and set to work improving descending. 2 things made a big difference
I changed to shoes with a smaller footprint (was in cascadias, moved to NB 110s) which meant i was only hitting stuff that I wanted to hit, more precision.
It was a bit scarey at first, but every time you go downhill, just think “10% faster than what I’m comfortable with”. You don’t need to go crazy all at once, but if you keep pushing just beyond your comfort zone, you’ll improve quickly.
Also, what shoes are you wearing? Also, some trails are so techy that up and down times are the same. For a really nice yardstick up and down (with many strava segments to explore), hit Mt Tennent, the run down there is so awesome.
I set up a segment off the north side of black mtn a few months back to test descending speed, too… i will be happy to show you it next wednesday morning if you’re keen?
Edit, end of the bon Accord story is that I went back and ran in only 2 months later and absolutely destroyed it. The 10% beyond comfortable rule really worked for me. and the 110s.
Second Edit, i’ve been waiting for an ok time to congratulate piledhigher on his run at pike’s peak! first aussie and a good chunk fast than his guesstimate time. I was high fiving you often and loudly, in my mind.
I am currently running in adizero manas (6 mm drop I think) they are light/minimimalistish and suit me but are not great for trail running, I like the look of the 110s but I have really only been on 4 runs this year. I’ve hiked mt tennant but haven’t run it, will give it a crack. I’ll be starting my ride back to Melbourne next Wednesday but would love to go for a run when I get back (though we are on different levels at this running thing). I’ll have a crack at that 10% thing tomorrow.
… actually maybe not … I’d definitely end up in a broken heap at the bottom of the hill trying that shit. I’ve read somewhere that he can bounce up and down on with his foot rolled pretty much sideways
Far out, this weekend! Will be following.