My personal thoughts are as follows:
- The more we run, the less we pay attention to the rules! We somehow feel we are exempt from the 10% rule as one prime example. This means you should not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%, or your long run by more than 10%.
- Some of us are more prone to injury than others likely due to genetics, ie. Two people can be involved in identical training programs, one may experience no injuries and the other may be plagued with injuries.
- 80% of injuries are caused by external factors ie. TOO MUCH TOO SOON.
TRAINING PRINCIPLES
“Have you increased mileage, added hills or speed too quickly? Gradual progression of training allows the tissues of your body to adapt to higher demands placed on them”.
TISSUE ADAPTATION IS REQUIRED TO PREVENT INJURIES FROM OCCURRING.
**The 10% rule applies to EVERYONE!!!
SHOES
Shoes should be replaced every 300 miles. The “dead shoe” is very harmful if you continue to run in them. If you run daily you should have 2 pairs of runners to allow 24 – 48 hours for the foam memory to recover in your shoes. It is extremely important to have the proper shoe type for your specific foot and running mechanics.
TRAINING SURFACE
Has this changed recently? Are you running on a slanted roadway? More hill work? Uneven terrain? Any one of these may alter your biomechanics and cause injury. Slippery, icy surfaces may also cause muscle strains.
Varying your training surface can be good for your feet and help reduce mechanical or external stress (ie. trails, grass and sand).
YOUR BIOMECHANICS
Flexibility, muscle strength and body types are different in everyone. All of these affect our running style and running efficiency. Reduced flexibility and strength may both contribute to injury development