How to deal with a running injury

So how to deal with a running injury if the extent of the damage is unknown. This is like many other things is personal. If you are a curious type, might as well go out there and see what happens. So keep on running may or may not be the cure but hey give it a go. Sametime rather than going for a run, best to do some cross training. Say cycling or swimming. Personally not that in to swimming these days but it is to be sure to be sure a one of the best cross training things ( the magical thing word.....).

The medics and the level headed folks might say go on RICE. RICE doesn't stand for grain that you get in the super market. It is Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. So "Rest" is to not to use that body part that is not functioning properly. "Ice" is to chill out. Compression is to get the blood flow working properly and the elevation is to keep the swelling under control and it is to keep that body part above the heart. So if you have a broken heart elevation might not work for obvious reasons.

Also for medical insurance reasons make sure your injury is decent enough to talk about. If you accidentally hit a parked garbage truck for no reason and got injured. Then the insurance company might say "we cannot pay for being a moron as it is a pre existing condition".

The thing with running is it is difficult to find a day where all the parts are 100%. So i personally dont go on the RICE mode unless it is really necessary. It is best to do cross training when slightly injured to keep the hear working properly and to get the stamina up and running. Otherwise without knowing excuse mode kicks in and then the lazy days.

So best is to take special care and give plenty of TLC for the part/parts that needs attention. So if you don't look after you weeeeel who will?

have a great day

Hamstring

Needless to say about the workhorse "hamstring" muscle. So if you don't treat it right, it would let you down. Why did you say that you asked. It happend today. So the boring story goes like this. It was the third half marathon attempt in five days. Couldn't even walk properly during the day. But decided to push the luck as you do. It was raining heavily, i mean poring. So slipeery roads i say.

So what happens here is when the the roads are wet you tend to take a conservative running stance. Which is use more of the use of hamstring than the lower leg. Also when you haven't taken enough rest or recovery time is low, the legs are tired already. So with all this negative input to legs plus bit of tiredness on the run, oh nearly forgot to say, going downhill too. Wham! the feeling of electrocuting on the hamstring. Hamstring is located at back of the head, no it is actually back of leg above the knee.

What to do, stop right right there, no more running unless you want the category three hamstring injury. That is when you cannot run for sometime with a muscle tear. Try to do mild stretching on the spot to ease the situation. But if you keep running it is asking for trouble. So what happened is; still raining heavily and 4 miles to the place of aboard. Weeeeelll options to get back are taxi, bus, hitch hike, get a ride on someone's pushbike or Johnnie Walker (keep walking my friend). Me being me took the last option.

So it is raining heavily, cold, no jacket on other than the thermals and T-shirt. Have an hamstring injury and mobility is slow. Not happy times but not whining, and have to understand it is part of the deal. Things not working out as planned it part of life and these are pretty much asked instances. So shivering kicks in after two hours in the rain. A mild hallucination when the coldness gets bad to worse. Arms and back just folded inwards. Walking like a zombie a one would say.

This is when you wish that angel would come along and say everything is going to be ok....... You look up hoping that sun would shine... try to think what hot days would seem. A smile on the face is thousand miles away. So proper run down in the dumps. Thinking this is not bad another mile or two would be able to have a hot coffee. What about the people who are stuck in a mine or stuck under earthquake ruble. What happen to folks who ended up trouble when they climb high mountains.......All sorts of thoughts coming..... At least people are around. So cant be that bad. So hobbling along finally got back and let me tell you, never been happy to comeback the dwell after run.

So what next, best is not to run tomorrow. See how the leg turns out. Better to go on the stationary bike as it is less impact on the leg. The Royal Parks half a marathon is days away... But the show must go on. Thanks for friday being the day off, two days away from running is not that bad. Hopefully Saturday would be able to run again. ]


So the moral of the story is take special care when running in rain especially if you are run down.....

Running at night.

Talking about leaving the house at half past 10 for a run. This is like a drama run. Focus is minimal. That was today's mission. This is it, if you have to struggle with work demands and fit in a wee run in to the day. Sometimes just have to do what you have to do. Hardest part is to get out of the house. After an awesome London summer, winter is winking. It is telling you "hey best is yet to come". So winter gear in out and day light is getting shorter by the day. So it is pretty much a go for it run. So make sure you are prepared to cop a few comments from few merry drunken fellow people. It is harmless fun. Just smile and move on. The constellation is you'd come across a occasional freak like me who are running at night. It is good for bit of validation. A nod to say, yep its not that fun but im here and i am ruuuuuuning...........

Make sure you avoid telephone poles, trees,pot holes, garbage cans and parked cars. It is very easy to not know where you are putting your foot in to. One mistake, there goes the leg some other way. So alertness and care is number one. Running in the park is not the best idea after dark. You get the werewolves of London hanging around waiting for opportunities. Make sure pick the roads that are busy and make sure other people are about unless you are superman and no worries. Also, be wary of the cars and make sure that they see you. Not to seek attention but to make sure that you are safe. So reflective clothes and shoes help. I've see people with fit on head lights on their head. Lights are on but no body's at home. Try not to wear your black Darth Vader outfit. So white and yellow is a good choice. Make sure not too tired as if you are too tired cannot concentrate and ended getting in to difficult situations.

Talking about the worst situation i came across in a night run is. A random person who is about two and half size of me, for no reason came right at me an had a super swing. Thanks to zig zagging dodging moves, he missed me. Didn't say anything, i just kept on running. Catch me if you can........ The best is not to give these people attention. If they tried and missed weeeell. What to do, as they say keep on running. So if you are running and people try to approach you in a funny way, just keep away.

Anyways that is me for today. Keep safe and cruelty free. Have a nice night run:-)

Flying

12 days before the half marathon, yet another half a marathon under the belt. Tired, yes, is the training going ok. As long as it is injury free, no worries. But would be soooooo happy if i can fly. Fly as in run fast. It is always bit disappointing when other runners pass you. Then have to come up with excuses, they are just running a short distance, i am going slow today blah blah.... Excuses galore. So i think i ca i think i can. Guess there are no short cuts in life. Even there is it is temporary. I think hard work is rewarding. Your hear knows you put the effort and rewards to seeing your dream come true. I dont know whether there are true dream come true situation. It is that achieving something is achieving little little step. One stride, two stride, three......... and one hundred thousand strides. Every stride counts.

With all the dreams of getting good times in races. Have to expect disappointment too. What if i lose. So what, some one else won. So have to be happy for the other people. It is not all about me me me, look at me. Respect, honesty, leaving other people alone. It that long distance running can be sometimes aimless just running for miles and miles on road. So you come across lots and lots of people. So have to respect their right of way. They are doing there own things too. Try to say thank you if they give you some room to run. If they stop the car so you can cross the road.

Today while if was running there was someone riding there bike right behind me. I nearly said go away, but said please keep away. But felt sorry for saying that and turn around and said im sorry didn't mean to be rude but i am scared of getting injured or hit by the bike. Come across these sort of moments all the time as most of the park foot paths are shared by the walkers, runners and cyclists. Sometimes if people deliberately cross your path other than being rude, try to see what language they speak and try to say something in there language. The other day i said to a Chinese couple nee-Ha-OW that means hello. Or Namaste if they are Indian. Or just say hakuna matata and get on with it.

After the run eating

Is it ok to eat a big bowl of pasta straight after the run you asked. Hmmmmmmm not straight away i said. May be after an hour or so, eat as much as you like. During the run pretty much all parts of the body is working tirelessly and if you are on a faster run it is in double action. All parts of the body is doing whistles and noises to get the attention of oxygen rich energy cells. So heart is pumping blood 200 miles per hour. So yes by the time you finish the run pretty much run down, hungry and thirsty. So best is to get the thirst out of the way. Water is the best friend. You may say; why not energy drinks. Sure why not. Go a head. They are full of sugar and electrolysis. They would replenish some of the electrolysis lost during the run than the big bowl of pasta. As they say, every thing in moderation. Too much water is bad too.

Another reason not to eat straight away is, you would not get a chance to eat a bowl of pasta during a marathon. So every training session you could use as a race simulation. So as every training session not being a marathon session, it takes a lesser time. So the body would expect some food after 1 hour or so after you start running. When you don't take food, then the fat burning cycle kicks in, then hit the wall.

So after a run best is to do the warm down, stretch, then clean yourself with clean o pine:-0. So after about 45 minutes from your run go for the big meal.

Running TV - Live and Later

BBC is a good source for Live long distance running events. Today they have the whole The Great North Run on http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ty6zv/Athletics_2010_Great_North_Run_Part_1/. BBC keeps these programs online for seven days after the event. This goes for the London marathon as well. Unfortunately you have to be in the UK to watch it. But there are ways to get around this by bypassing the country restrictions.


http://www.universalsports.com/ is a good source for Long distance running vents telecasts. They show the New York Marathon Live.

These are very good for inspiration and study race techniques. As some of these are on demand you could pause, rewind and do all sorts of gymnastics.

Have a nice day

Nike LunarElite review

Have to be honest, this is my first video review. So please forgive me if it bad but did my best.




have a great day