Loved summer camps - now you can go to running camp
The New York Times had an interesting article today about running classes and camps. In the past few years there's been a surge of participation in these camps from "recreational runners" who want to perfect their form and prevent injury - not win the Boston Marathon.
It's interesting because in the past people would just go out and run and if they got injured they would go to another sport. But today, people are more conscious about injury prevention and good running form and actually research information about running and take classes even if they are only clocking 10-20 miles a week.
I admit that when I started getting interested in running and wanting to sign up for races one of the first things I did was go to runnersworld.com and read articles on form and prevention of injury. But, for me, that's something I do before I start anything new - a lot of research. It's interesting to know that others do the same thing.
One of the most surprising statistics mentioned in the article was that each year 60-65% of runners get injured in one of the five spots - knees, the calf and shin, the iliotibial band (the connective tissue of the outer thigh), the Achilles tendon and the foot. That blew me away. They estimate that there are 11 million adult runners in the U.S. and 60-65% of them get injured each year. Yikes.
Now I'm not convinced that I need to sign up for a running camp this summer, but it's nice to know that it's an option. What I am convinced of (and I hope you are too) is that I need to take care of myself and learn all the best ways to prevent injuries. Here's what I've learned so far in terms of injury prevention:
1. REST - if you run every single day you're body will get injured. Your muscles need time to rest. If you run two days in a row, take the third day off.
2. STRETCH - after a run take 5-10 minutes to stretch out those muscles that you just made work so hard. Stretch your calves, quads, hamstrings, groin and achilles.
3. Pick up cross training - if you love to run but find it's hard on your knees (or any other body part) then pick up another cardio activity that is less strenuous on that body part. Go for a swim, get on the elliptical, go for a bike ride, take a spin class, jump on the step machine, etc. It will also help you not get bored with your workouts.
4. STRENGTH TRAIN!! - Your muscles are working hard during a run, and if they're not strong enough, they won't last very long. Hence the need to strength train. Do squats, lunges, dead lifts, bicep curls, shoulder presses, chest flies, triceps dips, pull ups, push ups, crunches, back extensions. Target all your muslces and you'll be more toned and less likely to get injured. (I strength train three times a week - each time I focus on one area: upper body, lower body, core).
Read a lot more articles about injury prevention here at runners world.
