September 9, 2009 - I hit what seemed like a barrier in progress.

Yo run gang,

Ive been running 5-7 days a week for 30 something years, pretty much major injury free (not pain free). That is to say, Ive not had a pain that required surgery or major medical intervention. Ive missed plenty of days of running due to some ache or pain but no injury that has caused any permanent damage (as far as I know). I truly believe running is a safe and positive life long activity. All my running pain has come from stupidity (Some of it well call lack of knowledge) and bullheadedness in training.

I can remember the first few months when I started running and how I hit what seemed like a barrier in progress. I could never run more than 25 miles per week without being sidelined with some new pain. About a year into my running I remember 40 miles per week seemed to be the maximum mileage I could not get passed without some new pain. A couple years later I was struggling with getting past 85 miles per week when it finally sunk in. Running was not the problem; it was how I put in the miles. I had finally realized I had learned how to run 25 then 40 then 85 miles per week with the body I had. I had learned what workouts I could or could not get away with. I learned when to run hard and when to take a day off. I learned to run 85 miles per week pain free and needed more information to get past this new plateau. The answer was my running form. A shorter stride with a quick cadence, more forward lean and not allowing my heel to strike the ground first, more, flat quick foot contact with the ground. This eliminated shock, overpronation and much of the motion of the knee. Do I still run into pain? Sure, but most often it comes from non running related stuff that effects my running, like being a weekend warrior in some other sport like volley ball, snow boarding, wake boarding or moving big stuff around in my garage And yes, stupidity and bull headedness in my running!

So, when injured, dont blame running or the running shoe companies, instead, look back at what you did to cause the pain, take time off to calm it down, and learn.

Run smart,
Randy Step, an obsessed runner, always learning