Eat-Clean Cookbook giveaway!

Training for the marathon continues and we’ve entered hill territory — four repeats last night and five next Wednesday. In addition, I continue to chug away at the 22 minutes in 10lbs challenge I set for myself a few weeks ago (five pounds down, five to go). But to get on with the topic of today’s post — Food and a giveaway!

Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook

The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook is by Tosca Reno — a successful author (of ten books), motivational speaker, wellness consultant, media personality and model (gracing the covers of Oxygen Magazine). I was first introduced to her books by my parents of all people. After my father retired, they made some dietary changes based on Tosca’s books that were very successful. Beyond weight loss, the recipes in this cookbook are healthy, easy to make, and most importantly, tasty.

In addition to giving me permission to post some recipes from the cookbook, the people at Robert Kennedy Publishing have been generous enough to also provide a copy for me to giveaway to a Fartlek Runner reader! Here is how it’ll work. Each Friday, for the month of March, I’ll post a recipe from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook. Simply post a comment to any or all of the Eat-Clean posts, and I’ll enter you onto a list in the order that I received your comment(s) (make sure to include an e-mail with your comment so I can contact you). A winner will be chosen using a random number generator, and announced in the Wednesday, March 31 post. Easy peasy and you could win an awesome cookbook to fuel your running!

To kick things off on a light note, this is one of my favourite recipes to have with veggies in my lunch at work. I make this dip at least twice a month. It’s very low in calories and fat, making it a guiltless way to make cut raw veggies and crackers more interesting. To repeat, this recipe is from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook, by Tosca Reno and published by Robert Kennedy Publishing.

Tofu and Curry Dip

Makes 12, one-TBSP Servings

Ingredients:

• 6oz / 168g silken tofu
• 1½ Tbsp / 23ml fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp / 30ml best-quality olive oil
• ¼ tsp / 1.25ml sea salt
• 2 Tbsp / 30ml chopped green onion
• ½ tsp / 2.5ml curry powder
• 1 Tbsp / 15ml parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Do not over-process. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Serve with crudités as a healthy dip alternative, spread on wraps with grilled chicken, or anywhere else you would like a delicious shot of creamy flavor.

Nutritional value per one-Tbsp serving:

Calories: 28 | Calories form fat: 22 | Protein: 1g | Carbs: 0.5g | Dietary Fiber: 0g | Sugars: 0g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 43mg

How to run with your dog…

Over the winter holidays I decided that if I was going to take our dog Sydney (pictured left) for a walk, I could metaphorically nail two birds with one stone and run with her for a short warm up, then drop her back off at home before continuing on for the rest of my run.

Not so much.

Syd is an awesome dog and heels very well. But on our inaugural running adventure, she was good for the first kilometer or so, and then her attention quickly devolved into smelling anything that would get me to stop running. This included stopping very abruptly to relieve herself in the middle of the sidewalk.

Unknowingly, I had committed one of the most common mistakes when attempting to take a dog for a run — too much, too fast. “They [people who run with dogs] make the mistake of assuming the dog will stay at their side and assume that the dog can run forever just because they seem to be able to,” says Gillian Ridgeway, Director of the Who’s Walking Who Dog Training Centre, and author of Citizen Canine.

Gillian recommends that your canine companion get a visit with their vet before starting a training program. Yup, despite the extra fur, our four-legged friends need the same things that we do before starting an exercise program: a check-in with the doctor, and a training plan to improve their fitness.

According to a New York Times article from January, you also need to take into consideration the type and breed of your dog, and whether these factors might exclude them from being a running partner. The article says, “for example, dogs with flat noses — pugs, bulldogs, some boxers — may have trouble breathing during strenuous exercise. And while hunting and herding dogs are physically built for running — like border collies and Rhodesian Ridgebacks — they may be more interested in chasing prey than staying on the sidewalk.” The NYTs also prepared a visual for this that can be seen here.

“Your dog needs to be fully developed,” adds Gillian, “and it is not recommended that you start a running program with young pups.”

With all of these considerations out of the way, starting your furry friend’s training program is nearly identical to many Learn to Run schedules I’ve seen. “Like any training program,” says Gillian, “have them build up to it. Go for short, medium-speed runs and start to build up the stamina before the speed.” In addition, she also recommends building up your dog’s endurance by teaching your dog to fetch a ball or Frisbee, saying that once he or she has mastered that, you can stand at the bottom of a hill and toss it up the hill for them to fetch. “This will ensure that the dog will give his all while going up the hill,” she says, “and build the strong muscles he will need for running.”

Not putting the proverbial cart before the horse, it’s also important to ensure that your dog has some obedience skills before training. “It is important that your dog knows to stay at your side and not pull or lag, prior to running,” says Gillian. “If they do not have this skill, then it is time to get back into school.”

Once your dog is ready to begin training, you could try a program such as this one suggested by Dogs in Canada from Canadian Running Series, or try following one of many Learn to Run programs.

In addition, the safety of your dog is very important, and you should familiarize yourself with many of the warning signs. Gillian recommends monitoring your dog for signs of stress, such as panting and cautions owners to carry enough water for both runners. “I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve gone to the dog park, lugging water with me, to get there and find the rest of the dogs parched,” she says. “The owners just smile as they come and drink my supply, and this is in a park where they’re running for balls, not jogging for miles.”

Gillian recommends that runners stop and encourage their canine companions to drink frequently to avoid dehydration and to keep an eye out for overheating.

If you’re going to put your dog on a serious training program, you should speak to your vet about proper nutrition to fuel your calorie-burning pooch, as they may need a diet designed specifically for active or performance dogs. Another safety recommendation is to keep an eye on the pads of their paws and make sure that they’re protected (Gillian suggests avoiding running your dog on pavement). “Humans can purchase super-shoes to help us, so make sure the traction is good and not too hard on your dog’s joints,” she says.

An article from last year’s Dogs in Canada Magazine also recommended using a harness when running with your dog, instead of a standard collar, as the collar could cause damage to the spine and other parts of the neck. It also recommended using a standard leash and not a retractable one (which most runners know as trip wires).

Toronto Runner: Kathryn Mitchell

Kathryn holds her finisher's medal after completing the 2009 Chicago Marathon last October.

In 2004, Kathryn Michell took a Learn to Run clinic to prove to her running friends that the sport was not for her. As a goal of the clinic, she complete a 5k road race, which left her in a confusing spot — she had been bitten by the running bug.

“I never dreamt of running,” says Kathryn. “I hated running in high school, but it’s brought me the knowledge that I can indeed take on a challenge and step-by-step break it into the pieces that make it possible to complete.”

Typically running two-to-three times a week, Kathryn has been revving up her training to four to six in preparation for the Chilly Half Marathon this weekend and the Around the Bay 30k Road Race at the end of the month. She also has plans to run Nike’s women only marathon again this October in San Francisco.

“I love to travel. I was six or seven weeks old when my family moved from Canada to St. Lucia, and I was three-and-a-half when we moved back,” recalls Kathryn. “What better way to travel? Finding an event that mans something, signing up, and making it happen.

Kathryn took a dip in the Pacific Ocean after the 2009 Nike Women-only Marathon in San Francisco

This takes a bit of planning, but I try to pick the events I’m hoping to do for the upcoming year and figure out how I’ll be able to financially swing them. Seat sales, deals on hotels and paying for most of it before I actually get there make it all work.

Getting ready for many of the far-away events, Kathryn can be found running with friends all over the city. “I live near the Kay Gardiner Beltline trail and I love the surface of the trail and running through city, while staying in a park,” she says. “I also run a lot in Bloor West, and will often run the waterfront, Humber trails and High Park with others. There are just so many choices in Toronto.”

Kathryn’s running life and professional life got a lot closer in 2004, when she began working for the Beaches Running Room. She became the store manager of the High Park location in 2005, and eventually in 2008 moved to the Commerce Court location where she is today.

Often combining vacations and races, Kathryn is seen here at the 2008 Disney Half Marathon

In the future, Kathryn has her eyes set on more international runs, including the Dublin, London, Paris, and New York marathons, and the Rock’N’Roll series (which includes Arizona, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle and Virginia Beach).

Beyond the events, bling and sway, Kathryn has found that there are many un-quantifiable rewards to the sport. “Running has brought me new friendships. It’s taught me discipline and its rewards,” she says. “It’s let me know when I have slacked and allowed me to be more open through discussions during long runs.”

5 quick ways to avoid burnout

Last week I found myself feeling rather lethargic and under the weather with no sign of a cold or flu in sight (thankfully). I’m usually very good at keeping to a decent sleep schedule and am pretty conscious of my diet, but had noticed both had some blips in them over the previous couple of weeks. I found myself unable to shake this tired feeling.

By the time I got to my morning run last Friday, I stopped the run three kilometres early because my body was just loathing every step with a nauseous tenacity. I decided to take the rest of Friday and all of Saturday off from running and allowed my body to rest and recover. I took it easy for my long distance on Sunday, and Monday is a recovery day anyways. My Tuesday morning run was cautious, but felt better, and Wednesday’s tempo run was fantastic.

What I think was happening, was I was starting to dance with the beginnings of burnout. From what I’ve read on the subject, burnout (also known as overtraining) happens when the balance between exercise and recovery is upset, and there is a lack of adequate recovery time for the body to restore homeostasis (internal equilibrium). From what I understand, it was once thought that this would generally be limited to elite level runners who train full time. That thinking seems to have changed, with burnout affecting recreational runners who are balancing the demands of training with those of family, work and other responsibilities. The following seem to be the most common indications that a runner is experiencing burnout:

• A decrease in performance (find the same workout harder)
• Sore muscles (beyond typical post-workout soreness)
• Insomnia
• Weight loss
• Chronic fatigue
• Elevated resting heart rate and blood pressure
• Frequent illness
• Upset GI track
• Mood fluctuations (depression, anger, anxiety, etc.)

Now for the good news! Here are five quick ways to turn the train to burnout town around:

1. Progress your training at a safe rate, allowing for lower mileage recovery weeks throughout.
2. Introduce or maintain variety in your training, utilizing cross-training and other types of workout that will benefit your training goals. Spinning, for example, works similar muscles to running with very little impact on joints while still taxing the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Plus they usually play fun music.
3. Sleep. I often mourn the ability of my teenage self to sleep 12 hours in a single bound. With the demands we each face in our day-to-day lives, a lack of sleep is one of the things we suffer from the most — and yet, it’s one of the most important things we can do to prevent burnout. The body recovers and repairs itself while sleeping, so it’s important to think of it as a vital part of training.
4. Putting away the Garmin and other measuring devices once in a while, and just going out for a “fun” run can remind us of the carefree wonder that drew us to run in the first place.
5. If you don’t already have one, starting a training log provides you a window to look back on and analyze your training efforts. There are many online choices (such as dailymile) that offer a lot of options. Even if you already have a log, some of the things you might want to consider including in your training log are notes about how you’re feeling on a particular day, your resting heart rate, weight, workout times, frequencies and durations, what you ate, your performance as well as your sleep patterns. These factors can each help indicate where problems may be arising while also showing what is working for you.

That’s my five. What do you do to avoid burning out and keep yourself healthy?

Thrive pizza…

February is drawing to a close and with it, many of us are approaching or entering the next phase of our training for our spring races. My marathon is at the end of May and I’m finishing up week five of 18 of my training schedule. After next Wednesday, I’ll be moving from the base phase into the strength phase, with the addition of hills training. I love me some hills! (This will likely kick off the Toronto Hills series I mentioned in this post)

As training progresses, I’m becoming more and more focused on one particular element of my training: nutrition. For me, this is one of the most important aspects of training, because if one’s nutrition sucks, their body will not be able to adequately recover, and as a result their running will suffer.

In addition, with my personal 22 minutes in 10lbs challenge, I’m trying to choose more wisely where my calories are coming from in order to maximize the nutritional content without too many empty or excess calories.

I’m a huge fan of Brendan Brazier’s books Thrive and Thrive Fitness, and have found a ton of useful nutrition ideas from reading these books. Brendan is a Canadian 50k ultramarathon champion, professional Ironman triathlete, bestselling author and creator of an award-winning line of whole food nutritional products called VEGA. Brendan also offers a free video and e-mail program at thrivein30.com that I highly recommend — and in case you missed the word before video, it’s FREE ;-). Here is a quick video about the program:

In keeping with the idea of “high net gain foods” I made a “pizza” tonight from Brendan’s book Thrive. I put “pizza” in quotes here because this dish resembles a pizza only in that it has a base or “crust” on which there is sauce and then toppings. The recipe for this pizza can be found at Canadian Running Magazine’s website, but there was a difference between the online version and the printed version, which added 1 1/2 cups of buckwheat groats. For my pizza, I added the groats, mostly out of curiosity (I hadn’t had them before), and found that they added a really nice crunch to the crust. So thumbs up to the groats.

This pizza is made completely from plant materials and cooked at a very low temperature. To start, I took all of the ingredients for the crust and put them in a food processor:

Then I formed the crust (mmm, groaty goodness!):

While this was happening, I roasted the red peppers in the oven, and then placed them and the rest of the ingredients for the sweet pepper hemp pesto (the “sauce”) into the food processor:

…and coated the “crust,” sliced up some veggies, toped the “pizza”, put it in the oven, and…. Voila!

I had quite a bit of the pesto left over, which will be perfect as a veggie dip for the next day or so.

Red Lentil Dahl

One of my favourite dishes to cook at this time of year is red lentil dahl — a warming, nutrient-packed dish that is perfect after a run. Dahl is a flavour-packed dish found in Nepali, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisine. It’s made from various types of lentils that are split and reduced to a mushy consistency and then have various spices and vegetables added in.

Lentils are one of those wonderful foods that are great to cook with, but can be kind of daunting at first. They’re packed full of protein, iron, dietary fibre, folate, B1 and various minerals. Served with rice, lentils make a complete protein (meaning together, they contains all of the essential amino acids required by humans dietary needs), which is convenient, because dahl is best served over basmati rice!

The following is a family recipe gifted to me by a close friend, and is Marathi in origin. I reduced the amount of oil called for (the original was four to five tablespoons), and as presented, it is of a medium spice, but can be made more or less hot by adjusting the chili powder accordingly.

Red Lentil Dahl
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry red lentils
• 3 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse lentils under cool water until water runs clear. Place water or broth into a large saucepan and bring to a boil before adding the rinsed lentils.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to simmer the lentils until they resumble a thick paste.
3. While the lentils are simmering, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onion, garlic and ginger, sautéing until soft.
4. Add the curry powder, red chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to the onion mixture and continue to sauté for an additional two to three minutes.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and continue to sauté for another three to five minutes.
6. Add the contents of the frying pan to the lentil paste, stirring until thoroughly mixed.
7. Cook the combined mixture for another 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture resembles a thick stew.
8. Serve over basmati rice, with roti.

The Dreadmill…

Also known as the hamster wheel, this contraption has single-handedly garnered an equal number of dirty and thankful looks from runners. Leaning more on the running purist side, I found this definition of a treadmill on Mark Remy’s RW blog to be pretty amusing:

“treadmill (n.) – A primitive torture device first imagined by medieval jailers and perfected in the late 20th century, designed to destroy one’s mind through sensory deprivation and monotony.”

All joking aside, I do prefer being outside, taking in the scenery and what passes for fresh air in downtown Toronto. There is a sense of freedom and fluidity of movement that happens when I pound the pavement or set out on trails. On the flip side, there is also the reality of snot from a runny nose freezing to your face and your eyelashes freezing to your eyebrows on a blustery winter run.

Cue some pros for treadmill running!

While I’ve committed to suck it up and push through the challenges and travails of Mother Nature this year (pending further examination of the weather forecast), I can certainly appreciate the allure of a climate controlled atmosphere, with self-regulated pacing, safe foot traction, and the possibility of a TV blaring the Food Network near by.

Treadmill running can be a great way to casually keep fit over the winter, especially if you’re not planning on running any races in the spring. According to Alex Hutchinson’s Jockology column on treadmill running vs. outdoor running, running on a treadmill is often softer on the joints than sidewalks or roads, but also means that it won’t build the muscle endurance needed for running outside. An easy solution is to not rely too heavily on the treadmill if running outside is something you want to keep your endurance for. The article also suggests adding a one-per-cent incline when running on a treadmill to account for the lack of wind resistance.

The truth of the matters, like many things in life, seems to be that it is not an all or nothing prospect. Many elite runners and coaches alike use treadmills as part of their training regime. The March edition of Runner’s World has blurb from Kristin Price (winner of the 2009 Pittsburgh Marathon) who uses the treadmill to simulate the challenge of running negative splits in a race for a strong finish.

While nothing can really replace the endurance slog of a long slow run, for everything else, the treadmill seems like a reasonable alternative for when the weather is bad. Mixing up your tempo runs, intervals and even hill repeats are all within the self-controlled scope of the modern treadmill.

I recently read of a fun way to approach tempo runs on the treadmill that involved putting on a half hour TV show. You run at your tempo pace while the show is on, and slow down slightly on commercials, putting in a warm up and cool-down before and after. See? Now you can watch some Judge Judy and train for a race at the same time!

Personally, I like to approach treadmills like junk food. I know it’s not the ideal, but sometimes, it’s a viable option that hits the spot. But maybe that’s not really fair either. Perhaps it’s better to look at treadmills for what they are: a tool that runners have the option of utilizing as part of their training.

I’m curious to know what you’re doing this winter? It’s been pretty mild here. Are you still running outside? Have you caved and used a treadmill because of the weather? What are your favourite treadmill workouts?

22 min. in 10lbs update:

Two days in and feeling good! The scale has begun to dip (rather dramatically actually) and I’m sitting at 182. This is likely water weight, and will balance out as I continue. In terms of food, I’ve been enjoying an awesome batch of chili and scoping out a few new recipes to try. I’ll have the recipe for one of my favourite winter dishes coming up in a post next week, so stay tuned!

Shaving 22 minutes in 10 lbs…

(Wherein Matt approaches his food as a form of training to help improve his running.)

The inspiration:

Apparently, it’s common knowledge in the running community that loosing one pound can increase a runner’s speed by about two seconds a mile (in Canadianese, that would work out to be roughly 3.2 seconds per kilometer). That can be huge for elite runners who need to shave (or shed) precious seconds off their race times. This is generally referred to as their “race weight”.

Generally, I aim to do the best I can (as hokey as that may sound) — so why not finish my race with a better time? It may not smash any world records, but I could aim to smash my PB (or set a challenging one in the case of the marathon).

This got me thinking, why not us non-elites? I want a race weight damn it!

A little background:

In May 2008 I was 85lbs heavier then I currently am. Over the last couple of years, I’ve managed to loose a considerable amount of weight that was done in a healthy, sustainable manner that didn’t include anything gimmicky or invasive. It’s become incredibly cliché, but it truly was a lifestyle change that also included taking up running and adopting a plant-based diet. I’ve developed a strong fascination with all thing nutrition, and  love learning about how different foods affect the body. I have no academic credential in nutrition, but day dream of getting some.

The starting point:

This is me last Friday:

I’m currently at what I (and my physician) consider a healthy and manageable every day weight of 185 lbs at 5’11”.

The how:

A pound of fat is comprised of 3,500 calories. I’m aiming to loose a total of ten pounds of fat before I run the Ottawa Marathon. That’s a total 35,000 calories that are gonna go!

The basis of weight loss in no secret (despite what infomercials would have us believe). Calories in must be less than calories out in order for the body to shed weight. The challenging part of this will be to do this while also maintaining an adequate nutritional basis from which to train for my marathon.

I’m going to do this by focusing on three specific areas that will become future installments in this series of me acquiring my race weight:

• Food: nutritionally rich, dense, filling and whole foods
• Training smart: building strong, lean and efficient muscle
• Mental: treating food as a source of fuel with purpose

The goal:

My race weight goal is 175 lbs, which according to those studies should shave an additional 22 minutes and 35 seconds off whatever my marathon time would otherwise have been. Not too shabby for 10 lbs lost!

So that’s the plan I’m looking at — acquiring a race weight so I can run faster! I’ll keep you all updated in coming posts within this series, and welcome any crazy souls who want to join me in acquiring their own race weight.

10 reasons to run a half before a marathon…

1. Learning through experience

The learning curve between my first and second half marathons was steep. Nothing can quite prepare the first timer stepping up to the start line of a longer road race, and there are a lot of pit falls that they are prone to. For this reason alone, it can be incredibly beneficial to get as much experience at shorter races so that you can step up to the start line of your first marathon with a better understanding of pacing, water stations and pre-race nerves.

2. Balancing life and training

Before running my first half marathon, a friend said, “you can still have a social life while training for a half marathon, but it becomes much harder once you’re training for a full marathon.” So far I’ve found this to be true. Often times a runner can get away with three or four runs a week in preparation for a half marathon, while many marathon training programs call for five or six. Learning to balance the demands of family, work and training with the half marathon can go a long way to getting a runner ready to do that with the demands of a full marathon.

3. Fast(er) recovery

Many marathons (such as those in this video) find it preferable to take the day after their marathon off from work to recover. Half marathoners are generally in pretty good shape after their event and generally don’t require much more than some stretching and maybe a nap. This can be a very appealing aspect of the half marathon.

4. Lots of selection

Each year, there seem to be more and more half marathons popping up all over the place, including many stand alone events. A quick survey of the Running Room website showed that in Ontario there are 19 half marathons and six marathons for 2010. Of course not all races are represented on that website, but it’s an interesting sampling to show the many opportunities, locations and types of half marathons that are available in our own back yard.

5. Blending quality and quantity

The half marathon is certainly a respectable distance, and with so much selection available to runners and quick recovery times, you can have your race cake and eat it too! Several half marathons a season isn’t unheard of or even unusual, and the distance is such that it can easily be tagged onto a trip.

6. Same expo and race add ons

Whether you’re running a half marathon or marathon, you have the same access to the other parts of the race, including the expo. Expos are lots of fun with many things to see, do and try. A good number of races also have options for pasta dinners, massages, and other add ons that are available to all participants.

7. Getting friends involved

The only thing better than running a road race, is running a road race with friends. Recruiting friends to run a race with you can be made a much easier task with a half marathon, especially if you drop the “marathon” part and just call it a 13-miler! The distance is challenging, but not undoable, and many are willing to try it out as a group.

8. Cost

If you’re a runner who enjoys the fun and thrills of a race, the costs can definitely add up. The half marathon is often much cheaper, and while not half the price (wouldn’t that be nice!), you can save yourself a pile of dough by opting for the half.

9. Bling

Chances are good that if you’re entering an event with medals, the half marathon will also have them! These medallions can be wonderful mementos of your racing accomplishments, and are usually only four letters different then their full counterparts.

10. A great sense of achievement

Most importantly, there is a huge sense of achievement in setting a goal and achieving it. The half marathon is not really half of anything, it’s an event unto itself with its own challenges and rewards like any other distance. Whether using the half as an incremental step or as a goal unto itself, you’ll be the better for it!

Five common running injuries…

Sooner or later, we all seem to deal with an injury, and sometimes they can become prolonged nagging nuisances. The following information was prepared by Chiropractor Dr. Elizabeth Douglas as a resource for runners to better understand some of the common injuries that they may face, how to treat them and more importantly, how to prevent them. Of course, it’s always important to consult your health professional of choice when making decisions about your body and any potential injuries you may have. There are many opinions on running injuries and the following is presented for informational purposes only.

1. Achilles tendonitis: Inflammation of the Achilles tendon — a large tendon connecting the two major calf muscles (the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) to the back of the heel bone. Under too much stress, the tendon tightens and is forced to work too hard causing it to become inflamed. If the inflamed Achilles continues to be stressed, it can tear or rupture.

Symptoms: Dull or sharp pain anywhere along the back of the tendon, usually close to the heel. Limited ankle flexibility, redness or heat over the painful area.

Causes:

• Tight or fatigued calf muscles (due to poor stretching, rapidly increasing distance, or over-training excessive hill running or speed work).
• Inflexible running shoes.
• Runners who over-pronate (feet rotate too far inward on impact).

Preventative measures:

• Stretching of the gastrocnemius (keep knee straight) and soleus (keep knee bent) muscles.
• Correct shoes should be worn — specifically motion-control shoes and orthotics to correct over-pronation.
• Gradual progression of training program.
• Avoid excessive hill training.
• Incorporate rest into training program.
• Address muscular imbalances early with the help of a health professional.

2. Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Pain and inflammation located on the outside of the knee due to continual rubbing of the band over part of the femur (thigh bone). The rubbing occurs during the bending and straightening motion of the knee and can result in irritation. Initially, a dull ache on the outside of the knee one to two kilometers into a run, with pain remaining for the duration of the run. The pain disappears soon after stopping running, later, severe sharp pain that prevents running. The pain is generally worse when running down hills, or sloped surfaces and may be present when walking up or down stairs. Iliotibial Band Syndrome can be the result of poor training habits, equipment and/or anatomical abnormalities.

Training habits:

• Running on a banked surface.
• Inadequate warm-up or cool-down.
• Increasing distance too quickly or excessive downhill running.
• Worn out shoes.
• Over striding.

Abnormalities in leg/feet anatomy:

• High or low arches.
• Over-pronation of the foot.
• Wide hips.
• Uneven leg length.
• Bowlegs or tightness about the iliotibial band.

Muscle Imbalance:

• Weak hip abductor muscles.
• Limited ankle flexion.

Prevention:

• Change running shoes every 500 to 800 kilometres (300 to 500 miles), or every three to four months, when they have lost approximately 40 to 60 percent of their shock absorbing abilities. High mileage runners should have two pairs of shoes to alternate between, to allow 24 hours for the shock absorbing material to return to its optimal form. Do not underestimate the importance of good shoes in the prevention of many types of injuries. It’s worth the cost in the long run. Always slowly increase running mileage and if adding hills, do so gradually. Downhill running especially increases friction on the IT band as well as fatiguing the quadriceps, which are the main stabilizers of the knee.
• Avoid training on uneven surfaces, as the down leg may be predisposed to ITBS.
• After a run, cool down and stretch; ice if necessary.
• Foam rollers can help keep the tissue mobile.
• Strengthen stabilizers of your iliotibial band. Seek a health specialist for individual assessment of muscular imbalances.

The prognosis is generally good with appropriate treatment and correction of precipitating factors.

3. Patello-femoral Pain Syndome (PFPS): Patello-femoral Pain Syndrom is a degenerative condition of the cartilage surface of the back of the knee cap, or patella. It procues discomfort or dull pain around or behind the patella. It is common in young adults, especially soccer players, cyclists, rowers, tennis players and runners. The condition may result from acute injury to the patella or from chronic friction between the patella and the groove in the femur through which is passes during motion of the knee.

Symptoms:

• Pain beneath or on the sides of the kneecap.
• Crepitus (grinding noise), as the rough cartilage rubs against cartilage when the knee is flexed.
• Pain is most sever after hill running.
• Swelling of the knee.

Causes:

• Muscular imbalances — weakness of the quadriceps (specifically VMO), tight ITB, tight hamstrings, weak or tight hip muscles, tight calf muscles.
• Over-pronation/over-supination.
• Wide hips.

Preventative measures:

• Stretching of the quadriceps, hamstring, ITB and gluteal muscles. Remember to stretch well before running, strengthening of the quadriceps, hamstring and calf muscles.
• Correct shoes.
• Orthotics to correct over-pronation.
• Avoid excessive downhill running and cambered roads (stay on the flattest part of the road).
• Gradual progression of training program.
• Incorporate rest into training program.
• Address muscular imbalances early with the help of a health professional.

4. Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome): The term “shin splints” refers to pain along the shinbone (tibia) — the largest bon in the front of your lower leg. The pain is the result of an overload on the shinbone and the connective tissues that attach your muscles to the bone.

Pain or tenderness along the inside of the shin (usually about halfway down the shin) that may extend to the knee. Pain is most severe at the start of a run, but may disappear during a run, as the muscles loosen up. This is different to a stress fracture, where there is pain during weight bearing activities (walking, stair-climbing, etc.).

Causes:

• Inflexible calf muscles and tight Achilles tendon place more stress onto the muscle attachments.
• Over-pronation.
• Excessive running on hard surfaces such as concrete pavement.
• Incorrect or worn shoes.
• Overtraining or a rapid increase in training load or intensity.
• Beginner runners are more susceptible to this problem for a variety of reasons, but most commonly due to the fact that the leg muscles have not been stressed in such a way before they started running.

Prevention:

• Prepare for exercise/activities — understand what muscle groups will be used and slowly start conditioning them by strengthening them. Talk with a PM&R physician to determine the appropriate type of exercises.
• Properly stretch muscles before running — muscles and joints need to warm up before beginning a run. Also be sure to allow for a “cooling down” period afterwards.
• Use an appropriate running shoe — there are several brands and models of running shoes. Make sure you are using the type best suited for your feet and your running style. Running shoes should also be replaced regularly. Consult a specialty running store to choose an appropriate shoe.
• Incorporate hard days and easy days into your training program — mileage should only be increased approximately 10 per cent each week. Runners should make sure to decrease their mileage slightly every third week as a way to allow for recovery prior to additional mileage increases. Runners should also be patient with their development, being careful not to push themselves too far or too fast.
• Active Release Therapy (ART) or Soft Tissue Therapy can be used to correct muscular imbalances.

5. Plantar fasciitis: An inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick fibrous band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that runs from the heel to the base of the toes. When placed under too much stress, the plantar fascia stretches too far and tears, resulting in inflammation of the fascia and the surrounding tissues. The tears are soon covered with scar tissue, which is less flexible than the fascia and only aggravates the problem.

Symptoms:

• Pain at the base o the heel or bottom of the foot.
• Pain is most severe in the mornings on getting out of bed, and at the beginning of a run. The pain may fade as you walk or change running stride, in an attempt to alleviate the pain.

Causes:

• Stress, tension and pulling on the plantar fascia.
• Inflexible calf muscles and tight Achilles tendons (placing more stress onto the plantar fascia).
• Over-pronation (Feet rotate too far inward on impact).
• High arches and rigid feet.
• Incorrect or worn shoes.
• Overtraining.

Preventative measures:

• Stretching of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Repeat stretches two to three times per day. Remember to stretch well before running and to stretch the plantar fascia.
• Place a golf ball under the foot, and roll the foot over the ball. Start with the ball at the base of the big toe, and roll the foot forwards over the ball, then back again. Move the ball to the base of the toe and repeat. Always exert enough pressure so that you feel a little tenderness.
• Correct shoes.
• Orthotics to correct over-pronation (can try taping to see if this provides relief prior to orthotics).
• Active Release Therapy (ART) or Soft Tissue Therapy to calf musculature.

For more information on stretching, or to learn different stretches to help prevent some of the above injuries, check out Runner’s World’s page on stretching here.