Live. Give. Run. Blog
To Inspire and Move the Human Spirt, One Sole at a Time
Let me throw some numbers at you – I mean, runners love numbers, right?
During a 5k, your feet strike the ground an average of 4800 times.
For a 10k, this number jumps to 9500.
And, for a marathon, there are an average of over 39,000 foot contacts. (Much more if you’re running at a below average pace).
When you look at these numbers, it’s clear that there’s a lot of stress that needs to be absorbed through the knees, hips, lower back, spine, and ego.
Returning to running postpartum can be a challenging journey, but with patience, dedication, and the right approach, it can be an empowering experience. Remember to listen to your body, start slow, and prioritize core and pelvic floor strengthening exercises. Above all, be kind to yourself and celebrate every step forward in your postpartum running journey.
As a Physical Therapist and Running Program Specialist for MedStar Health, I spend the majority of my clinical hours working with injured runners. Virtually all of them want to return to comfortable and healthy running ASAP; preferably sooner. Every injured runner wants to find out what went wrong and how to fix it. And if we can help make them a better runner in addition, all the better.
I arrived at the first training session, shaking in my shoes, just so sure I was going to stick out like a sore thumb. I was definitely the largest person there, but no one laughed. We gave introductions and our running background. Many others were already runners and were just getting back into running. I stated that I had never run before in my life. No one laughed. All were encouraging.
One of the most common mistakes I see with athletes of all kinds is under fueling. This mistake is not just eating too little food/calories or skipping meal, but it can also mean that an athlete is eating a diet that lacks balance or adequate nutrient, vitamin and mineral intake. So, for athletes I like for them to think about their diet like their training plan.
Running is an excellent way to improve your health, both mental and physical. It is recommended that adults living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes spend at least 150 minutes participating in activities such as running. Running increases heart health, increases muscle and bone strength, decreases adipose (fat) tissue, and increases insulin sensitivity.
Running the Under Armour B3 Distance Series presented by Kelly Benefits is such an exciting pursuit because it encompasses different distances, different seasons and gives you an opportunity to capitalize on your strengths as a runner and focus on your weaknesses. There really is something for everyone.
