680 miles this year to learn a lesson

rom

People told me I should run a bit on grass but never really listened. Had lots of issues with my knees recently as increasing milage for DCM. Tried to run on grass as a last resort. Did 8 miles today on grass and never felt better. Some lessons are learned hard like this one. Could have saved loads on physio. I am some twit

PDCAT

Have been finding out the same thing myself. Have been running now for 18 month's with repeated lower leg injuries, & soreness. Training for the dublin marathon, have been forced to run around the local GAA pitch the last couple of weeks in order to get the mileage in and save the legs. Only for this, i would be f*ked. Should have been doing this over the last 18 months, would have save meself the world of bother.

misty floyd

Still though, if I was training for a race that is going to be run on concrete, I'd be doing 'some' of my training on similar surfaces. The grass is especially great for recovery runs I find.

rom

misty floyd wrote: »

Still though, if I was training for a race that is going to be run on concrete, I'd be doing 'some' of my training on similar surfaces. The grass is especially great for recovery runs I find.

I agree. Will try all but my LSR on grass for a few weeks to save the legs.

kit3

misty floyd wrote: »

Still though, if I was training for a race that is going to be run on concrete, I'd be doing 'some' of my training on similar surfaces. The grass is especially great for recovery runs I find.

any guide as to what proportion of runs should be on concrete/roads? I did most of my runs during the summer on hard sand (simply because of where I was) and have now switched to grass/trails. I'm training for DCM and trying to save the legs as much as possible but recognise what you are saying above too.

rom

kit3 wrote: »

any guide as to what proportion of runs should be on concrete/roads? I did most of my runs during the summer on hard sand (simply because of where I was) and have now switched to grass/trails. I'm training for DCM and trying to save the legs as much as possible but recognize what you are saying above too.

Anywhere I have read say at least 1/2 but I never took notice until now.

TFBubendorfer

Then again, I've run about 3000 miles per year over the last 4 years, virtually all of it on road, and missed no more than 2 weeks of running due to injury in that time.

We're not all the same.

pconn062

I must try doing a bit of running on grass, I do all my running on the road and am having a bit of bother with my knees as I up the miles in my marathon training schedule. I think it is important not to do all your running on a soft surface like grass or trail if your training for a marathon cause it will be a real shock to your legs stomping on the asphalt on race day.

pconn062

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Then again, I've run about 3000 miles per year over the last 4 years, virtually all of it on road, and missed no more than 2 weeks of running due to injury in that time.

We're not all the same.

I think your one of the lucky ones, I have a friend I train with like this, never gets injured and any niggles he picks up just work themselves out! Lucky git!!:D

rom

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Then again, I've run about 3000 miles per year over the last 4 years, virtually all of it on road, and missed no more than 2 weeks of running due to injury in that time.

We're not all the same.

I'd say that with that mileage I would have a few stone more banging down on the knees than you

Would love to know what stretches etc you do to stay so injury free.

TFBubendorfer

rom wrote: »

I'd say that with that mileage I would have a few stone more banging down on the knees than you

Would love to know what stretches etc you do to stay so injury free.

About the weight, maybe so. I weigh about 10st 5lb at the moment, which is lower than the average, of course. I'm sure it helps.

As for stretches, I don't do any. I think a lot of people get injured because of the static stretching they're doing (seriously).

I do get niggles, of course, and am a great believer in doing appropriate strengthening exercises as they arise, e.g eccentric calf raises for Achilles problems, side-leg-lifts for knee problems and so on. That tends to get rid of virtually any problem within days. The trick is to figure out the right exercise.

tunney

rom wrote: »

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Then again, I've run about 3000 miles per year over the last 4 years, virtually all of it on road, and missed no more than 2 weeks of running due to injury in that time.

We're not all the same.

I'd say that with that mileage I would have a few stone more banging down on the knees than you

Would love to know what stretches etc you do to stay so injury free.

In all honesty what you said here is more likely the problem than concrete. You are carrying too much weight.

ger664

rom wrote: »

I'd say that with that mileage I would have a few stone more banging down on the knees than you

Would love to know what stretches etc you do to stay so injury free.

Echo TFB i gave up static stretching this year and have doubled my mileage with only 3 weeks out (down to my own stupidity).

menoscemo

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Then again, I've run about 3000 miles per year over the last 4 years, virtually all of it on road, and missed no more than 2 weeks of running due to injury in that time.

We're not all the same.

Similar to yourself, coming up on 2000 miles this year in only my third year running. I doubt I have ran more than 10 miles on grass in all that time, (I prefer tarmac) and virtally no injuries (a few niggles but nothing that has kept me from running for more than a day or two).

I am a big believer in forefoot striking being a key to avoiding injury and am trying to move to more minimalist shoes to encourage this trend.

I am not as light as you either

rom

I am just over 13 stone with a BMI of 25.5 approx. I was thinking that you were light doing 3000 miles a year alright I got a book on dynamic stretching. Do yee high mileage guys have any opinon on that. I was told recently that static stretching should be done after and dynamic if you need to during warm up.

TFBubendorfer

rom wrote: »

Do yee high mileage guys have any opinon on that. I was told recently that static stretching should be done after and dynamic if you need to during warm up.

I don't do any static stretching at all. I used to do some dynamic stretching before races but started to question the value of that as well recently. I'm still on the fence on that one.

It may be that dynamic stretching would be helpful if done correctly but most people who try it (including myself) don't really know what they're doing, and that's exactly where the problem lies.

tHE vAGGABOND

yea, about to come back from a knee injury, and have also had a few various leg problems this year, 90% of my running is on concrete around town. [that said too, went from not running ever to doing 40 plus miles a week and racing all over the shop in less than year, so a lot of overuse type issues].

I have the shortest possible routes to various park and grass land already plotted with google maps - I will be using those parks to do as many of my miles as possible from here to DCM..

With regard to stretches, I dont to a huge amount of static stretching, bar what Im told to do by physio for maintenance of issues and past injuries - tend to start runs really slow for half mile or so - and that is my warmup

rom

Thanks for the info guys. Nice to know I can get by without loads and loads of stretching.

pconn062

While stretching muscles after a run as part of your cool down can be helpful, stretching before when your muscles are cold is actually really bad for you so I do no stretching before I warm up, your moving and working muscles that are cold. Gonna try a run on grass today to see how the knees feel as I've been having a bit of bother with them.