Training

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

Foam rolling has become very popular for runners. As soon as I got a roller last year to attempt to rehab some hip tightness, I was convinced. Combined with stretching, it took less than a week to relieve the persistent tightness I had been experiencing for quite some time. In the intervening time, it’s helped me quickly handle relapses in the hips, as well as work through calf tightness, hamstring tightness and various other minor problems before they became major or persistent problems.

One of the nice things about foam rolling is that it improves your flexibility without the drawback of reduced power production that static stretching can cause.

However, not much study has been done on foam rolling. The benefits have been anecdotal. Now, anecdotal evidence has its place and I’ve been a strong proponent of foam rolling, as a few of the people I coach can tell you, but it’s nice to see controlled studies show what we have seen anecdotally.

Now, we have the first study.

To sum up the study, participants were tested for knee joint range of motion and muscle strength before, as well as 2 minutes and 10 minutes after foam rolling. Strength was not reduced after foam rolling but range of motion increased by fairly significant amounts.

Now, this was a small study (11 participants) but the results do confirm what we’ve believed all along. Foam rolling is an effective way to increase flexibility without reducing muscle power production.

What should we take from this? Here’s what I’m taking from it. There are good reasons to not do static stretching before a run. We all have heard about the warnings of stretching a cold muscle. Along with that, there is evidence that we do lose power production at least for a period of time after static stretching. This could result in performance decreases if you static stretch before you run. So the question is, if you are tight and need to loosen up before a run, what do you do? Based on this, foam rolling seems like one alternative.

I’ve done pre-run foam rolling before early morning runs just because it feels good and I feel like it helps “wake up” my legs before a run. These results don’t surprise me at all, as I can feel a lot of that early morning tightness disappear after those sessions.

What do you think? Have you tried pre-run foam rolling?

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

Here in southeast Wisconsin, we dodged a bullet with this week’s storm. We got snow but not like Minnesota, Illinois and other parts of Wisconsin did or the mid-Atlantic region is expecting. That said, we’ve got our fair share this year. I, for one, appreciate the reprieve this time.

For those of you in the mid-Atlantic who may not be used to running in storms like this, what should you do? Well, the easy answer is to take it inside. Hit the treadmill, find an indoor facility, whatever works. That will surely work and, if available to you, may be the best option for the next day or two.

What if indoors isn’t an option? Well, first think about your safety. When I think safety, I usually say the same thing whether running or driving. I know how to take care of myself. I’m not worried about myself, I’m worried about some idiot out on the roads who is going to hit me. A couple of tons of steel vs. 100-some pounds of flesh and bone is not a fair fight. If you don’t have an outdoor option that you feel is safe from crazy drivers available, think about your safety first, even if that means taking a day or two off.

If you do have a safe place to run, next consider what you need to do for traction. Are you dealing with snow, ice or both? If you’re dealing with just snow, trail running shoes (cross country flats are an option if you’re a minimalist) with good off-road tread should handle the snow well. If you’re dealing with ice, consider something metal on the bottom of your shoe that will cut into the ice and give you some traction is very useful. The screw shoe is a very effective and cost-efficient option. You can also look up YakTrax or other similar slip-on traction tools. At least in Wisconsin, most sporting goods stores or department stores with sporting goods departments have these in stock during the winter months. A final option for the minimalists is to buy a pair of rubber soled cross country spikes. I’ve been using a pair of Saucony Kilkenny spikes the past two winters and they have worked amazingly well. They are also great for snow on top of ice because the spikes work on the ice and the tread is good for the snow.

If the snow is falling or blowing when you are heading out for a run, the next thing you need to think about is visibility. If you have lights for visibility while running in the dark, use them. If you don’t, dressing for visibility in a snowstorm is a little different. Dark or very bright colors that will contrast with whiteout conditions are best. Black, red, orange, colors like that.

Once you’ve figured out what to wear, all that’s left is figuring out where and how to run. If you have a speed workout planned, forget about it. Plan to be slower and, if necessary, plan to go a little shorter. Just get out and log the miles. As for direction, it’s best if you can start into the wind and return with it. Be careful on turns and avoid dangerous situations, especially anything involving cars. Remember, even if you are acting completely safely, you can’t be assured that the driver in the car going past you is doing the same. Have an escape plan and watch the cars as they pass to make sure you can get out of the way if you see them starting to slide.

Have fun out there! Running through a snow storm or in fresh snow after a storm can be a very fun experience if you take a few precautions and approach it with the right mindset.

This article was originally posted by Ryan at the original HillRunner.com Blogs.

I’ve been trying to think of the "perfect" topic for my first blog post. If I keep waiting for that, I’ll never post on here so let’s set the bar low.

When I first started running, I always heard that your running shoes wouldn’t feel great straight out of the box. You need to break them in before they would feel great. Then, I found the perfect shoe for me. It felt great right out of the box and never lost that great feeling, even after far more miles than you’re "supposed" to get on a pair of shoes. I’d even buy a new pair, take them straight out of the box and lace them up for a long run. Yes, the first time my shoes would go on my feet, I’d be heading out the door for 90+ minutes of running. Ahh, high school days. Back when you could get away with naivete. This is something I don’t do any more but I still know if I’ve found the right pair of shoes for me as soon as it comes out of the box.

Modern running shoes aren’t what older models used to be. They are made out of soft, flexible materials. They are pliable and well fitted right out of the box. They aren’t stiff and firm and the materials won’t "soften up" as shoes from a few decades ago would with time. If a pair of shoes doesn’t feel good on your feet right out of the box these days it’s probably because they aren’t made for your type of foot.

So what do you do about this? Well, find the best fitting pair of shoes. Go to a specialty store. They should take a look at the structure of your foot. They should determine whether your feet are straight or curved, whether you have high or low arches, whether your feet are narrow or wide. Then they should be able to find a few pairs of shoes that generally match the structure of your shoes and have you try them all on. One of these pairs of shoes will probably feel pretty natural on your feet and you just found your shoes.

What if you don’t find that "just right" fit? You could keep looking. Maybe you’ve exhausted your options, though. In that case, take the best you can find. Maybe they will "break in" and you’ll feel better down the line. Whatever the case, don’t believe that a shoe has to feel bad right out of the box. Chances are the shoes that feel the best right out of the box are the best shoes for you.