Stretch, Ice

Ladies,

More and more of you are reporting sore knees, hips, and ankles as we move into the second week of season. This is normal, especially for those that didn't run much this summer. We haven't done much of any real hard work yet, so it's hard to imagine we have done anything that could hurt anyone. That said, there are basic steps you should be following all season long, ESPECIALLY if you are prone to injury.

1. Always stretch before and after running, and again at night at home.
2. Always ice areas of concern EVEN IF THEY DON'T HURT!
3. Always run in shoes that are not worn out.
4. Always warm up before running hard.

That last one... Let's talk about that one.

Today we did our warm-up, then we headed down the trail. Some of the girls made the first mile the hardest. It's easy to understand why. It's downhill, and you hadn't had time to get really overheated at all. It was the easiest running. After that mile, the heat settles in, breathing gets hard, and pretty soon form falls apart. Once the form falls apart, you begin running in ways that make you ache in various places. 

While I said I want girls to run faster, we have to be smart about that. Just like you would warm up before a race, you have to warm up a bit in the early parts of your workout before you're ready to run harder. Give your body's joints time to generate lubricant, let the body begin processing lactic acid, let your heart rate settle to a rhythm. Do that, and the middle part of your run will be faster AND more comfortable. 

This sport is hard to master. It's much more layered and nuanced than the casual observer could ever see. It is also fraught with risk to the unwary. Take the precautionary approach to recovery and warm-up, and you will have a better chance to be successful as the year goes on.