Well, the last time I wrote about doing “hard things” it resulted in a great sense of accomplishment after the Spartan Race and some let downs that gave me motivation to push forward and train harder for the next race. This time around I’m here to share my experience running a 10k race (which I did two years ago as well) and share some thoughts on training, training errors, mental toughness and how to avoid injury.
The race we participated in was Robert’s Run in honor of a little boy named Robert Leonardi; whose life sadly was ended far too soon. You can look up the Play Like Robert Foundation (https://www.playlikerobert.org/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR36CTTfqxBiRRrY75q5xJqpRgf2GvCjaaxRQP_Z01FTk2YZ4iFpYUgTE80_aem_8EEzyYOG7WtfMKx1a1HMaQ) and read the story and the purpose behind the race. I can almost guarantee you won’t be leaving that webpage without either tears or a greater appreciation for life or both.
So, there we were, ready to compete and put our best foot forward for an amazing cause (actually the picture above is after!). Two years ago when I ran, I suffered almost a week of knee pain and injury; mostly due to lack of training and probably a still very weak core due to post-partum issues (diastisis recti- to be expounded on in another post). Well, this time I was unfortunately, again, met with knee joint inflammation and pain after the 6.2 mile race and the 1 mile race with my family.
How can this be? Didn’t I just do a post on knee pain and prevention?! Why yes I did. Did I implement some of that training prior to the race? I did…a little; among other major strengthening exercises and light intermittent cardio (squats, dead lifts, plyometrics, lunges, etc). Enter, first training error. What is it about most healthcare providers that we can give advice to others and expect them to follow it, yet we feel we are not subject to following the same advice (for example you should probably perform a running program to build to 6 miles rather than just jump in and run it)?
At approximately 3.5 miles into the race (3 miles is typically a distance I can run with some ease), I started to feel the pain. That bilateral, joint pain; the kind that tells you, you’re injuring me and you should stop. But did I? No. Why? Pride maybe? Motivation to finish? That deep down grit that you build through doing hard things of which I am not ready to let go? Maybe all of the above. I’m here to tell you, do the hard thing, but maybe not at the cost of injury, and maybe do some proper training to prep you for that upcoming event. Event specific training is important to prevent injury.
Here are some training principles to follow:
Prior to an event, pick a 6 week minimum training program to lead into that event. For example, if you’re doing a Spartan race, you may want to check into the activities required and find some specific mobility exercises and strengthening exercises for that event. In the case of a running event, if you’ve never ran, you need to begin with run/walk program, cross-train with a bike or other cardio equipment to avoid overuse injuries, and follow a true progressive running program to build up to your desired distance (this may take longer than 6 weeks depending on your starting fitness level and desired distance).
Include isolated resisted muscle group training and mobility to prevent injury. For example, if I’m prepping for, let’s just say, hiking or hunting season, I’m going to add in some specific hip abduction exercises as I know I’ll be side-hilling and utilizing those muscle groups more than normal. Or if I’m training for a sprint event, I may throw in more explosive movements and specific resistance exercises for power.
Pick something reasonable and enjoyable based on your current fitness level/past injuries. I’m not saying don’t step out of your comfort zone and push yourself- but if you want to succeed it should probably be within the realm of enjoyable.
Training errors to learn from:
Assuming your fitness from other sports/events will equally translate to the other sporting event. I do CrossFit or some version of strength training 3-4 days a week; it’s safe to say I have a certain degree of fitness, but not safe to say that would translate to running much more than I’m used to (duh).
Not doing adjunct strengthening and an individualized strength program to target smaller/less recruited muscle groups.
Pushing through pain that causes injury rather than pushing through temporary pain that is a result of fatigue. There’s a difference. Of course training is going to be hard, it’s supposed to be! That’s where mental toughness comes in. You tell yourself you can push through and your body can do amazing things. The only issue with that tough mindset is that it can result in injury. Make sure you push hard, but that you can show up tomorrow for another round of training.
So hopefully all of you can learn from my tough lesson. Work hard, but train hard; stay mentally tough but also be smart. And most importantly pick something that is fun!
Shannon Calenberg, PT, DPT, OCS, CMPT
* This is not medical advice and does not substitute consultation with a medical professional.
*My writing here is completely separate from my employer.