It never ceases to amaze me how much useless or right down wrong information about running is out there on the internet. I am here to tell you that running is way more complicated than just putting on the latest and greatest sneakers and off you go. You don’t need to be a pro. Even a casual recreational jogger could benefit from good information in order to enjoy the workout and reap all the health benefits. The purpose of this article is to address some of the myths that keep on persisting out there.
Running messes up your knees. Wrong! Seriously, if I hear that one more time, I will scream. No, running does not mess up your knees. Muscle imbalance, wrong shoes, bad posture and other unrelated to running issues mess up your knees. Please don’t blame running. It’s just not true. Plain and simple.
You need to buy shoes that correct pronation issues. Wrong! Anytime a running shoe is aimed at correcting something, whether it’s pronation or anything else, you risk developing bad muscle adaptations. Pronation can be caused by other muscle imbalances like tight adductors(inner thighs) and weak hips that pull your knees in and cause feet to turn in as well. So before you attempt to fix it with “special” shoes, attempt to correct those imbalances first with physical therapy and strength training.
You need super cushy sneakers with a high mm drop to strike mid sole. Wrong! There are shoes out there that attempt to steer you to strike with mid foot by increasing the drop to 12 mm. Again, not necessary at all. Yes, mid foot striking is ideal but most people will benefit from a neutral or stability 8 or 10 mm drop shoe that lets you figure out the best foot position. The problem is not the shoe but the tendency to overstride which causes heel striking.
Drinking water every few miles is a must. Wrong! Please for the love of God, enough with all that hydration craze. If you need to stop and drink water every few miles, you need to re-evaluate how much you drink during the day. You maybe severely dehydrated. Also, maybe you are putting out a much bigger effort than you can handle and water can’t fix that. Besides all that water jostling in your stomach can’t possibly be comfortable and can cause side stiches.
When going downhill, lean forward. Wrong! This one just really scared me when I saw this online. I can’t believe anyone would actually advise that. Please listen very carefully! Don’t lean forward. DON’T! When going downhill, use your legs as brakes since gravity will already be pulling you down. Resist the urge to go crazy fast. Control the speed with your legs and please don’t lean forward. EVER! I consider going downhill more challenging in terms of mechanics so be careful and maintain your pace.
Running will change how you look. Right! Yes it will. You will most likely lose some weight, develop lean muscle, and will look fabulous! Armed with good information and proper running shoes, go out there and run. You will feel fantastic!