We spend a fair amount of time here at The RUNiverse talking about injuries. I wish we didn’t have to, but injuries

are simply a part of running for most of us.  But does our training have to screech to a halt every time we feel a bit of pain, or can we safely run through some of it?  Running Times ran a really great article recently on listening to your body and when to push through pain.

Their main advice is something I’ve heard before and think is a really good rule of thumb: if you’re sore, you are probably safe to keep going.  If you’re in pain, you should probably take that seriously.  They break this down into more specific advice.  Here are some of my favorites that I feel apply to the majority of runners:

• Give it a try for 20 minutes – If you’re not sure, go out for 20 minutes and see how you feel at that point.  Running Times says that 20 minutes is long enough to work out some of the beginning-of-the-run kinks without being long enough to make an injury worse.  I’m not totally sure about this one.  I know I’ve made an injury worse in far less than 20 minutes before.  I feel like this advice should come with some sort of clause telling you to go ahead and call it a day if you feel things getting worse.
• Don’t fool around with joint, tendon, or nerve pain – Muscle soreness is one thing, but if you’re dealing with joint, tendon, or nerve issues they probably won’t go away on their own and you certainly don’t want to make things worse than they already are.
• Tend to asymmetrical pain – If you’re only hurting on one side, use caution.  You’re probably setting yourself up for injury if you continue.
• If your muscles hurt for more than a couple days, treat them – Muscle pain is to be expected at times, but if it keeps hanging around, take your training down a notch.
• Learn from experience – Nobody knows your body like you.  After a while, you’ll get a feel for what kind of aches you’ve been able to run through before and which ones you need to take seriously.  Of course, if it’s a new pain, refer to the other pieces of advice.

At this point in my running life, I err on the side of caution when it comes to injuries.  If it’s general muscle pain, I’ll keep going, but if it’s anything more than that, I take it easy until it feels better.  I’m not training for anything, so it just seems crazy to me to risk an injury when there is no need to.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jessie started running in 2006 in an attempt to establish healthy habits before the middle age metabolism shutdown kicked in. In 2009, she shocked everybody who had ever met her by completing a marathon. She lives in Montana with her husband and young daughter.

Article lifted from: http://theruniverse.com/2012/09/when-to-push-through-the-pain/

Instructions

1. Your first charge is to find a group of runners with similar goals: To aim for a certain finish time, to burn some calories or to simply finish and snag a t-shirt. Obviously, if you want to compete for hardware, you’ll need your fastest friends
2. Be upfront about the team goals: There’s nothing worse than signing up for a “fun” run and then being hounded about two-a-day track workouts.
3. Decide who runs which leg. Most relay marathons are divided into four or five legs of between three and nine miles each. Some races have evenly distanced legs, but most events split them into varied lengths.
4. Play to your team’s strengths. In traditional track relays, the strongest runner serves as anchor and runs the last leg. In a marathon relay, the hardest leg is not always the last, so plan accordingly. Let your sprinters take the 5k and your climbers take the hills
5. Train for your specific distance. For detailed help, visit the eHows links below.
6. Practice running at the approximate time your leg will start. Your leg may begin two hours after the gun, and if you don’t typically train at 10 a.m. you’ll need to experiment with pre-race eating and other rituals.
7. Know how fast your teammates will run and be ready for the hand-off. A point-to-point race (as opposed to one where all legs begin at the start/finish) will require extra logistical planning to get teammates to their hand-off points in time. Make a plan long before race day.
8. If you are lucky, teams will pass wristbands instead of batons. When it comes time to hand off, be as smooth as possible. It pays to practice beforehand with your team.

Tips & Warnings

1. Plan your pre-run trip to the porta-potty. Expect your teammates to run faster than they predicted so you won’t be standing in line when your team number is called.
2. If you have any health concerns, consult your physician before undertaking any athletic event.

Marathon training for beginners, whether new to running or looking to take your running to the next level, is both physically and mentally demanding. Taking the right steps in getting started is the best way to prepare for success on your big day.

Some important aspects to consider before you start training:

• Pre-train: Before you begin a training program, allow at least 8-10 weeks of light running to allow your body to adapt and prepare for training. Increase your total weekly mileage by no more than 10% each week.

• Find a course: Choose a flat one! Finishing a first marathon is tough enough as it is without adding the challenge of hills. Consider courses with thousands of runners as you will find a more support from fans and other runners. Typically, the more runners, the better.

• Select a training program: Take a look at multiple programs to find the one you feel most comfortable with based on your current level of running and your goals.

• Talk to your family: Be sure your spouse and kids know why you plan to run all these miles! Marathon training is time consuming so it is important that your family understand why you want to achieve this goal and for them to have at least a general idea of how much time you will be spending on runs each week.

• New shoes: Be sure to get a new pair of running shoes and do not be afraid to spend more than you typically would on a new pair. Look for a local running specialty store and get over there. They are usually experienced runners themselves and will get you into the right pair – and even give you a tip or two.

• Find a running route: Before you begin training, go ahead and find good running routes, especially for your long runs.

These are just few tips on marathon training for beginners.

Article lifted from : http://www.marathonrookie.com/marathon-training-for-beginners.html

Team AMPers, Paulina, Patty and Malcolm did an outreach run and participated in the Historic Filipinotown 8th Annual 5K Run/Walk in celebration of the 10th founding anniversary of the Historic Filipinotown today, August 4, 2012.

Before the race, Team AMP took the opportunity to distribute the Team AMP informational cards to fellow runners and walkers. Approximately 400 runners and walkers and a handful of skaters joined the Run/Walk which began at exactly 7:30 am. The run route brought the runners through the heart of Historic Filipinotown and the entire stretch of Temple Street and back.

Team AMPers then proceeded to Bahay Kubo restaurant for a well deserved Filipino breakfast of TapSiLog or Beef Tapa, Sinangag and Itlog (Cured Beef, Garlic Fried Rice and Fried Eggs) to celebrate their strong finish 🙂