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Coach's Corner with The Running Physio, Lauren Roberts, is a regular column in iRun magazine. Here, Lauren answers your burining questions about training, injury and shoe recommendations. Got a question you want Lauren to answer Email ben@irun.ca to be featured! Check out Lauren's Q&As from the latest Issue of iRun:
How far do I have to run in practice if my half marathon is in spring?
A: Nearly all well-done training plans will have a peak long run for the race three weekends out from race day. This allows the body three weeks to recover, rebuild, and prep for the big event. If this is your first half marathon, you will want to plan your mileage appropriately to hit 19-21 km at this time. If you have a time or performance goal, you’ll likely want to overshoot race distance by a few kilometers and aim for closer to 25km for peak week. You’ll want to work backwards from race day to be sure you don’t wait too long to start your build.
Do runners really need more than one pair of shoes? If so, what are the different kinds of shoes for?
A: Research has pointed to rotating through three slightly different pairs of shoes. The reason for this is that running is essentially a repetitive motion that uses the same muscle groups on repeat for a long period of time. Anything that we can do to introduce some form of micro-variability is going to decrease the repeated strain that muscles, tendons, and ligaments are withstanding simply by changing it up. Take trail running for example - trail runners tend to experience less injuries than road runners because the terrain is quite a bit different with each step. (They may roll their ankles more, though!)
What are three quick stretches you could recommend? And, do you stretch before a run, after, or both?
A: First of all, research still tends to point towards avoiding long slow stretching before a run, although it consistently does remain a point of contention among running scientists. After is likely better and there is some evidence it can decrease muscle soreness, but this has not been shown consistently.
Secondly, stretching is likely best prescribed in light of a specific finding. For example, if you have seen a Running PT and they have determined you have plantar fasciitis with tight calves, you’d be best to do a calf stretch with knee bent and knee straight for 30-45 seconds after your run. Unfortunately, stretching does not seem to have an injury-prevention effect, and may in fact have the opposite effect as people with hypermobility tend to experience more injuries. Sorry, yogis!
Anecdotally, I would say most people would benefit from calf stretching like mentioned above, as well as hamstring and hip flexor stretching as these muscles tend to become hypertonic (“tight”) with sitting. But if you’re a “don’t have time to stretch” person, don’t stress!
I feel like I always have tight calves. What is that a sign of and what can be done?
A: There are two things to understand regarding muscle tightness. First, what most people call “tightness” is actually what we call hypertonicity. Hyper = extra and tone = tension level of a muscle. A muscle will become hypertonic when the brain sends a message to it saying, “Hey! Something doesn’t feel right here…we’ve got to work a little harder.” The muscle says, “OK!” and increases its level of tone. So then the actual question is, what does the brain feel the reason is for sending this message? The answer is usually that the muscle itself and/or muscles related to the goal movement are weak. Your best starting point would be to strengthen up the tight muscle!
Is there anything we can do to ward off plantar fasciitis, and how do you know if you have it?
A: Oh plantar fasciitis - such a pain.Your best bet is strong calves. You can never do too many calf raises, especially with weight. If you don’t have access to a gym, we recommend putting something heavy in a backpack (wine bottles work, just sayin’...) and aiming to complete 10 full calf raises (all the way up, all the way down with one leg off a step. Getting to ten should be challenging). Repeat for two days, take one day off. You’ll see your plantar improve. And keep making that backpack heavier for prevention because this bugger takes forever to go away.
What pain is OK to run through and what kind should make you take the day off?
A: Anytime pain is new, sharp, has a specific spot that hurts with pushing on it, or worsening, you should stop immediately. More running isn’t going to fix the problem that was caused by running. You’ll want to take 7-14 days right off to avoid things becoming a chronic issue! During this time you can cross-train or do anything that is completely pain-free. Then you’ll want to gradually get back to running.
When do you know you need outside help?
A: Let me answer this by saying one of the things we hear the most in the clinic is “I wish I’d come sooner.” The sooner we can see you, the easier and more simple the fix is. Sometimes it’s just adjusting your next couple weeks of runs. When we continue to run through pain, we end up developing compensations which is like adding extra layers to the onion that we have to unwrap and figure out. This is how people end up derailed for full seasons.
The Running Physio at Athlete’s Care is a specialized, science-driven program designed to address the unique needs of runners at all levels, from beginners to elite athletes. This program focuses on injury recovery, injury prevention, performance enhancement, and long-term musculoskeletal health.
This program is ideal for:
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- Those looking to improve running efficiency and prevent future injuries
- Athletes preparing for marathons, ultramarathons, or other competitive events
- Casual runners seeking to build sustainable running habits
Our Runner’s Program equips runners with the tools and knowledge to heal, train smarter, and achieve their running goals while maintaining long-term health. Click here to learn more about the Athlete's Care Runners Program or to book an appointment.
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