When you are running
and walking the only thing that hits the ground is your feet. Your
feet are designed to absorb shock, stabilize your legs and create
power for the next stride. Your foot type determines whether you are
a better shock absorber or a better stabilizer. If your foot is
better at absorbing shock, by being flexible, it will tend to have
problems with stability. Also, if your foot is better at being
stable, it will be more rigid and not absorb shock as well. If you
are lucky, your foot will be a good blend of the two.
How can you tell, and what does this mean to me? There are a couple
of ways to tell if your feet are rigid, neutral, or flexible. One of
the easiest ways to tell is to measure your feet while you are
sitting and then when you are standing and note the difference, if
any, in the length of your foot. While sitting on a chair, put your
foot on a ruler and measure from your heel to the tip of your toes.
Then stand up on your foot and see if your foot changes length or
not. If your foot remains the same length, it is a rigid foot. If it
grows by 1/8 of an inch, it is neutral (a good blend of cushioning
and stability), and if it grows by more than ¼ of an inch, it is
flexible (absorbs shock well but not stable).
Shoes are designed with these three foot types in mind and it is
important to get into the right type of shoe. All running shoes have
cushioning. The difference is in the softness of the midsole and the
thickness of the foam. If you are a runner with rigid feet, you will
need to concentrate on shoes that have the softest foams. For you to
run for any distance, you will need to get shoes that absorb shock
very well. If you have a neutral foot, you can get shoes that blend
cushioning and stability. Your shoes will have a soft midsole, but
will have a wider base and a second density on the medial side (arch
area). If you have a flexible foot, your shoes should have a
slightly firmer midsole and thinner midsole to stabilize your foot.
You are already good at absorbing shock and will need less
cushioning and mores support. The higher you lift a flexible foot
off the ground, the more unstable it becomes.
Another element of footwear is insoles. The manufactures insoles are
not the best available. For the rigid foot, a soft shock absorbing
insole can do wonders to make running fun. And for the extra
flexible foot, a supportive insole can add to your running.
It is very important to understand your foot and body type so that
you can be a successful runner. So many people fail because they are
in the wrong shoes or the wrong sized shoe. Take the time to
understand your foot and then make sure your foot wear is right. If
you are having any trouble with pain and injury from your lower back
down to your feet, you should check into your footwear.
If you have questions, feel free to contact me at 472-3254 or by
email at paul@runtex.com.
|
Week 9 |
Walkers |
First Timers |
Runners |
|
Tuesday |
60 minute walk on HILLY
COURSE |
45 minute run on HILLY
COURSE |
45 minute run on HILLY
COURSE |
|
Wednesday |
30 min easy walk |
45 min recovery run |
45 min recovery run |
|
Thursday |
15 min warm up, 15 min
hard, 15 min cool down walk |
10 min warm up
2 min hard/1 min easy x
5
10 min cool down |
15 min warm up (2min hard/1 min easy)
X 10, 10 min cool down |
|
Friday |
rest |
rest |
rest |
|
Saturday |
6 mile walk or The Lone
Star 10K |
6 mile run or The Lone
Star 10K |
6 mile run or The Lone
Star 10K |
|
Sunday |
rest |
rest |
rest |
|
Monday |
45 minute easy walk |
30 min recovery jog/walk |
30 min recovery run |
|
