Scratching the Surface:
The Best (and Worst) Places to Run
By Bob Wischnia
There are numerous factors that can cause a running injury. Often, it isn't any one thing that can cause an injury but a variety of errors such as poor (or worn out) shoes, training mistakes and muscular imbalances. Yet another compounding cause of an injury (or not) is the surface you run on most often. Where you run matters almost as much as how you run in determining whether you run injury-free.
In Austin, we are lucky. We have some exceptional running trails, a beautiful park system and even miles and miles of smooth, well-paved roads. One of the keys to injury prevention is choosing the right surface and avoiding the worst ones.
Here's a look at the predominant running surfaces and the pluses and minuses for each:
Roads are the surface most of us log most of our miles on. Smooth, level roads are ideal. The ones that are lightly traveled are even better. The best place to find such roads are in neighborhoods-some of which even have speed bumps to hinder (or slow) automotive traffic. Most of our roads are relatively flat-they aren't sharply cambered or crowned-but it's best to run a little bit off the shoulder to reduce any pressure on the inside leg from the slope of the road. If there isn't any traffic at all, run close to the middle. Most roads are made of asphalt, but there are some concrete roads. If possible, stay off these as concrete is much harder than asphalt.
Sidewalks should be avoided at all costs whether you're walking for fitness or running. Sidewalks are the worst possible surface; they are exceptionally hard (eight times harder than asphalt), often cracked and uneven (you can trip) and crowded with pedestrians. Even if they aren't crowded, sidewalks are still brutal. They are as hard as rock which can pulverize your body if you run on them repeatedly. If you need to run on a sidewalk to access another road or trail, don't worry. A little sidewalk running won't kill you, but day after day, mile after mile will likely lead to an injury.
Dirt trails are the softest and best surface for running. Even a hard-packed dirt trail like Town Lake is softer than a road and easier on your body. For a long run, a trail is clearly the best surface because the wear and tear on your legs won't be as great as on a harder surface. Many municipalities, community parks and even some corporations have their own soft-surface running trails-although none are as long or as well-maintained as Town Lake. The only downside to running on a trail is rocks and roots that protrude and can trip you up.
Grass fields are also excellent. For example, a run around the numerous soccer fields of Zilker Park, provide an ideal-though uneven-surface. One lap of Zilker is about a mile, but even running numerous laps around smaller fields gives your body a break from the daily rigors of road running. Grass fields are great for a short, recovery run or an occasional speed workout or drills.
Treadmills have become increasingly popular at home and in health clubs. The primary advantages are safety and a controlled environment (you don't have to worry about extreme heat, wind or cold). But the other advantage is the treadmill surface is smooth and places less stress on the lower legs than any other surface. The downers are the expense of joining a club or buying one for the home-and it's boring.
Tracks have an even surface-whether it's dirt, asphalt or an artificial surface. Many schools allow runners or walkers to use their tracks in off-hours-provided that they use the outside lanes. While running or walking on a track, there's never any question of how far you've gone. Four laps to a mile. But walking or running on a track is only a little less boring than a treadmill and many beginners become frustrated with the repetitiveness of it. The other problem is continually running or walking in one direction which can cause stress on the legs because of the almost constant turning. If you do use a track on a regular basis, alternate your direction every couple of laps to minimize stress on the legs.
 
 
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Scratching the Surface: The Best (and Worst) Places to Run
by Wish, 10/21/2004 |
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