...with your FEET 
( Warning... this is a Long post this week )!
Hello again, all you wonderful runners.
How is everyone, as we enter the second week of April. I am now a whole year older, since Sunday, not wiser though... and am looking forward to seeing you all at some point this week!
It has been a whole week of super runs for so many of us; and , it has certainly been an active week for all of us, runs or not, which is great to see.
Some of us still on the IC,( not so great), or just feeling our feet again after leaving it.
I notice this morning that a fair few have left the isolation suite and are off the couch and out there...just taking it steady Wonderful!
I have noticed, also, a whole lot of new runners beginning C25K and many of them joining us here for a chat.... as are one or two old friends who have reappeared again!
The month is moving on, the weather is unable to make its mind up, times are still tricky, but here we are still.
I know that many of you have done a little bit of a running Spring Clean after last week's post and are feeling positive and eager to move forward with your running. I am still feeling that buzz and having managed a glorious run in glorious sunshine this morning, after a day of howling wind, hail and rain yesterday, I feel even better!
So... what on earth is that photograph all about?
Well... I am of course, famous on this forum., ( errr, sorry, that should read Infamous), for my many running sayings; I am of course, that snail in the photo , my mantra since I began running being slow and steady and I have a whole lot of running sayings !
One of the sayings that I use often, is about landing lightly when we run, I call it, kissing the ground with our feet. It sums it up perfectly !
The way we run is so important to us all, and for all of us it will be different, but, there are small things that we may try, which may make a HUGE difference to our running.
We are thankfully all different, age, size and shape...but we all know about gravity and we do know that we are lifting our own bodyweight against that as we run... and then we land!
There are lots of posts on here, a lot of the time, with folk talking about landing heavily, slapping or thumping along; they worry about the noise they make when running with that thump, thump, thump, but forgetting the noise, that heavy landing is having, or may have, over time, a real impact on your knees and ankles and lower back.
So what may we be able to do to help us to, land lightly and quietly, when we run. Things that can help our enjoyment of running and maybe our running performance too.
( Remember these are ideas and strategies that I have read and found out about...they help me).
Okay. Here goes:
We need to run in a comfortable way, but by engaging and focusing a tad on our core, ( the middle bit of us:), that can, 'tighten' everything up a little; loose running could result in that thump, thump as our feet hit the floor.
So; core strength exercise, and exercise also for our feet and ankles, incorporated into some of our rest day exercise, may be really helpful. Making everything stronger.
Trying to relax our ankles when we run especially; holding then rigidly is not going to help with the kissing the ground at all.
I know I find the ankle exercises really useful for lighter running and there are loads of links on the amazing Strength and Flex Forum.
When we set off running, we may, at the start of the run feel fine, landing lightly is not so much of an issue; but, and this is not just applicable to new runners, as we continue, we may feel tired and that is where everything may go a bit looser, and that is the point when the work we put in to make our running body stronger, will benefit us.
We can, and this is where I say, it works for me.... try think a bit, about our cadence. Sometimes, shortening our stride, rounding those ankles, and running just a couple of steps faster, even for a short time may make a difference. Engaging the core, and just tightening everything up a tad.
On my run this morning, the last Km seemed a tad daunting; so I straightened my back, engaged my core, ( not tensed up), and I just upped, ( literally, rounding my ankles a tad higher off the ground), my steps a fraction for a very short time. It worked. The heavier steps lifted and I was landing lightly and quietly again.
This all sounds a heck of a lot to think about, especially when we are just setting out on C25K, but with practice it becomes, hopefully, second nature.
There is a saying and a correct one, that we were born to run, we were; all of us, whatever shape, age or size, but sometimes it doesn't feel like that and so, by thinking and focusing a little more on aspects of our running, that may make it what it should be, enjoyable
These are just ideas and suggestions... I have tried to land lightly, ever since I heard the lovely Laura mention in it when I did C25K...I work on it and have worked harder as I have progressed with my running ( and my age)
I try not to terrify folk by running softly up behind them, it doesn't always work. EEEk!
So, now it's your turn.. what works for you?
Pop into the Corner this week, when you get the chance . Slip off the shoes and share with us, how it is all going.
I look forward to hearing, ( shhh ), how kissing the ground might be helpful to you
Oldlfoss xxx
UPDATE
I am linking a post from one of our awesome running friends... it is well worth a read and will certainly give you the confidence to move forward safely whether for the first time or as a repeater.
It shows just how good C25K is...
