Tag Archives: running

Is overpronation of the feet a problem?

You would presume that overpronation is the same as a death sentence for runners when you go through many of the running web sites and social media discourse. Anyone might assume it could lead to every one of the overuse injuries which athletes can get and why runners need the specific motion control running shoes or foot supports to fix the problem. This can get talked about in some circles that it is something quite evil which really should be sorted out.

Pronation is a normal motion of the feet in which the ankle rolls inwards and also the arch of the foot flattens. Overpronation is where you can find too much of this natural movement. There is no straightforward specification of what overpronation actually is and what would be considered normal and abnormal. This issue is alleged to cause a dysfunctional running biomechanics, and so more effort is necessary to run. It is also said that a foot which overpronates can result in all kinds of problems from hallux valgus to plantar fasciitis to hip overuse injuries. For that reason runners who do overpronate are actually strongly encouraged to make use of foot orthotics to support the foot and make use of the supportive running footwear.

In spite of this, there are plenty of stories of runners who can have a large severe type of this that never have issues and can run easily. This has ended in remarks that this entire idea around overpronation is a delusion and is not really a problem. They claim it really is made up by those who make money using foot supports and running footwear.

However, should you go through the real research evidence, then yes overpronation (however you want to determine it) is an issue in running. The meta-analyses and systematic reviews of all of the research prove that this is a small risk factor for problems in runners, however that risk is still statistically significant. Because of this overpronation is a problem is athletes however it is most likely not as big a problem that it was considered previously.

Was Arthur Lydiard the best running coach ever?

Arthur Lydiard was really a very influential distance running coach from New Zealand and his legacy has gotten substantial affect on the training of athletes today. Lydiard has become recognized for making running or jogging popular during the later 1960's and early 1970's. Some have even implied that Arthur Lydiard possibly invented jogging. He trained numerous Olympic Games winners from NZ in the 60's (Murray Halberg, Peter Snell and Barry Magee) together a tremendous impact by means of other mentors on various other famous New Zealand runners such as John Walker who became the first to run more than 100 sub-4 minute miles as well as run a mile quicker than 3 minutes and 50 second. He was born 6 July 1917 and died on 11 December 2004 at the age of 87. Arthur Lydiard has received many accolades in his native NZ as well as in Finland in which his mentoring was the reason for a resurgence of Finnish middle and long distance running in the early 70's. The magazine, Runners World called him as the coach of the century as part of their millennium edition. As a runner himself, he competed in the marathon at the 1950 British Empire Games, completing 13th having a time of 2hr 54m. His influence on running has been enormous and way past his own achievements as an athlete himself.

As for his running school of thought, he advocated separating the season into several training intervals or phases. The base or background period of time is the stamina phase which was comprised of not less than 10 weeks of highest miles which the athlete can do to be able to improve their aerobic foundation or background. This is where his renowned 100 miles a week came from as he considered this to be the ideal. Lydiard encouraged for the longer runs would be about 20 miles. These types of distances are run at a speed which was just below the anaerobic threshold and is kept as a stable aerobic pace. The objective is usually to build the biggest endurance base possible for the next stages. The subsequent period had been the uphill running phase which usually chiefly consist of uphill bouncing or springing workouts to create strength in the legs that has been generally carried out three times a week. Some middle and long distance aerobic running is still performed during this period which may last for around 4 or so weeks. The next four or so week phase was known as the sharpening or speed cycle where some anaerobic interval and speed work training is carried out so the runner may run faster. Following that 4 week phase, the hard running is backed off and the focus is going to be on keeping focused and fresh for competition.

Many consider it doubtful that any coach is ever going to have more effect on the coaching practices of endurance athletes than Arthur Lydiard. The blueprint that he developed totally changed middle and long distance training regarding the volume of work he thought a runner should be carrying out. The actual programs consisted of lots of hard work. Most coaching programs utilized by runners ever since will track their origins back to that which was recommended by Lydiard.