4.1 miles in 45 minutes on the treadmill last night, mostly at a 10:30 pace except for the minute-and-a-half I walked due to a side stitch and the 30 seconds I paused to drink water (mmm, so good).
No knee pain to report!! Perhaps it was all the rest (laziness) that did me good, or the new way I’m tying my shoelaces.
Don’s chiropractor, who’s a marathoner, showed him how to make loops through the last laceholes of his shoes, then pull each lace through the opposite loop and tie them as usual. It’s supposed to help stabilize your feet inside the shoes and keep them from sliding around. I did this on Monday, and voila! No knee pain from my Monday or Tuesday runs.
I vaguely remember this technique from running track in junior high, but I didn’t bother to look it up. Yay, marathoner/chiropractor!
I’ve also been trying to improve my stride as I run. Dean Karnazes writes in one of his books that it’s best (in terms of injury prevention and running efficiency) to strike the ground with your midfoot as opposed to your heel or toe, and you can work on this by leaning forward slightly when you run. (Look up some official advice about this before you take my word for it; I ain’t no expert!)
Between the shoelaces and the gangster lean, I’m feeling pretty good and happy about getting back into running. Only a few weeks left till the 5K and polar bear plunge on 1/1/11!
Dev on Running 