Are You A Runner?

Welcome to February Boot Camp and for all the new campers joining us this month, welcome to the blog! You should check the blog every day that you have camp. There will always be a new blog posted and hopefully you will get some useful information from them. We want you to use the blog in conjunction with boot camp so that you get the most out of this program.

When people are starting boot camp, they are often concerned about their lack of running ability. They are worried about not being able to keep up with the group or becoming injured. People often think that jumping into a program like boot camp will be too much for them.

We are sure you have figured out by now that all of the workouts at boot camp are scalable to different ability levels. But when it comes down to it, running is running. Whether you are a fast runner or at the back of the pack, you have to put one leg in front of the other and keep on moving. If you’re in the back now, don’t worry – you won’t stay there forever!

Some people are natural runners, so they may not find this post so helpful. But for the rest of us, running isn’t so easy. There is a lot that affects the way you run that doesn’t have anything to do with your legs. The way you are breathing, what you are doing with your arms, and how you are holding your hands all have an impact on your running.

Here are a few things to remember when running:

1) Keep your shoulders relaxed. If your shoulders are tense or shrugged, your whole body will follow suit. It is much easier to run when your body is relaxed.

2) Don’t clench your fists! You may notice yourself running with closed fists. Open your hands and loosen up!

3) Remember to breathe. Once you’re more comfortable with running you may want to try to match your breathing to your running stride, but in the beginning just try to remember to breathe. To start, try to remember to take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.

When you are running do you get a pain in your side or in your leg? You are probably experiencing a side stitch or shin splints. These are two ailments that are common with new runners.

A side stitch occurs from tension on the ligaments that attach the diaphragm to the organs below. Shin splints are caused by an inflammation of the tendons connecting the muscle to the shin bone. Check out these articles on the side stitch and shin splints to learn more.