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Ken and Janae Richardson
UtahRunning.com

Question:

“I just started running…. what do you recommend for me to get started…. as started I mean I ran 2 miles up my road… I had to stop and walk some of it, and my lungs hurt so I think I need to work on my breathing… any advice would help…”

Answer:

We would recommend taking a look at the following articles a few of our Experts have already written. Let us know if you have any further questions.

Getting started: How to Start and Beginning Runner Training
Breathing: Pre-Exercise Ventilation

I thought a short explanation of a typical ventilatory response to the onset of exercise might help answer this question. Carbon dioxide in our blood increases at the onset of exercise at a greater rate than it does later during our exercise bout (after we’ve warmed up for a while). Respiration is what gets rid of this carbon dioxide, and thus our breathing rate also increases more than normal at the beginning of exercise. As exercise progresses, the chemical conditions of our blood (i.e. increased heat & metabolism) allow more oxygen to distribute carbon dioxide out of the blood, creating less demand for our breathing rate to do that.

Read More….

Expert Panel Question???

“After a run my knee begins to hurt fairly badly. It hurts a little during the run but mainly after. Is there a certain type of shoe that would help with my knees or is the only solution not to run?”

Answer!!!

Knee pain is probably the most common injury complaint in runners and has a variety of causes. The most common, Patellofemoral Syndrome, actually also goes by the lay name “Runner’s Knee”. It is more common in women but can occur in men too. It is characterized by pain in the front of the knee, is worse going up and down stairs, during squats or lunges and often results in a deep ache in the knee after a prolonged knee-bent position (such as sitting in a class, movie, car or on a plane). The fact that your knee pain is not so bad during your runs but afterward makes this the most likely problem although it can get bad enough to become an issue during runs too. It is thought to be an injury that occurs to the under surface of the knee cap (the patella) when the knee cap and the bone below it (the femur) are not in alignment.

The under side of the patella has a small ridge running vertically through the middle of it and the femur below has a corresponding groove. These two should remain lined up as the knee bends and straightens. A misalignment between the patella and the femur can be due to genetic factors, biomechanical problems or the result of muscle imbalances. Since we can’t do much to change our genetics, the focus is on the muscle imbalances and biomechanics. As a one directional sport i.e. straight ahead, even elite runners are notorious for developing muscle imbalances.

Read More….

Expert Panel Question???

Question: “I have been running pretty consistent for 2 years and now my knees will have slight pain off and on”

(ask your questions to the UtahRunning.com Experts here)

Answer!!!

It’s difficult to answer this fully as there are many variables. I’m not sure where your knee pain is located, and under what conditions your knee pain arises? The knees are often the victim to the hip and ankle. Alignment, stride, footwear, core stability and running surface are just a few possibilities. I’d recommend you track more details as to when it occurs related to the run (during, after…), where in the knee it hurts, is there accompanied swelling, and what about other related areas (hip, low back, ankle – same side or opposite)? Possibly stretch after the run and ice your knees; and consider cross training for a change of load to the joints.

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Expert Panel Question???

Question: “I’ve noticed about once or twice a mile I nick my left ankle with my right foot (never the other way around). Is this normal, or do I have a serious problem with my running form?”

(ask your questions to the UtahRunning.com Experts here)

Answer!!!

I hear this type of comment often, and it is quite normal especially on uneven terrain. Consider running imagining a 2 inch line in the center. Have the inside arch of each foot touch just outside the line, but don’t cross it or step on it. We often have a dominant leg that tends to be under our center. We want good alignment of the hip, knee and ankle.

Answers provided by:

Korryn Wiese – Physical Therapist, CMPT

Expert Panel Question???

Question: “Everyone is different, but in general, how long should a runner wait after recovering from an illness, such as a bad cold or flu, before doing a long marathon training run 15 to 20 miles?”

(ask your questions to the UtahRunning.com Experts here)

Answer!!!

(a brief response)

When not taken care of appropriately, a harmed immune system can lead to a cascade of problems when involved in heavy or high-volume exercise training. If you are not careful when resuming exercise following a damaged immune system (e.g. a cold or flu), you can chronically impair muscle tissue function, cardiac (heart) function, and of-course extend or rebound your illness. This is why more experienced runners will always tell you that patience always pays off in the end.

Intensive exercise training should not be resumed until a few days following the complete resolution of common cold symptoms (e.g. sore throat and runny nose without general body aches and fever). To date, research shows mild to moderate exercise (e.g. walking) when sick with the common cold does not appear to be harmful. Some data even suggests mild to moderate exercise during a cold enhances the immune system; speeding recovery.

With symptoms of extreme tiredness, fever, swollen lymph glands, and muscle aches (e.g. following a bout of the common flu), it’s best to allow yourself 2-4 weeks following resolution of symptoms before resuming intensive training. A long training run (e.g. for marathon training) is considered intensive training.

Read More….