Fun Fitness After 50

Old enough to know how to have fun!

How My Knee Ligament Healed While I Ran Barefoot

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What went wrong with my knee and why

Once again, running barefoot has allowed me to stay active while a leg healed. It was not exactly a running injury. I was running with my one-year-old-labrador-bundle-of-energy and needed to correct her with a sudden pull on the leash. Unfortunately, I did this in a twisting way while mid stride. The result was the inside lateral ligament on my right knee getting over-stretched.

The knee felt odd right away, in a way that was pretty clearly identifiable. It felt like it might not hold my weight if my steps were not very careful. It came very close to buckling under me a couple of times. I was, a usual, running barefoot at the time, or I expect I would have ended up with worse trouble.

I was near the end of my run and tentatively finished, wanting to test what was happening. The knee felt like it would hold up as long as I kept my body mechanics well centered and avoided sudden movements. There was no swelling, so that was a good sign.

Carefully deciding to continue running

Over the course of the next couple of days, the stairs were the hardest thing to do. Since significant portions of my living quarters require stairs, I slowly went up and down every day. I cut way back on my running for about 3 days, but was still able to run 2-3 miles and feel very good afterward.

In fact, what startled me was that my knee felt stronger right after each run. During the runs, I was careful not to push the speed, but also not to plod. I worked on my form for a relaxed, light gait. Not only did this avoid any feeling of impeding collapse of the joint, but it apparently strengthened the muscles supporting the knee.

No one ever told me running would make my knees stronger

Around day 4, I decided the knee felt good enough running to slowly increase my mileage again. Again, every time I ran it felt noticeably more stable afterward and continued to feel that stable. Stairs were still quite challenging, so it was like I was living in a world of bizarre extremes. However, knowing that continued movement is often a vital part of the healing process, I continued with the running movements that seemed to be helping.

Designing my own supplemental physical therapy

I also experimented with continuing my squats during my minimal weight lifting routine. I did this VERY slowly, making very sure that I was aligned well and nothing felt at all tweaked or strained during the exercises. I did not attempt any new goals, but just stayed right where I had been before the injury. My knee never felt worse after this, so I assumed it was also worthwhile.

It was also time to begin planting my garden, and you know things like that can’t wait. Again, I avoided sudden moves and twisting motions, but I still dug, and knelt, and carried. Actually, the time when I was most likely to accidentally tweak my knee was trying to go sideways in to my desk chair. I quickly learned not to do that.

Unexpected speed in spite of holding back

A month later, my knee felt 100%! It seemed like the stairs were hard until the end, then all of a sudden they were easy. I was back up to my pre-injury mileage. PLUS, my speed had incidentally increased! I have to attribute this to concentrating on a light, floating stride. If anything, I was holding back on my sense of effort.

The speed increase is not going to win me any grand prizes, but it is close to a minute per mile faster for the same effort. Proof again that trying harder is not always the key to improvement.

What worked for me might not work for you

I have had a knee injury before that completely incapacitated my knee for a week and inhibited activity for 6 months. So I’m not suggesting that every knee injury can be dealt with this way. However, I think that we can be too quick to give up on movement when something hurts. Movement is often crucial for proper and timely healing.

Those first couple of weeks, I felt really old going up and down the stairs. It would have been easy to rationalize sitting around more. I reminded myself that giving up would definitely make me old, whereas if I kept moving, I had some hope of feeling better again. This week, I climbed (barefoot) rather nimbly over a 4 foot fence chasing my escaped baby goats. If that’s not proof of healing, I don’t know what is!

9 Top Reasons You Get Injured During Your Workouts and How to Avoid It

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Why do people so frequently hurt themselves when they become active?

You know exercise is supposed to be good for you, but you keep hurting yourself! More often than not at least one of the things below is involved:

  1. Doing too much too soon
  2. Pushing to extreme limits of ability and exhaustion
  3. Using improper body mechanics
  4. Inadequate rest in general
  5. Inadequate rest between similar workouts
  6. Lack of supportive strengthening
  7. Lack of variety
  8. Careless channeling of stress
  9. Not caring for stressed body parts well

Don’t expect your body to perform miracles

If you have been relatively inactive for a while or are getting involved in a new activity, slow and steady is something you should repeat adamantly to yourself. You need to build a base of strength before even thinking of intense effort. You need to work on everything from your cardiovascular system to the particular body parts that will dominate the activity.

This can take a few months. Don’t feel guilty for making slow and easy increases in your efforts. You are doing everyone a favor. You are avoiding a severe set-back of some long term injury because your body rebels against a level of effort that it is totally unprepared for.

Take the extreme out of limits

When we see someone engaged in extreme activities, whether on TV or at the gym, we need to remember that more than likely it is NOT extreme to them. It might be extreme compared to what the average person does, but those people have almost certainly trained gradually. In order to do these activities as smoothly as they do, it has to have become fairly normal to them.

When the extreme limits of our physical abilities are pushed too far, we stress our bodies in unproductive ways. Body parts that are not ready for the effort strain in unnatural ways to perform. Exhaustion of body and mind results in poor decisions and poor form.

To increase our limits more safely, we need to

  • only test one limit at a time
  • test the limit in small increments
  • give enough time in between to be able to evaluate our body’s reaction

Over time you will probably get better at testing your limits. You will be more in tune with how certain things affect you and how your body feels. Give yourself a safe margin to develop this sense.

A little knowledge about how your body works can go a long way

You don’t have to have a college degree to learn how your body works. For one thing, you can just be observant. And ask questions like:

  • Why do I have toes?
  • What is the natural rotation of my shoulder?
  • What do abdominal muscles do?

Asking these sorts of questions should lead you to examine natural, comfortable motion. Assume the body works a certain way for a reason and don’t be quick to adjust it with the latest gear. Be skeptical of people who approach the body like it can’t do anything without a mechanical device they just happen to sell.

A short study of anatomy and physiology can be very helpful, too. Just the basics that are well established. Learn which joints do what. Be amazed at things like how the muscles and ligaments make the elbow work. Notice the unique shapes of the bones there in the back.

Just paying a little more attention to your body can give you intuitive insights into what it should or shouldn’t do. When you have a better understanding of why it is important to keep your knees aligned a certain way you will remember it more easily. When you know what reasonable hip joint rotation is, you will know better how to move.

Learn how much sleep you really need

The best way to learn how much sleep you need is to let your body sleep until it is done. I’m not talking about just laying in bed, but letting yourself stay asleep without an alarm to wake you. If you are regularly sleep deprived, it could take a few days for your body to actually get caught up so that you find a normal length of time.

You will probably begin to notice that how much sleep you need depends on how physically active you have been. This will help you when planning your schedule. On a night or two after a long run, you will want to give yourself more time to sleep.

A tired body doesn’t heal as well. A tired body will make more mistakes when trying to engage in physical activity. Being tired on a regular basis makes you more prone to illness, which will also interfere with your progress and enjoyment of activity.

Make recovery between workouts part of your routine

Your body is very good at adapting to what is asked of it, but it needs time to do that. If you neglect recovery periods, your body won’t have time to adapt. Instead, it will be stressed and worn out, which will, of course, make you more prone to injury.

Some of these recovery periods need to be absolute. That is, sometimes your body needs complete down time in addition to sleeping. How much of this you will need will depend on:

  • your age
  • your overall health
  • your particular body
  • how used to a particular activity you are

However, some of these recovery periods can be used to strengthen your body in other ways, in ways that will be supportive of all your efforts. If you ride a bicycle a lot, some swimming on the side can help you relax and work out kinks. Some yoga might be good to work on core strength.

More power to the core

Activities that build stamina often involve repetitive use. Make it a point to find isotonic or weight bearing exercises that strengthen the joints that are used the most. But don’t stop there.

Your body’s core, basically what is between your neck and your pelvis, is like a foundation of a building. If it is strong it will support all kinds of movement of the appendages. If it is weak, you risk not only harming, but also damaging the rest of the structure.

Core strength begins with good posture. Strengthening your abdominal muscles makes your back more stable. Working on your core often incidentally trims your middle, so between those two things, you will probably get people commenting on how good you look lately!

Don’t get stuck in a rut

Having a variety of activities is good in a few ways.

  • It staves off boredom, which can make you sloppy.
  • It helps you build your health in a well rounded way.
  • It leaves you better prepared for unexpected fun.
  • It gives you options when there are complications with the weather or your schedule.
  • As mentioned above, it gives needed rest time from specific activities

Learn how to safely reduce stress

Physical activity is inherently good stress relief. However, expressing stress through your workout motions is likely to lead to no good. This is because doing so will often lead to exaggerated and careless movement.

If you feel particularly pent up and think you might overdo it during a workout, try a different emotional outlet first to blow off steam. Singing or playing my flute help me with this. If you have any kind of journal, this would be a good time to write some things down. For some reason, writing tends to release the thoughts, whereas just thinking about them keeps them churning.

It might be that toning down your workout is a good option, such as walking instead of running. This might also let you talk to a friend at the same time. Something like yoga with a group, where either the motions are naturally slow and even or the group setting helps you control yourself might be a good choice.

Be your own between-workout therapist

Some tender care between workouts can help you recover and relax in important physical ways. Consider regular massage or trigger point pressure to muscles that have worked hard. Invest in some simple tools that help you reach trouble spots.

A warm bath can help your muscles relax to get your self-massage off to a good start. Also, don’t forget that sometimes you need to be massaging connected areas. For instance, when I regularly massage the bottoms of my feet, I have much less trouble with tight lower legs.

If you can work it into the budget, finding a good massage therapist can help avoid doctor’s bills. When you can see the same massage therapist regularly, he or she can get to know your needs. This makes better use of your massage time and gives continuity to the massage treatments.

Invigorating versus struggling

There will be times when you choose to get your heart pumping. It can feel refreshing and inspiring. It will be necessary sometimes to give yourself a bump to the next level. What you want to avoid is exercising to exhaustion, whether in a given workout or so that you are just generally worn out.

If you want to enjoy the benefits of exercise and enjoy exercise itself more, plan for regular, moderate effort. Besides feeling better overall, you will be injured much less, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 Ways to Refresh Your Workout Routine

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[Week 9 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

We all need a balance of habit and spontaneity in our lives and workouts. Habits tend to keep us going, but having some change helps keep things fresh. Here are 9 ways to refresh your workout:

1. Take a rest period. If you have been working out regularly for a few months your body would probably benefit a lot from time of more complete recovery. If you are feeling particularly worn out, this may be the reason. Exactly how long you need to rest will depend on things like how quickly you have been ramping up your goals, if you have been in a major physical competition or race, or if there are other stressors such as sickness.

It doesn’t even have to be a complete rest to be helpful. Try to take a break from the most intense exercises. Another way to rest is to cut back significantly on how much or how often. This will still keep the blood flowing, but give the body a lot more rest.

2. Find new locations. New scenery, less well known twists and turns, less predictable challenges. All of these things, if not too overwhelming, can help keep you pleasantly more alert. It will also likely result in different muscle use patterns that just feel fresher.

Don’t forget to take advantage of travel to find new places to run. Whether you are visiting family, traveling for business, or on vacation, there are so many places that are best discovered by foot or bike. We have discovered unique places to hike in as unlikely spots as Palm Springs, where there are trails through some oases. Make it a habit to pack basic gear, but also check out equipment rentals where you go.

And there is always the option of traveling for the main purpose of enjoying an activity in new location. It doesn’t have to be for an event. I have met one person who traveled to a location just to say he swam a significant distance in a certain lake.

3. Add variety to your goals. For instance, if you have been running long and slow a lot, mix in more speed workouts.  Possibly finally sign up for an event or race that you have been dreaming. Maybe you want to try an off-the-wall goal like running one mile every day for a year or traveling famous routes around the world barefoot.

I just joined Pokemon-Go as a way to have fun with one of my grandsons. I know I’m supposed to be careful of walking off cliffs, but I could try covering a certain distance every weekend looking for Pokemon. It has been explained to me that the Pokemon app does not keep good track of distance, so I would have to use another app, like Strava at the same time. A lot of people now have Fitbits that would do that for them.

4. Try new activities. This could include totally new activities or a new version of what you have been doing. If you have attending a certain aerobics class, try a new one. If you have been taking swing dance classes, add ballroom to your repertoire. Or belly dancing?

Think of activities that sound exhilarating. Maybe they are a bit out of your comfort zone because you are afraid you might feel inept, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone has to start someplace. Don’t let unnecessary pride keep you from trying something that you may end up really liking. You don’t have to begin with extremes to try it. For example, if you have an interest in rock climbing, just find a gym with a beginners wall.

5. Join a virtual group. Virtual groups allow you to connect with people world wide, but also usually have ways to find people in your local community with similar interests. Local connections can lead to new friendships or just be a way to find new routes. Someone from another part of the world might inspire travel or just be a fun source of mutual likes.

Sometimes virtual groups have races or goals that can be fun to join in. I recently joined a barefoot running group through Strava. It is inspiring to see people log barefoot runs all over the world.

6. Join a local group. It is fairly easy to search online for local groups that meet up. It might be once in a while, or for a race, or for coaching. Just attending a few local races and talking to people can be useful.

Specialty shops can be a good place to ask about local groups, especially if you want a more personal evaluation. It might also get you an introduction that helps break the ice.

7. Upgrade your gear. This includes everything from clothes to water bottles to technology. There is a reason for the advice of “dress for the job you want.” How you dress affects you both physically and mentally. Good quality gear lets your body do the job you are trying to do. Fun gear makes you happy. Nice looking gear builds confidence. Gear can’t take the place of good habits, and you can certainly find the best bang for your buck, but don’t feel guilty for investing in gear that motivates you.

8. Read inspiring and encouraging books. There are books about people who have beat the odds, people who just love what they do, and people who have adventures associated with their sports. Read them without comparing yourself, but with seeing what might be possible in your life right now.

Also find coaching type books whose authors have a good mix of wisdom, experience, and humility. Here is a list of some of my favorite books:

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower, Matt Fitzgerald

Running with the Kenyans, Adharanand Finn

What Makes Olga Run: The Mystery of the 90 Something Track Star, Bruce Grierson

Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion’s Long Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream, Meb Keflezighi

Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.

and, of course, my book: Why Does Grandma Run Barefoot?, Laura Blodgett

9. Evaluate your form and technique. This will be a somewhat natural result of reading books. We all need reminders of things that help us avoid injury and make the best use of our physical attributes. Again, this doesn’t mean comparing yourself to someone who is paid to workout several hours a day or who is many years younger. However, there are basics that help us all.

If you have had some other ideas for refreshing your workout, please feel free to share them in the comments!

 

Is Strength Training or Cardio Exercise the Best

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What are the differences between strength training and cardiovascular exercise?

Asking whether strength training or cardio building is the best type of exercise strikes me like asking if it is more important to eat your green vegetables or your healthy fats. Both things strengthen the body in important, but different ways. Or is it like asking which is better exercise attire: a swimsuit or a climbing harness? It obviously depends on what activity you are hoping to participate in and what the particular conditions are.

To make sure we are talking about the same thing, let’s define these broad categories.

Strength training: groups of exercises wherein each individual exercise is of primarily of short, intense duration; wherein the main goal is exertion against weight or force; that is designed to enable the person to be able to lift, move, or resist heavier loads on the muscles than were previously possible; that will likely result in significantly increased muscle mass.

Cardiovascular exercise: exercises that particularly engage the heart and lungs for relatively long term increased delivery of oxygen (and taking away of CO2) from the muscles; wherein the main goal is sustained stamina for locomotion.

It is true that not all exercises or activities fit neatly into one category or another. We could probably devise a continuum of specific muscle force versus aerobic oxygen delivery needed for various activities. Running would probably be at the extreme of needing lots of oxygen and very little overall muscle strength. Still, even with running there are certain muscles that will get stronger from that action. Rock climbing is probably more toward needing absolute muscle strength, but there will obviously be some stamina involved as well.

I love this photo because it is hard to tell I am only about one foot off the ground. That is the most vertical rock climbing I have ever done, though I have climbed my share of rocky terrain during hikes!
I love this photo because it is hard to tell I am only about one foot off the ground. That is the most vertical rock climbing I have ever done, though I have climbed my share of rocky terrain during hikes!

What is it that people are really asking about exercise?

The question I hear people asking is two fold:

  1.  Which type of exercise is more foundational to physical health
  2.  Which type of exercise is least harmful to the body

One of the first things to recognize is that studies about exercise are no more reliable than studies about nutrition. The so-called experts are both coming up with new conclusions all the time AND they are constantly contradicting each other. This doesn’t mean we can’t learn new things, but it does mean that there is no good reason to be overly concerned about the latest *discoveries* from research.

The next important factor is that each one of us is different. We are different in our body shapes, natural talents, activity preferences, earthly environment, responsibilities, and relationships. These are some of the major things that will affect what we can and want to do for exercise. There is a reason that people in Canada tend to be outstanding in winter sports and people from Australia stand out in swimming. The list could go on and on.

  • Smaller people do better in gymnastics
  • Families with lots of small children are not seen often on the ski slopes
  • People who get altitude sickness don’t last long mountain climbing

Finding our own mix of exercise

As humans, we all have muscles that move and support our bodies. We also all have hearts and lungs that are necessary to get blood to and from those muscles. How much we want to concentrate on strengthening a particular aspect of our bodies is a personal choice. Maybe we feel a particular physical component has been neglected or is not naturally developing the way we want. Sometimes we can help those body parts along. Sometimes we need to brainstorm about how to use best what we can’t change. Sometimes we need to try to do what we like regardless, because stereotypes are often proven wrong.

To decide which exercise is more foundational for you, try these kinds of questions:

  • What activities do you enjoy the most and want to be prepared for
  • What activities do you have the most opportunity to engage in
  • What activities do your friends and family invite you to participate in
  • What activities make you feel childish pleasure
  • What activities to you miss taking part in

Questions like this will help you hone in on which more basic and routine exercises will be beneficial and rewarding. The answers to the questions don’t need to be unchanging, either. You may get your fill of a certain activity for a while or be introduced to new activities that are loads of fun. It is also noteworthy that the body can get tired of the same activity or just benefit from variety.

Key factors for any kind of exercise

The main thing is to gradually increase both strength and stamina in ways that will allow you to do what you want to do when you want to do it. You may have to experiment with what exactly is gradual, but keep in mind that while some stress helps to strengthen the body, too much stress will injure it. Too much stress could take the form of too much force at once or too much repetition before the body has had time to adapt. On the other hand, not enough stress and there will be little or no progress. No one can tell you ahead of time exactly how that will be for your body and circumstances.

Ideally, you will also come up with an exercise plan that is enjoyable, however every good habit can seem tedious at times. You may have to experiment with when to push yourself and when to rest. Even with attention to this, accidents happen and an injury doesn’t always mean you did something wrong.

Think about how the body is designed to work

Probably one of the most useful ways to keep from hurting yourself is to think of how the body is designed to work. If there is any equipment involved, does it enhance your body’s capabilities or impede them? A lot of equipment and clothing promises to protect one part of the body, but ends up leading to injuries in other parts. Shoes would be an example of this. Any footwear, when needed, should still let the foot bend and splay to appropriately shock absorb and keep balance.

There are some examples where the activity is so far removed from normal body mechanics or is in extreme conditions, so that restrictions on the body either make sense or are beside the point. With downhill skiing, for example, there is no normal way to send the body flying at great speeds down a slippery slope. Equipment that keeps the feet connected to skis or boards is bound to stress the body.

Put it all together and you see that any exercise can be harmful if basics about intensity and body mechanics are ignored. There is also going to be a greater risk factor the more unlike normal body movements the activity is. There is going to be greater risk if the activity is taking place in extreme environmental conditions.

Only you can decide what is the best exercise for you

There are a variety of physical activities and exercises to be considered in life, just like there are a variety of foods that can all bring the same nutrition to the body. You can get vitamin C from oranges or raw whale blubber. It depends on what you are used to and what is available.

Especially in our day and age, if you don’t like one exercise option, there are plenty of others to try. If you don’t prefer an exercise, it might be because you are doing it wrong or too much or with wrong expectations or not with the right people! If you don’t prefer it that doesn’t mean it is bad for other people! The most foundational exercise is the one that keeps you moving with minimal injury and gives results that suit your goals.

How to Deal With Sore Skin from Running

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Skin rubbing raw is very common for longer distance running

Do you get raw spots when you run? And what can be done about it? I get them sometimes, but it depends on a few factors:

  • how warm it is
  • how humid it is
  • how far I am running
  • what type of clothing I am wearing
  • whether or not I remembered to lubricate trouble spots

Dealing with Sore Skin from Running

Problem areas for me are:

  • inner thighs
  • back upper inside of my arms
  • mid chest where my bra sits

You will notice that I do not have issues with raw skin on my feet. With me usually running barefoot, there are not places where shoes rub, nor are there sweaty socks to deal with. Also, I have run many miles in my Luna sandals without any abrasive rubbing. I have only tested my Xero sandals for shorter distances (no rubbing issues), but have heard very good reports on them for longer distances, too.

I have summarized the discussion in the video below:

 

Why is skin on skin friction a problem?

Warmer weather can be related to this discomfort in more ways than one. For one thing, more skin is exposed to be rubbed. But one thing we must be clear about: it is NOT rubbing because we are fat. Some places on the body skin naturally touches, if you have any sort of muscle. You may or may not be at your preferred body weight, but unless you are grossly thin, you will have parts that rub.

The more heat there is being produced, the more prone to irritation the skin is, sort of like heat tends to be a catalyst to many chemical reactions. Add in the fact that heat makes me swell just a bit and more skin is going to get more easily raw.

You might think that moisture would guard against rubbing, but if you think again you will remember that wet clothing is more of a problem than dry clothing for producing raw spots. The same is true for skin on skin. Somehow the salty wetness of sweat actually makes the skin a bit sticky so that it grabs at the other skin or clothing.

How to reduce sore skin from running friction

There are basically three ways to combat the results of such friction.

  1. choose clothing that limits friction
  2. lubricate areas that rub
  3. run in the most comfortable weather

Sometimes it is possible to choose the time of day for running, but sometimes you have to run when you can. That means that clothing and lubrication will be your most important ways to deal with the issue.

Clothing choices can make a big difference

The type of clothing and how it fits can make a big difference in developing raw spots due to friction. Non-runners or inactive people sometimes scoff at the array of special clothing available for exercise, but many times the fabrics and designs are attempting to mitigate such rubbing. However, part of the trick is that each body is shaped slightly differently, plus each person’s running form may be different, so the rubbing may be in slightly different locations. The shorts that are perfect for me may have a hem that falls in just the wrong spot for you. The only way to figure this out is to test some clothes.

The bra issue on long runs is the one that surprised me most. Even with a snug and well fitting exercise bra, the very middle of the lower band tends to move and rub. As I evaluated, I noticed there is a slight twist of the torso with arm movement and that is the fulcrum, so to speak. So while choosing a good bra is important, it might not totally take care of the problem.

My favorite warm weather running shorts are sold by smartwool.com. The fabric is ultra light weight and hangs very loosely. They also have their own built in liner, so no struggling with finding the perfect underwear, too. They don’t have the exact same version that I have been running in during the warm months for about three years now, but it looks similar enough that I would buy it again. Other people swear by shorts that are more form fitting. I find that form fitting shorts or longer shorts tend to creep up, creating lumps that create more surfaces for friction.

I usually wear a tank-top style shirt partly because less fabric in the way of a breeze is better. I also choose tanks because there are no sleeve hems to rub my arms. What can seem like a soft seam at the beginning of a run can feel more like a piece of rope at the end of a long run. Arms move a lot during running, and unless you run like a chicken, some part of them will be rubbing. The smartwool merino tank top is also my favorite, being amazingly light and it does not retain moisture.

Lubricating points of friction

When I began running longer distances and having these friction issues, my husband, an experienced distance runner, recommended vaseline as a lubricant. It works and it is inexpensive. I have never been inspired to try anything else, so I can’t compare. Vaseline does tend to stain clothing, but this is not something I am worried about for running clothes. I expect any lubricant has the oil type of base that would stain. I am careful about washing those areas before putting on other clothing.

I find it best to put the vaseline/lubricant on just before I start running. Otherwise, it loses much of its effectiveness due to being absorbed by clothing or car upholstery. That means I have a small jar of it in a plastic bag that I can grab every time I head out for a long run, since I usually drive to my running path. The exception to this is the bra area. It doesn’t make a difference if I put that on ahead of time, and if I have let a sore spot develop, I sometimes put a bandaid over that as well.

When I do apply the vaseline, I put a small glob of it at the main point of friction. Partly I know what this is from where I have had sores, but partly I can just look and see what skin is touching. Then, I let the rest of it spread around with the motion of running. That way it gets exactly where it needs to be. I might also add that my daughter made me a special towel seat cover to protect my car seat on the way home.

A little planning will go a long way

Increasing maximum distance in your long runs is usually challenging toward the end, because it is pushing past what your body is used to. Planning ahead to avoid dealing with raw skin at the end will allow you to maintain better form and relax more in the last mile or two. On the other hand, raw skin can either make those last couple of miles miserable or influence you to cut your run short when you would rather not. Use vaseline so you won’t scream! (corny, I know)

 

All pictures and content including the name and logo “Fun Fitness After 50” are Copyright (c) 2019 by Laura Blodgett, unless otherwise noted. Please contact the author with any questions or comments.

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