| Triathlon training is a funny thing in that pain | | | | intensity, in all likelihood you will do one of two things |
| management is a priority for all Triathletes. I can’t | | | | differently. You may bounce more or you may |
| think of a sport where pain is such an integral part of | | | | become a heel striker instead of a mid foot striker |
| the training process. Hopefully endurance athletes can | | | | when you run faster. |
| learn a little bit from my suffering. | | | | Generally when we run at a slow pace we control our |
| At the same time I was experiencing knee pain I was | | | | forward momentum by hitting our heel to the ground |
| also experiencing ankle pain. It took a little longer to | | | | fist, role to our mid-foot and then push off our toes. If |
| figure out why but eventually I resolved these issues | | | | we want to go quicker, we lean a bit forward, land |
| with a little research and a lot of trial and error. | | | | mid-foot and push off our toes, and if we are sprinting |
| Ankle problems for runners are most likely caused by | | | | we land on our fore foot and push off our toes. If you |
| the shoes they wear. Older shoes that have seen a | | | | continually jam your heel into the ground for an hour it |
| few too many miles are no longer doing the trick and | | | | will affect all of your lower body, especially any of the |
| unfortunately it is time for a new pair. This is always | | | | joints below the waist including the ankles. |
| the first thing to try when experiencing ankle pain. I | | | | The other option is that you bounce. In order to slow |
| don’t change my shoes often enough and usually | | | | down you try and keep everything the same but the |
| experience a little suffering before taking my own | | | | one thing you change is that you have more vertical |
| advice. When I finally listen to my advice it has always | | | | movement, at a faster pace it is about keeping up the |
| fixed my issues. However, there are some additional | | | | intensity, so you stay more efficient, don't bounce and |
| things to consider if the shoes you wear are relatively | | | | keep your movement more horizontal. |
| new and you are confident that the shoes are not the | | | | It is important to maintain form while running regardless |
| issue. | | | | of the level of intensity. You never want to be a heel |
| If you experience the pain some days and not others, | | | | striker, always a mid-foot striker. Keep your head level |
| then the route may have something to do with it. The | | | | and float from foot strike to foot strike. One rule of |
| route you choose can impact your lower joints | | | | thumb that has worked well for me is becoming a |
| differently. Roads and paths are sloped for drainage. | | | | silent runner. I try to sneak up to people I pass so that |
| Different roads and different paths will have different | | | | they don’t hear me coming. The point of this is |
| sloping and obviously if you run in different directions or | | | | simply because I know that if I manage to stay silent, I |
| take a different path the slope would also impact you | | | | know that the impact on my feet is lessened and I am |
| differently. | | | | likely running more smoothly and more efficiently plus if |
| Watch out for changes in your form. You will likely be | | | | I am thinking about it then I am thinking about my form |
| experiencing form changes if you are running at high | | | | which is the most important thing of all to focus on. |
| intensity or low intensity. If you are running at low | | | | |