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March 30, 2000

The Run Around

‘Little voice’ helps runners avoid injury

By Matt Carpenter

It seems runners are among the healthiest group of sick people there are.

Before or after every run or race you can hear the battle cry of the running wounded: “I strained this, tore that and pulled the other.”

What’s going on here?

Running is an impact sport. Sure, we don’t run into 300-pound linebackers, but the ground can hold its own against all we throw at it.

In fact, we probably have a better chance with the linebacker.

But it goes deeper than that. We all have a little voice that tries to warn us when we do too much. The problem is learning to listen.

There are too many other voices programmed to ignore pain and discomfort. One might say “don’t stop” and another will remind you that “the race is in two weeks.”

Through it all, the one voice that’s most important gets ignored.

Anthony Hopkins, in the movie “Meet Joe Black,” has that voice pegged — that haunting little voice responding “yyyeeesss” to the unasked question as he grabs his chest in pain.

With runners, that unasked question is, “Is this an injury?” Even when our little voice screams “YYYEEESSS,” more often than not we keep running. Before long, we don’t have to listen for the little voice because we are no longer running but instead nursing an injury and eating a four-course meal of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation).

If only we would have listened! It’s the rare injury that just sneaks up on us without warning.

When you get a nag, treat it like cancer! Eat some RICE before its needed so you don’t end up being force-fed.

Simple modifications to a shoe — loosening laces that are too tight, a little padding in the right spot — can cure most anything if you do it early before a nag becomes an injury.

Cutting one workout in half in the nag stage can save missing several weeks during the injury stage.

Yes, there are times when “too late” comes too soon.

I once took a bad step on a rock — no warning there — just the sound of ligament snapping and bone cracking.

The only thing that hurts more than not running is trying to “treat” serious injuries on your own and making matters worse.

I immediately found out who the best doctor was for this type of injury and didn’t try to “walk it off.”

True, a trip to Dr. Thomas Mahony put me in a cast, but sometimes, a cast is the best way to let the body heal.

Especially if those little voices tend to convince you to go running before you’re fully healed.

The body can do amazing things if given the chance. Four weeks later my ankle was good as new.

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Karl G. writes: I was wondering if you had any tips for improving endurance quickly?