Squats for Runners

Squats for Runners

by | Jun 3, 2020 | Article, Exercises

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

In last weekā€™s post, guest blogger Amanda Long was recalling her challenge to complete 100 Squats daily for 30 consecutive days. If you didnā€™t read it yet, you can do so by clicking here and then return to todayā€™s post. As you may recall, the first thing she did before starting the challenge was to document herself on what is the way to properly perform a squat. The squat is a great exercise that every runner should add to their repertoire, but, same as with all physical activity, it needs to be practiced properly so injuries can be avoided.

Squats for Runners

The squat is a multi-joint exercise that works on hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps and hips, which power and control your stride

Iā€™ll start by stating that I am not a physical therapist or a doctor of any kind, so I am not offering medical advice here. But one of the advantages of living well into the 21st Century is that Google and YouTube are at our fingertips so we can obtain recommendations by qualified personnel when it comes to mostly every activity in life.

First order of business is recognizing there is more than one type of squat. We are only interested here in squat for runners. The thing to understand is that as a runner you only need a certain amount of strength training. Twice a week is sufficient since you are not training to become a power lifter.

The squat is a comprehensive exercise perfect to help you maintain strong legs, able to sustain the constant pounding through mils on end on the asphalt. It is a multi-joint exercise that works on hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps and hips, which power and control your stride. The stronger and more flexible you become, the better you will run and the less likely to get injured you will be. If that werenā€™t enough, you could also become a faster runner.

While squats can be done with a variety of weights, it is important that novices start using just their body weight. Three sets of 10 as part of your strength routine, or after running, are a good way to start. The key, as with any exercise, is maintaining the proper posture throughout the series of movements that comprise a squat. Last thing we need is getting injured while getting stronger to avoid injury.

According to an article published by Runnerā€™s World on January 19, 2019, the sequence for a proper squat is as follows: ā€œStart standing with feet just wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, and hands clasped at chest for balance. Initiate the movement by sending your hips back first, then bend knees to lower down as far as possible while keeping your chest lifted. You should lower down until thighs are at least parallel to floor. Press through heels and engage glutes to return back to the starting position.ā€

There are numerous YouTube videos teaching the proper way of performing a squat. I canā€™t recommend one over the other. So, when researching, make sure you look for a reputable source, hopefully a physical therapist or a strength coach. Make sure you pick up a video for runners, not for bodybuilders. And make sure not to overdo it. 100 a day is not for everybody and certainly not for beginners.

The two videos I personally liked the best are the ones below, but feel free to search the ones that work for you. Also, to get additional information on the benefits of squats for runners, I invite you to read a Runners World article on the subject, published in January 2019, by clicking here.

Ā 

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Trends, Challenges, and Going Back to Basics

Trends, Challenges, and Going Back to Basics

by | May 27, 2020 | Article, Guest Perspective

By Amanda Long

The unexpected arrival of a global pandemic changed our way of life almost overnight. We miss our friends, our routines, and for many of us, the gym. Being locked up in a tiny two-bedroom townhouse with little more than some dumbbells and a jump rope, my options for keeping fit seemed pretty limited. Aside from the ability to run the half-mile loop around my community, I felt that there was little more to do with parks and gyms being closed.

Now, if anyone is a social media user or occasional YouTube browser, chances are you have come across a Buzzfeed video at least once or twice as you\’ve scrolled. Buzzfeed is an American internet media outlet that focuses on trends and viral content. One of the prevailing trends that have circulated the social media world the past few years has been various types of challenges. Flipping water bottles, stacking cheerios on a sleeping baby, eating really hot peppers, we\’ve all seen some form of a challenge video.

Trends and ChallengesOne day, towards the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, feeling bored and unmotivated, stuck inside my house, I came across a Buzzfeed video of four coworkers taking on the \”100 Squats Per Day for 30 Days\” challenge. My immediate reaction was, \”that is ridiculous\”. However, after giving it some thought and watching the four people go through the challenge in their unique ways, I was inspired to give it a shot myself, besides, what else was I doing?

Day one of the challenge, the first thing I did was watch a couple of videos on YouTube about how to do a proper squat, because the last thing I wanted to do was injure myself and not be able to run. After a quick refresher on the proper form of an air squat, I took my measurements and began my challenge. Not having very strong glutes or quad muscles, I decided that the best technique to successfully do one hundred squats a day was to break it up into four sets of twenty-five. I set four daily alarms on my phone to remind me to get my squats in throughout the day.

The first three to four days were, for lack of a better word, challenging. My legs felt weak and started getting sore. However, after drinking a lot of water and making beetroot and turmeric shakes, the soreness subsided. I continued the challenge and began to feel stronger every day. The sheer curiosity to see if I would gain any tangible results is what motivated me to continue the challenge each day. By week three and a half, I was strong enough to do all one hundred squats in one set, a feat I never imagined I could accomplish.

Trends and ChallengesDay thirty rolled around and I was excited to get my last one hundred squats in so I could measure myself and see if there were any results. Regardless of muscle measurements, I knew that I felt stronger, could see definition in my legs, and felt more powerful during my training runs. I got out the measuring tape and was surprised and excited that I had gained three and a half inches overall in just thirty short days. My glutes stayed the same, but my quads became bigger and stronger.

By day thirty I was almost sad the challenge was over. It was difficult at times but also fun and rewarding. I learned that consistency, even in very small actions, produces results. I was also reminded that sometimes simple is good. When we are forced to suspend certain activities and ways of life, going back to the basics can also yield results. I am looking forward to life going back to normal, but I will not forget that my body is quite capable of keeping fit without gym equipment or the need to leave home. So, do not be afraid of taking on a new challenge, even if you do not think you are capable. Going back to the basics may very well strengthen your foundation.

Ā Amanda Long is a runner based in South Florida. She completed the Chicago Marathon in 2018 and has ran multiple half marathons.

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Your Local Running Store: Where everybody knows your name

Your Local Running Store: Where everybody knows your name

by | May 20, 2020 | Article, Personal

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Ā Iā€™ve been running since I was 11 or so. I did so with the gym shoes my mom bought me in the mid-1970s. I ran at the time with whatever shorts and shirts I had in my drawers. When I started training for my first marathon, at the end of 1982, my dad handed me first pair of running shoes, a pair of burgundy colored, New Balance that he had used to train for his first marathon a few month earlier. In Venezuela, back then, there was no such thing as a running store. You went to your local shoe store and got whatever sneakers was available, or you requested a pair from a friend that travelled to the US or Europe.

Your Local Running Store

My local running store is Runnerā€™s Depot in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fast forward 40 years and the running store is ubiquitous. Thereā€™s not one in every corner but each city has a handful and mostly every town has at least one. The cool thing about them is not that you will find the latest pair of shoes, the latest gadgets, or the latest nutrition. The best thing about your local running store is that if you visit it often, you will become part of its community. In a world ruled by faceless Amazon, you will find what Dr. Frasier Crane found at the Cheers Bar: a place ā€œwhere everybody knows your nameā€.

Sure, you can find your favorite pair of shoes online and save $5, maybe $10. Sure, free shipping on your latest purchase of whatever is so convenient. But there is something you are missing that is worth way, way more than what you are saving. You are missing the chance to talk running with experienced runners. You are skipping the opportunity of getting fitted for the right pair of shoes by someone not there just to punch a card and make a commission. You are forfeiting the opportunity of being part of your local running community. You may be losing the chance to be a part of a running group. And, if that wasnā€™t enough, you are supporting local commerce.

Ā 
Your Local Running Store

Post-run burgers and beers after our Thursday run club

My local running store is Runnerā€™s Depot in Ft. Lauderdale, with the alternate being their Davie location. I went there once to buy shoes and was invited to their Thursday running group. It fitted my work schedule, so I went. I felt welcomed and within a few weeks I made friends. Today, years later, some of the people I met there are my dearest friends. Through them, I was invited to a Saturday morning running group, where I met wonderful people that have changed my life. This is way, way more valuable to me that the few bucks I can save on a pair of shoes or the convenience of receiving a gadget at my doorstep.

When my preferred running shoe goes on sale, Marcus, the store manager at Fort Lauderdale, letā€™s me know right away. When my Runnerā€™s Depot hat turned into a rag from overuse, Chuck, one of the owners, offered me a brand new one. Beat that, Amazon!

Are there exceptions to purchasing at your local running store? Sure. One time I registered for some kind of running newsletter and was given an $80 coupon. I ended up with a new pair of shoes for $30. And I didnā€™t feel bad about it. Sometimes at race expos you find incredible deals on running shorts or compression sox, so why not? Most likely you are still patronizing a small merchant.

If you havenā€™t yet, locate your local running store, introduce yourself to the manager, let him/her know who you are. Hopefully, you will be as lucky as I was when I found my local running store, where now, everybody knows my name.

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ā€œWe Have a Decision to Makeā€. A Reflection From Jason Fitzgeraldā€™s Podcast.

ā€œWe Have a Decision to Makeā€. A Reflection From Jason Fitzgeraldā€™s Podcast.

by | May 13, 2020 | Article, Personal, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

ReflectionI just started listening to ā€œStrength Runningā€ a couple of weeks ago. This is a podcast hosted by Jason Fitzgerald that, so far, I feel I can openly recommend it to my readers and trainees.

I am writing this quick blog entry because I just heard episode 138 of the series and it blew my mind. It is a quick, 6-minute reflection from the host on his view of running through the Covid-19 pandemic. It is well thought, well-written and well delivered. I was listening to it during a brisk walk and it stopped me on my tracks. I looked for a transcript in the podcastā€™s website but was unable to find it, so I am sharing the audio with all of you.

I invite you invest six minutes of your life listening to Mr. Fitzgeraldā€™s reflection. It is less than the time in which most of us can run a mile, and most likely you will get something out of it. The audio file is at the bottom of this post.

I hope Mr. Fitzgerald doesnā€™t mind my sharing his point of view. If you want more information on his podcast, you can click here to visit his website.

Ā 
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A Backyard Half Marathon

A Backyard Half Marathon

by | May 6, 2020 | Article, Personal

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Backyard Half Marathon

The Half Marathon Course: to the end and back 52 times

As the quarantine progressed and more cancelled races came and went, viral videos of runners doing their once-upon-scheduled-races virtually, or just challenging themselves to mind boggling trials, started popping up. I saw a guy who ran a full marathon in his 23-feet long balcony, another one who did 1066 laps on his backyard. Others ran a variety of distances with unhuman number of laps around their blocks.

My first thought was that I would need a psychiatrist after completing one of these challenges. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was nothing more than a mental experiment. So I went into the backyard of my subdivision and measured the distance from my patio door to the bridge, which was about 0.128 miles, so about 0.255 for the round trip. Doable, for sure.

As I started elucubrating the plan, my wife kept suggesting options for longer routes, so I wouldnā€™t have to complete an insane number of laps. The more I consider it the more I realized my challenge was not running a half marathon, which between competition and training I have done more times that I care to count. This was supposed to be a mental challenge.

As I have been limited to a run/walk schedule as I wait for a surgery to correct a small health issue, this was the first obstacle. I know I canā€™t run the entire distance, so I adjusted by running on the way out and walking on the way back. Running for so long on grass was also another challenge. I have never done it for more than a few hundred yards. Could I take it for 50+ laps non-stop?

Backyard Half Marathon

The medal represents my backyard. It was made on polymer clay and it was handmade by my wife.

On Monday, April 27th, I gave the idea a trial run. I went back and forth for an hour and passed the test. So I planned the half for Saturday, May 2nd, so I had Sunday to retry in case there were weather issues. During the week I planned everything I could possibly require. I made sure all the batteries were charged to the brim, that I had plenty of water, electrolytes and nutrition available. I was ready to go.

The first challenge came earlier than expected I hadnā€™t been running for 60 seconds when my socks were already soaked. Because I have no experience running on grass, I never accounted for it being wet at 6:45 AM. By the end of mile 1, I was seriously considered aborting the mission and retrying in the afternoon, but it was then when realized this was a mental challenge. So I kept moving forward. At mile 7 the grass was dry, so I invested 3.5 minutes in a change of socks, which made a world of difference the rest of the way.

By loop 4 or 5 I had already lost count. From there on I only counted distance, as marked by my watchā€™s beep every half mile. I was feeling so good at times that my mind wandered as I contemplated going on for maybe 26.2 or even 30 miles. But at mile 11 I realized I was barely trained to complete a half marathon so a half marathon would be good enough.

Towards the end, my wife asked me how many laps to go, to which I answered, ā€œabout 5ā€. A bit later she asked again: ā€œtwo more!ā€. As I was coming back from my last lap, I saw a beautiful finish line made with toilet paper, which I crossed big grinned and arms up where she was waiting with an embracing hug and a big kiss. Neighbors on the other side of the canal started cheering and clapping, they must have seen me passing by who knows how many times. As if it wasnā€™t awesome enough, my wife surprised me with a spectacular handmade medal with an image of the scenery I enjoyed during my run. It now occupies a privilege spot in my medal rack.

What I learned from this crazy adventure is that I am mentally stronger than I thought. I had large playlist of podcasts lined up to accompany me in the journey, but I never even picked up the phone from the table. To me, 52 laps of anything is about 51 more than most of us can handle. Same applies to 103 U-turns. Yet, once I got over the wet sock obstacle, I never wavered from my goal. I also realized that I hope I donā€™t have to experience another quarantine to see if I can extend my challenge to 104 laps.

Final time, if anyone cares to know, was an unimpressive 3:20:30.

Ā 

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