I Run

Sometimes it may seem as if your body is speaking a foreign language, but you still need to listen. Yes, that little twinge of pain in your knee may be nothing but it could also signal an impending injury. Or you could be breathing a bit too hard because you're running really fast. But maybe you're not running fast. You may wake up to find your face on the pavement. One of two things happened: a) you passed out for some as yet unknown reason (which could be scary), or b) you tripped. Which brings me to Tip #2.5: Watch Where You're Going! Sure, it's fun to admire another runner's - um - technique, but while your eyes are there your feet are without sight. It doesn't take much distraction to run into a road sign. Or trip. I snagged my toes on a stick (where'd that come from?!) and spent the next quarter mile with flailing arms and legs. But I digress. You need to know your body's warning signs. Sometimes you have to forget the watch and slow down or even stop. You can be your own worst taskmaster, or you can be your own best coach. Trying to finish a quality training run strained my achilles tendon, and I could not run at all for a week. And it still took another week to get back in shape. I know, it can be difficult to determine what is pain and what is the normal discomfort of running. But as with food that has sat in the fridge for too long, it's best to err on the side of caution: when in doubt throw it out. Hmmm...wait...not quite the analogy I was looking for, but you know what I mean.