Little Things for Healthy Running

Do your legs/feet ever feet tight? in pain? sore? Regardless, there are two things that every runner should do: 1) Foam roll and 2)Ball roll feet). preventing injuries to your IT bands, calves(shin spints), and Plantar Fasciitis(feet). Part of being a good runner is being able to take care of your body. The more consistent you are in your training the better runner your going to be. Doing the little things right is always important and is something that all serious athletes do. Sometimes the difference between a good runner and great runner is minor details(especially in highschool). So here I will try to give you some tools to help you make yourself a consistent runner prime for improvement.

Before running at Kansas State I never really knew foam rolling could benefit my running. I was always a very good stretcher, normally staying an hour later than everyone else just stretching and talking strategy with my coach. I have always been extremely flexible yet still have had issues with my my hip flexers, lower back, and IT bands. My first year at KSU I quickly learned that on top of stretching and icing after a run foam rolling is key to improve muscle recovery, flexibility and health. I started using the cheap foam rollers that school provided but after a couple of weeks they became indented with overuse and not as sturdy as before, so I decided to invest in this one here- TriggerPoint GRID - Revolutionary Foam Roller - Black-this foam roller has allowed me to remain healthy and consistently run at a high level.It has a sturdy build with comfortable material that doesnt dent, bend, or wear. You probably wont enjoy using a roller at first as it is painful and tough to get used to but overtime your muscle gets stronger and more healthy, making this running tool very useful and a joy to use when working out kinks, aches, and pains.

2) Ball rolling: this is a technique where you you a small golf ball, baseball, etc to work the muscles in your feet. While standing, take off your shoes and place a golf ball on the floor. With the middle of your foot placed on top of the ball, put pressure on that foot and move your foot around having the ball massage your foot. This is something that you wont have to purchase becuase you can use any type of round object. Ball rolling will majorly reduce your chances of getting an injury to your feet. Your feet take a beating daily, so treating them to a massage is something to do before and after they go through the daily beating of long miles and workouts. Heathly feet is key to being a healthy runner, especially after getting on the track with spikes. Ball rolling is an ideal way for runners to go out and enjoy pain free runs.

There are many ways to go about being a healthy, injury free runner. From stretching to icing, foam roalling to ball rolling, doing these little things daily will help you see a dramatic difference in how your body feels on not just daily runs, but workouts and races as well. Hope this helps!