Ok here is the problem. I am fat and overpronate. I have severe pain from my knees to my ankles and have have shi slints just by sitting.
I have no time to fuck around anymore so I need to get running asap. Should I avoid all running till I drop my extra wieght and just focus on cycling, flexability and strengthing or start running and have the body “get use to it”?
When I start running should I follow my idea that all the padding and posting and gizmos in running shoes are doing nothing for athletes and are a waste and buy a pair of lightly padded shoes or should I give in and get some overbuilt shoe and some up scale inserts?
What should I do? Follow my mind or follow what everyone else says?
I am serouis. I have to get running again and have no time to waste. What do I do about this pain?
I went to a doctor who said orthotics but orthotics are also pronounced cha-ching so they are not possible.
I will do anything I am told so command me! I will be responding to posts so don’t take it as arguing I just want figure this out.
If you over-pronate I’d get some stability/support shoes. Go to a good running store and they will help you.
I used to have knee pain until I went to a good running store and they hooked me up with the Saucony Hurricane 5. Best shoe ever (for me atleast). It’s more of a stability shoe than anything, but it keeps me from over-pronating (I am a mild over-pronater so you might need more support).
I think the best way for you to lose that gut is by running, but before you do that get your shoes sorted out. Don’t buy into all that ‘more padding is bad for you’ crap. Some people (especially heavier people) need more support.
After you do that just start running on soft surfaces (grass and trails), then it’s off to the olympics with you, Tibbs.
Okay, since you brought it up, how “fat” are you? If you’re 50 or 100 pounds overweight I’d say a serious weight management program is in order. If you’re 20 pounds overweight I’d think your increased training could help take care of that. If you need orthotics you really should at least look into some cheaper ones like Superfeet. If you can’t even afford those I’d say it’s time to look for a cheaper sport. I’ve had bad shinsplints and time off from running was the only thing that helped. I still biked and swam. I also water ran. If you don’t mind looking “silly” in the pool, serious water running can really help you stay in shape when you’re injured.
Superfeet http://www.superfeet.com/content/index.html (relatively inexpensive)plus motion control shoes, build up your mileage, lose the weight and toughen your tibias, then go minimal.
questions…how much overweight? how badly do you overpronate?
some ideas to start with not knowing answers to the above: (disclaimer, this is all IMO)
shin splints are generally a cause of “too much, too soon, too fast” and/or poor biomechanics. i am an overpronater…i will always wear a pair of “overbuilt” running shoes. there are three types of shoes, cushioning, motion control and support. your personal biomechanics will place you somewhere on this scale. ask around, find a reputable local running shop with knowledgeable staff and have your stride assessed, and trust the guy if people you trust trust him. i don’t ever believe in just letting the body get used to it…there are certain actions or motions that our bodies will never get used to depending on how we are built. let technology help you. also keep in mind that light weight cushioning shoes are built for light weight runners. the materials used are too soft and will over compress, not cushioning a heavier runner, and wear out way too fast.
as for starting running right away or not…depends on how overweight you are. if you are only a little(10lbs+/-) go for it, but get good shoes and start slowly. if you are alot overweight, i would suggest working on body composition first, cycling in your fat burning zone, and a simple weightlifting program to help increase your lean muscle mass. muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less space, so your real goal should be body fat%, not just weight. muscle also burns more calories than fat does, so increasing your lean muscle mass will help with weight loss. get down to a more comfortable weight, then begin running.
finally, what about diet? i noticed that was absent from your post. no matter what you do for “calories out”, if you don’t watch what goes in, you’re not going to reach your goals.
I am 50 pounds heavier than I was in the military and overpronate if I run heel toe but I naturally run midfoot toe. My feet land just behind my knee and I lean forward some. This is how I have run my whole life.
How much of diffrence is there between over the counter orthotics and custom built ones? Do the over the counter/customizable inserts help low arches since you they only mold to what your foot is now?
I have no time to fuck around anymore so I need to get running asap
Rushing to your goal may not be the smartest choice, as it may result in a running injury that could sideline you for years.
But to answer your questions, for a start, following your own mind is probably a good beginning. For example, if you have severe leg pain, don’t run if it hurts. Pain is your body telling you that something is not right–listen to it. And losing weight first is also a good idea, as it will vastly reduce the liklihood of running related injuries. Depending on how much you weigh and how much weight you have to lose, cycling may be the best way to go initially. How tall are you? How much do you weigh right now? What weight are you looking to get to? Have you ever been a runner? If yes, how long ago? What kind of milage were you at?
In both cycling and swimming, you can build up more distance more quickly than running, but cycling is much more effective for losing weight than swimming (but swimming AND cycling is even better). Again, depending on how much weight you want to lose, you may have to do many hours of riding. Of course if you eat less, you don’t have to ride as much. But doing hours of riding in the near future is an achievable and fun goal (if the bike and saddle fit you well), while doing hours of running is not an achievable (or desirable) goal for someone overweight and with significant leg pain. Consider also getting a MTB bike that you can ride on trails–this will add some variety to the riding and help you avoid some of the manaics in pickup trucks on Texas roads.
So lose the weight first, then build up on the running very, very, very slowly. Get stability shoes for the pronation and see how that works. Yes, lightly padded shoes can work for some folks, but not for you right now. If you get to the body type of a Kenyan, then try the lighter training shoes. Until then, it appears that decently cushioned stability shoes would be best for you. But before you go the running way, get on the bike…
Going to have to agree with the other posters. First, get yourself some stability or motion control type shoes. Find a pair that fit well. The aftermarket insole supports (Superfeet, Spenco) will offer additional support and comfort. Try the shoes on at your LRS with the insoles in, this is very important. Secondly, ride more and run less. This will allow you to lose the desired weight without pounding your legs. Thirdly, stretch, stretch, stretch and stretch some more. Shin splints can often be relieved with some good calf stretches. Also, get a tennis ball or golf ball and roll you feet on it, this will stretch out your arches and the muscles in you feet. When you do run, find soft, flat surfaces…grass or dirt. As soon as you finish, ice. I would spread your weekly runs out as much as possible, try not to do back to back run days. Lastly, and most importantly, be patient! Shin splints can easily turn into stress fractures which would mean your beautiful new P3 would just collect duct for about 8 weeks. Good luck.
Do you really need to rush into running? I mean, you got all winter, and thus can avoid injury. Can you walk briskly for a period of time, then build into running, so as not to do too much too soon?
At mid-spring this year I was 45 lbs over weight, and so I began to go to the track (rubber with a huge grass field around it) at the local college, and I switched days of walking on the track and running barefoot on the grass. This totally changed my stride to a natural one, and was so much more comfortable. I did this all summer (and cut out sugar and bread but boosted the protein and veg), and am now down 25 lbs, and can run on hard surfaces no problem, and without the horrendous form that I used to have, and with a much higher pace/cadence.
Also, I can now not wear the huge cumbersome boxes that are marketed as running shoes anymore. I have two pairs of Asics Hyper Paws and 2 pairs of Asics Attacks for off-road running. These are minimalist shoes, and profound in both the feedback I get and no injuries. Got the Attacks dirt cheap at Amazon. Zappos.com has some large size Hyper Paws left and they are around $40.00 I think.
How tall are you? 72 inches
How much do you weigh right now? 230
What weight are you looking to get to? 175
Have you ever been a runner? My whole life. Stopped running because of “it”. “It” has been discussed too much on this forum but it was a combination physical mental break down 5 years agos.
If yes, how long ago? 20 years
What kind of milage were you at? 30-40
I have never been a big nut and bolts trainer. Most of my life I trained how I felt or did what ever training everyone else was doing (military) I have a pretty grasp of terms and defentions of training so go ahead and get technical.
I have a HRM and am clearing my mind of everything I knew in the past.
STOP RUNNING NOW!! If you have severe shin splints (“just by sitting” - ?!?), you could be zeroing in on a tibial stress fracture — and that will mean that your running for 2-3 months will be in a pool. I worked my way to a tibial stress fracture in '00 by “running through” shin splints for a month or so, and then continuing to run periodically in the following month because I did not display many of the key symptoms of a stress fracture. The proper diagnosis was not made until early in February, and I didn’t hit the roads again until mid-May. (Early in 2003 I got clobbered on that exact same spot and suffered a hairline fracture, which was diagnosed quickly and only kept me off-the-roads-and-in-the-pool for 8 weeks.
Find specialists to look at your feet, and if you are very serious about running seriously, then custom orthotics might be the way to go. I do NOT have custom orthotics, howver, and although I used Superfeet in the past, I haven’t used them for about 3 years now. For the record, I’m a mild overpronator, use the Asics 2000 series and DS Trainers, weigh about 172 at 6’3", and am 55. Good luck with this, and I hope you never have to wrestle with a stress fracture - they are insidious bastards!
For now concentrate on cycling and flexibility. With your cycling through the winter just go easy at a pace that you can have a conversation or whistle. This will help with fitness and weight loss. For the running…forget about it for a few months. Every evening when you get home from work, Grab the misses hand and go for a walk for 30-45 minutes. This leads to good fitness, aids recovery, and counts as quality time!!! You are getting fit and scoring points with the wife which leads to scoring with the wife. All in all it is a happier Tibbs household.
Drop a few pounds and start light running in a few months. Start on a treadmill for a few weeks. Move to a HS or college track. Then hit the road. This will help keep injuries and soreness to a minimum.
tibbs, if you are 230lbs and want to be 175lbs, i would start with what i mentioned above…forget about running for now, cycle, walk briskly, xcountry ski all at a proper fat burning heartrate…65-75% of max hr.(guide only). get yourself into the gym and start re-building your lean muscle mass, and lets seriously talk diet. you are aware that this much weight is going to take some real time and commitment. you sound serious and dedicated so i believe you’ll do it, but let it take time, no “fast-food” fixes for that much weight loss.
as for over the counter vs custom orthotics, again it depends on how badly you pronate. i’ve use superfeet before and they are okay, more of a band-aid fix if you pronate badly…but those in conjunction with a good support shoe might do the trick.
…and am clearing my mind of everything I knew in the past.
Well then this might be a good time for me to brainwash you. Go put some new-age spacey music on and turn off all the lights, then come back and read the rest of this.
(Do the above now.)
Hello my Tibbsy, and welcome. This is your brother Khepri, transmitting a message of love via electricity. You do not remember now, but in the past you lost sight of your Self and it has lead you to me. I pray you will take heed and listen. To rediscover your vitality you must first restore the link to your terrestrial Mother and heavenly Father. It will take four moons to properly dust off the link. You will go to the border of Mexico and the United States in the desert of southern California. Here you will begin your vision quest. You will place one thought in your head over the course of the ~ 2500 mile Pacific Crest Trail; “Who am I?” If you are persistent, and a bit lucky, you will have your answer by the time you reach Canada. Along with your all important answer, you’ll find your Mother will have sculpted your body to make the feminine spirits on this Earth swoon like never before, and your Father’s will shall be present in such magnitude that the burden of your body will be akin to carrying a feather for your mind. Go now, be swift, and may peace be with you.
