If you’re new to the triathlon world, welcome! While the Redding Triathlon is open to people of all experience levels, we’ve found that the number one problem most participants have is based upon bad running habits. So please read the following as you think about training for next years event.
Bad Running habits have several consequences and most of them are serious. Usually, it is long-time runners who will have these not-so-great habits, and they also believe that these habits are going to help them improve their performance. But, one thing for them to know is that, these habits, if not broken, can lead to several injuries. So don’t enter the triathlon with bad running habits if you want to finish without injury.
Before performing in any triathlon, listening to your body is imperative. At times, your body might not be ready for a particular activity. Pain is the way your body can express any sort of discomfort, and you should listen to it. Many runners tend to ignore this, assuming it to be a normal muscular stress, which goes away after the activity. These injuries will not go away, but will pop up again and again. Ignoring your body pain to one of the bad running habits.
Here is the list of major bad running habits, that need to be fixed before you get serious about the running portion of the triathlon.
1. Not keeping your body hydrated.
This is more of a blunder. Before you take part in any vigorous activity, keeping your body hydrated is important. The fluid content that is lost in the form of sweat has to be replaced through water consumption. Many runners avoid drinking water during the breaks, considering it to be a waste of time or fearing cramps while running. But, it is important to know that dehydration will lead to poor performance, as you end up getting tired, easily.
Here are some of the consequences of not keeping your body hydrated-
1. Dizziness
2. Nausea
3. Confusion
4. Vomiting
How can this be fixed?
You need to drink water, when you feel your mouth drying, or when you feel like drinking water. Drinking water will help you keep your body oxygenated, which is crucial when you are continuously running.
2. Running too fast, in the beginning.
In the beginning of a triathlon, your energy levels will be extremely high, and thus, running faster may seem easier and comfortable, but this is said to have a negative impact on your overall performance, and your body.
Your body gets dehydrated quickly, and sudden changes in the pace can place too much stress on your muscles, which will eventually lead to inflammation and pain.
How can this be fixed?
Your major focus, while running should be, to run longer, and not to run faster. Balancing energy levels is imperative, and it can be learned only through regular practice, and here again, keeping your body hydrated, is important.
3. Looking at your feet when you are running.
This bad habit will cut-off the valuable oxygen that your muscles need. Looking down will make breathing difficult for you, due to which, you get exhausted, easily.
How can this be fixed?
You should look straight when you are running, and if that is not possible, you should look at the feet that are front of you. This will help you breathe comfortably, and finally, reach your goal. When you are running for long distances, it is very much important for you, to keep your body, well-aligned. Bending your head, changing the position of your hands, or anything that changes your body alignment, is not good for your body, if you want your running session, to be consistent.
4. Squeezing the fists while running.
Well, this is something that many runners do, believing that it will keep them, at a better pace. But conversely, this fist squeezing will cause stress on your body indirectly, and make your running slow.
How can this be fixed?
Keeping your body relaxed, when you are running, is important. Being loose is different from being relaxed, and many tend to get confused between these phrases. None of your body parts should have stress on them while running.
5. Not stretching or warming up, before the running session.
For any vigorous physical activity, your body needs time to prepare itself, and this is when stretching exercises comes into the picture.
Running directly without warming up your body, will make you get tired quickly, and sometimes, even cause severe injuries to the muscles.
How can this be fixed?
These stretching exercises will let your body know, that there is some vigorous activity coming up, and it needs to prepare for that. These exercises need not be intense. Choose a few soothing stretching exercises, that will make your running session, smooth and pain-free.
In spite of the serious consequences from bad running habits, take great care to get rid of them before you enter the competition.
Break your bad habits today…and have a happy time at this year’s Redding triathlon!