Running Like a Girl

by Alexandra Heminsley

  6) Understand what the diagnosis is.

  What the salesperson is looking to understand is which part of your foot hits the ground first as you run, how it hits the ground, and how a pair of shoes can balance that. The most common “flaw” is the previously mentioned and hugely bothersome pronation, when your feet roll in slightly as you hit the ground. There are running shoes that can offer support in your instep so that your knees and hips are not taking the hit every time you step out. Some retailers call this overpronating, some merely pronating. Some runners will underpronate, which is less common and sees your feet rolling slightly outward. If you do neither, you will be described as a neutral runner.

  7) Remember that you are a work in progress.

  This is hugely important. It is easy to cling to your diagnosis, having medicalized your problem, and to leave the shop with the most expensive remedial running shoes. But pronating isn’t necessarily a permanent condition. Often it has nothing to do with the structure of your feet and is simply a result of a weak bum and thighs letting your legs flop in a bit. Take the expert’s counsel into consideration, but don’t let yourself be bamboozled. If the sales assistant winces and points at the most high-spec shoes in the shop, simply thank him for his time and spend the extra cash on an appointment with a physical therapist. Then go back to the shop when you really know how badly you pronate.

  8) Know your pronating from your prolapsing.

  When my sister decided to reignite her running career after Louis was born, I took her to Niketown to buy her running shoes as a birthday present. I sat unobtrusively, filled with a sisterly sense of respect and goodwill for her post-baby weight-loss mission, until I felt I needed to step in. That point came when I heard her confidently telling the assistant that she didn’t pronate when she had her baby.

  9) Leave your issues with the color pink at the door.

  Pink is a pretty color. I am as devoted to my hot-pink NARS Schiap lipstick as I am to my rose-pink negligee. But pink skipping ropes and pink boxing gloves especially designed for “lady exercise” make me flush with an altogether ragey pink. However, where running shoes are concerned, you can drive yourself mad if you try to avoid pink. It’s the accent color of choice on a lot of running gear, and these days it’s popping up on men’s gear too. It’s just a color.

  10) Try to remember it’s for fun. You’re doing it for you.

  14

  Get Involved

  Years ago, women sat in kitchens drinking coffee and discussing life. Today, they cover the same topics while they run.

  —Joan Benoit Samuelson

  Research has shown consistently that while health is the leading motivator in getting people to run, it is not typically what keeps them running. The social aspect does that. For many, joining a running club is a great way to find a community that provides motivation and may even improve your social life. For others, the thought of a running club is enough to bring on a more paralyzing attack of breathlessness than sprint training. As with finding the right hairdresser or the right husband, you often have to try a few first to find out what’s right for you. Some are all about chasing time and competing against other clubs; others are about wider social movements, making running almost secondary.

  Finding Your People

  The Road Runners Club of America (www.rrca.org) offers an amazingly useful site that provides information on local running clubs in all fifty states, as well as guidance on finding the right club for you. Most running stores arrange weekly (or more frequent) runs. They are usually free, with proper guides and a coach at the back of the pack to make sure no one is left behind. They are a brilliant starting point and a surprisingly soft touch: I had feared relentless salesmanship but found only runners who wanted to find other runners, and trainers who could answer niggling questions about technique or guide your running for the rest of the week.

  Many not-for-profit organizations offer expertise and cover race costs in exchange for your fund-raising efforts. The most notable organizations are the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training, the Arthritis Foundation’s Joints in Motion, and the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation.

  Mothers can visit seeMOMMYrun.com, a walking/running group for moms of all ages. Also, many races offer free group training runs to those who register. Visit the race website to see if they organize training runs.

  15

  The Perfect Running Style

  I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.

  —Thomas Jefferson

  There are entire books written about how to achieve the perfect running style. There is no perfect running style. There is a technical ideal, but those who have broken records or inspired millions are rarely the ones using it. The debate over what constitutes the perfect gait remains almost as controversial as the question of whether barefoot running is a fad or the right and natural way to run. It is impossible to dictate what is best for everyone, as our individual biomechanics are so different. I would no more presume to dictate how to run than to prescribe one specific dance style for womankind.

  The single most important thing to remember is that we can all run. We instinctively knew how to run as children, and despite spending our adult lives in front of the computer or telly eating carbs, we are able to increase our stride in cases of emergency. There is no “I can’t run.” If you have functional legs and lungs, you can run.

  However, those years sitting curled up on sofas or wedged into unsatisfactory train seats, as well as our own personalities and attendant neuroses, will have an effect on how we run when we go beyond fifty meters. To try and straighten these out from day one, or at least to give you the confidence that you’re not doing yourself actual harm, you can follow some basic guidelines.

  Running Guidelines for Everyone

  Aim for a midfoot strike.

  When I began running, I tried very, very hard to do two things in order to show as much willingness as possible: to bounce up and down springily and to reach out with my heels. I interpreted both actions as indicators of serious commitment to my sport and huge signifiers of great athleticism. I could not have been more wrong.

  The ideal part of your foot to land on is not your heel. This is a myth perpetuated by cartoon runners, who spring into action with a fully flexed foot, and the huge aerated running shoes of the 1980s and 1990s. Barefoot runners believe that those big squashy shoes are responsible for making us all run incorrectly, and that we should be aiming for footfalls on our toes. In the absence of any conclusive research proving them correct, or indeed correct for modern, western runners, it seems the truth lies somewhere in between: We should aim to land in the middle of our foot—not right up on the balls of our toes but an inch or so lower, so we can give ourselves a bit of leverage as we leave the ground, without having to roll over the entire foot from heel to toe.

  If we were to emulate the perfect running style, it would be the 1960s cartoon character Penelope Pitstop’s. She has a lovely (if extreme) wide stride and lands correctly on her feet, even if she is wearing rather impractical white leather go-go boots.

  I was wrong about the bounciness as well. It seems obvious, but it takes as much effort to springily trot along as it does to run with a more elongated stride, à la Pitstop. Aim for the latter, although perhaps not exactly like the latter. After all, we don’t have Hanna-Barbera to sort us out in case of injury.

  Never forget your arms.

  You need your arms for running more than you might think. Try a spin to the end of your street and back with your hands shoved in your pockets, and you’ll realize just how useful they are. Don’t overthink it. When you’re running, try to keep your shoulders down and let the natural momentum of your arms propel you. The best way to imagine them working is to think of the effort going into powering them backward, so that the swing forward is both relaxing and propelling. This feels counterintuitive at first, but once it clicks, it seems alarmingly obvious.

 
; “Arms run hills” is one of my dad’s favorite nuggets of advice, and reluctant though I was to admit it, he is right. This is where the arm swing is reversed as the gradient of the ground beneath you changes, and you need to push forward to help yourself up the hill. It feels as if you are punching the air and makes you thankful for those press-ups you’ve done.

  Don’t let yourself get too tense. Clenched fists with gripped thumbs or arms swinging wildly across your body, rather than loosely at your sides, will not help you. These actions will only transfer tension up to your neck and shoulders and leave you wondering how on earth a sport performed with your legs is making you want a neck massage.

  Look after your head.

  Heads are heavy—don’t leave yours lolling around. It sounds daft, but if you spend twenty minutes running with your gaze directed at your toes, the weight of your head will drag you down and put a great deal of pressure on your neck. Of course you need to check where you’re putting your feet from time to time, but try to keep looking up and forward so that your spine is straight and you can see a broader landscape.

  Visualize yourself being pushed rather than reaching forward.

  This too is something that I did incorrectly for months. Even after I got rid of my bizarre heel strike, I continued to reach forward with my knees, as if dragging my body behind them. You do have to run with your knees reaching forward, but it feels considerably easier when you imagine yourself being pushed from behind. Focus on your leg kicking up as you leave the ground, while your bum and the backs of your thighs are pushing you forward. This makes the biggest difference when you start to get tired and feel your body sagging. If you visualize a kindly (or perhaps just fanciable) chap giving you a shove from behind, you get a surprisingly large boost.

  Do some complementary exercises.

  No runner should just run. Part of achieving the perfect gait should also be about giving it a break. Should you get into running a few times a week, aiming to run a certain distance or in a certain time, you’ll need to start doing a bit of work beyond your running to strengthen and support key muscles and guard against picking up any bad habits or mechanical imbalances that might ultimately cause you pain.

  If you do some simple abdominal, arm, and butt exercises, you will reduce your risk of injury and feel significantly stronger. Pilates is also excellent for this. Go swimming, go for a long walk, or spend an evening in front of the television doing some stretching. It all counts.

  Relax.

  If you are terrified of running, your body will recognize that and produce adrenaline and tension. Try to relax and remember that you have chosen to do this. Warming up properly will help, as well as some key stretches afterward. You took time out of your day to enjoy your run, it won’t last forever, and your body will thank you for it. Keep your shoulders down and your eyes up. Be proud of what you’re doing: That is the most important element of any running style.

  16

  The Big One:

  Everything You Wanted to Know About a Marathon but Were Too Afraid to Ask

  “Man, this hurts, I can’t take it anymore.” The hurt part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand any more is up to the runner himself. This pretty much sums up the most important aspect of marathon running.

  —Haruki Murakami

  For some, running around the neighborhood will provide more than enough stimulation. For others, me included, entering public events becomes a necessary motivation. Whether it’s chasing an improved time or a medal, the thrill of the crowd’s roar, or receiving the recognition of other runners, events can be worthwhile, whether you’re entering a 5K fun run or trying to beat your marathon PR. Even though there is much to extol about races, they can really push your nerves. No matter how well you have prepared your mind and body, the tiniest of practicalities can trip you up. And even if they don’t put a major dent in your race day, they can cause you sleepless nights. Here I offer you the benefit of my past mistakes and successes.

  Doing It for Charity

  Charity is the easiest way to take part in many marathons. Marathons or half marathons in big cities are hugely expensive to stage: Logistics include road closures, marshals, liaison with the police and emergency services, and the transportation and security of bags. While larger races usually have some random ballot places, the vast majority of spots are turned over to charities to allocate to runners who have applied for them. If you don’t want the pressure of fund-raising for your first big race, smaller events are usually inexpensive to take part in, but be warned—what you lose in pressure to fund-raise, you lose in support en route. There is no doubt that I would not have got round my first marathon if not for my obligation to the charity. Without constantly reminding myself of the lives of those I was helping, I would have buckled under the weight of what I was attempting.

  How does the system work? Charities buy places for a few hundred dollars each and give them to amateur runners on the condition that they raise significantly more money than the cost of a place. Every now and then a newspaper or a documentary will pop up discussing the “scandal” of how charities are expected to buy these places, as if they believed that every single person involved in manning roads, driving trucks, and checking bags could do it for free, but I rarely take much heed. A phenomenal amount of money is raised by people taking on a huge feat, and I struggle to see the problem with that. It is a truly humbling experience to share a race with those less able than you, those injured by war or disease, or those running in memory of loved ones.

  What I do have a problem with is the small number of runners who take on a marathon in response to some existential crisis, commit little to the training over the six-month buildup, and then send out a handful of slightly passive-aggressive e-mails demanding a tenner the week before the big day. I believe that if you are asking people to sponsor you for a long-distance run, you have earned the right to ask, because you have taken on a daunting challenge. People don’t sponsor you for the day you spend in a beautiful major city, being cheered and heralded by strangers as a hero; they sponsor you for the dark, lonely mornings when you get up before the heat has come on just to get that extra five miles done. They sponsor you for the parties you attend without touching a drop of alcohol because you have a long run planned for the next day. They sponsor you as a show of support to your loved ones, who are bored rigid of having you roll around on the floor complaining about your tight hamstrings. They sponsor you because you are paying tribute to others’ pain by undergoing an experience that will at times hurt you.

  During a period when you might already be busier than ever with running (and endless stretching), fund-raising can be an added stress. Here are some tips on how to get on top of the situation:

  Choose your charity carefully.

  Obviously, if your running is inspired by a specific person or event, this decision will be easier. Make sure you have looked into the charities offering places. It will make all of those wiseass “Why should I effectively be funding your hobby?” comments a lot easier to deal with if you know why you have chosen your charity. And it will make the darkest points of the run more bearable if you can properly visualize the pain that you are easing in others by experiencing your own.

  Get a fund-raising page online.

  The best known and most reliable is www.firstgiving.com. They have revolutionized the whole process; indeed, they have largely removed the horror of having to write down sponsors’ offers and then chase the checks indefinitely after the event. They allow you to personalize your site with photos and text, to link to social networks, and to keep up to date with who is sponsoring you and when. You can either send individual thank-yous or one large group one after the event.

  Be clear and honest about why you are doing the run.

  If you simply want to prove to yourself that you can run the distance, be honest about that. There is little that people will spot faster than some spurious fear of brittle bone disease or a made-up uncle dying of an
obscure illness. These tricks are entirely transparent, insulting to people’s intelligence, and can do more harm than good. It’s far easier to respect someone who tells the truth: “I have wanted to try running this distance for years, and as motivation, I have researched the charities and chosen to work with this one because of X and Y. I’m hoping this will help me get to the end, so do bung me a tenner if you have one going spare.”

  Use social media.

  Don’t use social media forty-eight hours before the event to post a jumbled selection of panicky messages in UPPER-CASE LOUD VOICE about how awful it’s going to be because you’ve been so busy that you’ve hardly trained. No one cares, and they won’t feel like ponying up their earnings if that’s how you approach things.

  Post regular updates on how the training is going—keep a diary on Facebook or hashtag posts and pictures on Instagram or Twitter. Let people in on what a struggle it has been on icy January runs, or let them whoop with you when you reach significant milestones. However lonely you might feel at times, no one runs these events alone, and knowing what you’ve been through is far more likely to inspire people to sponsor months’ worth of commitment, not just one magical day.

  Beware the power of the celebrity retweet.

  Asking celebrities to post a link to your sponsorship Web page on their time line is of very little use. The vast majority of the time they won’t do it, and when they do, their Twitter followers rarely click on the link. This is particularly acute in the week or so before a big event, when Twitter can start to seem like a jangly begging bowl being waved in everyone’s face. It is significantly more effective—and appropriate—to ask specific people with whom you have a connection than to rely on the potential kindness of strangers.

  Don’t forget the power of the corporate cash pot.