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Running Books

Articles:

Heal Pain
Injury Prevention
Yoga for Runners
5 K Training
Ultra Training

Races:

5 and 10 K Races
Marathons
Weekly Group Runs
Runs in Washington State

Parks

Here is the Discovery Park, Seattle, Wa, USA website:
http://www.cityofseattle.net/parks/Environment/discovparkindex.htm. I didn't notice a running group on their site, but they may like information about strange events there, and they may know of running groups.

This site looks like it has some good information about running groups in Seattle: http://www.trailrunnermag.com/features/urban/seattle.html

Motivation

How to Run and Enjoy the Marathon
By James Raia

If you've never run a marathon, or have had an unpleasant marathon experience, this concise book will give you some pointers (which you will need) for proper preparation.

I recommend reading this book in segments. Read the first few chapters now, while you're looking for motivation and direction. After you've
started a routine, read or re-visit the next few chapters. They will help you equip yourself with proper gear, and proper etiquette and safety. Finally, when you are close to race time, read or re-visit chapter 14, which will guide you through pre-race preparation.

The reference guide at the end will direct you to good running information sources for anything else you want to know.
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There are a number of good reasons to run. Fitness is a good one, but is not necessarily at the top of this list. In fact, if fitness is your only reason for running, your chances of sticking with it are not great. Some of the other benefits, which several dedicated long term runners have described to me (and which I find important) include: Stress management, improved self image, improved clarity of mind, and a time to meditate.

Start off with a training log. Read our review on training logs from free online versions to fancy books. They really help with the motivation and knowing exactly how much you've improved is very nice.

Injury and Prevention

If you have specific questions, I highly recommend asking Neil Chasan, PT, MMT. Neil Chasan answers medical running questions for On The Run's runners clinic . He is very helpful and knowledgeable.

Dr Kiper has an informative site, with an "Ask the Doctor" discussion area!

Info: Plantar Fasciitis can be resolved by Dr Kiper Silicone Dynamic Orthotics
- Sports medicine with emphasis on stretching including "dynamic" stretching
of the foot, healing and prevention of biomechanical injuries with custom
fluid orthotics that move with your feet as if they were part of them for
foot, knee, hip & low back pain.

If you are looking for a broader understanding of how to prevent injury, there are a three books that I recommend:

The first is Running Injury-Free : How to Prevent, Treat and Recover from Dozens of Painful Problems by Joe Ellis, Joe Henderson. This book is all about helping you to distinguish nagging pains that you can treat at home from more serious issues.

My second book recommendation is Healthy Runner's Handbook by Lyle J. Micheli.

"Healthy Runner's Handbook helps runners put an end to nagging injuries by showing them how to run safely and successfully. Health Runner's Handbook shows runners how to diagnose, care for, and rehabilitate 31 specific overuse injuries. It also provides valuable guidance on how to prevent these injuries in the first place! The heart of Healthy Runner's Handbook gives general guidelines for both self- and doctor-prescribed treatment and rehabilitation of injuries to the foot; ankle; lower leg;..." -Midwest Book Review

My third book Recommendation is The Runner's Repair Manual by Murray and Barbara Burr Weisenfeld.

Learn to diagnose and treat running injuries. Shin splints, stress fractures, they cover it all. Then, learn to diagnose and treat the underlying problems.

Everything is clear and practical. This is a must for anyone who runs hard. By learning to diagnose and treat yourself, you'll prevent injuries and improve as a runner.

Injury Prevention Websites

Here is another website with injury prevention information:

Shin Splints: A painful injury that can force you to take time off from running, yet easy to prevent. *Do these stretches and exercises daily to recover from and prevent shin splints.* Stretch your calves, ankles, and feet - a slant board is ideal. Strengthen your shin muscles: Lean your back against a wall with your feet flat on the floor, approximately 8 to 10 inches away from the wall. Keep your back against the wall, lift toes up towards shins, slowly lower down. Works shins and calves. Never do this strengthening exercise before you walk or run. Optimal time for this exercise is after your workout or before bed.
~go to this article on Runnergirl.com

Foot injuries

...come in a variety of forms, depending on what type of running you do and where you do it.

I personally have found that if I run consistently (at least 4 or 5 times a week, with at least 3 of those runs being over 40 minutes) my foot problems diminish greatly. I have a neuroma ( an aggravated nerve ganglion between my 3rd and 4th toes) that causes my feet to go numb when I start running after a break. (I guess this is relatively common.) So if I take a week off it just kills me. For these reasons foot injury prevention is pretty close to my heart, and this section will be expanding quite a bit in the future.

Blisters: Denise Jones of the Badwater Ultra Marathon recommends filing down calluses, before the Badwater Ultra, with a pedicure file so that you can get at and treat new blisters that develop.

Also, sock seams can blister your feet. If that is happening, try turning the socks seam-side out.

Ingrown nails: Trim your toenails square and file off all the rough edges. This will help prevent ingrown nails.

The whole foot: There is a good book that's all about prevention of and care for foot injuries: Fixing Your Feet : Prevention & Treatments for Athletes, by John Vonhof. This book has preventative care tips and injury care techniques. If you buy it, please follow the link above & help to support this site.

Chafing

When you sweat at the beginning of a run and then become dehydrated and stop sweating, the sweat dries up and your skin becomes salty. That in turn becomes sticky and scratchy and causes chafing. Things like deodorant can also become sticky and cause chafing.

To prevent this, you have two options: Stay dry or continue to sweat and wash the salty sticky stuff away. This means using a drying agent like talcum powder or starch and/or carrying water and drinking it.

There are also lubricants, guards (Nipguards, mostly helpful for men) and clothing that can help. Specifically, wear clothes that are snug, but not tight.

Legs

There are two good books about caring for your legs.

The first one is Save Your Knees by James, M.D. Fox, Rick McGuire

"A practical, authoritative, no-nonsense guide that covers the gamut of knee pain and injuries, and shows what causes them, what can be done to alleviate them, and how to prevent them in the future." - Amazon.com editorial review

Our second book recommendation is Dr. Scott's Knee Book : Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Knee Problems, Including : Torn Cartilage, Ligament Damage, Arthritis, Tendinitis... by W. Norman Scott.

"The team physician for the New York Knicks tells readers everything they need to know about the body's most vulnerable joint--the knee--and provides invaluable advice on how to prevent, recognize, and treat knee injuries. 15 line drawings." - Amazon.com editorial review