Pneumatised!

MM,

I went for a run today. It’s been a good 72 hours since I last exercised. I think I’ve recovered a bit. Besides, it’s not good for me to rest my knee for too long as I tend to get fluid buildup.

I decided to try a two-mile run. If I couldn’t finish the two-mile – that’s okay. I could walk some and that will help stretch out and warm up my leg muscles. I ended up doing a solid one-mile run. My time was 8 minutes 10 seconds. After the one mile, I walked a bit to work out the muscles, then ran again. I ran for about a half mile, then decided to walk most of the way back. A fast walk for a while helps to loosen up the muscles again – especially the shins and the calves.

I feel pretty good. I definitely think the 10k run has helped to increase my endurance and even my speed overall. It has increased strength in my leg muscles, which is important to prevent injuring the knee more in taekwondo. My cardio endurance has also improved over the year. After the run today, I felt like I could do more cardio-wise, but it was really just sore muscles that prevented me from doing more cardio.

I think the running has helped to improve my endurance for taekwondo sparring as well. One of the key things in sparring is being nimble and quick. The running helps because it increases the strength of the calves and the shins and increases your cardio endurance. For any taekwondoist who’s interested in getting better at sparring or in competition, I definitely recommend adding some running to your training program. You might notice that your kicks will be stronger and sharper.

It’s strange that I used to dislike running, but now I actually look forward to it at times. It feels good. When running outside, it feels good to get some air in the lungs. I also feel a connection to the earth – that alone makes the rest of the day more pleasant to deal with.

In about four months, there is another black belt test (other students are ready to test by then). I will definitely be running the 10k then as well – although, I won’t have to run the whole thing if I don’t want to, and I won’t have to do a test afterwards. It will be good for me to keep up with the running. In fact, I think I’m going to keep trying to get better at it. While I am not particularly concerned with competition, I like to beat my own best. I like challenging myself – it keeps me going. Either way, it will keep me feeling good and healthy. Running really is one of the best things you can do for your health.

For those who have knee or ankle problems or worry about the impact on the knees or ankles, I recommend finding a good personal trainer and a sports doctor (or just ask a physiotherapist) to help you determine how best to get ready for running. You need to make sure you have good form, that is, you need to have good alignment of the feet and the knees with your body. This is VERY important. Bad alignment is one reason why people hurt themselves with running. Everyone is different when it comes to body alignment, but there is a standard. Try to keep your toes pointed forward. Don’t run too much on the inside or outside of your feet. Try to keep your knees pointed forward. Some people’s knees turn in or out too much and that can cause problems later. Make sure to push off with your toes to keep forward motion. This prevents you from landing too hard on your feet. Also, make sure to get the proper shoes for your running style – some people run primarily on their toes while others use the heel-to-toe motion. Having proper shoes that cushion the right part of your foot is important. So, it’s always good to shop around for the proper shoes.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame