Cross Fit/Injuries/Heel Striking

[Toby Barlow]

So my understanding of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  This is how I'm feeling about my running for the past year.  I've had a long string if injuries this year and I am getting frustrated.  I need to make a few changes, but want to make sure they are the right changes.

I really want to get to 10 miles/day, but I feel like part of my injuries come from muscle imbalances and being a strong heel striker. 

So I'm coming to the running experts for advice. 

I plan on taking the next few weeks easy to let the injuries subside.  I would really like to start strength training.  I've been doing some, but want to up my game in hopes that it will help my injury issues.  I've heard a lot of good things about Cross Fit.  I was thinking of doing CF 2 days/week. Does anyone do Cross Fit or have any other suggestions for strength training?  Will it help with muscle imbalances?.

Also, any suggestions with heel striking (which I believe is another injury causer)?  My PT told me to stick my neck out a few inches to help get my legs under my body instead of out in front of my body.  And to shorten my stride to 180/minute.  But I'm not sure it is making a difference.  Is it that bad to be a heel striker?

Am I making any sense?  Will these things help me move toward my 10 mile/day goal?

[Bob]

Hi Toby, I don't consider myself an "expert" but I'll dish out a few quick tidbits anyway. First, I wouldn't stick the neck out, but instead bring the pelvis forward and keep it level. Want to minimize sticking your rear end out.  Lydiard said to visualize a rope attached to your belly button or hips and pulling you forward from 100 yards away. However, in running, nothing is the "one and only way". You have to find your own path. As George Sheehan put it, "we are each an experiment of one". Plenty of solid runners out there that are heel strikers with far from ideal form. There is more argument against the heel strike though.  Second, never tried cross fit, but feel like I accomplish the same thing by focusing on complex exercises that use the major muscle groups at the same time (ie squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, push-ups, dips, etc).  The only isolated exercises I do are ab and calf related.  If I need to work aerobically, I run.  I don't cross aerobic with weight training like they do in cross fit.  Good luck!

[Jon Allen]

Toby, most runners are actually heel strikers. It's not necessarily bad. What you want to avoid, though, is over striding with your heels landing way in front of you. You want your feet to land directly under the body and to already be moving backwards at impact. The 180 strides a minute is a good rule of thumb cause it makes it hard to over stride. Some people on the blog have changed stride rate with good success- I think jtshad did.