I recently reviewed the book Ready to Run by Dr. Kelly Starrett. You can read Part 1, Part 2, Part 2 (yeah I wrote two part twos lol...) and Part 3 of my reviews if you missed them!
There was so much to talk about in the book that I just kind of wanted to wrap everything up... In this post I will share my "Big Takeaways", "What I Have Changed Since Reading Ready to Run", and "My Overall Opinion on How the Book Has Benefited Me".
BIG TAKEAWAYS
1. I am an athlete 24/7, not just during my 45 minute workout. Throughout they day, there are many choices (lifestyle and otherwise) I can make that will help my body prepare and recover for the training I put it through.
2. I need to warm up and cool down. And I have been an ass for not doing so properly all these years.
3. Nagging pains and hot spots are not to be ignored. It's not just going to "go away" unless the proper measures are taken. Sometimes those measures are not clear, but the sooner you start looking, the sooner you can figure it out.
4. My weakest body parts from a ROM standpoint, are my left hip extendors and my ankles!
5. "All human beings should be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves." And according to the book, I should be spending at least 10 minutes a day on body rehab/maintenance.
WHAT I CHANGED SINCE READING READY TO RUN
1. I started warming up and cooling down before my workouts.
2. I wear compression socks after a run.
3. I do mobility work and injury prevention/rehab 6 days a week. (1 day off for sanity purposes!)
4. I run less. I was running 4-5 days a week. For now, it's 2 days a week until I get things more figured out and under control.
5. I drink even more water than I used to.
MY OVERALL OPINION
The biggest thing this book gave me was hope that I will be pain free again someday and that I have the tools to get myself there! I do think any runner could benefit from reading this book. It's not specifically geared toward an injured runner. It is geared toward the typical runner. And most of us are typical runners! We want to run until the day we die and never suffer from injuries or nagging pains. Dr. Starrett sets the reader up with the maintenance tools to do that.
WHAT I CHANGED SINCE READING READY TO RUN
1. I started warming up and cooling down before my workouts.
2. I wear compression socks after a run.
3. I do mobility work and injury prevention/rehab 6 days a week. (1 day off for sanity purposes!)
4. I run less. I was running 4-5 days a week. For now, it's 2 days a week until I get things more figured out and under control.
5. I drink even more water than I used to.
MY OVERALL OPINION
The biggest thing this book gave me was hope that I will be pain free again someday and that I have the tools to get myself there! I do think any runner could benefit from reading this book. It's not specifically geared toward an injured runner. It is geared toward the typical runner. And most of us are typical runners! We want to run until the day we die and never suffer from injuries or nagging pains. Dr. Starrett sets the reader up with the maintenance tools to do that.
I am going to have to read that book. It sounds like a good one to keep referencing and rereading too!
ReplyDeleteThinking of you and Paul--Here's to a quick recovery.
Yes, it is definitely one I reference. I was thinking about giving it to someone to share the good news, but I NEED the book to keep referencing. :)
DeletePaul feels great today! We went for some walks on the floor and he felt strong. Hoping to go home today but we're trying not to get our hopes up...
Really glad to hear that Paul is feeling great. I hope you two got to go home today and that the kitties are helping you take good care of Paul!
DeleteSounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteI am really terrible about warming up. Like, I know how much I NEED to do it but I still consistently skip it. I always warm up before my treadmill speed intervals, but the warm up probably isn't nearly as long as it should be.
In the end, I will keep listening to my body and do what feels right. So far I am still injury free, and healthy, and getting faster, so whatever I'm doing (or not doing) is working out fine. If it stops working once I begin marathon training, then I'll make the necessary adjustments based on what my body tells me. Seems pretty straightforward, eh??
Thinking of you and Paul!
That's good that you warm up before your speed intervals. The books makes a point that the harder the workout, the more importance for a warm up. Before my "easy" runs, I do the couch stretch and a 5 minute walk- that is it! It should probably be longer but I am trying to establish some habits gradually so I stick with them.
DeleteKeep listening to your body. That's totally key.
Thank you for the detailed rundown on this book. It seems like it makes a lot of sense and you got a lot out of it. I've always found I'm at my best when I run 3 days a week, and I can make 4 work but not for long-term. I'm trying to build back up to that so 4 can become normal and healthy for me. ...This comment is totally off on a tangent now lol. I guess your reviews have got me thinking about how I can make myself a stronger runner, too!
ReplyDeleteGood! I think that is the whole point of the book. :)
DeleteEver since reading your reviews I've been foam rolling and wearing my compression socks more. So thank you. :)
ReplyDeleteGo girl! I have discovered that the bottom of my compression socks are good at collecting cat hair!
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