4 Reasons Core Strength is Important for Runners

Our core is not just about the abdominals but includes all the muscles that wrap around our trunk as well as the glutes and pelvic floor. For runners we want to maintain stability in the trunk to allow the legs and arms to move easily, making the overall action less effortful.  A mixture of Pilates and yoga can offer us a well-rounded solution to support our running life.

Run tall, Breathe easy
We want to be able to ‘run tall’ and maintain a neutral spine, if our core is weak and we are running regularly our posture can be affected resulting in rounded shoulders and tighter chest muscles inhibiting our breathing.  Being able to breathe easily is vital for a comfortable run.
Exercises: Planks, chest stretches, cobra pose.

Strong glutes to run faster (and uphill)
The glutes (bum muscles) provide power to drive the body forwards – think of a sprinter’s physique.  Strength in our glutes (and overall core) will give runners more power and speed, useful for short sprints or when tackling hills and adding to overall resilience.
Exercises: Pelvic curls / glute bridges, walking lunges with weights, locust pose.

Creating stability in the trunk and limiting rotation
While the obliques – abdominals at either side of the trunk – are key for rotation of the trunk, they also help us stabilise, minimising the movement of the upper body while running. This stability creates more efficiency in the movement in a forwards only direction rather than swaying side to side.  Being able to stabilise the trunk when running also allows us to be more energy efficient.
Exercises Side plank (on hand or forearms) – add dips or side leg lifts, airplanes (kneeling with arms out to the side, flex laterally and bring yourself back to upright), chest lift with rotation.

Injury Prevention
Unfortunately, injuries are not uncommon amongst regular runners. A weak core can contribute to injury from pelvic floor issues to stressing knee joints, to lower back pain and even plantarfascitis.  Injuries can particularly effect runners who have desk-based jobs who may already have muscular imbalances effecting posture, glute strength, hamstring flexibility or lower back health.  A routine that includes core strengthening and stretching can help protect us from injury
All of the above recommendations plus, low lunges, supine hamstring stretches (use a strap or band to stretch leg up).

My First Parkrun

I registered a number of years ago for the almost ubiquitous ‘parkrun’, I had semi great intentions of going – either to St. Anne’s or Marlay Park for the 9.30 Saturday morning 5km run…maybe they were just a little bit too far away…or maybe it was because they clashed with one of my favourite yoga classes but I always had a good excuse…until it arrived on my on my doorstep - the Poolbeg park run – the mountain had come to Muhammad. 

Parkrun was founded in Bushy Park in London in 2004  by a group of friends who simply wanted to run together.  Now the community has grown to hundreds of thousands worldwide with volunteers organizing free 5k runs every Saturday morning.

In secondary school I absolutely loved running…short distances. The 100m and the 100m relay…200m was a bit of a drag, 400m a drudge and 800m was pure hell.  And don’t even start me on the dreaded winter season puke inducing cross country.

Last Saturday however I woke up early.  Following a dinner party conversation the night before I was reminded how very attached I am to my comfort zone and somehow park run slipped into my mind. 

I texted Elaine, my running enthusiast friend who lives down the road.  Yes, absolutely she was up for it.

 The sun shone as we strolled down towards the start line, being overtaken by our fellow park runners, running down. We arrived just in time for the bit in the briefing where they ask if it’s anyone’s first Park Run, I came clean and got a clap from the crowd.  It felt like Runners Anonymous.   

I can’t remember if there was a starter’s gun or what but we all got moving, running along the path towards the park, around the park back along the path, out towards Poolbeg, keeping to the left, trying not to mow down innocent walkers and then turned around and ran back towards the park and around the park again and back up that path and we finished where we started.  

Half way along the route my hip flexors started screaming at me, “what the hell are you doing picking your knees up like this? We should be in yoga class right now getting a nice stretch!”.  I offered somewhere between a smile and a grimace to the very kind volunteers who shouted words of direction and encouragement.  Elaine was chatting as she ran, telling me about some amazing black pudding sandwich from a food market.  My lungs were too busy to spare any breath to respond.  All I could think is how much I hate black pudding…and running. 

In the last minutes of my run, I remembered a chi running course I’d done a few years previously, when I’d had running notions, with the brilliant Catherina McKiernan and all those tips came flooding back.  Peel your heels, pump your arms, tilt slightly forward.

The finish line was finally in sight.  As we paced along, folks who’d finished the race already (smug bastards) cheered us on.  Putting my cynical out of breath self aside - the atmosphere was smashing, the spirit of camaraderie is alive and well in parkrun life. I’m pretty sure I looked like Phoebe Buffay as I approached the line.  But I did it.  I think it was a combination of my competitive streak, the encouragement and Elaine that got me through.

There were high fives and selfies.  There was stretching and invites for post run coffee. Elaine and I discussed actually doing some training before the next race. Yes, we were already talking about ‘next time’. I think I might have even said “that was brilliant”, albeit possibly a case of lack of oxygen to the brain.

Parkrun, I’m not saying I’m going to be there every Saturday, but you haven’t seen the last of me.