Smitten Life

I started actively going for runs in high school as a way to deal with my anxiety and as a great workout. I love that you can go for a run anywhere, anytime (okay, not anytime, it's -30 here and that's too damn cold) and it's doesn't require a lot of equipment. Autumn is my all-time favourite season to go for a run, it's beautiful, cool out but not unimaginably cold and it's that time of year we start trying to savor every moment spend outdoors.
Some of my tips for runners out there are:
1. A killer playlist, find a beat that you can run to and go for it. For me I run to Florence & the Machine or Frightened Rabbit. That's all. For some season there beats work with my pacing, I find if something's too amped up it screws up my rhythm.
2. Use your butt. A huge problem for most runners I see is that we don't use our glutes while running. Try a banded glute bridge for 3 sets of 10 reps, clamshells 3 sets of 10, and kickbacks 3 sets of 10 before a run to get the glutes fired up.
3.Bring a friend. Whether it's another runner or your dog, employ the buddy system!
4. Find an interesting loop. I love running in the river valley because it's beautiful and there's always something to look at.
5. Use pacing apps. I find it so helpful to know my time for each km, I have a certain pace I want to try to keep.
6. Set a goal! Have an idea (make it realistic) about how long you want to run for, build you way up to longer runs over time.
I've included some tips for before during and after your run from Aaptiv, an audio fitness app that will help improve your 5, 10 or half mile runs.

IT band syndrome is common among runners and causes pain along the outside of your knee. It is caused by your iliotibial band running alongside your knee being tight or inflamed, this can occur when other muscles such as your TFL (tensor fasciae latae) and glute medius are tight or weak. These muscles are responsible for lateral (side to side) movements and are weak if we do everything front to back, like the movement of running!

1. Friction roll the IT band. SO remember when I said you're not supposed to actually roll when you foam roll? Well that applies to any muscle, the IT band is not actually muscle but a ligament and need to be actually rolled to be released. SORRY.

2. Release glute med and TFL, using a trigger ball works best on these guys. For these ones we like to keep pressure for 30-60s until they release

3. Strengthen glute med and TFL. 
Exercises:
Clam shells: Lay on your sides bring your knees in so they make a 90 degree angle, keep feet together and open knees. Repeat 10-12x each side for 2-3 sets

Laying leg abduction: Like Jane Fonda, rotate foot so it's facing towards the floor, ensure hips are stacked, lift leg up slow and controlled. Repeat 10-12x each side for 2-3 sets

Touch downs: Not like in football. Find a small box or even a step on your stairs should work to start off. Once you get better can advance to higher steps. Start on the box, ensure hips are level, bring one heel down to floor slowly, touch heel to floor and using foot on box push back up. Hips should stay level the whole time! This is a slow and controlled movement and you should not be pushing off with the foot touching the floor. Repeat 10-12x per side 2-3sets

Banded side shuffles: Come to a slight squat position with knees bent, have band around just above knees, take step to the side with right leg, bring left leg to meet right leg, not dragging foot along ground. Shuffle 10-12 steps one way they go back the other way, 2-3 sets.

Now if you feel these in your external hips (aka side butt) then you're doing them right! These can be added in to any workout routine for warm up.