about 90% (or more) of my running is on sidewalk and asphalt. i much prefer going around the neighborhood to the hamster wheel (treadmill) but i'm 18, and i don't want to create all kinds of problems for myself later in life.
so just how hard is pavement on my knees and ankles?
so just how hard is pavement on my knees and ankles?
In descending order of badness:
Concrete/cement, asphalt, dirt/grass.
FWIW, I run most of my runs on asphalt. It's only been recently that I've been able to go trail running.
Concrete/cement, asphalt, dirt/grass.
FWIW, I run most of my runs on asphalt. It's only been recently that I've been able to go trail running.
Well I'm old so I've had nagging injuries no matter where I run. I did notice though that our HS track is much easier on my knees and joints. I've never ran trails either.
Get off the cement, it's the devil's creation! And no, there's no excuses. Unless you live in Manhatten, there's black-top asphalt which is actually much better than cement. Then, as MB says, the best is to find dirt, woodchip, grass somewhere to run on. I dare say, most corners of America have some kind of municipal trail/parkway you can get off the man-made surfaces and feel natural softness beneath your feet.
For 25-yrs, I've been running on gravel road shoulders and along the grass just inside the curb of people's yards. There's no reason you can't too.
Get off that cement. Your knees will thank you.
For 25-yrs, I've been running on gravel road shoulders and along the grass just inside the curb of people's yards. There's no reason you can't too.
Get off that cement. Your knees will thank you.
i live right smack in the middle of an asphault jungle. there's a park nearby and i try to make it a point to run around there a couple times and cut down on the pavement time.
there's a .44 mile gravel track outside the fitness center at my school but i get so tired of just going round and round and round there 8, 9, 10 times. and i feel kinda funny about running in people's yards... but i would have never guessed that asphalt is better than cement... hm. i'll definitely get off the sidewalk and along the edge of the road; the places i run are almost all residential so it's pretty safe. i'll check around area for some kind of municipal trail nearby.
thanks for all the advice, everyone, from me and my knees!
ps: jrjo, your avatar makes me dizzy. i thought i was seeing double
there's a .44 mile gravel track outside the fitness center at my school but i get so tired of just going round and round and round there 8, 9, 10 times. and i feel kinda funny about running in people's yards... but i would have never guessed that asphalt is better than cement... hm. i'll definitely get off the sidewalk and along the edge of the road; the places i run are almost all residential so it's pretty safe. i'll check around area for some kind of municipal trail nearby.
thanks for all the advice, everyone, from me and my knees!
ps: jrjo, your avatar makes me dizzy. i thought i was seeing double
The other surfaces that were mentioned are very good to run on. But when I come home from work I don't want to drive to a park or a gym. I found a product that takes your running shoes and adds there system to it. I have been running with them for a few months now and my kees and hips feel great!! It is now the only way I can run.
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