Doing a 14 mile long run on Concrete amd Asphalt (side walk and road) am I just asking for a stress frature???

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

I seem to recall a formerly active poster around here going by "The Concrete Runner".

I think he ran something like 92 miles per week, all on the 'crete.

I miss that guy.

keep it on the 'crete!!!!

Precor

Wow, I have been on LRC for years and was a big fan of the Concrete Runner. A quick search through some old posts a few minutes ago revealed that I actually know who he is and raced him before! He kicked my butt.

Hi Crete! wrote:

Wow, I have been on LRC for years and was a big fan of the Concrete Runner. A quick search through some old posts a few minutes ago revealed that I actually know who he is and raced him before! He kicked my butt.

Like you were wearing concrete Converses?

Chelsea Elveres wrote:

Traveling this weekend, the only place I can run in the place im going would be side walks, road.

Are you joking?

EVERY LONG RUN I HAVE EVER DONE has been on the 'crete. And over 95% of my total running, easily.

10 years of 60-80mpw. No stress fracture.

I have regularly done 100 mile weeks all on roads and sidewalks, with no injuries. In addition, I do all of my running in XC flats with no cushioning. I love running trails for sure but on plenty of trails your footing certainly is much worse than on crete/roads and some trails are hard as rocks. I just don't get all this overthinking about where you can run. Put on your shoes and go run. It's 14 miles FFS.

Moron Star wrote:

Idiot. I suggest you stop believing in toy experiments from third rate experimenters and get some real life practice. Pretty much every elite runner avoids hard surfaces if possible. Take a course in physics too and get a clue to why something hard makes more damage than something soft.

"Science" parrots like you are the reason why people get hurt and never improve their running.

You don't understand the physics of human movement. Do some real research before you spout off nonsense that you read in Runner's World. Impact and active forces are the same independent of surface. They have to be, otherwise your center of gravity would oscillate more on a soft surface than on a hard one. This is true in world-class elites and in hobby joggers.

I could go on, describing how leg stiffness automatically adjusts to mirror the stiffness of the surface + shoe combination, but you clearly aren't interested in it, instead claiming that just because elites do something, it's correct. Well, Fam trained in NYC all the time and it sure didn't hurt him. Malmo did 150+ weeks on concrete and ended up fine. For every example you give, I could find a counterexample.

Read that and then we can chat.

Once again, basic topics like this illuminate who is ignorant about the basics of human gait and who is not. A leg is not a golf ball or a wine glass. It actively reacts to the surfaces you expose it to.

800 dude wrote:

[quote]Moron Star wrote:

Take a course in physics too and get a clue to why something hard makes more damage than something soft.

\"A course in physics\" won\'t tell you anything about this issue.

ukathleticscoach wrote:

Rather than some limited study of joggers here is my research someone asked coach of El G how much running his athlete does on roads. \'None\' wa the reply. The coach said he could not believe it when he saw american \'elite\' marathoners training on a grass park but on the concrete path. Kenyans also train on softer trail surface. More research Brother Colm \'tarmac is death to young runners legs\' He coaches the 800m WR holder

You make a fair point about limited studies vs. real world experience of top runners, but you undermine your own point by showing that there is no unanimity in the practice of elite runners.

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Note the \'elite\' do i have to spell it out they are not elite outside there own country. I dont undermine my point you just did not get it

El G and EA\'s train on softer surfaces. Even if an EA swtiches to the road they have saved their legs by years avoiding the road. A track is softer than the road why do they not just make it harder and even faster!

Why should it matter if shoe padding becomes hard

Efficiency comes from hard training and having the stength to run in that way

Is it likely that the human body adapted to run on a softer surface performes the same on concrete! Try punching the road then punch the grass at the side 100 x times and get back to me

no, you big baby

Running on concrete increases bone density. However, if you have inadequate calcium intake you will have brittle bones and will be at risk of stress fracture. Many young girls follow fad diets (organic, vegan, veg, zero dairy products, etc) thinking they are being healthy but they are actually unhealthy diets and they get little calcium intake and bones get brittle and they get stress fractures even though they are running on trails and only doing 30 mpw.

Northern Star wrote:

Do some real research before you spout off nonsense that you read in Runner's World. Impact and active forces are the same independent of surface. They have to be, otherwise your center of gravity would oscillate more on a soft surface than on a hard one. This is true in world-class elites and in hobby joggers.

b

Now be fair, this month's nonsense was printed in Running Times. hahaha

nennit wrote:

Running on concrete increases bone density. However, if you have inadequate calcium intake you will have brittle bones and will be at risk of stress fracture. Many young girls follow fad diets (organic, vegan, veg, zero dairy products, etc) thinking they are being healthy but they are actually unhealthy diets and they get little calcium intake and bones get brittle and they get stress fractures even though they are running on trails and only doing 30 mpw.

Running on a softer surface will also increase bone density I've had mine measured. How would an organic diet affect your mineral or vitamin intake!

I hope you get a stress fracture just for posting such a stupid statement.

You'll be fine. If you are serious and only run on grass all the time, you'll be pleased at how much faster you go with a surface that returns energy. There is barely any difference in a firmly packed trail and concrete. Neither compresses much when you land. Grass or soft dirt is different. Keep in mind that if you wear shoes they probably compress and dissipate impact force more than a firm dirt trail does anyway.

Depends on so many things. Your build, your biomechanics, your intended mileage on that surface and whether or not your used to running on that surface and the distance of your typical long runs. One run on concrete will not produce a stress fracture. Some decent mileage and faster runs on the concrete might produce a tibial or metatarsal stress fracture. Then u can ride your bike your the concrete for 6 weeks and run in the water and have fun in the gym.