Surface Matters

Runners are obsessed with a lot of things – running (obviously), eating large quantities of carbs (usually accompanied by large quantities of beer), and GPS watches for examples.  But another obsession that, if not properly reigned in, can lead down a very dark, rocky road, is researching running injuries.  Too often after too many Google searches, a runner comes to the conclusion that she is either dying or worse – will never run again.  But a recent “finding” that I stumbled across while researching stress fracture recovery is as startling to me as it is scary.  Multiple articles are claiming (“despite popular belief”) that running surfaces don’t really matter.

Take this New York Times article for example – The quoted doctor explains that our bodies adapt to the running surface we choose so that the force of impact is the same regardless of whether we are on roads or trails. 

I certainly agree that our bodies are able to adapt to running on different surfaces – That’s why you don’t drastically make changes like running all your miles on a treadmill to logging all your workouts on asphalt – You have to adapt first.  And it’s also why we train on surfaces similar to those that will be used for racing.  But can our bodies really adapt to the point that the force of impact is the exact same regardless of the running surface?  And if so, exactly how long does it take our bodies to adapt? 

If runners can fully adapt to training surfaces and adaptation is immediate, then perhaps a running surface doesn’t matter.  But even this New York Times article admits that it takes people differing amounts of time to make these adaptations and suggests runners should make changes in running surfaces gradually.  Thus, it seems to me, if it is an agreed-upon fact that it takes time for a person to adapt to various running surfaces, then it can be assumed that there is a period of time before adaptation in which the person experiences different levels of stress on dissimilar surfaces.  It only follows that in that period of time before a person’s body can completely adapt, running surface does matter.

In my first two weeks of returning to running following my stress fracture diagnosis and required rest, I have been experimenting a bit with the running surfaces for my pitiful three-mile jogs (calling some of these outings “runs” would probably be a bigger stretch than a yogi’s bird of paradise).   Not only have I logged miles in four cities in two states in a span of 14 days, my running shoes have pounded pavement, wooden boardwalks, trails, and beach sand.  And there is no question in my training log, runs feel easier on my body when they are not on pavement.

You may be saying right now that I am just imagining that the pavement is harder on my body than the soft, sandy beaches.  If so, well then, you may have more of an argument than you might first realize. 

You see, another, less-debated (however often discussed on runners’ messaging boards) phenomenon is phantom pain post-stress fracture.   I HATE the term because it makes me sound as if I am just imagining things – like I am not mentally stable and so scared of re-injury that I am making things up.  Thus, I prefer to think of the discomfort at the point of my lower-leg stress fracture (technically there was a 2^nd stress fracture a little higher up on the same leg but didn’t hurt nearly as much) as residual pain.  I believe the source of the discomfort (that doesn’t seem to get worse) is from the significant amount of new bone that has grown at the point of my old stress fracture.  If I run my fingers over the area, I can actually feel the calcium that has built up on the spot.  According to my doctor, it can take a year before the new bone becomes smooth and “normal” again.  However, in the meantime, the calcium deposits put pressure on surrounding nerve tissues, which can create various sensations such as tingling or numbness.

Google, Bing it, or scoop up a Dogpile of articles on running surfaces, and you will find there are about as many opinions on this topic as there are on minimalist shoes.  But honestly, while I find the research interesting, I’m not sure if I really care if some doctor has determined that there is no benefit to running on softer surfaces.  Because, phantom or not, I feel more comfortable – especially at the point of my old stress fracture – when I am not out pounding the pavement but instead rolling down the beach alongside the ocean waves.

This Week’s Mileage:  12

This Week’s Beer Choice:  21st Amendment’s Brew Free or Die IPA

I love a good beer when I come home to overgrown cucumbers after a long trip!