One of the most disliked words in a runner's dictionary is the word ‘injured’. 

This last week I have gone down with a back injury, which as in many cases leads to nerve related issues too. 

I felt it coming on last weekend when by Wednesday of this week, whilst out very tentatively running, I got a sharp pain in my lower back. This also led to some pretty excruciating pain down the front of my leg. I even had to walk the last half mile home. 

Within a couple of hours, I was lying face down on Chas Allen’s therapy couch whilst he put me through more pain, albeit a much different type of pain. 

There are no two ways about it, Chas knows his stuff and when I say he knows his stuff, I mean across a huge variety of physical and indeed mental areas of fitness and wellbeing. 

Next Thursday, October 17, Chas will be holding a seminar/biomechanics workshop at Sportlink from 6.30pm about running injuries and how our own biomechanics can play a huge role in why many of us will regularly suffer with the same related type of injuries and niggles. 

His thoughts and views on this subject really are so very in depth whilst even explaining why two people of similar type will not necessarily have the same issues as each other. 

To be able to explain his thoughts fully would fill up this newspaper and indeed more. He really is a genius for which he can keep me and others engrossed and hanging on his every word when in his company. As for the many letters after his name which he dismisses so very modestly, this alone confirms his amazing knowledge. 

Whilst suffering at the expense of his strong hands I decided to ask him a few questions about next week’s workshop. If anything, to try and take my mind off the pain albeit with gritted teeth. 

“With regards to gait cycle how can different impact points affect joint and muscle interactions?” I asked, especially as I am already aware that it will be my right side which is always likely to play up when it comes to my own imbalances and weaknesses. 

“When an individual strikes the floor during each stride this changes the recruitment patterns of muscles. This also means that muscle stimulation can take place from heel strikers through to forefoot strikers. Therefore, differing styles require differing focus when it comes to strengthening and conditioning,” he replied. 

This then led to discussions about training shoes, which of course is something we at Sportlink have been selling to runners of all ages and abilities for what is now nearly 30 years. We have always said that just because a particular shoe might be deemed the best shoe ever by a large percentage of the running population, it does not mean said shoe will suit everyone else and I don’t just mean those with similar gaits and running history. 

“This is why I believe it is vital for the individual to try on shoes and have a short run in them before purchasing,” he said. “But this is what you guys do at Sportlink. There is a mixture of understanding how we move, and the different types of shoes out there are vital for the runner to select a combination that works best for performance and health. After analysing data, we can see how the brands are starting to create a unique stimulation which may affect our muscle action which in turn can make a huge difference to muscle activation whilst running.” 

He then went on to tell me all about specific drills and exercises to help address imbalances but by this point I had sweat pouring down my forehead far greater than whenever out running.  

What I do know is that there really will be so much to be gained from attending next week’s Chas Allen workshop for which by then I am so hoping that the pain I am currently experiencing through this latest injury setback will have gone. 

For anyone (runners of all abilities and coaches) interested in going along to Chas’s workshop then you can buy places and find out more about it here.