Approximately a six mile cross country run, I bought the water rower as a low impact alternative to running, but, I just can’t seem to stop running.
If you absolutely must run, try to run on natural surfaces, dirt paths, grass fields, golf courses, trails, anywhere that will allow you to run with less shock and less chance of injury. The higher the percentage of your training that you do off-road, the lower your likelihood of developing overuse injuries. Concrete is the least forgiving surface for running. Unfortunately, many runners are forced to do a portion of their mileage on concrete. Shin splints and stress fractures incurred on concrete may be prevented by running on a softer surface. Tarmac or asphalt, while slightly softer than concrete, is far from an ideal running surface. Our bodies did not evolve while running on a uniform hard surface. Your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones are not designed to withstand hundreds of miles of running on roads.
Get some good trainers, personally I prefer Saucony. Buy them in the afternoon when your feet are swelled and if at all possible get them from a specialist running shop. Keep your running shoes in good condition and depending on your size, running mechanics, and what model shoe you wear, you may need to replace your running shoes after as little as 400 miles.
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