Having recently read an article about how running while holding your phone to your ear affects your running performance, I thought it was important to share an often overlooked piece of running advice.
Do you wash your hair while running? If you do you could be damaging your chances of getting that 5k PB you’ve been chasing!
This brief article examines the potential pitfalls…and what you can do about them!
1. Throws you off your form
Have you tried running with your arms on your head? Trying to work up a good lather. It’s tough. You need your arms to help propel you forward and to maintain good posture while running. Washing your hair can seriously alter this.
SOLUTION : don’t wash your hair while running.
2. Increasing your risk of injury
Ever got shampoo in your eyes? “Ahhhhh…I’m temporarily blinded…where’s the towel…somebody pass me the towel!”
Now imagine that happening while trying to cross busy road! Washing your hair while running could have severe consequences.
SOLUTION: don’t wash your hair while running.
3. Decreasing your exercise intensity
When did you last read about Mo Farah getting a tough set of interval sessions done whilst washing his hair? Mmmm?
Nuff said.
SOLUTION: don’t wash your hair while running.
4. Making your rest breaks way too long
You can’t wash your hair inbetween hill reps, can you? By the time you’ve got home and in the shower and got the conditioner worked in are you really going to return to the peak district to finish that second rep. I doubt it.
SOLUTION: Buy a house near a hill. With an outdoor tap.
5. Breaking your flow
Can’t remember what I was going to say about this.
6. Making you skip your workout
Seriously… the number of girls I have asked if they were up for an intense interval session and they tell me that they are washing their hair instead!
Washing hair reduces fitness.Fact.
SOLUTION: just don’t ever wash your hair.
notmuchofarunner 