Good Tips on Barefoot Running
I’m not running barefoot on pavement, yet, but a lot of people are thinking it’s a good idea, including Chris McDougal, author of Born To Run, as well as some dude I saw on the path the other day. Fore-foot running is definitely key, I think, and your calves will be sore for awhile. I wouldn’t recommend going right out and running barefoot on pavement. Try some sprints on the grass first to see what you are supposed to feel like when you run.
This is from Chris at Conditioning Research:
http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-on-barefoot-running.html
Be Wary of Over-Engineered Running Shoes
In the bookstore the other day, I was reading an article in the new edition of Triathlete Magazine about the hazards of over-engineered running shoes. The article, which I can’t find online anywhere, was written by Matt Fitzgerald and it discussed the trends of running injuries over the years, since running became big in the 1970s. Essentially, even with today’s “technology” in running shoes, injuries from running have not gotten any better.
One of the best and most insightful triathlon bloggers, Chuckie V, was quoted in the article and he recounted his experiences of dropping “stability” running shoes for the lightest and most comfortable trainers he could find. He proceeded to do all of his running in those shoes and his chronic running injuries disappeared. I think he mentioned that as his foot got stronger and started working the way in which it was designed, his foot actually shrank some because your arches naturally rise.
I have had similar a similar experience. When I first start running about six years ago, I was about 50 pounds overweight. Everything I read or heard said big guys are supposed to wear the biggest, beefiest motion control shoes there are. I tried these for awhile, was hurt most of the time, and lumbered through runs looking like I had a pair or bricks strapped to my feet.
Of course, I was still running incorrectly as well, so I was doubly screwed. Once I adopted the principles in Chi Running, the Pose Method, etc., and applied them to my running form, my pains and injuries were reduced after about a week of adaptation. See my article, Improve Your Running in Five Minutes, for more information on that.
It wasn’t until about six months later that I finally woke up and tried the most neutral, cushiony shoes I could find. I haven’t had any injuries since, despite me being larger than your average runner. I have also noticed that since I started wearing the minimum in footwear that I could get away with, my feet are stronger and they are indeed smaller. I used to be a 12, now I’m an 11.5.
This is where most running shoes belong!
I’m not saying you should rush right and buy some Nike Frees and start hitting the pavement. What I am suggesting is that you pay attention to how your feet hit the ground at all times when your running. Pay attention to how your feet react to the shoes you are currently wearing. Start slowly changing your form to more of a forward lean from the ankles, a quick cadence, and a mid-foot strike beneath your hips. You will more than likely find that a switch to a lighter shoe will be much more comfortable.
Once you feel like you are totally adapted, I would consider switching to a shoe with a very flat heel. Personally, because I need widths, I wear New Balance. I have the official “Chi Running” model, which was designed with the help of the book’s author, ultrarunner Danny Dreyer. Rather than having the padding on the heel, which is what you need when you are heel-striker (shame on you), these have the padding on the mid-foot. Actually, these shoes help you hit on the mid-foot, so it would help you adapt quicker to mid-foot striking.
At any rate, if you having problems with your current shoes, or if you have frequent injuries, consider trying a more cushiony, neutral shoe for some of your shorter runs and see what happens. Try doing some sprints in bare feet on a grass field to give your feet a reminder on how they are supposed to operate. Believe me, they will appreciate it!
One guy in the Triathlete Magazine article, recommended going to a reputable running shoe store, trying on several different pairs, and choosing the shoes that you feel are the absolute most comfortable . Not a bad strategy at all!
Improve Your Running By Jumping Rope!
Check out the video below of me performing single-leg jumps with a jump rope. Jumping rope, and in particular single-leg jumping, is very helpful for building explosive leg strength and for correcting muscle imbalances in your legs. For example, when I first started doing these, I could comfortably do about five on my right leg, but only about two jumps on my left! As you can image, this was a bit disconcerting. Here I was, running 25-30 miles a week with one leg much stronger than the other!
This idea is not original, but doing this is particularly helpful for runners. I first learned of this from Tim Luchinske at his excellent blog, Jog Hard. He has a video there as well of him doing the same drill, and he is much better at this than me, not to mention an hour faster at last check in the marathon (3:30 to 2:30, or something ridiculous like that). I’ll let you draw your own inferences of there being a correlation. 
After practicing this periodically over a few weeks, I was able to get both of my legs balanced and do it around 15-20 times with each leg. This exercise works all kinds of stabilizer muscles in your core as well! You will also notice my minimalist Chuck Taylors. In my opinion, people wear shoes that are way too over-corrective when strength/functional training. This is for a future post, but you should not wear running shoes while doing anything other than running! Don’t go to the gym and lift weights in running shoes, people! You are not getting the full range of motion in your calves and achilles and these, along with soleus, will stiffen and shorten, reducing the amount snap you get from them working in conjunction.
Tim’s protocol is below:
The first time you jump rope you should do:
Both Legs: ~30 jumps
Left Leg: ~15 jumps
Right leg: ~15 jumps
Build very gradually from there by doing 2 sessions per week and adding ~10 jumps per week.
Much more to come in the future on my opinions on footwear. Hear this, less is better! Anything with a flat bottom will make your feet stronger. Anything with a sloped sole, especially with a high heel, from tennis shoes to dress shoes, will make them weaker and not function like they were intended!
Improve Your Running In Five Minutes
Listen up people! Believe it or not, running is a skill that can be acquired. For whatever reason, most folks think that running well involves simply putting in the time and getting in decent cardiovascular shape. Running does involve putting in time in and it does involve getting fitter cardiovascularly. A lot of new runners, or joggers, or whatever, start out with improper form that can lead quickly to injury. Unfortunately, running “naturally” for many is fighting a losing battle with gravity, meaning their body weight is back and they are landing on their heels.
Again, running is a skill that you have to practice. You need to take your running technique as seriously as your swimming stroke or your golf swing. Running well requires proper form to take advantage of gravity. It requires a proper foot strike to prevent you from braking each time you hit the ground. It also requires a much higher cadence (how many times your feet hit the ground) than you are probably used to. If you want to make yourself a better runner in about five minutes, read on.
Forward Lean
Probably the easiest thing you can do to improve your running is to lean forward from your ankles. I know that sounds impossible but hear me out. I want you to try this now. Get up out of your chair and stand with both feet directly underneath you. Now, with both feet on the ground, lean a bit forward as if you were falling. Hopefully, one of your feet moved out and planted in order to keep you from falling.
Did you feel the movement from your ankles? This is what you want. Think of running as a controlled fall where you are catching yourself with your next step. Using your core, keep your spine in alignment and prop your head directly on top. When you lean from the ankles, gravity will take over. This will require you to expend less energy to move yourself forward. Eventually, with proper form, you will find yourself running faster at a lower heart rate.
Mid-Foot Strike
If you have been running for a while, you might feel comfortable with heel-striking, which is the way most folks run. However, it is much more efficient running with your entire foot hitting the ground directly beneath your hlps. When you heel-strike, your stride is happening out in front of you. Each time your foot hits the ground, you are braking your momentum, not to mention to the fact that you are asking your knees to absorb most of the impact.
When you mid-foot strike (and you have proper posture with a forward lean as discussed above), you take advantage of momentum and gravity, rather than fighting against it. If you haven’t tried running this way before, there will definitely be a transition period, but you should notice immediately that there is less jarring, less pressure on your knees and more forward drive.
You will have less chance of injury running this way, and your speed will improve almost immediately, as you are not braking your momentum. In the initial phase, you may experience some soreness in your calves (gastrocs and soleus). This is normal, because you have not utilized these muscles in this way before. After a week or two, that will go away and you will be running better than ever, I promise.
High Cadence
It has been determined by scientific tests that the optimal cadence for most runners is between 90 and 100. This means that each foot hits the ground between 90 and 100 times per minute. I would be willing to bet that your cadence is somewhere between 70 and 80, which is what we hope to improve. A faster cadence means your feet are spending less time in contact with the ground. This means less jarring, less resistance, more speed and more efficiency.
A quick way to see where you are is by counting the number of times your right (or left) foot hits the ground per minute. An easy way to improve your cadence is with a metronome. You know, one of those things you used to see on your mom’s piano that keeps the beat? There are very small, battery-powered ones available that will enable you to set the “beep” to your preferred cadence
Depending on where your cadence currently is, set your metronome five beats higher than that. Try to run with it and see how you do. You want your foot hitting the ground every time it beeps. This will take some getting used to and will seem awkward at first. You will be out of breath because you aren’t used to moving your legs that quickly. Stick with it, however, and you will notice after a week or so that your cadence is improving and your heart rate is lower. This is good. That means you are running faster and more efficiently all while using less effort.
My Story
About four years ago, when I was starting out (and about 40 pounds overweight at 255), I bought a book titled Chi Running. It covered all of the principles mentioned above and tied it all in to Tai Chi, Eastern philosophy and the martial arts, which I thought was very cool. I started implementing the techniques immediately and saw rapid improvement. I even took a month long class from a local Chi Running instructor, which helped even more. To make a long story short, I ran my first marathon in 2005 (Chicago) in a fairly slow 4:32 (10:22/mile). I stuck with the techniques, which helped me to stay injury free, and maintained a weekly running schedule of about 15-20 miles per week at aerobic heart rates.
The next year, I ran my second marathon (Charlotte, NC) in 3:49 (8:44/mile). The following season, still using the metronome from time to time to make sure my cadence was still where I wanted it, I ran a 3:30 (8:00/mile) at Myrtle Beach. Of course I was in better shape each year from triathlon training, but I’m positive I would not be running as well without utilizing this method. Now, I’m a big guy, 6′3″ and 210 pounds. Not a runner’s build by any stretch. My knees do not bother me, nor does the iliotibial band syndrome I developed during a previous bought of running the wrong way a few years prior. I have done many triathlons, including two Ironmans, my last Ironman Florida in 2008 (11:06, fifth-place Clydesdale, 3:57 marathon).
Being as big as I am, and running as much as I do, one would think I would have more injuries than I do. Knocking on wood, I credit this to my running form and the Chi Running method. I cannot recommend this enough for people who are either new to running, or those who find the way they are running now is causing them to get injured. A similar method of running is the Pose Method.
There may be very minor differences, but the basic three principles are the same: a bit of forward lean, a mid-foot strike, and a quick cadence. So, as the title of this post suggests, you can improve you running with just a few minor changes that can be implemented on your next run. Get the Chi Running book or visit Danny Dreyer’s site to learn more about it. Check out the Pose Method site as well.
Both are excellent resources for improving as a runner. The next time you hit the trails, or pavement, or tread mill, try one of the techniques above. You will not be disappointed. Give it a good two weeks for you to really start seeing benefit. If you try a few of the ideas and they work for you, be sure to let me know.
A Guide to Starting Out in Triathlon
Triathlon: Swim, Bike, Run!
Many people consider triathlons to be one of the great tests of human endurance. A lot of sports-minded folks have seen or heard about the Ironman World Championships in Kona through the tape-delayed broadcast shown around the first week of December on NBC (the race is actually in held in October).
The Ironman, a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run, is certainly a distance that most people can’t relate to, at least at first. However, the good news is that there are several different distances of triathlons that the average person can enter and comfortably complete with only a few months of training. Read on to learn more about the sport of triathlon and the things you should know before you sign up for your first race.
Distances and terrain vary from race to race, however, there are generally four different distances of triathlons:
Sprint
- 500-800 yards of swimming (pool or lake)
- 12-15 miles of biking
- 5K, or 3.1 miles of running
International (Olympic) Distance
- 1650 yards of swimming (lake, ocean)
- 25-30 miles of biking
- 10K, or 6.2 miles of running
Half Ironman
- 1.2 miles (2,200 yards) of swimming (lake, ocean)
- 56 miles of biking
- 13.1 miles of running
Ironman
- 2.4 miles (4,400 yards) of swimming
- 112 miles of biking
- 26.2 miles of running
It’s fairly easy to see what you are getting in to with each distance. Most people opt to start out with a sprint as it offers just a taste of what you can expect from the sport. There are, however, athletes that I know personally that started with the Ironman right off the bat. This is not what I would recommend, but if you are daring, have at it. It all really depends of what kind of shape you are in now and what your experience level is with each sport.
Again, check your local rec departments or do a search on triathlons in your area. I guarantee you will find a race that is appealing in proximity, distance, and price of entry. A word to the wise though … triathlon is a growing sport and races fill up quickly. I live in North Carolina and our state triathlon series, the NCTS, opens up its races right at the first of year. So, be attentive to when your local race season starts and be prepared to sign on the dotted line when you see a race that fits your schedule and budget.
Things to Consider
1. General Fitness Level. What kind of shape are you in right now? Are you active, or have you been more watching than doing? If you are in reasonable cardiovascular shape, you can complete a sprint triathlon in as little as four months of effort, no problem. You will need to work up to about an hour’s worth of steady aerobic activity, be it walking, riding a stationary bike, elliptical machine, whatever. Just get moving and give the individual sports of swimming, biking and running a try to be sure you like them. If have run before, taken a spin class
2. Training Plans. There are many books and web sites that offer fabulous training plans that will suit any athlete looking to complete any distance or race. Many of the these are free, some you can buy memberships to, and you could even go as far as hire a coach. Depending on what your goals are, you have decision to make. How much money are you willing to throw at your new hobby? How well do you want to do in your first race? Are you racing to finish, or do you have a specific time goal in mind? All of these will factor in to what works best for you right now. I would choose a plan, follow it to the letter, and finish your first race. Once you go through the process once, you’ll be better prepared for the triathlon addiction that ensues.
3. Bike. What kind of bike will you ride? Do you have a road bike, a mountain bike, or anything with pedals? If you do, you’re ahead of the game. If you have chosen a local sprint or international distance for your first race, the bike really doesn’t matter that much. Many people complete triathlons on all sorts of bike. Do your first one and see if you like it before you go out and buy an expensive triathlon-specific bike. You can find cheap bikes all over Craigs List, eBay, etc., if you don’t have one. You can also simply borrow one from a friend and do some of your training on a stationary bike at the gym. Keep it as simple as possible for your first. You will also need a helmet. These range in price from an adequate one for $30 at Wal-Mart or a sleek $150 model at your local triathlon or bike shop.
4. Swimming. Do you have access to a swimming pool or a nearby lake that will enable you to work on your swimming? Many gyms have small pools that will suffice, as will local ponds, lakes, etc., in warmer months. Swimming is often an obstacle that scares people about triathlon. Rest assured, though, that many folks start out in triathlon without being able to swim, period. They take lessons and often quickly learn to be a more than adequate swimmer. If you haven’t done alot of swimming in your life, it’s a good idea to take some lessons, or look into one of the fabulous swimming programs like Total Immersion. Swimming is mostly technique, so getting it right the first time will pay huge dividends down the road.
5. Running. How far can you run now? Have you run previously, say, over the last five or six years? The answers to these questions will need to be assessed honestly by you. It is perfectly fine to walk in a triathlon. I have seen many elite athletes walking in short races over the years. Running comfortably across the finish line is much more fun, though, I can assure you. Be prepared to work up to about four miles of running. If you can’t cover that distance now, don’t worry. Running is something that is a skill, much more than people realize. You can learn to be a better runner in a few hours by learning about proper posture, foot strike, cadence, etc. A book that I found immensely helpful in improving my running is Chi Running, which teaches you proper form and how to run from your core.
6. Gym Membership. Do you have access to a gym with a pool and stationary bikes or spin classes? This is a great way to train for a sprint triathlon in the winter. Many clubs offer triathlon specific spin classes, swimming classes, etc. You can go to your gym and do mini-triathlons anytime. It also gives you a good sense of how riding on a bike, then running for awhile feels, all in the comfort of indoor heating! A short run on the treadmill following a spin class is an excellent workout, and you have a built-in transition area in the lockerroom. Consider a gym in your area for convenient access to equipment and possibly new training partners.
7. Training Partners. Are you peers in to the sport? If so, you are in luck. If not, you need to get out and meet some like-minded individuals. Triathlon is a lifestyle, as you will soon see, and if you surround yourself with people who excel at the sport, odds are you will, too. I would be willing to bet that there are more triathletes in your area than you thought. Do a search on tri-clubs with your city and see what you come up with.
8. Online Resources. There are several online resources which offer excellent tips, advice and other resources that will help make your first race a snap. Visit www.trinewbies.com and www.beginnertriathlete.com and check out the forums these sites offer. Many of the questions you have will be answered right there. Also, to find a race near you, visit www.trifind.com.
