Running Update

Sorry for the long hiatus in posting.

After completing the 5 mile run, I attempted an easy 3 mile run several days later. My body just rebelled.

I realized that I had been pushing my body way too hard. The mileage was just going up too much too fast for me. I had previously been averaging 6 - 8 miles a week - total. The first week of training I did 12 miles. The second week I did 14.

I chose to halt my training program for the half in the interest of not injuring myself. Seeing as though I have no health insurance, and make little money, doctor visits and x-rays, etc., would NOT be a good thing.

However, I did find something else which would allow me to continue to run, but it also caused me to have to scale WAY back on my mileage level. I found barefoot running.

My very first barefoot run took place near the end of July on a treadmill. I ran 1/4 of a mile. I liked it, but felt kind of awkward running on a treadmill barefoot. My next barefoot run was outside on the sidewalks running throughout the office complex where the gym that I work at is located. I started with 4 minutes. I chose to use minutes instead of distance because I have nothing to measure distance, but do have a sportswatch to measure time.

Slowly, I have added time each week to my runs, and am now up to 12 minutes. I seriously love it! I probably could have increased my time/distance faster than I did because I am the type who is constantly kicking my shoes off. But the mantra of barefoot runners is to take it slowly in order to avoid TMTS (Too Much Too Soon) injuries. So far, I have not had any blisters, and just a few growing pains from my feet strengthening and expanding to where they should naturally be. (And yes, I have stepped on a few rocks/pebbles with no harm to my feet.)

If you would like to learn more about barefoot running, a great place to go is Runner's World Barefoot Running forum.

Chi Running Class & First Long Run & Ouch! +Barefoot running

So Saturday morning my friend from the gym and I attended a Chi Running class. The instructor had just become certified a few months ago, and so was still doing classes for free "to get the format down better."

Overall, I would say it was well worth it. He really emphasized posture. He had us (6 of us altogether) get with a partner and stand "normally." Then our partner would push us with their pinkie finger. Everybody was moving easily or nearly falling over. Then he had us get into the good posture (feet parallel and hip width apart, knees soft, pelvis straight across, sternum lifted, and neck elongated.) The pinkies could not move us then!

He also had us do some practice walking where all we did was lift our feet - no heel striking. By that time it was time for class to be over, so we didn't even get into running. That was disappointing, but still, it was worthwhile.

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Because I went to the Chi Running class, I missed my first 4 mile Long run with my training group. I definitely was not going to do the 4 miles AFTER the Chi Class (105 degrees + heat index.) So I waited until 10:30 Saturday night - while I was at my mom and stepdad's place. I didn't end up doing 4 miles though. They have a 1.5 mile route mapped out, so we all just went around twice. The second time around I would run ahead a bit, and then run back. So, I think I maybe got in 3.2 miles. I just didn't have it in me to do more after we finished that second loop. Oh yeah ... it was still 95 degrees out .. although it was dark.

This Saturday I'm supposed to do a 5 mile long run with my training group. I'm not quite sure how that's going to work .... I guess you could say I did 5 miles on the 4th (5k + 2 miles walking to and from the race) but that wasn't all at the same time. All I can do is try, right?

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Saturday night and Sunday night I woke up with the feeling like I was about to get a huge charley horse - only in my right top calf. I *hate* those. So I tried something that I thought was kind of silly -- but it actually worked. I concentrated very hard on NOT tensing up in anticipation of the pain ... and then breathed deeply and just repeated the word "relax." It still hurt, but it didn't cramp up!

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This weekend I stumbled across the idea of barefoot running. It kind of goes along with the Chi Running technique. It is supposed to really help you learn good form -- if you are running barefoot and heel striking, your body is going to *really* quickly tell you it is a BAD idea.

I'm looking at getting a Garmin 50 with the footpod so I can run in new places without having to worry about pre-measured routes. If I get this, then maybe on Tuesdays and Thursdays I will do a small portion of my easy runs barefoot. Like maybe 1/4 mile to start with for a few weeks.

Chi Running and YouTube

As I've mentioned before, I was recently introduced to the concept/technique of ChiRunning. After having read the book and tried out using some of the ideas, I really liked it. Being a person who likes to find out all there is to find out about a subject, I started researching on the internet about ChiRunning.

First, I found a group on Sparkpeople.com dedicated to people who run using the Chi Running technique. While reading through various threads on that team, I came across a post which mentioned Chi Running videos on Youtube.

In my initial searches, I had not come across any videos. But once I saw that there were some, I of course had to head over to Youtube and see what I could find.

There actually are a good bit of videos on Youtube related to Chi Running or Chi Walking. The author even has quite a few video blogs where he explains in great detail about proper posture, and how to stop from over/under pronating, along with other subjects.

Those videos were very interesting to watch, but there was one video in particular which I found quite fascinating, and cemented for me that I want to learn how to run like this. It is a video showing the top (elite) male and female runners in the 2008 Boston Marathon. If you decide to watch it, it does start out a bit slow, but the analysis of how the top runners use their form to almost appear as though they are flying through the air, is well worth the time.