Recently a client, now great friend, was proud to report that she had passed on the opportunity to have a GPS watch. This was big; she was once a distracted with music pushing through type of runner, disconnected and a thirst for more *validating* data.
But now she has transformed herself into someone who is “happy being in tune and listening to my own body“. Interesting choice of words … in “tune” and “listening” … which implies she is now creating
Some time ago I posted What’s Your Cadence? about compatibility between runners when it comes to cadence. That post suggested picking your running partners carefully and/or paying close attention to maintaining your own cadence when running with others. But I often see running advice that suggests everyone should run at a the same 180 cadence (90 one side). The advice is sometimes justified by suggesting that is what the elites do. But is there only one “right” cadence?
Let’s look to another “machine” to see if there are some clues to the answer. If you look at most cars, their general
Fellow ChiRunning Instructor Bryan Huberty (Miami FL) won the Bahama Marathon this past weekend in 2:42.53. This is what he had to say:
“I just want to get this out there. I won the Bahamas Marathon yesterday and the other two I have won ([Miami] A1A in 2010 and Trailbreaker in 2009) thanks to ChiRunning.com. Reading the book, becoming an instructor and practicing it everyday in training AND racing has changed my life. It has made me an injury-free, relaxed and efficient runner who truly ENJOYS running pain-free. We believe in “no pain-no pain” NOT “no pain, no gain”. So, although the media wanted to talk about the Packers game and the conditions, they didn’t mention that my biggest BIG UP is to CHI RUNNING! I have Danny Dreyer and the whole ChiLiving crew to thank for that. This is marathon number 20 for me. Never had a major injury and
In a previous blog post (Going Running or Being Run?) I described a visualization that has worked extremely well for me. It is also probably the most popular focus point based on participant feedback. This balloon visualization keeps you tall, aligned and forward into gravity – many of the points you need to support a ChiRunning position, motion, (minimal) effort level, lightness, etc. etc. The balloon is imagined floating up and forward due to a light breeze at your back.
This blog consists of posts from a range of subjects; from my running to running technique, to posture to fitness to health to mind/body to life lessons. All variants of a similar topic on lessons we might consider for a full, meaningful, energized life. Here are the Top Ten EverChi Fitness Blog Posts of the 2011 Year based on
A very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all. A brief post on the 2011 Running Year …
Running Focus
My primary focus was and probably always will be to run (live) healthy, both physically and mentally. Events are tests of health, not of fitness (related blog post). To increase health, I focused on
We have probably all heard the statistics which suggest running is hard on the body. The numbers you hear range, but they indicate a high % of runners get injured every year in some way that inhibits their running program.
But of course it does not have to be that way; a focus on technique can go a long way to reduce this *hardness* and bring running back to a place where it is enjoyable, supportive of consistent mobility and of overall health.
Yesterday was the 1st Annual Staten Island Trail Run Festival at Willowbrook Park. I had just heard of this event 2 weeks before; and at first I thought … a trail 50K on Staten Island? … where? Well, it turns out there exists The Greebelt – about 2800 acres of parks and natural areas with an interconnected trail system. This event was only three weeks after my JFK50 Mile Ultra, but I could not resist the opportunity to explore a new area. My recovery after the JFK50 was minimal and I was comfortable getting back out there for a long event. I planned to use it more as a training run to safely explore a bit at first, then consider the safe plan from there.
Our “civilized” world dramatically removes us from our natural environment. This greatly affects our health and longevity in a number of ways. A significant example of this is probably where you are right now – in a C.H.A.I.R. It does not matter if it is a desk chair, a lounge chair, a couch, or a car, train, bus seat. Google images for chairs and you can see how much of a mine field exists out there …
In general, too much sitting reduces mobility – and just as in nature, our mobility is directly tied to our longevity. But the reality is our lives, homes, travel, jobs utilize chairs for most of our day. So how do we manage this public enemy?
The 49th Annual JFK 50 Mile Ultramarathon was this past Saturday November 19, 2011. It was my 4th consecutive JFK50 (see previous year’s summaries: 2010, 2009, 2008). This year’s training approach resulted in a course PR by 38 minutes over last year.
Preparation:
Preparation this year was very different than in previous years. My training for this event began way back in May when I started a 3-4x/week core strength training program. The main focus was core strength, but I also did a lot of overall strength training. The core training consisted of exercises like
Recently I presented a four hour ChiRunning clinic in Central New Jersey. After the clinic a number of followup emails were sent to remind participants of the key principles and focuses to “practice” them. There was also a followup video review sent which highlighted each participant’s form with their “landing” position and their “loading” position.
In a previous post, Your Inner Unicyclist, the concept of running or walking cooperating with gravity was compared to what a unicyclist, or a young child, does instinctively. When a unicyclist wants to move forward, they lean first and then pedal just enough to keep up with their forward momentum and stay balanced.
This past Sunday I participated in the Bimblers Bluff 50K Trail Ultra. The event is located just east of New Haven CT in Guilford CT. The objective of this event was again a long comfortable training run as preparation for a larger event in November. Other than knowing it was trail, I did not know much about the course. This of course resulted in a different experience dealing with adversity and testing mental focus; in the end it was the valuable experience I needed heading into November’s JFK50M. Here is a brief event description from
When describing the concept of running or walking like a kid and cooperating with gravity to aid in forward propulsion, a good analogy is that of a unicyclist. When I unicyclist wants to move forward, do they:
Pedal? <OR>
Lean first, then pedal just enough to keep up with their forward momentum to stay balanced?
I will suggest that if they pedal first, then they will likely fall backwards. So they lean first. But how much do they lean? They lean enough to create the desired momentum, then
Yesterday I participated in the Blues Cruise 50K Trail Ultra put on by the Pagoda Pacers. The event is just west of Reading PA at Blue Marsh Lake. The objective of this event was a low heart rate long training run as preparation for a larger event in November. What actually happened was of course slightly different. Here is a brief event description from the website:
“The Blues Cruise 50K 2011 will feature a new course. On giant 31 Mile loop around the lake featuring 95% single track. I believe this will be one of the coolest 50K courses around, and is only possible due to the great support of the Pagoda Pacers.”
