I was called to do an "easy 5" today.
It just felt like I had to.
Hell, just the fact that I can say "easy 5" astounds me.
2 months ago 5 miles was a challenge.
I've also been really excited by my pace improvements in the 10+ miles,
and wanted to see what I could push out on a short run.
Starting out, things did not feel totally good.
My right hip felt a little loose. That's the challenge between acroyoga and running. Extreme flexibility is not necessarily an asset for a runner.
To my surprise, my quads also were just a bit generally sore. And my quads have not been sore even once since I started this training. Then I remembered: I busted out 60+ tight form pushups today. In tight form, your whole body is activated, maintaining rigidity from shoulders to ankles by tightening all your muscles at once, abs to butt to thighs to calves. And my thighs were feeling it. Kind of how the abs really feel it the next day when you do tight form pull-ups... ANYWAYS:
All this got me thinking about form again. And I did a truly joyous full out top form sprint down the big hill in Riverside. The pace charts don't show it, but I am positive I was cracking a 7 minute mile, and it felt SO GOOD!
Around 2/3rds way through the run I got really excited about maybe breaking into an 8:30ish pace zone. And really started to push it. That's when the shin splints hit. FUCK. Its OK, that's why we do this. To learn the limits. So I backed off and almost slowed to jogging pace. And then I'd get excited again. And then I'd push it again. And then the left shin would jank again. After 3 or 4 cycles of this, I took a hint, and went slow for all but the final 1/2 mile. Still beat a 9! :)
All this, and I finally understood what Melissa meant when she talked about 'connecting the muscles' We were doing aerial one day and she gestured from her forearm to her obliques, saying "you've got to connect all these muscles". Doing hollow body pushups, and then doing perfect form running, I feel the contraction, the tightness, the joy of my body as it grows stronger every day.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
building speed
if i ever quit drinking, i might make Boston :)
My brother and I had a pact not to drink at all in October, to get our bodies into maximum tuning for race day. However, i kicked our the pact when he told me he would drink a bit on holiday. So I downed a six pack last night, with 6 cups of coffee this morning to perk up, then time to run!
It was a spectacular run. I practiced real power sprints (fun!), and had so many great ideas! I even paused for a few minutes to whip out my voice recorder I got so excited. :)
some thoughts:
1. perfect form takes a lot of strength to get to. very similar to acrobatics. strength emanates from the core. tight abs and ass, then extend out through torso into legs and arms. doing a proper forefoot strike makes for extreme speed and performance, it also takes it out of me. still I practice it. also strong abs keeps the core stable. strong calves stabilize the ankle. i feel ideal form has absolute minimal sway in the trunk, the only reason we pump the arms is to counterbalance the footfall: chin up, chest forward, strong push off, only land on toes, lightning mudra in the hands :) learned a lot about core stabilization through recent high performance bike riding up nasty hills... maximizing downward pedal force while minimizing wobble took massive arm power to accomplish. same applies to running.
2. just like acro, once achieved, perfect form also requires less effort. It is simply the most efficient way to run. The trick is training the body and muscles to do it.
3. the cause of most injuries is sloppy form. When the body is loose (i.e. jogging), it allows for twisted ankles, torqued hip joints, sloppy heel hits causing shin splints, planar fascia, etc. A proper toe strike has almost zero body impact because the impact is fully absorbed by the time the heel ever so lightly touches and bounces back up off the pavement.
So that was a lot of my thoughts. I turned off all tech devices (excepting my beloved iPod, gotta have music, yo!) and figured I was running 13-15 miles at about a 10:15 pace. Great surprise to find my actual pace was sub-10! Good omen for race day. Feeling strong. Did 10 minute cooldown walk, 15 minutes of deep stretching, and a 20 minute ice bath upon return.
Now am feeling *completely* chill. :)
My brother and I had a pact not to drink at all in October, to get our bodies into maximum tuning for race day. However, i kicked our the pact when he told me he would drink a bit on holiday. So I downed a six pack last night, with 6 cups of coffee this morning to perk up, then time to run!
It was a spectacular run. I practiced real power sprints (fun!), and had so many great ideas! I even paused for a few minutes to whip out my voice recorder I got so excited. :)
some thoughts:
1. perfect form takes a lot of strength to get to. very similar to acrobatics. strength emanates from the core. tight abs and ass, then extend out through torso into legs and arms. doing a proper forefoot strike makes for extreme speed and performance, it also takes it out of me. still I practice it. also strong abs keeps the core stable. strong calves stabilize the ankle. i feel ideal form has absolute minimal sway in the trunk, the only reason we pump the arms is to counterbalance the footfall: chin up, chest forward, strong push off, only land on toes, lightning mudra in the hands :) learned a lot about core stabilization through recent high performance bike riding up nasty hills... maximizing downward pedal force while minimizing wobble took massive arm power to accomplish. same applies to running.
2. just like acro, once achieved, perfect form also requires less effort. It is simply the most efficient way to run. The trick is training the body and muscles to do it.
3. the cause of most injuries is sloppy form. When the body is loose (i.e. jogging), it allows for twisted ankles, torqued hip joints, sloppy heel hits causing shin splints, planar fascia, etc. A proper toe strike has almost zero body impact because the impact is fully absorbed by the time the heel ever so lightly touches and bounces back up off the pavement.
So that was a lot of my thoughts. I turned off all tech devices (excepting my beloved iPod, gotta have music, yo!) and figured I was running 13-15 miles at about a 10:15 pace. Great surprise to find my actual pace was sub-10! Good omen for race day. Feeling strong. Did 10 minute cooldown walk, 15 minutes of deep stretching, and a 20 minute ice bath upon return.
Now am feeling *completely* chill. :)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
baik at it
Bad news first: my calfs still hurt like hell 10 days after the "FiveFingers Incident". I am downgrading status from soreness to injury. Shame on me for "trying out" a radical new shoe on a 3 hour run. But dammit, Donna Kastern trains 500 miles a month! Alyson talked to me today, and said "Daddy, you're gonna win the marathon, right?" I was like, "Honey, this one I'm going to finish" and she says "well, you better keep running them until you win one. You know, the winners get paid."
Good news: I ran an "easy ten" today. Funny... the first time in this training I ran 10, it almost killed me. I ran the same route today. Today I thought basically, 13 was easy, I nailed 23 the other week, 10's gonna be simple. And, awesomely, I actually ran it. No jogging, no walking. No looking at the stats during the run, either. Just went with feeling. Was pretty sure I was breaking a 10:00 pace, but was really pleasantly surprised to see my actual 9:15. That's the fastest run I've had in months, of any distance!
Regarding mobile training apps, I did Nike+ for a while but the user interface on the website simply sucks. I like RunKeeper a lot. DailyMile is nice too.
Rested in an ice bath, then hopped on the bike and knocked out another 15 on that, with some *nasty* hills :) in fact, pushed so hard that I shredded the pedal right off its post! Time to upgrade to my Trek in waiting :)
Good news: I ran an "easy ten" today. Funny... the first time in this training I ran 10, it almost killed me. I ran the same route today. Today I thought basically, 13 was easy, I nailed 23 the other week, 10's gonna be simple. And, awesomely, I actually ran it. No jogging, no walking. No looking at the stats during the run, either. Just went with feeling. Was pretty sure I was breaking a 10:00 pace, but was really pleasantly surprised to see my actual 9:15. That's the fastest run I've had in months, of any distance!
Regarding mobile training apps, I did Nike+ for a while but the user interface on the website simply sucks. I like RunKeeper a lot. DailyMile is nice too.
Rested in an ice bath, then hopped on the bike and knocked out another 15 on that, with some *nasty* hills :) in fact, pushed so hard that I shredded the pedal right off its post! Time to upgrade to my Trek in waiting :)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
breakdown
pulled my back out jumping for a baseball yesterday... it wasn't even that hard of a jump, dammit!
Realised the other day while running, thinking about this past weekend, that I am in the upper 5% age bracket in my acrobatic practice.... though I must say, 50% of the top artists are also my age! Acrobatics is beautiful in its combination of strength and grace... the more you do it, the stronger you get, but the real mantra is: less effort, better results. i.e. we find and are coached to the pathways of maximum grace in our movements... and perfect balance negates the need for extreme power. :)
Today:
intention to run test marathon. lower back failed during trail running in Gold Branch Chatahooche Rec Area. Decided to get car ride home as opposed to serious injury. Must quit drinking. At least I'm wearing comfy shoes now :)
Realised the other day while running, thinking about this past weekend, that I am in the upper 5% age bracket in my acrobatic practice.... though I must say, 50% of the top artists are also my age! Acrobatics is beautiful in its combination of strength and grace... the more you do it, the stronger you get, but the real mantra is: less effort, better results. i.e. we find and are coached to the pathways of maximum grace in our movements... and perfect balance negates the need for extreme power. :)
intention to run test marathon. lower back failed during trail running in Gold Branch Chatahooche Rec Area. Decided to get car ride home as opposed to serious injury. Must quit drinking. At least I'm wearing comfy shoes now :)
Friday, October 15, 2010
pain management
7 miles
hurt like hell the whole run
sprinted several times and it hurt only mildly more at high speeds
although the last mile i just said 'fuck it, i'm going to beat these calves into submission' and busted out a fast mile+
got home and jumped into a cold cold cold bath which felt *awesome*
didn't feel like I sweated at all, but tale of the tape (double measured) shows
start weight at 162, end weight at 156... like the old wrestling days!
still going for 20 on Sunday.
they'd better feel better by then, or i will beat them 'til they do! ha!
going to see my most skilled massage partner on tuesday.
hurt like hell the whole run
sprinted several times and it hurt only mildly more at high speeds
although the last mile i just said 'fuck it, i'm going to beat these calves into submission' and busted out a fast mile+
got home and jumped into a cold cold cold bath which felt *awesome*
didn't feel like I sweated at all, but tale of the tape (double measured) shows
start weight at 162, end weight at 156... like the old wrestling days!
still going for 20 on Sunday.
they'd better feel better by then, or i will beat them 'til they do! ha!
going to see my most skilled massage partner on tuesday.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
the golden gate
 |
| vehicles of grace and pain |
and the trails are great.
16+ miles
in my fivefingers
on serious hills
then on to 6 hours of acrobatic training
i can barely walk now my calfs are so sore
i think it was the hills
plus the acro :)
luckily my lovely acro playmates also gave me 2 hours of deep massage :)
had a truly spiritual experience at like mile 12
amazingly huge hawk was drafting in the wind
so perfect in form that i became convinced it was a custom kite
i ran up under her, and she flew down to me
i spread my wings, and she came even closer
i back arched and spread my wings max wide, and she glided closer still, directly above me
she ended up hovering about 8 feet above me, we mirroring eachother, for more than a full minute
in fact, it was a truly timeless moment of rapture and direct communion with nature
i was able to snap a few pictures of the approach before dropping my camera in completely stunned rapture. :)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
inspiration
for today's post, i borrow from an online brother:
The legendary running coach Jeff Galloway has probably trained more marathoners than anyone on earth. Jeff teaches a unique training system that includes regular, brief walking periods. He’s also among the few running coaches who encourages those athletes preparing for a marathon to do training runs exceeding 26.2 miles (including the walking segments). Those who follow his advice report that the inclusion of walking segments makes these “overdistance” workouts perfectly manageable. Going beyond the distance of the actual race is also a great confidence builder, especially for first timers.
I recommend a slight modification to Jeff’s approach that I simply call Runabout. Inspired by the Australian Aboriginal practice of Walkabout, it works like this: After you’ve put in some good training and built a fairly decent level of fitness, pick a weekend morning to set out the front door of your house with a running pack, the contents of which should include some cash, a credit card, a cell phone, some fluid and some snacks—maybe also a map or a GPS if you want to get really sophisticated. Choose a direction (i.e., north) and start running. Keep running until you feel like taking a break, but don’t. Just slow down and jog or walk, but don’t stop moving. The important thing is to keep upright and maintain forward progress. If you get really tired, run by Starbucks and grab a latte. Stick a straw in it and drink it as you shuffle along.
Try to make a complete day of the outing. Better, end up at one of your favorite nearby resorts or spas, and make an evening of it as well. Don’t worry about how many miles you actually run. Focus instead on keeping on your feet and on moving forward, one way or another (be it running, jogging, hiking or walking), for at least six to eight hours. Mostly, have fun and enjoy the experience.
Not only will you get a great workout, it’s an interesting and spontaneous way to spend a day (or series of days!). Funny things happen out there. You have chance encounters, you see things you wouldn’t normally see during your typical daily runs, and it can be quite captivating. Rarely in our modern society do we spend an entire day outside, and there’s just something enchanting and magical about watching a day go by from the exterior of a building rather than stuck inside one. There’s a lot to be learned from those Aboriginals, despite not having a single Starbucks in the outback.
Keepin’ it fresh,
Dean Karnazes
The legendary running coach Jeff Galloway has probably trained more marathoners than anyone on earth. Jeff teaches a unique training system that includes regular, brief walking periods. He’s also among the few running coaches who encourages those athletes preparing for a marathon to do training runs exceeding 26.2 miles (including the walking segments). Those who follow his advice report that the inclusion of walking segments makes these “overdistance” workouts perfectly manageable. Going beyond the distance of the actual race is also a great confidence builder, especially for first timers.
I recommend a slight modification to Jeff’s approach that I simply call Runabout. Inspired by the Australian Aboriginal practice of Walkabout, it works like this: After you’ve put in some good training and built a fairly decent level of fitness, pick a weekend morning to set out the front door of your house with a running pack, the contents of which should include some cash, a credit card, a cell phone, some fluid and some snacks—maybe also a map or a GPS if you want to get really sophisticated. Choose a direction (i.e., north) and start running. Keep running until you feel like taking a break, but don’t. Just slow down and jog or walk, but don’t stop moving. The important thing is to keep upright and maintain forward progress. If you get really tired, run by Starbucks and grab a latte. Stick a straw in it and drink it as you shuffle along.
Try to make a complete day of the outing. Better, end up at one of your favorite nearby resorts or spas, and make an evening of it as well. Don’t worry about how many miles you actually run. Focus instead on keeping on your feet and on moving forward, one way or another (be it running, jogging, hiking or walking), for at least six to eight hours. Mostly, have fun and enjoy the experience.
Not only will you get a great workout, it’s an interesting and spontaneous way to spend a day (or series of days!). Funny things happen out there. You have chance encounters, you see things you wouldn’t normally see during your typical daily runs, and it can be quite captivating. Rarely in our modern society do we spend an entire day outside, and there’s just something enchanting and magical about watching a day go by from the exterior of a building rather than stuck inside one. There’s a lot to be learned from those Aboriginals, despite not having a single Starbucks in the outback.
Keepin’ it fresh,
Dean Karnazes
Monday, October 4, 2010
because I had to: extreme living
72 hours of fasting, 36 hours of non-stop dancing, hiking, acro-yoga-ing, cuddling, massaging, fire poi spinning (thank you alchemy festival!!), 11 hours of straight glorious recovery sleep, 2 cups of coffee... and what next? 4 hours of non-stop running, naturally!
I had passed the 3 hour test last weekend, so this was just a bodily reminder of what I needed to do on raceday. I am also in the "sober zone" now, as my brother and I made a pact not to drink any alcohol for the month of October, in the interest of boosting our health and performance on race day. So now I'm in the double zone of no sex (that began September-ish), no alcohol. Damn, that's a hella lot of energy for running! :)
The run went pretty well, though it was laced with a bit of pain. My legs began to feel very heavy at about 2 hours in. I stopped for a vitamin water, which may have saved me. I chugged the whole thing down fast and kept running. At three hours in my calfs were pretty much completely numb, I felt like they were two leaden prostheses hanging off of my thighs. I vowed to call Krista for a serious thai massage session. I had to make a few 30-second stretch stops, which really really helped.
I also stopped for a protein-grapefruit-raspberry-strawberry-papaya smoothie, which aside from a near skull-freeze, tasted very very good.
Even with all the lead-foot, I was able to press myself into a sprint for the last 5 minutes, which felt good. Returned to a cold Powerade and a hot bath.
Also able to think a lot about L and the events of Alchemy. I'm still torn between making a life with her and moving on to something else. Good choices in both directions. As usual, the important thing is not to make the right choice, but to make a choice and stick with it. Period.
And for those interested in the details of the run, proceed at your own risk:
http://runkeeper.com/user/AcroYogi/activity/17784184
I had passed the 3 hour test last weekend, so this was just a bodily reminder of what I needed to do on raceday. I am also in the "sober zone" now, as my brother and I made a pact not to drink any alcohol for the month of October, in the interest of boosting our health and performance on race day. So now I'm in the double zone of no sex (that began September-ish), no alcohol. Damn, that's a hella lot of energy for running! :)
The run went pretty well, though it was laced with a bit of pain. My legs began to feel very heavy at about 2 hours in. I stopped for a vitamin water, which may have saved me. I chugged the whole thing down fast and kept running. At three hours in my calfs were pretty much completely numb, I felt like they were two leaden prostheses hanging off of my thighs. I vowed to call Krista for a serious thai massage session. I had to make a few 30-second stretch stops, which really really helped.
I also stopped for a protein-grapefruit-raspberry-strawberry-papaya smoothie, which aside from a near skull-freeze, tasted very very good.
Even with all the lead-foot, I was able to press myself into a sprint for the last 5 minutes, which felt good. Returned to a cold Powerade and a hot bath.
Also able to think a lot about L and the events of Alchemy. I'm still torn between making a life with her and moving on to something else. Good choices in both directions. As usual, the important thing is not to make the right choice, but to make a choice and stick with it. Period.
And for those interested in the details of the run, proceed at your own risk:
http://runkeeper.com/user/AcroYogi/activity/17784184
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