One of the things that attracted me to long-distance running is its simplicity. Put one foot in front of the other, keep your head straight, bust a gut, and you'll be fairly successful. Didn't toss up or pass out? Run harder next time!
Over the last few years, new-fangled watches, "barefoot shoes," and emphasis on footstrike positions and stride turnover frequency have made what seemed like a simple passion into something very confusing.
The New York Times Fitness Section addressed this issue with an interesting column on November 16th. The gist of the article was that the plethora of advice and ideas on running was very confusing for beginning runners, and actually discouraged people from partaking.
Concerning footstrike positions, the article quotes disinterested (read: no financial ties to sneaker companies) researchers who feel that there is no perfect running form: people run in a way that seems most natural and efficient for their bodies. Trying to alter a natural gait actually makes their running less efficient and more prone to injury. A great line came from Carl Foster, professor of exercise and sports medicine at the University of Wisconson-LaCrosse. "There is good evidence that your body is exquisitely lazy and will find the easiest way for you to run," Foster said.
Having run competitively for over 35 years, I see it all the time. Even amongst the top runners, some look graceful, others do not. Some land hard on their heel and push off, others seem to spring off their toes. Researchers in the Times article tell runners to use the form they naturally adopt.
Concerning training programs, the article warns against strict adherence to training programs that may be too unrealistic to handle. One doctor noted that two people can train at the same intensity, run the same amount of miles and perform very similarly in races. One will break down, and the other will not. Use your body's warning signs (soreness, illness, swelling) as a guide. One conclusion drawn was that the more you ran, the more likely you were to get injured (that's why I feel cross-training is key to injury prevention!).
Bottom line, if you like running, go out their and do it. Don't get intimidated by pseudo-science!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Watchung Municipal Alliance 5-K
If you're looking for a low-key, hometown-type of race, the Watchung Hills Municipal Alliance 5-K in Watchung is a good one.
The field is usually less than 100, with a few talented outside runners mixed with locals looking to support a good cause: Drug Education programs in the Warren, Watchung, Long Hill Twp., and Green Brook school districts.
I was fortunate enough to win it one year, and this year took third in a time of 20:29.
I hadn't run a race since July, but have been training hard, on my own, and with the Adult Running Group at our club. I felt I took off fairly hard at the start, and really didn't slow down the whole way, passing a couple of people in the front pack and settling into third place by the halfway mark.
In fact, one runner came up next to me on the long downhill down Sunlit Drive, we stayed together for a few paces, and I was able to regain my position. My legs felt fine, I mentally was into it, and my stomach didn't bother me at all, which are usually the three determining factors.
However, my breathing was heavy almost from the start - almost as if my lungs were in sprint mode, while my legs were in distance!
Because I was working so hard, I felt my time had to be in the mid 19-minute range. There were no splits along the way (as I said, this is a small, local race), and I was a bit disappointed when I rounded the last curve at Watchung Lake and saw the clock in the 20's.
Still, I can't complain (I am 53 now, too!), and hopefully I'll get one more 5-K in this Fall before the weather starts getting too cold.
As a coach I felt proud, because one of the runners in our group ran well in his comeback to racing after nearly a decade off.
Every race is a learning experience, good and bad, and I can't wait to get back out there again!
The field is usually less than 100, with a few talented outside runners mixed with locals looking to support a good cause: Drug Education programs in the Warren, Watchung, Long Hill Twp., and Green Brook school districts.
I was fortunate enough to win it one year, and this year took third in a time of 20:29.
I hadn't run a race since July, but have been training hard, on my own, and with the Adult Running Group at our club. I felt I took off fairly hard at the start, and really didn't slow down the whole way, passing a couple of people in the front pack and settling into third place by the halfway mark.
In fact, one runner came up next to me on the long downhill down Sunlit Drive, we stayed together for a few paces, and I was able to regain my position. My legs felt fine, I mentally was into it, and my stomach didn't bother me at all, which are usually the three determining factors.
However, my breathing was heavy almost from the start - almost as if my lungs were in sprint mode, while my legs were in distance!
Because I was working so hard, I felt my time had to be in the mid 19-minute range. There were no splits along the way (as I said, this is a small, local race), and I was a bit disappointed when I rounded the last curve at Watchung Lake and saw the clock in the 20's.
Still, I can't complain (I am 53 now, too!), and hopefully I'll get one more 5-K in this Fall before the weather starts getting too cold.
As a coach I felt proud, because one of the runners in our group ran well in his comeback to racing after nearly a decade off.
Every race is a learning experience, good and bad, and I can't wait to get back out there again!
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