I love life's small epiphanies - moments when thoughts I've been carrying around for a while gel into a clairvoyant direction and theme. My run with Katrina on Saturday was just that. While we have been batting around the idea of starting a Saturday running mini-clinic or group, the concept and notion never fully took shape until yesterday.

We are launching the official "Rock to Road Runner Road to Disney" training plan and community. I'm planning to use Saturday morning runs with Katrina and family to specifically aim toward their goals of completing the Disney26.2 Marathon in January 2012. I'm hoping others may join in both to develop their own running and goals, but also to become a growing community around "Rock to Road Runner".

As a general overview I'm proposing the following "rocktoroadrunner road to Disney" plan:

GOAL/OBJECTIVE (Specific to Katrina):
- To complete the Disney26.2, aiming for under 6.5hours
- Aim for average 6.5km/hour using a 9min run/1 min walk strategy = 1.1km every 10min

TRAINING STRUCTURE:
- 4 week cycles: 3 weeks training + 1 week flex/easy to recover and accommodate
- We will start with an initial of 1min slow run + 1min med/fast run + 1min walk strategy
*We will incease running by 1 min every 4 weeks until we reach the 9/1 strategy above.
- Each training week aim for one "long" run (initially 45-60min)
* Each 2 months we will increase long runs by 20-30minutes
* long runs we will incorporate a mix of "tempos" (different speeds)
* We will also include squats and some other proprioceptive drills
* As we get comfortable with format, individuals can vary speeds to suit development
- Each training week aim for 2 or 3 "short runs" (initially 10-15min)
* Every 2-3 months we will increaseing by 5-10min
* short runs can be as slow as needed, ideally trying NOT to walk
* or taking only 30sec to walk. Key is to build "volume" with these slow short runs.
- Flex/Easy weeks can have NO running in them or at most 2 short very easy slow runs.
* It is ideal to incorporate brief amounts (5-10min) cross training several times:
* skipping, squats, drills, stretching or massaging muscles depending on need
- By November 2010 we should be able to to do a 3.5hour run covering 25km
* This will be our "measure" to ensure we are on target for January
* Each training cycle (4 weeks) we will use the first week to guage progress & re-plan

OTEHR CONSIDERATIONS:
- We will work on optimizing pre and post run nutrition as we go along
- Consider buying a pair of "compression" socks from the pharmacy (20lbs compression) to wear after long runs to improve lactate recovery in the muscles.
- Be very very proactive about injury prevention. Pay attention and to vulnerable areas and consider methods to support them (Kenesiology Tape, Tissue Work or time off)

REMEMBER:
- "We overestimate how much we can do in a day or a week but underestimate how much we can change and evolve in a year"
- While running is 'Natural', learning to run is a challenge that requires a great deal of commitment, patience and stepping beyond your comfort zone to grow & evolve

I'm committed to making this journey with Katrina & her family doing as many Saturday/Weekly long-runs with the, as possible. I KNOW she can do it. There will be ups and downs and potentially some set-backs but each of these is also an opportunity not only to learn about running, but learn about one's self.

I'm hoping Katrina and others are as enthused as I am. I'm certainly open to inviting anyone and everyone to join in on the Saturday runs and be a part of Katrina's amazing journey!

Keep Rising!

Born to Run - Here's the Proof

First, my thanks to K for inviting me to be a guest contributor to the blog.

Now, imagine if you will the sensations of freedom, joy, meditative awareness, pure-self expression and effortless-effort all combined together. I offer to you that this experience is available through running and that, except for a small group of exceptions, we were all BORN TO RUN.

As briefly mentioned, in January 2010 I was decidedly a non-runner, or as K so eloquently puts it "I use to run like a rock". With the goal of completing an Ironman Triathlon I reluctantly took up running. Having not run in more than 15 years and with previous forays in running delivering pain and injury I decided to do my homework before heading out the door. After several weeks and many hours of reviewing the medical and scientific research it was clear there was a decidedly biomechanical "correct" way to run that optimizes our natural evolutionary design. Painstakingly and persistently learning and applying the techniques and theories (very slowly at first) I have steadily enjoyed significant gains in my ability to run. While I am by no means "fast", I continue to put my emphasis on correct mechanics, injury prevention and improving my running capacity. The speed will come with a lifetime of running still ahead of me.

Through my own experience and having continued to study "natural running mechanics" - also refered to as forefoot or midfoot running, barefoot running, evolution running, chi-running and pose-technique running - I am convinced the vast majority of people without pre-existing biomechanical impairments were indeed "Born to Run". I invite you to discover it for yourself.

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EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH

I'll spare you the physiology and kinesiology but I will share with you several resources that solidly present the information:

http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/index.html

http://www.posetech.com/pose_method/pose-techniques.html

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SEEING IS BELIEVING

For folks who want to skip the reading and see some of the more practical points, the following video links are useful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hqspH_OTzA&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2nZlKKgOAQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN1x3Ik1t5Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2qsSuUGGrM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Nt4WgQed8

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PROOF IS IN THE PROCESS

I have now been running for approximately 14 months. While much of it has been success I have had several setbacks mainly due to trying to increase my volume too much too soon. Most of us have never discovered or been taught how to run naturally, and having never used these muscles and ligaments in these particular ways the process of adapting to this form of running is slow.

Consider if I put your arm or leg in a cast for several years then took it off. You can imaging that these muscles would be weak and prone to getting injured if you tried to do too much to soon. We have effectively done this by wearing overly supportive footwear, spending much time sitting and often doing exercises that shorten and tighten our muscles.

I would also acknowledge that some people have pre-existing injuries and mechanical impairments they were born with or acquired that may preclude entertaining the notion of "natrual running".

With these two large caveats noted, I would dare to say, by in large, running is our birth-right and a natural joy born of our innate abilities and senses much like laughing, gustatory pleasure, the enjoyment of music and inspiration derived from viewing breathtaking vistas. The degree to which we have been separated from this natural birth-right of running has been entrenched into our modern culture that often sees running as sadomasochism.

While nearly everyone can experience an almost instant sense of gratification and joy when they first re-discover natural running, the journey beyond this neophytic glee is one best experienced with a large measure of patience and understanding. Below I have listed the TOP 10 TIPS of natural running also referred to as forefoot or midfoot running:

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TOP TEN TIPS

1) Proper biomechanical form is paramount. When starting out, exercises, drills and complimentary training methods that enhance your proper mechanics, elasticity and strength are far more important than how far or fast you run

2) Focus on light and easy movement when running.

3) Train by time NOT distance as it allows for physiologic adaptaton

4) Start with only 5-10minutes at a time

5) Do not underestimate the time needed to adapt. Accept small consistent gains.

6) Stretch your calves, hamstrings and feet after EVERY run

7) Work up to 2 short runs and one longer run each week

8) as a general rule increase your volume by no more than 10-20% per week and take one week in 4 OFF to allow muscles & ligaments to adapt

WEEK 1 - 3 x 5-10min fore/mid foot runs
WEEK 2 - 3 x 6-12min fore/mid foot runs
WEEK 3 - 3 x 8-15min fore/mid foot runs
WEEK 4 - OFF/ Adaptation
WEEK 5 - 3 x 10-18min fore/mid foot runs
WEEK 6 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 15-25min fore/midfoot runs
WEEK 7 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 20-30min fore/midfoot runs
WEEK 8 - OFF/ Adaptation
WEEK 9 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 25-40min fore/midfoot runs
WEEK 10 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 30-50min fore/midfoor runs
WEEK 11 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 40-60min fore/midfoot runs
WEEK 12 - OFF/ Adaptation
WEEK 13 - 2 x 12-20min and 1 x 45-75min fore/midfoot runs

9) Combine the above general prescriptive plan for adapting to fore/midfoot running with a "RUN-WALK" strategy by employing any ratio of running to walking you find reasonable (ie. 2 min running & 1 min walking). Gradually increase your running ratio keeping your walking as 1 minute until you are able to run more than 12 or 15 minutes at a time.

10) Pay attention to the signals of your body: at any point if you are experiencing sharp or persistent tendon or muscle soreness back-off. Focus on stretching, adapting and continuing to improve your biomechanical form with drills and complimentary training.

10b * When in doubt refer to tip # 1

A New Author to Our Blog

I've invited Aleksandar Radan to also be an author on this blog. 

He was the first person to introduce me to this style of running.  He will likely tell you more about his experiences, but in short - he was never a runner, it was too hard on his body.  He discovered this style of running, did the research, and ended up doing an IronMan Triathlon a short time later!!!  Now he just goes out and runs 50k just for fun on a Saturday morning!!!  Why?  Because he just LOVES RUNNING!!!

This is the kind of transformation that I am looking forward to!!!

I'm not going out and running 50K for fun (or at all) yet.  But I do actually LOOK FORWARD to running.  I truly LIKE THE WAY it makes my body feel.  After a lifetime of sore knees, shins, and back, that is already a miracle!!

Happy Running!
Katrina

Great Minimus Shoes

I have just purchased a pair of New Balance's minimalist shoe - the Minimus. So far, they are fantastic!! They fit like a glove and feel like I'm practically running barefoot.

There's some neat traction on the bottom.  And do I have to mention the excellent colour??

Very pumped!!