Feedback From Fellow Runners

I'm trying to keep up with current technology to promote my blog and my website as much as possible. I hope that blogging about my running experiences would spark comments from fellow runners to help me and others improve by sharing information or personal experiences. I've just finished updating my social link buttons at the bottom of each post to give my whole site a more professional look. Also i have tried to link my RSS feed to my twitter account so that they would be shared with an even greater audience.

To get back to running, my social and official engagements are prohibiting me to run my full training schedule and there has been some serious cutting. Luckily I'm still in the mileage buildup phase, but things really need to settle down in a couple of weeks so that I can start my 18 week training schedule for my full marathon race.

Sore Glutes

Somehow my butt feels a little sore which is probably because of changes in my running form. Inspired by a marathon training video called “evolution running” I’m trying to land more on my forefoot instead of heals or mid-foot. This was something I have been trying to from before I watched this video but at that time I was still trusting off with my upper-legs and toes. After watching this video I got one more clue which was to push off using my gluteus maximus muscle. Because according to the guy on the video this is the largest muscle and this would require less energy to keep our forward momentum. A great side-effect of this push-off is that it allows me to lean more forward and land on my forefoot.

Marathon running is a game of energy efficiency and of staying injury free. And according (not only to the people on this video but ) many professional and amateur runners this kind of foot strike is the most desirable.

This video called Evolution Running delivers some nice advice and shows some interesting drills but is not worth the price they ask for it. On the whole it looks like a video amateur put together a few Youtube videos and taped an explanation for support of his theory.

Those of you who want to know more about this movie/ video or who want to know some of the drills could leave a comment here and I’ll get back to you.

Good luck with your marathon training!

Downpour

My interval training run yesterday was timed with a wonderful downpour of rain. Obviously the rainy season has started with will make my running more difficult than the cold winter winds. I started my warm-up routine as usual by jogging for about five minutes, doing some dynamic stretches before doing my static stretches. Altogether it took me 15 minutes (I timed my warm-up routine for future purposes). Just as I had started running the skies turned darker and darker and wet water came falling down. I was worried about my form so I changed the interval run into Fartlek running.

By the end of my 8K training run I was completely soaked but it felt great because it was still about 25 degrees centigrade. The rain had made me run faster than I had planned because during the first halve I thought I would be able to out-run the rain… The day had turned into a dark evening and only flashes of lightning were reflecting in the massive puddles. I haven’t had a cold for about three years now so the only thing I worried about was my (fairly) new running shoes which were white when I left home. After coming home I took my new Nike’s with me to the shower and cleaned them thoroughly, they seemed to have survived the black puddles…

One more thing: while I was running in this crazy rain I had two cars pull over and inquire if I was alright? Meaning either they were worried about my health or looking to contact the nut house I escaped from. Either way their kind gestures made me happy and running with a broad smile all the way.