More GNW Fun

Two weekends in a row exploring the great North Walk, this time accompanied by a great kid, 11year old Christian, who spent much of the time in front bounding around like a rabbit while we slugged it out up and down hills for 2 hours...leeches? pull 'em out!

Running this track near home down in the direction of Galston Gorge is something I could get used to...focussed this run on trying to get the chi-lean in the bush...can be tricky when your looking down at your feet and hopping around but will keep persevering..certainly feeling pretty good a few hours later..stiff but no strains.

A Chi-List

Just writing myself a note of the chi-things I need to remember in the long term...cant keep them in mind every run, perhaps only one or two, but listing them here helps me imprint them on my brain.....this week im focusing on 1.,2.,8. and 9.....do far so good

1. Shorten your stride

2. Focus on form and forget the road

3. Keep lower legs limp or they'll get injured

4. Relax

5. Look up

6. Engage pelvis only

7. L-E-A-N

8. Keep arms at 90 degrees

9. Use arms to guide cadence

10. Keep legs straight on

11. Keep feet closer together

12. Feel legs go out the back from above hips

13. Midfoot strike

14. Bodysense

15. Use metronome

Taperish

Im not sure if your really allowed a taper when you havent yet peaked but Im having one anyway for the Marysville half Marathon next weekend...due to a sprained ankle, the flu, travel and then chi-practice Im feeling pretty undercooked as far as running any sort of PB.

My general aim this time will be form over speed...if i can go out steady and keep my form when the going gets tough, enjoy the race and emerge without too many strains Ill be happy...

The honest truth sa Im just happy to be running more freely and enjoying it again thanks to the change in my posture...i kind of know now that injury prevention is all down to me and wether or not I keep it up and listen to my body when it tries to tell me something....this is good.

After the half there are no more races until Canberra Marathon in April...as well as training for this the aim will be to hit some trails just for fun...

Pigeon House Mountain at Christmas
GNW from Westleigh to Berowra (in sections)
Westliegh to Crosslands
...and more

All good in my running world at the moment so long as i am not tempted to thrash myself and keep steady

Body Sensing

Two weeks of practicing Chi-Running has indeed been good for the body (and the soul)....Im relaxed, no sign of any injury or niggles and feeling strong and ready to roll..the first time in many weeks if not months that I havent spent the night before the long run worrying if I was hurt.

Part of it I know is simply common sense, the act of slowing down and focussing on posture not speed; but on wednesday night this week i felt speed too (for me!) which made me think that maybe i have a better running future ahead...

I think the other thing is that i have generally become a little more aware of my body...on descents i am more careful, on hills i dont lift my legs as much, I stretch before and and after and turn the music off if i need to focus.....somehow the bubble has burst that had me thrashing myself all the time....time to keep going and see what the future holds

Heres a new track im loving when i carry music..

Chi-Prioritising

Im not sure if this is because of the general thrust of chi-running to relax and enjoy things rather than smash down barriers but i made a decision yesterday to ease up on myself abit when it comes to the goals i have set myself.

In the past my big goal has always been to run 6-Foot Track, a seemingly impossible one given the 4 hour marathon qualifying time...this pressure has been exacerbated by joining a Bush running club where everyone runs 100kms at the drop of a hat....

I am starting to see that what i actually want out of my running year is as follows;

1. One normal marathon per year (Canberra)
2. Some trail runs between 20 and 30kms
3. A couple of halfs
4. A couple of ten kms
5. Run trails on new tracks for the adventure and fun
6. Build up a consistent road running regime four times a week

Each person has their limits and i think these are mine...no more secret ultra goals....Im sticking to what Im good at and going to take some pressure off....(of course these goals would seem insane if I looked this a few years ago)

In the immediate next few weeks I will keep my posture as my main focus, run my last long run this Sunday and then have a nice easy Marysville Half the week after...

Chi-Progress

Been practicing Chi-Running for all three runs this week; nice and easy

1. Nice and easy 35 mins on the treadmill to keep things steady while i tried it solo for the first time
2. 6kms with the Warriors, slow but a few hills
3. Intervals including aggressive hill running

All up I am really getting the hang of it. I notice my breathing has improved too and during intervals i could feel the speed that is possible...much faster than I was before on the 400 and 200 sprints..very promising.

On the negative side, while all my right leg abductor and groin sprain has completely gone i have noticed a slight pain in my old ankle tendon injury, but it was easily stretched out. Im pretty sure this is part of the transition to 'leaning' and i need to be real careful i dont push the transition hard too early....I may even wear my trusty ankle support on this weekends long run just in case...I still have to perfect the slight one-two inch lean and am probably leaning too far..also I still nee to work on floppy relaxed lower legs..

So....some mixed results but in the long term I am optimistic...over the next few months, if Im careful and bring my old ankle injury with me via stretching and strengthening i can really see a future with fewer strains and eventually even lighter shoes and speed....slowly but surely seem to be the key.

Chi-lling

I had my first Chi-Running coaching session yesterday, two hours of paradigm-shifting realisatons that I generally lumber instead of run and am definitely not aligned and smacking my feet down hard like breaks right on the heel....

The coach sent me a video and i was surprised to see my slow cadence and stooped frame and really enjoyed all the things i was taught....legs straight, pelvis engaged, head up, shoulders aligned and relax..Ive been doing it walking down the street and at the shops too..



I went for a test run twice just to see if i could do it and the forward lean and midfoot strike seems abit different at first but Im holding high hopes that it will mean the end of constant thigh strains and ankle pain and perhaps even the death of my Brooks Beasts (he told me to ditch them NOW!)

This is what i have to remember

1. Legs straight on

2. Pelvis engaged

3. Upright and shoulders/hips aligned

4. Strike legs out the back

5. Midfoot strike

6. Lean to speed up with same cadence

7. Form not power

8. Stay mindful/bodysensing

9. Dont worry about what others are doing

10. Chi-illax

Its alot but it all seems to come together in one piece...

Running Clears the Sinuses

The last three weeks has not been the ideal preparation for the Marysville half, starting with a sprained ankle in the bush which put me out for ten days and then the manflu which got me for another week....in that time Ive probably done 7 runs max and quite abit of cross training...

This morning, however, was one of those beautiful solid runs, where your not killing yourself, but you have no niggles and feel your power and you glide along.....sometimes i think running 4 times a week may be too often as you never fully get your body back to square one..after a week in New Zealand teaching with the flu it was fantastic to run easy with my two partners just for the hell of it..11 hilly kms, including the 'bastard' hill down in Beecroft that is almost vertical......there's nothing better for clearing the sinuses after the flu although i think my buddies were abit grossed out....luckily, as you can see above, it did show off my abs when i was doing it!

Its nice to be back and to make things better tomorrow i have my chi running coaching session..

On the mend

This week has been recovery-running-from-ankle-sprain week where i am running three easy 7kms and one easy 15km....the first two were a real shock to the system after 10 days rest and the week before that being pretty easy..it's amazing how the edge wears off in this short amount of time...on my first run my ankle blew up a little the next day which had me worried until i googled that it was normal.....the second days run was extremely hills which made my ankle hurt near the end...I put it in a bucket of cold water afterwards and then it has been relatively painfree since..

This morning very little pain, still sluggish but i really feel like i am on the mend.

I have also been practicing Chi-Running in preperation for my first coaching session in a week or so......i think i undestand how the midfoot strike is achived (kick legs out the back more?) and this means you can lean forward while keeping your pelvis engaged....I have to say it feels pretty good and natural although i have sore muscles in places i dont usually get them (hips, glutes, shins)...I hope this means Im doing it properly..

I now have three weeks of training left to get ready for Marysville Half...it wont be my finest moment but so long as i get out there and enjoy it Ill be pretty happy..

Time for Coaching

Just had a revelation over the past week...if i continue to battle with niggles my enjoyment of running is at risk and I need to change something..not because of my ankle (that wasnt related to posture) but the other niggles that have been plagueing me.....Ive decided to book a session with a coach, a Chi Running coach as it makes so much sense...

I love the quote

'The aim is to become more self-aware and to feel "one with the road." Finish times and pace times are considered less important than improving one's efficiency'.

I want to get it tatooed on my arm so i remember it...

I also think the idea of 'body sensing'..tuning into your body as you run, making sure the upper and lower body works together, that you are relaxed, core engaged, efficient...

Ive emailed a coach in the city so lets see how it goes...