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Written by Vince
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Sunday, 10 January 2010 07:59 |
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I've been looking over my training log for last year and I was pleased with the progress I made on the swim and bike but I feel like my run needs improvement. Of the three disciplines, I felt like I was strongest in the run but now I feel like that's where I should be focusing my attention in 2010. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I didn't make progress last year because I felt like my run got stronger, it just didn't get faster.
When I compare my run training from 2008 and 2009, there wasn't much of a difference except that I increased the volume and frequency. And that change didn't occur until after mid-year so I will continue down that path as well as making other small changes which I hope will allow me to have a more competitive run.
As I'm sitting here at the start of the season, I'm thinking about what lies ahead and what I'd like to accomplish. I've moved beyond unrealistic goal setting. In the past, I would just blurt out a dream goal like: I want to go under 10 hours. The question I should've asked myself though is... how? I want to go under 10 hours based on what? Based on the fact that it sounds good but it didn't have any basis in reality. What I've done to combat this idiocy is to pull the results from athletes that can do what I'd like to do and see if their times and my times are similar.
My "A" race this year is CdA and I'd like to get into the top ten of my age group. Pulling the CdA results from 2009 shows that my swim time places me in the top of that group, my bike time places me in the middle, and my run time places me in bottom of that group. So it would seem that what I perceive is not too far from the truth -- I need to work on my run.
My training officially started on Monday. I guess it technically started on January 1st when I started playing a game of 30 Runs in 30 Days. I think a foundation of frequent running will be a good start for getting faster but I'm looking for other ideas and I've been scouring the Internet for information.
In my searches, I stumbled across a Mirinda Carfrae Run Form Analysis where the author describes her perfect running form. It's a thing of beauty to watch her run and it makes me sad because I know my run looks nothing like that. But with a bunch of hard work, my run will never look like that but maybe it won't look like I'm stomping on ants. :)
In addition to the video, I found a document which discussed how to identify common musculoskeletal imbalances and steps to correct the problems. As I was reading the article, I came across this statement: "The big toe of a chronic overpronator may be bent inwards towards the lesser toes." Looking at my hobbit feet, I noticed that my big (hairy) toes bend inwards towards my lesser toes. This wasn't anything I didn't already know except for the big toe indicator.
That document got me to thinking about running shoes. I’m not one of those conspiracy theorists that believes the running shoe industry is causing more problems than it solves but I thought about what I'd read and as I was running. What I discovered was that my big toe doesn't touch the ground; it just sits in my shoe along for a ride. I'm just making an observation but it appears that my motion control running shoe does nothing to solve the problem. (Dang conspiracy theorists were right -- the running shoe industry IS perpetuating the problem.)
Now I'm thinking that before I try to get faster, I might want to learn how to run. Or maybe even walk. I get a little skittish when I think about messing around in this area though. I've been injury free for quite some time and I'd hate to break that streak. The corrective exercises listed in the document seem fairly simple so I think I'll start there and see where that leads me. The first sign of pain and my big toe can move to the other side of the shoe if it likes because I'd rather run than not.
That leads me to the last piece of content -- a Bobby McGee podcast where he talks about the Run-Walk protocol (again). I've heard recordings of him speak on this in the past and he makes a compelling argument for who should do it and why. The "who" is anyone who isn't running a sub 2:30 marathon. That's not a typo. The "why" is obvious to me but I can't get past the stress of slowing down and the embarrassment of walking.
When I attempted run-walk, it was in close proximity to my "A" race and I had little patience for something new. But now I’m at the start of the season so I will give it another shot. If I am successfully able to incorporate run-walk, I think I can knock 15 minutes off my run and that would allow me to be more competitive. That alone is enough for me to give it a good try. I'll just have to start running in the dark so nobody can see me walking. :)
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