My Running Movement Epiphany
EN Team,
After IM CDA in June, I committed to working with the guys from Pursuit Athletic Performance who do detailed gait analysis and then take you through a series of phases based on what they find. For most folks that includes putting you in "running jail" for 4 weeks while you build some muscle memory for core, trunk stability and strengthening exercises. In my case since I had so much hip movement, no glute firing, and lots of strength in the frontal plane, but not the back plane ... ... I was in running jail for 6 weeks, then on a back to running program for 6 weeks.
I have to admit that some of the exercises seemed downright silly and took me a long time to do well (e.g., pretending to grab sand between your ball of your foot and your heel without using your toes or inward pointing toe calf raises where you roll your ankles out at the point of maximum extension).
So I finished the back to running program on the 20th, and was in DC on travel last week. Enter my epiphany below which I shared with the guys at PAP, My point for EN is that if you have structural instability or are injury prone it is well worth the investment in this process. I am not fast, but really love exercising.
Paul
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Kurt and Al,
So I am traveling and in DC. I finished the six week back to running program on the weekend and so I decided to do a 5 mile trail run from my hotel after a day chock full of meetings.
The first 1.5 miles is rolling down hill then 2 miles up and down on hard packed trail with lots of roots and and rocks and normally I am really focusing on not turning an ankle or whatever. Then it's back mostly up the 1.5 miles back to the hotel. I also routinely run with a Garmin 310xt for pace etc.
So running down I am thinking about tall form, hips forward, glutes firing to align hips, blah blah blah and the back of my mind is thinking this will be great to run this route since I haven't run it in almost six months. So since starting work with you guys I haven't been focusing on pace to judge progress, but I have run this route for years. I used to do this routinely in under an hour and in the last 2-3 years it has both been taking an 1:05-10 minutes and I would finish literally feeling beat up.
So back to the run, I hit the hard pack trail and it takes sharp downhill. My first thought is this "feels" different. I'm cruising
still trying focus on form and turn over etc and about a half mile in I realize this is fall and a real scary time to run this trail when rocks and roots are covered with leaves and makes it harder. It clicks what is different - I am gripping the ground as I run. I start paying attention and realize I am running over small rocks and roots and my feet are gripping around them to move along.
So I cruise along thinking that is cool and unique (and I finally get why the "gripping the sand" exercise is about more than plantar fasciatis prevention). I get to the section with really steep ups and downs and this part has larger rocks and roots. I notice what is happening is that I am stepping on them and instead of my ankle rolling I am springing through them and do not feel out of control at all. (Enter those exercises where I am pointing toes in and extending followed by rolling ankles out.)
So I start counting and in the next mile +- I do that at least 7-8 more times without feeling fatigue or pain or out of control. So then I run back up to the hotel not a single step focusing on speed, just form and fun in running.
I finish stop my watch and it is 1:01:52 and I do not feel fatigued at all. In fact the only part of me that "felt" the run were my arches as I felt like I was using them as they were intended for the first time in a very long time.
Thanks for helping me back to the joy of running.
Paul
Comments
I'm curious on some of the outer exercises they had you doing. These exercise do you still do them pre or post run workout?
Funny thing is that after reading this post my 1st question is exactly what Jim's reply was. Really looking forward to what coach RorP has to say about this. I have never heard of Pursuit Athletic Performance ( http://pursuitathleticperformance.com ). Off to another website to get my TRI geek on.
@ Jim and Shawn -- the funny thing is that the reasons I went to them were:
the question regarding timing is very personal and I put it off from last winter to this summer, because I had registered for IM CDA and wanted to go through OS and then the build up. My way of thinking now having gone through it is that if you have fundamental flaws in form, balance, imbalance, core strength or stability, they will impact your ability to perform.
There are others who dropped in and I guess did not have so many "issues" who did not have a big impact.
I wanted a fundamental change and wanted to time it, kind of knowing that it could take 3-4 months to get the foundation of core and trunk stability and strength. It is my understanding that even with very high performing athletes, there is some form of running jail.
Even during that period you can ride (not on a tri bike) and swim, but they do not want you to go over 1.5-2 hours on the bike (I have to admit I may not have been so strict in following that guidance.
The thing is you will not know what you foundation needs are until they do the analysis and set up a planned way forward.
I am continuing to work with them on core stability and foundational strength as I am also 50 and that is central to my continuing to improve as an athlete.
@ Shawn -- the exercises progress and I am now at the phase where I do have some I do pre- and post-workout; and now some that I am doing (stretching and strength that take about 15-20 minutes) on my rest days.
I am integrating with my participation in the NOS.
Thank you, Paul, for the post and the recommendation. I have to say, I am intrigued. I may save it for Oct/Nov/Dec '13 because of the jail time... Did you do the Virtual or Gold package? Has anyone out there done the virtual package, and if so, how did it work?
@ Russell, I did the Gold package and then the back to running (phase 2) package too. There are folks in the haus that have done the virtual package, but there is something about being face-to-face that seriously adds value.
You might not be as "screwed up" as I was in terms of movement and trunk stability so the process may not take 3 months. Everyone is different and no two programs are the same for how to improve.
I will be doing the virtual analysis with them in the near future, and since I'm already in run jail- I'm looking at my work with PAP as my 'get out of jail' key. Been battling plantar fasciitis for a year now, trained through it for IMC this summer, and I am now (im) patiently waiting for it to heal. Hoping the work I can do with those guys will prevent future injuries. Thanks for sharing your experience, I am looking forward to starting with them!
@ david -- looks you are sold on working with them for the long haul and it will serve you well in the long run
@ David -- I have thought of that more and more as I get wiser, and watch the 9 and 10 year old neighborhood boys running around
@ Becky -- I can tell you they truely can help you sort those issues out, good luck