Memorial Day

I spent Memorial Day at my parents. I should've brought my running shoes so I could go out on my sister's first training run with her. It would have been a good run in the rain. I lounged around and watched movies instead.

Eliza and Paul bought a new soccer ball this weekend. We got some people together in the evning for a game. It was really a lot of fun even though I didn't have any cleats on and was sliding all over the place, but so was everyone else. These two little kids came to play with us, which was awesome. Just two random brothers from the neighborhood. Gabe was on our team and he was probably no more than seven years old. He was a rock star! It was fun.

I left soccer to go play frisbee. I guess since it was a holiday people didn't think we would still play. That was nice since the numbers were smaller. We were playing 6's or 7's the whole time. It was some good, fun ultimate. Monday night hasn't been that fun in a long time. I wish it would stay that way.

I'm sensitive.

I rolled out of bed around 10'ish, made some toast with peanut butter schmeared all over it, laced up the running shoes and was out the door. I had planned to do six or eight miles. Run up on 11th East over to Sugarhouse. Maybe take some laps in the park. On the way over there I realized what a horrible idea that all was. It was too hot. I am sensitive. I had to revise the plan and cut the run short.

Once I got to 21st South I headed west over to 8th East. I figured I could head back on one of my regular routes. Maybe the familiarity would take the edge off. Eight hundred East is a quieter street with more trees to offer shade. The heat still got the better of me.

When I got home I stretched for about one minute before heading over to the pool. It was opening day for the season. I had to cool off.

Matt Hein had called while I was out. They were planning on playing frisbee at 1 o'clock. I couldn't resist. It was hot, but I was among friends so it was still fun. I made some amazing catches while running down the disc. The field is completely dried up and dead. After we played a few games, we decided to go swimming. It was now my second time in the pool that day. We played some killer 500 with a frisbee. Good times were had by all.

I ended the day feeling drained by all the playing in the sun. It was a good feeling.

~5 miles; some killer frisbee; and a little bit o' pool time

I've been a slacker lately in more ways than one

You might wonder why I haven't posted about my running adventures as of late. It's because I haven't had any. I went trail running last Tuesday morning. The BST, near the zoo. It was a good 2.5'ish mile run. Some good uphill climbing. Wednesday I was too busy. Thursday I was too busy. I couldn't even play frisbee because I had stupid staff training. So now I'm feeling like a fat, lazy person and I probably wont even be able to get out tonight. I have to show the apartment to some prospective buyers, and then I'm off to Wendover, Nevada. We'll see what tomorrow brings. My life just needs to slow down a little bit!

Just a side note about my frisbee team. It looks like we really are a tournament team. Last night they won all three games. We're playing next week and the worst we can do is third place overall. We have a chance to win this thing. And I'll be at staff training, yet again.

Secret Wednesday Nights?

Last summer we had to have a secret frisbee night. Monday's got too crowded. Chris Green and his gang just throw the huck--hero plays every time. It was special invite only. It was on the DL. I think we might need to start doing it again.

Frisbee last night was a little crazy. There wasn't a big argument like the week before, but there were just too many people. And, of course, I get stuck on Chris Green's team. Huck. Huck. Huck. I don't even have to run because the first toss is a hail mary down to our endzone, where someone doesn't catch it because there's fifty people going up for the same disc. Where is the beauty? Where is the flow? Where are the hard cuts that make you earn the disc?

Monday night disc at Bryant

We're gonna win the beer bowl!

Three games of frisbee. Two regular season. One tournament.

We played the same team twice in a row last night and lost both games. Good thing it's a double elimination tournament. Now we're in the beer bracket. The loser's division. But it's not too bad. Six years ago my team won the beer bowl and still got tshirts. But I don't think they do that anymore. You've gotta be a "champion" for the free schwag.

My legs were really beat last night. By the third game my knee was killing me. The good doctors said it was [fill in the word I can't remember--but it did start with a B] and that I need to take I-Buprofin and rest. Ice wouldn't hurt either. They said I was running too hard. Which is true. The field is really hard (even after all that rain) and I was making some pretty hard cuts. I'm sure the trail running I did that morning didn't help the problem. So I'm going to take it easy for a few days.

3 games; City league Ultimate frisbee

2 dogs, 1 rabbit, a duck, and some hikin'

We hit the trails again. Nat literally hit the trails. She fell twice and had some nice blood running down her leg. Weak ankles, she says. It was all quite an adventure to say the least. We decided to run north this time. Once we were behind the U hospital we took a right up this trail. While we were running up this hill, I looked ahead and was disheartened by it all. It turned out to be straight up hill for about a quarter-mile or so (I never was very good at judging distances). We decided to hike it. Twenty-five minutes out was our turn-around time. So we headed back down the trail. We got lost once. And when I say lost I don't really mean we were lost. I mean that we didn't take a turn and had to scramble up a short, but very steep hill. Definite good times.

It was another beautiful morning on the BST. The temp was nice. My legs felt pretty good. I did tank my left ankle once, folded it right over, but I think I'll recover. The hills are good for us, though. And so is the view.

4 miles; Bonneville Shoreline Trail

It's only May!

It was hot yesterday evening. Too hot to be running. I can't wait for summer.

I ran the opposite direction than I usually do. It was mostly uphill until I turned around and came back. I felt dehydrated practically the whole time.

~3 Miles; 2nd Ave to Virginia Street

I am proud of myself.

You should be proud of me too, I got up early enough to get a run in this morning. Nat wasn't even around to motivate me to get my butt out of bed. Maybe this early morning thing isn't too bad afterall. (Though I don't feel that way when my alarm is going off!)

It had rained all night so the run this morning was really nice. Everything looked so fresh. It was some good spring running. I felt I was moving pretty fast. My ankle bothered me a bit at first, but by the end it was doing alright. Maybe it was just numb to the pain after the constant pounding. It hasn't bothered me too much today, though, so that's good. I kind of ran out of energy a little bit by the end of the run. I probably should have grabbed something to eat before I left. I barely had a sip of water before heading out the door! Overall it was a nice run. I just wish I could wake up earlier to run longer. At least I got out there, though. Tonight I have CPR training for Club Ute, so I wouldn't have been able to do anything then anyway. It must have been fate... or something.

~3 miles; 8th East to Kensington Ave

Hittin' the trails

When the alarm went off at 6 o'clock this morning I wasn't too happy. When it went off again at 6:09 am I still wasn't too happy. But Nat and I finally dragged ourselves out of bed; the trails were calling our names. We ran on the Bonneville Shoreline trail today. I think trail running is what I need in my life right now. All the hills will kick our butts into shape. It was good to see the city from the foothills--the greens of the valley floor, the sunlight inching over the tall buildings. By then end, I was happy I had woken up so early. I think I will try again tomorrow.

2.77 miles; Bonneville Shoreline Trail

Ride hard!

Saturday morning I woke up really early and rode my bike over to Sugarhouse Park. It was the first time I've been out on my bike all year. Pretty much riding up that big hill to get from 9th East to 15th East about killed me. I need to get out and ride more, that's for dang sure! It was a relatively short ride, but I didn't do anything else that day. Sometimes it's best to just take things chilly.

The Pose Method: Form for Function?

Within the community of endurance athletes, not all share the same views on running form. Runners and triathletes, though they share common goals, differ in their school of thought in regards to technique. What started out as a single man’s reaction to the lack of teaching of form in track and field athletes has now grown into a mainstream technique for triathletes. Dr. Nicholas Romanov developed this new running form over twenty years ago to help coach athletes in Russia. This technique, now known as the Pose Method, synthesizes the body’s biomechanics and gravity to run faster and injury free. Traditional runners, on the other hand, do not believe the method’s validity or efficiency. Scientists and doctors both differ in perspective and opinion in regards to the Pose Method as well. Is the Pose Method too radical for the running community or is the running community just unwilling to let old habits die?

The main push behind the Pose Method is its grounding in physiological research. Dr Romanov studied sprinters and distance runners and also other athletes in the field and in the lab to reach an understanding of the body’s movements and its most efficient sequences. Just as in ballet, Dr Romanov believed that the body will work most effectively when it uses different sets of “poses” and then sequencing those poses to make the action. Thus, the sequence of the Pose Method involves a quick turnover while landing on the ball of the foot. In traditional running, it is common to heel-strike and then roll to the toes to push off. The muscles are being relied on to propel the runner through the motion. With the Pose Method gravity is the main source of propulsion. Physiologically, no proof has been given as to which form of propulsion is more effective or safer on the body.

In the center of this discussion is the topic of injury. In the past, injury in endurance sport has been accepted as part of the hazard of rigorous training. On average, 2 of every 3 runners experience a training related injury in his or her career. Doctors have been able to effectively treat common running-related injuries, but no technologic advance, such as specifically designed shoes or orthotic inserts, has been able to successfully prevent these injuries. The Pose Method claims to do just that, however. To understand the causes of injury for both technique, a closer look at form and biomechanics is necessary.

Traditional runners are commonly heal-strikers. The heal makes the first contact with the ground as the foot rolls through to the toe. Injuries most often occur when joints are stressed as a result from impact on a hard running surface. Runners often complain of knee pain, Iliotibial Band syndrome (IT Band syndrome), and hip problems. Stress fractures in the foot plague runners as well. These impact injuries can be very severe and often require ample time-off to heal properly. To combat these problems, running specialists design shoes to correct the pronation of the foot, thus lessening the negative effect of impact on the joints. Extra cushioned or more stable foot pads are placed in the shoe to control the motion of the foot. The proponents of the Pose Method do not believe that compensation needs to be made for foot type; rather form is what needs to be changed to lessen impact and injury.

The Pose Method does have some elements of traditional good running form: rapid turnover, short strides, landing under the body’s center of mass, and a forefoot landing. The two methods start to differ when the Pose runner lands on a bent knee directly under his torso as the heal makes slight contact with the ground and is flicked up toward the butt. One key difference in the two methods is the amount of leaning the runner does. To initiate movement, the Pose runner leans forward. To increase speed, the runner leans farther, thus increasing turnover. However, the forefoot land and increased lean take the stress that is commonly placed in the joints and loads it into the calf muscle and Achilles tendon. While over fifty percent of common running injuries may be lessened with the Pose Method injuries in the Achilles tendon are increased.

In other sports, hours are spent in teaching proper form to athletes. But many elite runners and coaches agree that form cannot be taught. It is a mixture of proper training and natural talent. Many Kenyans (who are the leaders of the sport) do not focus on form at all. To do so, they feel, would take away the simplicity of it all. This may be where triathletes and traditional runners diverge. Within the sport of triathlon, two other disciplines are combined with running. Both swimming and cycling are heavy-laden with form specific training. Technique is taught to increase the efficiency and economy of the athlete. Thus it is more logical for a triathlete to be open to the discussion of form in running, whereas a runner would not.

Not only do those in triathlon and running differ in opinion, but many leading doctors and scientists differ in opinion as well. Runner’s World ran an article in the October 2004 issue that cited three biomechanists who each had a different opinion on the legitimacy of the Pose Method. Ray M. Fredericksen, M.S. works in the orthopedic Biomechanics Lab at Michigan State University views the Pose Method as a “sound practical concept,” he then continues, “Most efficient runners are midfoot strikers. And running is a matter of momentum, of picking your foot off the ground and swinging your limb forward. Naturally, you will lean.” As a biochemist and distance runner technique expert from Brigham Young University, Iain Hunter, Ph.D. is more doubtful of the Pose Method. “It will not be beneficial for sprinters, as you need a large force applied to the ground for that, and I worry about its economy for long distance.” Keith R. Williams, Ph.D. of UC Davis is even more skeptical of the Pose Method and states that “There is no supportive evidence that running on the ball of the foot is better than landing with the heel first. Most people automatically do what’s most comfortable and efficient.” With continued studies—depending on the results—the scientific community may back the Pose Method theory. If Dr. Romanov’s method achieves that level of support from biomechanists the running community may embrace the Pose Method as well. However, it is more likely that the running community will keep using the methods that have been working for them. It is the prevailing belief with traditional runners that even if injury rates may be more frequent, running is a natural action that cannot be taught.

Some may wonder why it is such a controversial debate between runners and triathletes. Some may also wonder why one group has embraced the Pose Method while the other has not. Both sides have facts behind their reasoning. The form controversy among triathletes and runners may be beneficial to each sport in the sense that awareness and discussion among professionals are furthering the body of knowledge for the sports. As researchers and biomechanists continue their studies on the Pose Method a paradigm shift may take place among the running community. A caution must be sent forth; however, with any change in form one must be careful. The change itself may cause injury if the runner does not go about it in a smart way. Slowly change your form over a long training period. Build up to changes in your technique and allow your body to adapt. In the end, it is a personal decision to run with the Pose Method or not. What works for some may not work for others. If the way an athlete is currently running causes him or her chronic pain a reevaluation may be needed. There is no need to run with Achilles tendon problems or an inflamed IT Band. Run safe. Run Smart.

This is another article I wrote for the same writing class. I was in a Triathlon class at the time and my teacher was a huge supporter of the Pose Method. I never really got into it because I felt like I was sprinting all the time and that I wasn't relaxed when I ran. I think it has some sound running principles behind it, but I'm a little skeptical on its economy over long distances.

Born to Run

Does having a big butt help you run? According to University of Utah biologist Dennis Bramble and Harvard University anthropologist Daniel Lieberman it does! Featured in the November 18th issue of the scientific journal, Nature, Bramble and Lieberman discussed the theory that the human anatomy evolved the way it did because of the need to cover long distances and compete for food.

Bramble and Lieberman argue that our genus, Homo, evolved from more ape-like human ancestors 2 million or more years ago because natural selection favored the survival of a species that could run and, over time, favored the perpetuation of human anatomical features that made long-distance running possible.

“Running has substantially shaped human evolution. Running made us human — at least in an anatomical sense,” Bramble continues, “We think running is one of the most transforming events in human history. We are arguing the emergence of humans is tied to the evolution of running.”

From tendons and ligaments in the legs and feet that act like springs and skull features that help prevent overheating to a well-defined buttocks that stabilizes the body, humans were made to run.

So why has the scientific community dismissed running as a factor in human evolution in the past? The answer may lie in the fact that humans are poor sprinters compared to other running animals. Human endurance running ability has been underappreciated because of the failure to recognize that “high speed is not always important,” Bramble says. “What is important is combining reasonable speed with exceptional endurance.”

As endurance athletes we can appreciate our body’s ability to run well. Lieberman stated that “we do it because we are good at it. We enjoy it and we have all kinds of specializations that permit us to run well.”

Some uniquely human running characteristics include:

• Larger surface areas in the hip, knee, and ankle joints improve shock absorption.
• Shorter forearms make it easier for the upper body to counterbalance the lower body during running.
• A more balanced head with a flatter face, smaller teeth, and short snout shifts the center of mass back, easier enabling you to balance your head while it’s bobbing up and down while running.
• The arrangement of bones in the human foot creates a stable or stiff arch that makes the foot more rigid which allows the foot to push off the ground more efficiently.
• Human buttocks are huge compared to animals such as apes. These muscles are critical for stabilization, because they connect the femur to the trunk.

This is an article I wrote last fall for a writing class. I thought it was super interesting since we have been stuck in the humans-are-the-way-they-are-because-we-learned-to-walk paradigm for all of history. The idea that human anatomy and physiology developed because of our need to cover long distances is pretty cool. We were born to run; our body's allow us to be good at it.

Just a quicky

Frisbee was cancelled last night. The field conditions were too bad. All this rain, without any sunny days to dry it out, has left the field totally saturated. It would do more harm to play than good. So with the field's best interest in mind I was okay with not having league night. There will be other days for frisbee.

I went running instead. It had to be quick because Netti, Heather, Shannon, Don, and I were going to go out to eat (we do every Thursday after City League) at 6:30pm.

I blamed all my problem's on my last pair of running shoes. They just never felt right; my legs didn't feel good in them. I had chronic problems all throughout my training for Salt Lake. Maybe that's one reason I never went running. A week after the marathon I went back to Salt Lake Running Co., got on the treadmill for a biomechanics analysis to see if those shoes were even right for my foot-type. I over pronate, which means I need a stability shoe to stop my ankle from collapsing on the foot strike and roll through of my stride. The guy that was helping me brought out a bunch of different brands of stability shoes and I tried them on to see which was most comfortable. In the store it was easy to tell which felt best on my feet. The Aasics. So I purchased them. The guy looked it up in the computer and they were the exact pair I had previously, just probably the newer model (these had yellow accents instead of blue). But they felt the most comfortable! I was a little worried I would have the same problems, but still I walked out the door with them.

Last night's run was a testament to how I have been feeling all these prior months. My legs don't feel good. My right hamstring hurts. It felt like I was running with shin splints. I had this pain running all the way up my leg. It's either the shoe or the cambered street I was running on. Maybe I should go back and get another pair. Because on new shoes I don't think I should be feeling like this at all.

~2 miles, 9th East to 1300 South

What do you think I am, made of money?!

We didn't go swimming last night. The HPER has new summer hours. We went over to Steiner Aquatics, but it costs $5 just to go lap swimming, $6 for Masters. We're too poor, instead we went to Smith's and bought healthy food.

I was looking online yesterday at a running club I might join and the Masters swim team at Steiner's. My co-worker, Kelley, just dropped off a flyer for Sonic Yoga, the studio she practices at. Everything just costs so much money!! But if I'm truly committed to my goal of Boston, I feel that these would be really helpful things in my life.

I guess I can live without the running club. But that's the cheapest one: only fifteen bucks a year! What would be most beneficial is getting a pass at Steiner's. If I swim Masters I'll be getting that quality, kick-you-in-the-butt kind of swim workout that I need. Sure I can go swim laps on my own, but it's not the same intensity and I'm a little lazy. The yoga studio would just be all around good for me to increase flexibility and hopefully reshape my body into a leaner version of myself. But maybe I can find a studio that will let me work there 1-2 hours a week in exchange for some sessions.

Nat and I didn't wake up early and do anything this morning. I didn't want to go running because my ankle hurts and I don't want to overdo it. I'm playing frisbee tonight anyway. I love league night!

Day 1 of a new life

My roommate, Natalie Cornell, and I are rededicating ourselves to running. We trained for the innagural Salt Lake City Marathon together over a year ago, and now we're training for the Wasatch Back Relay together as well. We've decided to wake up early in the morning to get a run in and some days we'll workout in the evening as well. Tonight we're going lap swimming. We're going to eat healthier too.

This morning's run was interesting. Here we are, nearly in the middle of May and it is snowing! It reminded us both of the old days--each long run we fought cold rain and snow it seems.

Despite the usual random pains I was fine. Natalie almost had a fainting spell, though. She said that she sometimes gets this weird feeling in her collar bone and then she'll get dizzy. I'm glad she was okay, because I had already ran up ahead.

I hope we can keep up our early morning workouts.

~3 miles; 8th East to Kensington Ave

Finding the Kenyan Within

I like to say that I am my own elite athlete. I don't win prize purses or have any sponsors splattered all over myself. I definately don't have the Kenyan's stride. I'm not even all that fast. But there is something about being able to run long distances that is addicting. It is empowering. It's a lifetime's process of discovering the potential within. Even if I'm not winning any races, or even my age division for that matter, I have the spirit of an elite endurence athlete. I will become that Kenyan deep down inside.

I started this blog because recently I have a new-found passion for running. It had been lost for a little while. I think I just needed to get past the Salt Lake City Marathon so I could focus on the rest of my running season. I have motivation now. I actually want to get out on the streets every day.

Yesterday I found out that I had gotten into the St George Marathon. This is my second chance for Boston. I am taking it seriously. I want to bring my running to a whole new level. And maybe by tracking my progress here on this site, I can do just that. I hope to not take anything away from my running log at home. This is merely a supplement; the lyrical voice of miles, times, and journeys. A place to more fully express my relationship with running and endurence sports in general.

Come back from time to time to see my progress. It's a long road to greatness, but it's worth it.

Destination: Boston 2006