So I've been running in the new style for quite a while now... about 9 months, and the forefoot strike is starting to feel pretty normal now. That's not to say there aren't challenges though.
There are, for example, my hamstrings. When I push myself either in terms of altering technique or pushing my physical fitness limits, breakdowns occur wherever my weakest link is. In the beginning of the primitive running adventure it was my calves. Those were shored up with healthy doses of practice and strength training, but now I've discovered my next weakest link, the hammys.
When I start a run I immediately feel stiffness and discomfort in the upper hamstrings of both legs. This makes it hard to get going, but once I'm warmed up things usually go well. When I'm done my post-workout soreness is concentrated in that area as well. So the current plan is to make sure I do at least 2 days per week of leg curls and other lower body strength moves, as well as stretching, to hopefully repair that weakest link.
In other news, I've attempted my first race since adopting the new running style. I have to admit that I could not maintain what I thought was perfect technique. The race was a 5k, and 5ks tend to be exhausting right from the starting gun. I wasn't able to stay on my forefoot the whole time, but when I had the capacity to think of it I would try my best.
I think this may mean one of two things: either I'm over-exaggerating the technique during my training or the new technique is hard to maintain when I'm racing at or above threshold. Either way I think I'm going to proceed as planned and stick with the new style. I know that expertise in any particular discipline takes several years to acquire, so I'm not discouraged. I still do all my training avoiding a heel strike and I still plan to try to run my races that way.
On yet another note, two of my friends/training partners have taken barefoot running to heart and have nothing but good things to say about it, aside from the initial calf soreness that everyone seems to get. One of these runners was mentioned in a previous post having initially proclaimed barefoot running the worst idea ever. I think the lesson here is that, although the technique is difficult to adopt in the beginning, it has long-term benefits that are worth the initial struggle.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Primitive Running 5 - Why call it primitive running?
But first a quick update. My weight is steady at around 205 pounds. Think I need to work more on good nutrition and tip the calorie balance in favor of weight loss before this side of things improves. Nonetheless my feet and legs are getting stronger with each day that I run with the forefoot strike. In fact, last Friday I managed a 90 minute run forefoot striking the entire time. Yes, at times it was uncomfortable, but my arches/calves/hamstrings never reached the point of failure. I feel I could easily do a 5k race with this technique now and I'm looking forward to the summer season!
That said, there are still some physical issues, specifically upper hamstring tightness and occasional pain in the arches (no calf DOMS though!). These are minor however, and getting better with each passing day. I think my neuromuscular system has completely assimilated the new technique because reverting to the old heel strike feels very awkward. Only during downhill running to I sometimes land on my heels, and that may be partially due to the slippery, snow-covered roads.
So, why do I call it primitive running anyway? Running with a forefoot/midfoot strike is a totally mainstream and contemporary technique. Pretty much any pro runner worth their salt does it. It's preached by every running/triathlon coach I've ever heard from. So why don't I just call it "good form"?
Well, there are two reasons. The first is that I was convinced of the validity of the technique after reading about the Tarahumara in "Born to Run". Second, I guess there is more I'd like to achieve than just good running form. I'd like to experience running in a way that primitive humans did. It seems to me that we're wired to enjoy doing the things that are required of us to survive in this world and pass on our genes to the next generation. Examples: eating... fun, sex... fun, being warm and safe instead of cold and exposed... fun. In the days before a paycheck and a phone call to Pizza Hut were the only things required to get food, presumably running (or at least walking a lot) was a requirement for survival. And if our brains were not wired to perceive running as fun, we'd be less likely to do it and less likely to acquire food. So you may say this is pure speculation and ask, "how could anyone think running is fun?" Well, many adults claim to enjoy running, but rather than use them as evidence, I'll point to children. Left without any video game type distractions kids will run nonstop for hours at a time. They'll run until they pass out. Put them on a playground or just them amongst some trees and rocks and hills and streams and fields and they'll find a reason to run. So do we lose this desire to run when we become adults? I think not, but it is repressed in our modern world. So instead of running for the pure joy or the necessity of finding food, we begrudgingly do it to "stay fit" or "lose weight", but most people don't seem to enjoy it.
I didn't enjoy running when I first started. And I'm only starting to as I get better at it and it becomes more and more effortless. So I suppose there is some activation energy to overcome before running can be a true joy for the modern, hard-working grown-up, but I'd like to think it's worth it. I really do like running, but I think I could like it even more. When I begin deciding that I truly, truly WANT to run on a daily basis, that's when I'll call myself a primitive runner.
That said, there are still some physical issues, specifically upper hamstring tightness and occasional pain in the arches (no calf DOMS though!). These are minor however, and getting better with each passing day. I think my neuromuscular system has completely assimilated the new technique because reverting to the old heel strike feels very awkward. Only during downhill running to I sometimes land on my heels, and that may be partially due to the slippery, snow-covered roads.
So, why do I call it primitive running anyway? Running with a forefoot/midfoot strike is a totally mainstream and contemporary technique. Pretty much any pro runner worth their salt does it. It's preached by every running/triathlon coach I've ever heard from. So why don't I just call it "good form"?
Well, there are two reasons. The first is that I was convinced of the validity of the technique after reading about the Tarahumara in "Born to Run". Second, I guess there is more I'd like to achieve than just good running form. I'd like to experience running in a way that primitive humans did. It seems to me that we're wired to enjoy doing the things that are required of us to survive in this world and pass on our genes to the next generation. Examples: eating... fun, sex... fun, being warm and safe instead of cold and exposed... fun. In the days before a paycheck and a phone call to Pizza Hut were the only things required to get food, presumably running (or at least walking a lot) was a requirement for survival. And if our brains were not wired to perceive running as fun, we'd be less likely to do it and less likely to acquire food. So you may say this is pure speculation and ask, "how could anyone think running is fun?" Well, many adults claim to enjoy running, but rather than use them as evidence, I'll point to children. Left without any video game type distractions kids will run nonstop for hours at a time. They'll run until they pass out. Put them on a playground or just them amongst some trees and rocks and hills and streams and fields and they'll find a reason to run. So do we lose this desire to run when we become adults? I think not, but it is repressed in our modern world. So instead of running for the pure joy or the necessity of finding food, we begrudgingly do it to "stay fit" or "lose weight", but most people don't seem to enjoy it.
I didn't enjoy running when I first started. And I'm only starting to as I get better at it and it becomes more and more effortless. So I suppose there is some activation energy to overcome before running can be a true joy for the modern, hard-working grown-up, but I'd like to think it's worth it. I really do like running, but I think I could like it even more. When I begin deciding that I truly, truly WANT to run on a daily basis, that's when I'll call myself a primitive runner.
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