by ·Comments Off on Race to Stay Motivated to Run
Run Races to Stay Motivated

Run Races to Stay Motivated

Running is probably the cheapest way to work out without excessive side costs.  It is also one of the best ways to stay fit.  But sometimes, just running on a regular basis isn’t enough to stay motivated.  You need that something extra to help pull you along and keep you excited; otherwise, you’ll simply feel bored and worn out, and eventually just stop running altogether.  So how does one stay motivated?

Some people stay motivated because they have running groups or running buddies who can help them stay motivated and who can help the run more bearable, especially those long runs.  But what if you don’t have any running groups or running buddies?  How can you stay motivated?

The best way I’ve personally done it is by signing up for races throughout the year.

Here in the Central Valley, I didn’t realize how many local races there are until I signed up for one of the local small town events–the Micke Grove Zoo Zoom 5K.  There are practically several events almost every month as shown here at the On Your Mark Events schedule!

Signing up for running races is great for motivation for the following reasons:

  •  It establishes milestones over time on which you know you’ll have to run.
  • Nothing is better at motivating you to go faster than to try to beat your last race time.
  • Running with a group helps you run faster than normal; the race excitement can actually shave off minutes from your normal time!
  • After a race you want to know when the next one is so you can do it again.

If you are running to stay fit and can’t find a way to stay motivated, why not sign up for a race today?  It may just work for you.  After all running is something almost anyone can do.

by ·Comments Off on Which Martial Art is Best?

People are always debating about which martial art is better.  Is karate better than kung fu?  Is aikido better than tae kwon do?  How about jiu-jitsu, judo, tai chi, escrima, ninjitsu, aikido, hapkido, and krav maga, just to name a few more?

First let’s make sure we qualify what we mean by “better.”  I am using “better” from the perspective of a physical unarmed fight.

As a martial artist, I have looked into this question as well.  Based on my experience and observation over time, I have come to some pretty eye opening conclusion.

Martial Arts — How They Came to Be

Martial arts can be traced back as far as recorded history–as far back as 2800 BC (see reference 1).  Throughout history humans have proven they are prone to conflicts.  People of various groups, tribes, and countries have fought many battles and wars.  Because of conflicts, many ways of fighting (martial arts) have evolved.  Such evolution occurred in various places we now know as China, India, Japan, Korea, Greece, Germany, Italy, and England, just to name a few.

Which martial arts is best

Karate Kid

Some of the early martial artists were knights, Spartan soldiers,  Roman soldiers, Japanese samurais, Japanese ninjas, and Chinese Shaolin monks.  What made these warriors better than their opponents were their training and dedication?  These people trained all their lives with one purpose–to win physical conflicts or fights.

Evolution of Modern Martial Arts (Western View)

To some degree, the human race have evolved to the point where there is no longer a need for the fighting arts.  Modern weapons have made the need for martial arts warriors a thing of the past; people no longer have to train all their lives to fight off enemies.  With an automatic weapon, good aim, and ammunition, one can easily fend off attackers.

Today people who train in martial arts do it for some other purpose.  Most train to make themselves better people.  Some train primarily for the sport of fighting.  Others train for both.

On top of that, various martial arts styles from many countries, once only available from their respective locale, are now available everywhere.  Martial arts styles and techniques once known to a few are now prevalent.  Hollywood has done their job promoting the arts to those who would otherwise never look into such things.  Movies like “Enter the Dragon” and “Karate Kid” (the links go to Amazon.com, which provides basic information about the movie) have made “kung fu” and “karate” common terms for the masses.  Having Judo and Taekwondo as Olympic sports have also added to the promotion and prevalence of martial arts in modern times.

Which is the best martial arts

UFC tried to prove which martial arts is best


The next wave in martial arts rave came with the introduction of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships).  The first widely publicized UFC  event (aka UFC 1) occurred in November 1993.  It was an 8-man tournament involving people of various fighting styles.  This event was supposed to answer which was the best; or so we thought.

Laws of Physics

What does the law of physics have to do with this topic?  Well, most people know that it is near impossible to defy the laws of physics (unless you are a magician, of course).  In any tournament, the winner is always the one who has three things going for them (which is what I would refer to here as the laws of physics):

  1. Well trained for the event at hand
  2. Healthy on date of event
  3. “Eye of the tiger” or the inner heart to win

At UFC 1  Royce Gracie (Brazilian Jujitsu style) came out on top.  Here’s why he won:

  1. He has trained all his life in Jujitsu and in this style of event.  This was the perfect venue for Gracie.
  2. He was healthy and was 7 years younger than his final opponent.
  3. He fought for his family name; there was no way he was going to lose this as his family name was on the line on a widely publicized event in the US.

All three of the above lined up perfectly for him.

Compare this to his opponents.

  1. Gracie’s first opponent was a retired boxer.  Boxers are used to fighting with their fists and on their feet using all kinds of fighting rules.  The boxer was basically like a fish out of water once he was taken down to the ground.  There was no way the boxer was going to win.  This was a very easy win.
  2. Gracie’s second opponent was Ken Shamrock.  I wouldn’t say that Shamrock was at 100% since he just came back 4 days earlier from fighting in Japan (see reference 2).  On top of that, Shamrock was used to events involving more rules.  In UFC 1, the only rule was “no eye gouging or biting”.
  3. Gracie’s last opponent was Gerard Gordeau.  Gordeau’s core was Karate and Savate.  He did multi-martial arts events, but it involved more rules than UFC 1.  On top of that he injured himself punching and kicking a sumo wrestler (Tuli)  on match 1.  He was no match against Gracie.

It is  now over 140 UFC events later.  UFC has evolved.  It now has weight divisions and more rules.  Fighters of various core styles have come to compete, and in various events, grapplers and stand up fighters  alike have won.  Some won with a knockout punch or kick, and some won through some submission hold.

So what does this say about which style is better?  Nothing really.  It proves only one thing, the laws of physics cannot be defied.  Thus in order for one to win a true, no rule confrontation the same three things need to hold true:

  1. Trained well for the situation
  2. Healthy on date of event
  3. Inner strength and motivation to win

Which Is Best?  The Winner Is…

Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee

Two of the Best Martial Artists (Grand Master Jhoon Rhee and the Legendary Bruce Lee); photo credit: jhoonrheetkdrrwest.com

After all this, which martial arts is really best?  The answer is none.  What truly makes a martial art style best is the martial artist.  It is the martial artist who trains and masters the arts.  It is my true belief that in a true physical confrontation where there are no rules, the best martial artist always wins, regardless of style.

Reference:

  1. History of Martial Arts (en.wikipedia.org)
  2. Ken Shamrock (en.wikipedia.org)
  3. UFC 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

by ·Comments Off on The Essence of Self-defense

The Essence of Self-Defense

Defending yourself requires that you understand some very basic yet essential information about self-defense and the nature of self-defense.

Knowing these will help you understand the reasons for the things you do during training and help you overcome attack situations.

These are the key points to remember:

  • Attacks can happen when you least expect it
  • Your body will react the way it was trained
  • You are a walking weapons arsenal
  • There are no rules on the street when it come to protecting your life
  • You only need to know minimal but effective self-defense skills to protect and evade

If you want to read more about this, feel free to download The Essence of Self-Defense.

by ·Comments Off on Is Taekwondo an Effective Martial Art?
Taekwondo Students Warming up

Taekwondo Students Warming up

Before I answer this question, we must come to a common understanding of the term “effective”.  Too many times, when people say something, they have a certain meaning or intent for that word which may or may not match with those on the receiving end.

To this end, let’s define “effective”.

The term “effective” shall be used in the context of self-defense, not in pitting one art against another.  Too many times people compare one art against another, arguing about which is better, when in fact, the biggest factor in making the determination is the person who practices the art.

Anyway, back to the term “effective”.  In self-defense, an art is effective if it does the job it was intended to do–help someone who would otherwise be at a disadvantage defend against an unexpected, bigger attacker (or attackers).  The art becomes effective if the practitioner is able to use what they’ve learned to escape harm from their assailant.  Notice that I said escape from and not beat their assailant.  I remind my students that all they need to do is escape; don’t stick around fighting like in the movies–just escape.

Taekwondo, like other martial arts, gives the practitioner a fighting chance to escape; and if left with no choice, a chance to defeat their assailants. Because of this, Taekwondo is an effective martial art.

What does Taekwondo teach to make it an effective martial art?  Here are just a few obvious ones:

  • Agility and coordination
  • Strength and flexibility
  • Striking and blocking techniques
  • Combination self-defense techniques to some of the most common attacks
  • Knowledge of the most vulnerable targets on the human physiology
  • Constant practice to ingrain self-defense techniques into physical reactions
  • The moral knowledge and strength to do the right thing (one of the most crucial aspects we teach in Taekwondo since we are giving practitioners tools that can potentially be dangerous in the wrong hands)

 Agility and Coordination

Every workout and drills we do in Taekwondo is designed to help the student become more agile and coordinated.  Most students who have not had any martial arts training find it difficult to do certain drills, but by the time they reach the next belt, they find a significant improvement in both their agility and motor skills.

Strength and Flexibility

The various workouts we do at the beginning, class drills, and cool down workouts all help build our students strength and flexibility.  Just the warm up workout alone is enough to help in that area as the basic class warm up drills are designed to help loosen up, warm up, and stretch the major muscles of the body.  Many of the workouts we do in class include exercises designed to strengthen the abs, the arms, and the legs.  Because of the techniques we practice (especially the kicks), a lot of leg and some shoulder stretches are done to minimize injuries.  If a student is consistent and constant with their workouts, they are able to develop strength and flexibility.

Striking and Blocking Techniques

The foundation of Taekwondo is its repertoire of striking and blocking techniques.  Striking in the context used here includes kicking, kneeing, or any offensive techniques.  Blocking refers to any defensive covering techniques.  Much like karate, Taekwondo is a “hard style”.  This means that any techniques, whether it be a kick, punch, block, or chop is executed quickly and with extreme force–so much force that it can have the potential to break the bones of the target it is hitting.  The blocking techniques alone are designed to destroy the limb that it is blocking!

Combination Self-defense Techniques

The basic techniques taught in our Taekwondo classes are the foundation of our self-defense.  Our students learn some initial self-defense techniques through drills called “step sparring”. These drills help the students get started with self-defense in a safe way.  The attack and defense are all pre-arranged, but  allow the student to learn the techniques while in motion.  By being attacked while in motion, they learn and understand that distance and timing are crucial to effective self-defense execution.

As the student advance in belt, we teach a more street-style self-defense, where the techniques employed are many and the completion of the defensive techniques leads to the defeat of a single opponent.

Knowledge of Human Body Vulnerabilities

When we punch, elbow, chop, or kick, we remind each student to think about what they are attacking.  If they are supposed to do a high punch, we remind them that they ought to aim at the filtrum philtrum.  If they are delivering a midsection elbow strike, we tell them to aim at the solar plexus.

All strikes are aimed at something to remind the student that targeting is as important as the technique being executed.

Constant Practice to Ingrain Techniques Into Reaction

All self-defense techniques taught at our school are checked through out the school life of our student.  This means that at promotion testing, students are expected to remember all earlier techniques.  This requirement helps the students ingrain what they’ve learned into their reaction.  As I’ve often mentioned to students, when you are defending yourself against an attack, there is no time to think, only react.  Thinking about what technique to do causes hesitation, and can be dangerous to the student under the most common attack scenarios.

Moral Knowledge and Strength

Everything we teach at our school would be of no value if we didn’t teach moral knowledge and strength.    As a matter of fact, it would be extremely dangerous as we could be teaching a new breed of bullies.  This is why we temper what we teach with a strong dose of moral knowledge and strength.

We teach our students to live by a certain martial arts code which we call the tenets of Taekwondo.  The tenets include:

  • Courtesy – be nice and respectful to others
  • Integrity – be someone who is true and honest to others, as well as themselves
  • Perseverance – don’t give up; try and try until you succeed
  • Self-control – don’t let temptation or anger control you; you control yourself
  • Indomitable spirit – set high goals and go for them
  • Victory – always keep a positive attitude
These tenets are designed to give moral guidance to our students when trying to figure out the right thing to do.  These same tenets can be used and applied to become successful in life.
I consider any student who live by these codes as martial artists.

Conclusion

Yes, Taekwondo is an effective martial art; and so are other arts when properly used as a self-defense tool to protect oneself and others.

Our school teaches the following to make sure Taekwondo continues to be an effective martial art:

  • Agility and coordination – improve motor skills and coordination
  • Strength and flexibility – become stronger and more flexible
  • Striking and blocking techniques – learn powerful techniques
  • Combination self-defense techniques – learn effective self-defense
  • Knowledge of vulnerable targets – learn the human body’s weak spots
  • Constant practice in self-defense – self-defense works only through constant repetitive practice
  • The moral knowledge and strength to do the right thing – the most important thing we teach our students; without this we aren’t teaching Taekwondo.

 

by ·Comments Off on Top Three Reasons to Use Minimalist Running Shoes
Left foot hitting on outer heel

Modern Day Running Shoe

Let’s get down to the meat of this article–the top three reasons to use minimalist running shoes.  Here they are:

  1. They are lighter, making it easier to run faster and longer.
  2. They give your run more spring for every step.
  3. They allow the foot to hit the ground naturally

They Are Lighter

Minimalist running shoes are absolutely lighter.  Pure and simple, less padding and less structure mean less weight .  When your feet have less weight to carry, it just makes sense that you will run faster and longer.

About one year ago, I purchased my first minimalist shoes–the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS running shoes.  Note that I have not run “barefoot” in any shape, way, or form since I was a little boy in the Philippines.  I’ve worn normal running shoes–the type I’m moving away from now–since I’ve started running, back in the mid-80s.  The Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS running shoes  look like this:

Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS running shoe

Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS running shoe

As you can see, they look like gloves for your feet; they don’t really have much padding and support.  When I first got it, I took it out for a test drive and ran with it for about two miles.  After that run, my ankles were a little sore, and my calves were very sore!  At this point, I realized that I really need to ease into this.  I checked out one of my running magazines which featured minimalist shoes and found the Saucony ProGrid Mirage Running shoe.  This pair isn’t as bare as the Vibram.  It is still considered minimalist; however, it still had a bit of padding and a bit of support.  It looks like this:

Saucony Progrid Mirage

Saucony Progrid Mirage

This shoe is very light and has very minimal height difference between the heel and the toe.  I first ran with this at the 100th anniversary Bay to Breakers in San Francisco.   The only thing was that it was a bit tight around the toes (I have wide feet, that’s why).  However, after I broke it in, it felt better.

During the Bay to Breakers run, this shoe was so light that I didn’t even notice that it was new.  Every step of my run had that extra spring, and it felt great.

More Spring For Every Step

Speaking of spring in every step, minimalist shoes do not have as much heel as most common running shoes today.  As such, your heel may not hit the ground first.  Instead, your foot will land around the mid or fore foot area.

If you’ve been running with regular running shoes for some time, and you start using minimalist shoes (like the Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS or the  Saucony ProGrid Mirage), you will notice soreness on your calves.  That’s because your calves are acting like springs.

Because you are using your calves more, there will be spring in every step you take during a run.  It will feel like you have more energy because the force of landing is mostly preserved and recovered from the spring-like action of your calves.

Compare this to the energy wasted when you use a running shoe with a thicker heel padding.  With a thicker heel padding, your tendency will be to land on your heel.  And as your heel lands, the force of the landing is absorb mostly by the padding, your knee, your hip, and the rest of your body parts above your hip.  It is no wonder why the number of running injuries have increased over time as the modern shoe designs have used faulty premise regarding foot comfort during a run (i.e. more heel padding and shoe structure is better for running).

Allow The Foot to Land More Naturally

The running shoe Industry has really changed the face of running for the masses.  Ever since they’ve worked to make the ride softer/smoother, neutralize pronation (over or under), and added more support, the number of running injuries have risen.  Why is this? The industry has pretty much arrested the natural running motion of the foot, causing the various foot injuries we hear about from fellow runners:

  • plantar fasciitis
  • Iliotibial (IT) band syndrome
  • Runner’s knee
  • Hip pain
  • Shin splints
Since training for my first marathon, I’ve experienced many such injuries or pains.  Originally, I blamed most of these to over-training.  But after reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, it all made logical sense.  The shoe industry was in fact causing people’s feet to get weaker with their fancy shoes (higher heel, more padding, more structure, etc).  In effect the foot and the muscles in it were getting weaker as a result of the shoes providing more support.  This is akin to putting the foot in a cast; this results in the foot muscles getting weaker and basically experiencing “atrophy”.
In reading  Born to Run, Christopher McDougall mentioned that there are tribesmen in Mexico who can run over one hundred miles or can run for days.  For these guys, running was a way of life.  Here’s the interesting thing.  None of them suffered from the western foot injuries mentioned earlier.  As a matter of fact, the tribesmen only ran with hand-made sandals.  They didn’t worry about over or under pronation; they didn’t have extra padding on their heel either.
Because their feet are not restricted and over protected, they are free to move and land as they were intended to be.  Note that the human foot has 26 bones and 33 joints.  It is a complex bio-mechanical structure, and it is naturally designed to move in various ways to absorb the shock of an activity like running.

Summary

So there you go:  the top three reasons to use minimalist running shoes.

  1. They are lighter
  2. They give you spring in every step
  3. They let your foot hit the ground as nature intended them

Are you looking to use minimalist shoes?  Please comment below.

by ·Comments Off on The Front Kick: Why it is The Most Effective Self-defense Kick

Taekwondo is well-known for its high fancy kicks.  Yet, when it all comes down to it, the most effective kick for self-defense is the most basic of all kicks–the front kick (AKA front snap kick).  Why?  I will explain.

First and foremost, the front kick is the simplest and easiest kick to learn.  It doesn’t take years to perfect it.  For some, one lesson will do.  For others, a little longer.  Nevertheless, people can quickly learn it.

Second, it is one of the hardest to see, if you are on the receiving end.  Yes, you can see it if you are expecting it, but if you are some bad guy who is accosting someone who looks like a victim, you aren’t expecting and will have difficulty seeing something coming from below.  The kick can be delivered quickly before anyone can react to it.

Last and most important, the kick doesn’t have to be exact in terms of distance and target to be effective.  Remember, if you are applying the front kick in a self-defense situation, it is because you are creating the necessary distraction for escape, and not initiating a toe-to-toe fight.  If the kick is applied closer than expected, the shin or the knee could end up hitting your opponents groin; this is good enough for the purpose intended.  If the kick fails to line up with the opponent’s center line, it could hit the shin or the knee; both of these are good enough targets for distraction purposes.

Because it is easy to learn, hard to see, and doesn’t need much accuracy, it is one of the most effective self-defense kicks in Taekwondo’s arsenal of kicks.

 

by ·Comments Off on Why Do We Take Promotion Test?
Testing

Promotion Testing

Every two to three months, our school goes through a promotion test.  The tests are typically very structured, formal, and can sometimes feel intimidating.

With that in mind, why do we take promotion tests?  Is it because we want that next belt, that promotion?  On the surface, that is what it might look like, but underneath, we take promotion tests for the following very good reasons:

  • To gain more experience and get better.  When you take tests, regardless of what type of tests it is, you typically have to study and practice.  If you don’t, you reduce your chances of passing.  Our promotion tests are no different.  In order for you to pass, you need to study and practice hard.  In the process of studying and practicing, you gain more experience; and through experience, you get better.
  • To become more confident by testing under pressure.  Whether you are young or old, our promotion tests can make you feel nervous, especially when standing in front of your peers, an audience, and judges; however, through practice and study, you can become confident.  As you go through more tests, you learn to handle the pressure and are able to channel nervous energy into more confidence.
  • To be tested by qualified judges.  When you go through a promotion test, certified Taekwondo judges make an assessment of your proficiency to move up in rank.  So when you pass that test, you can be confident that you’ve earned that new rank.

So the next time someone asks you about why you take promotion tests, you can say that you want to get better, confident, and that you need to have qualified judges check your skill level in order to advance.

by ·Comments Off on Tenets of Taekwondo: What’s its purpose?
Taekwondo

Tae Kwon Do

At the school where I used to teach, we start every class by reciting the tenets of Taekwondo.

“Tenets of Taekwondo: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit, victory”

What is the purpose of reciting it, and what is the tenet’s purpose?

We recite the tenets every class so that you never forget what they are.  By repetition, we ingrain them in your mind.

Now, it doesn’t do anyone any good if you know the tenets but don’t really know their purpose.  The tenets provide a general guideline of behavior and action.  In life, there are way too many situations to dictate all possible responses.  These tenets are general enough so that the martial artist can make the best decision about how to handle almost any situation.

By knowing them and applying them, you can be on your way to becoming a better martial artist.

Recall the tenets of Taekwondo:

  • Courtesy – Be courteous and respectful of others; in short, be nice to others.
  • Integrity – People can depend on what you say and do; you can be trusted, and you are responsible.
  • Perseverance – In the face of adversity, you fight on and never give up; if you fail at something, you figure out what went wrong and keep moving forward.
  • Self-control – Sometimes anger can overcome one’s common sense or a strong impulse can cause one to lose control;  there are many temptations out there, and a strong self-control can keep you from doing the wrong thing.
  • Indomitable spirit – Set high goals and go for them; to succeed in life one must have a purpose–set them and go!
  • Victory – Having a positive mental attitude can help you overcome almost any situation; infact, it can help you learn!  Where one sees a problem, you should see an opportunity!

by ·Comments Off on Running the 29th California International Marathon
29th CIM Finish Line

Crossing the 29th CIM Finish Line

I’ve run two marathons in my lifetime so far, and I plan to run more.  The first time was the Chicago Marathon, and the second was the 29th California International Marathon (CIM).  In this article, I will compare how I trained for each and look at the results.

Training for the Chicago Marathon

Before I ran the Chicago marathon, I trained for an entire year.  I used a training plan from a book I read by Dean Karnazes (50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!).  This marathon training plan is in one of my postings if you want to get right to it.  Does the training take an entire year to do?  No.  I ended up running through the training two times.

The first time I completed it was around May-Jun 2010 time frame; I actually ran a marathon on my own; were my calves sore after mile 21.  I had to walk and jog periodically until I completed around 26 miles; it was pretty hot that day too!  My time was around 4:37.

The second time I completed the training plan was before the actual Chicago marathon.  I really stuck to the plan, which meant I ran anywhere from 4 to 6 times per week, logging in many miles.  during this second round, I injured myself a couple of times.  The first time was to my left knee.  I think I logged so many miles to the point that my left knee got very painful to the point where I could no longer run.  I stopped running for about a couple of weeks until I could run on it again.

The next time was maybe a month before the marathon.  This time the muscles under my feet were sore.  I experienced the pains associated with plantar fasciitis.  To treat it, I iced my feet regularly using ice in a regular plastic cylindrical bottle (I rolled my feet on it); eventually, it wasn’t as bad anymore and I could run on it.

Oct 10, 2010 came.  I ran the Chicago marathon and completed it in 4:57.  It wasn’t ideal running weather as it was warm (around 60’s in the morning, then 80’s later in the morning).  Were my legs sore!  The last 800 meters were a killer as a small incline caught me by surprise.  Then on last 200 meters I pushed to the finish line, even getting a chance to take a picture of the finish line from a distance.

Training for the CIM

I took a different approach to training for the CIM.  This time I used a training plan from Active.com which they provided for free.  The training was scheduled to begin in August and complete just before the CIM (Dec 4, 2011).

Before August 2011, however, I continued some degree of running regimen.  Running three times a week only with occasional cross training activities involving a stationary bike (non-weight bearing workouts).  I used a training concept I read from the book titled “Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary FIRST Training Program“.

The general idea is to run only 3 times a week with cross training work outs in between.  For the three runs to work, you need have a purpose for each run–interval runs, tempo runs, and long runs.  This comes down to achieving the following with each run:

  • interval runs – trains you to run faster
  • tempo runs – helps your body become efficient at processing oxygen; this way lactic acid are handled better, and as a result, you can run faster longer
  • long runs – designed to help your body get used to running for long periods of time; builds endurance
During this time frame, I also read a book called McDougall called Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen (Vintage).  McDougall is on to something.  This inspired me to look into two thing:

Perhaps the problem is that my feet have been effectively in a cast for the many years I’ve been wearing running shoes.  This could account for the weakness in the muscles in my feet, and the issues I had with my plantar fascii.  So I got myself a Vibram shoe–Vibram Fivefingers Mens Bikila LS Castle Rock/Navy/Grey 44 to be exact.  All information regarding running barefoot says to take it slow, so I did.  On some days I do short runs, I would wear my Vibram Fivefingers Bikila LS.  Boy, did I notice a big difference; my calves were sore.  Running almost barefoot makes you want to land on your forefoot by instinct.

To ease my transition to barefoot/minimalist shoe running I also bought a Saucony Men’s Progrid Mirage Running Shoe,Silver/Black/Yellow,11 M US.  This is considered a minimalist shoe.  It has a very small heel to toe height difference.  I ran with this for this first time in May 2011 at the 100th Bay to Breakers (12K run).  Running in these shoes felt great, it was very light.

I stated to experiment with the chia seeds.  You can make chia seed drink simply by mixing 2 table spoons of the seeds with 40 ounces of water.  Add some brown sugar for flavor (or whatever turns you on), mix, and let stand for at least one hour.  I leave mine overnight in the fridge, and it tastes good.  It really does give you a energy and because it absorbs water very well, it serves as a good energy drink for long runs.

OK.  Back to the training.  August came and went.  I began my training runs, doing only 3 purposeful runs a week and mixing in some occasional cross training workouts in between.  The core of my training was just the 3 runs per week.  Two week from December 4, I began to taper off.  On the last week, I did very little running.

December 4 in Sacramento area was great.  The weather was perfect for running–no wind and the temperature was around the 40’s.  On the morning of the run, I made sure I had a little light breakfast (just a light breakfast bar), and I made sure I was hydrated (drank gatorade).  Just minutes before the run, I finished drinking my chia seed energy drink.  For this run I wore my Nike Pegasus 26+ (not my Vibram Fivefingers since I’m not ready for that yet).

I had a strong first half (2:03), but I buckled at around mile 23 I think.  I had some of the most serious muscle cramp attacks in my life–on my left quadriceps and on my right hamstring.  I had to periodically stretch and walk just to recover.  Nevertheless I completed the run in 4:36!  Overall a good run.

Conclusion

Personally, I thought my training for the CIM was better for my body since I didn’t suffer any injuries during my training period.  However, I think I didn’t really follow the training plan as well as I could have.  I attribute the muscle cramps to this.  The preparation in the morning with the chia seeds also helped significantly I think as I felt a lot of energy that day.

by ·Comments Off on Listen to Your Body: Post Marathon Run Soreness

The kinds of pains you get a day, a few days, or even a week or two after a marathon run can say much about what you need to do in order to help improve your future runs.

Here are some of the pains I’ve experienced:

  • Sore quads
  • Sore hamstrings
  • Sore left ankle

Sore Quads

The CIM is a hilly course.  The uphills gave my quads a beating just on the edge of cramping up.  This means that I should do more hill work.  Unfortunately, the only hills available in the Central Valley within running distance are the over passes over highway 120.

I will have to incorporate various quad exercises in my cross training routine.  This can include:

  • squats
  • squat jumps
  • lunges (including carrying dumbbells)
  • jumping switching lunges

Note that I don’t go to gyms; all exercises I do doesn’t require any extensive use of equipment.  As a matter of fact, I prefer no equipment at all.

Sore Hamstrings

I read in Men’s Running magazine that the cause of sore hamstring is not getting the heels to go high enough.  In addition, they  also mention that getting the heels up helps with the foot turn over, and as such, results in covering more ground in shorter amount of time.  This translate to speed.

The one way you can incorporate getting the heels up in your run is by thinking “touch – lift” during your run.  The idea is not to have your foot spend too much time touching the ground.  So if you are finding yourself losing speed even though it feels like you are going harder, then think “touch – lift”.  By keeping this in mind, you can focus on getting your heel up, and close to your butt.

According to Mens Running, this is suppose to help with sore hamstrings.

Sore Left Ankle

My left foot, showing indication of over pronationMy left ankle felt sore after running the marathon.  I didn’t really notice it until one day after the run.

I didn’t even notice what caused it until two weeks after the run.  The root cause is a badly worn shoe.  My left foot just likes to hit with the heel first, resulting in the heel of my left shoe to get worn out first.

To be exact, my outer left heel hits first resulting in an over pronation.  The pain I get is similar to a sheen splint, except the pain I get is on my inner ankle, just above the ankle, towards the heel.

Because of the pronation, the inner ankle tendon is getting more stretching than it needs.

To correct this, I will need to do three things:

  • get better shoes (I didn’t have this problem when I was wearing the Saucony Progrid Mirage running shoes, where the heel to toe height difference is very minimal); at the CIM I used my Nike Pegasus 26.
  • fix my form; this may be a bit tough to do, but with the right shoes, I should be able to achieve this.
  • do ankle strengthening exercises

Conclusion

The long CIM run produced leg pains that dictate areas I need to look at.  The quad pains were indicative of the need to do more hill work or quad work outs.  The hamstring issues I felt were indicative of the need for better form.  Last but not least, my left ankle pain pointed to the need for better shoes and form adjustment.

You might say that a marathon run can make your body feel pain everywhere.  Yes that is true and generally normal; but parts of your body that feel the most pain is indicative of something.  So make sure you pay attention; your body is telling you something.