LIFE IS GOOD!
Showing posts with label POSE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label POSE. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Running FORM Matters
Most people never worked on their running form in high school and rarely did running drills. That’s a crying shame, since every other sport relies heavily on form training. Swimmers focus on the correct way to swim before anything else. Basketball coaches are always preaching, “Bring that elbow in!” and “Square your hips!” Running is a skill, like any other athletic movement, and needs to be done efficiently if you want to prevent injuries and run fast.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Why I LOVE Running!
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Running gives me a chance to see beautiful landscapes. To see my breath in the air. Running also allows me to have the 'quiet' that we no longer seem to have in our lives. It gives me a chance to think, to pray, and to relax. I run to train and for fun. I have run many, but I have also competed in every distance down to the 40 yard dash. Some were good. Some were bad. Some in between. But it's not about the races and it's not about the finish. It's about the training and the running and the journey.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
POSE Running
This is a repost:
There is a lot of confusion out there on the specifics about Pose Running Technique. I’ll do my best not add to that confusion with this brief overview, but unfortunately Pose Running Technique is “deceptively simple”, and there is a lot of subtlety that is difficult to convey within a few paragraphs. However, always keep in mind that it is designed to maximize the use of gravity via falling, and to minimize the drag of gravity via counterbalance.
The Pose Running Technique mantra is “Pose, Fall, Pull”, which describes the movement, and each of these actions are interdependent on the others. All three are necessary in order to execute the technique correctly, remove one and the others have no context. There is also one additional element which describes the frequency of the movement, and that is Cadence. So the four basic elements of Pose Running are Pose, Fall, Pull and Cadence.
Pose
The Pose is relatively straight forward. The running pose is designed to be the optimum position for falling forward when running. The non-supporting foot is tucked under the hip, raising the body’s center-of-mass. This position also moves the weight of the non-supporting leg to the front making falling forward easier. It also allows for positioning the foot under the body’s center-of-mass when the foot is placed down during the Pull.
An illustration of the runner's Pose
Fine points:
■The Pose is stable against gravity (the runner can stand in the Pose indefinitely)
■The shoulders, hips and ankles are aligned
■The supporting knee is always bent, never straight
■The weight is supported on the ball of the foot not on the heel
■There is a sight lean to the body to facilitate falling
Fall
By leaning forward from the ankles through the hips, the runner loses balance and falls forward. The greater the angle of the lean the faster there runner moves forward via the use of rotational torque. The angle of the lean will usually be the primary factor determining running speed. A world class 10k runner will have a lean of approximately 10 degrees. A world class sprinter will probably have a lean of 18 to 20 degrees. The maximum angle a human can sustain while running is 22.5 degrees. Dr. Romanov has measured Usain Bolt’s lean to be 19.5 degrees.
The most important point about the Fall is for the runner to maintain the Pose, until he or she begins the Pull. What I mean by “maintaining the Pose” is that the runner should keep his or her foot underneath the hips until he or she enters the Pull phase of the technique (described below). Most runners drop out of the Pose too quickly, and this results in landing in front of the body’s center-of-mass and usually on the heel.
The Fall
Fine points:
■Fall in the Pose (keep the non-supporting foot underneath the hips until the Pull is initiated)
■The lean is primarily from the ankle through the hips
■There is some lean from the hips to the shoulders, but it is much less
An illustration of the Fall – Note that the angle is measured from vertical line to line formed by the ankles and the hips.
Pull
The Pull is probably the most difficult part of the technique to convey concisely, and there is a lot of subtly that will not get discussed here. So what is the pull? The Pull is literally pulling the foot from the ground directly to the hips. However, at the same time, this is when the runner drops his or her non-supporting foot to the ground. In other words, there is simultaneous exchange when the supporting foot is pulled up and the non-supporting foot is dropped down, and this is often referred as a “change of support”.
The simultaneous exchange is critical. If the timing is off, one way or the other, the runner is either landing in front of his or her center of gravity, thus breaking with each step, or the runner is executing a late pull, creating counterbalance with step. And as I mentioned earlier, counterbalance impedes falling, and this results in slower running. Most runners do both. They drop their non-supporting foot too quickly landing on their heels, and they execute a late pull, preventing efficient falling.
The Pull
Illustrations of the Pull – From the Fall, the runner pulls his or her supporting leg up and drops the non-supporting leg down simultaneously. When done correctly, the runner ends up back in the Pose.
Fine Points:
■The Pull is executed very quickly
■The runner does not drop his or her non-supporting foot until the Pull has started
■When the timing is correct, the runner will land underneath his or her center of gravity on the ball of the foot
■Landing on the forefoot is the result of doing everything else correctly. Forcing a forefoot landing without proper technique can result in injury
■The runner finishes by returning to the Pose and entering the into the next Fall
There is a lot of confusion out there on the specifics about Pose Running Technique. I’ll do my best not add to that confusion with this brief overview, but unfortunately Pose Running Technique is “deceptively simple”, and there is a lot of subtlety that is difficult to convey within a few paragraphs. However, always keep in mind that it is designed to maximize the use of gravity via falling, and to minimize the drag of gravity via counterbalance.
The Pose Running Technique mantra is “Pose, Fall, Pull”, which describes the movement, and each of these actions are interdependent on the others. All three are necessary in order to execute the technique correctly, remove one and the others have no context. There is also one additional element which describes the frequency of the movement, and that is Cadence. So the four basic elements of Pose Running are Pose, Fall, Pull and Cadence.
Pose
The Pose is relatively straight forward. The running pose is designed to be the optimum position for falling forward when running. The non-supporting foot is tucked under the hip, raising the body’s center-of-mass. This position also moves the weight of the non-supporting leg to the front making falling forward easier. It also allows for positioning the foot under the body’s center-of-mass when the foot is placed down during the Pull.
An illustration of the runner's Pose
Fine points:
■The Pose is stable against gravity (the runner can stand in the Pose indefinitely)
■The shoulders, hips and ankles are aligned
■The supporting knee is always bent, never straight
■The weight is supported on the ball of the foot not on the heel
■There is a sight lean to the body to facilitate falling
Fall
By leaning forward from the ankles through the hips, the runner loses balance and falls forward. The greater the angle of the lean the faster there runner moves forward via the use of rotational torque. The angle of the lean will usually be the primary factor determining running speed. A world class 10k runner will have a lean of approximately 10 degrees. A world class sprinter will probably have a lean of 18 to 20 degrees. The maximum angle a human can sustain while running is 22.5 degrees. Dr. Romanov has measured Usain Bolt’s lean to be 19.5 degrees.
The most important point about the Fall is for the runner to maintain the Pose, until he or she begins the Pull. What I mean by “maintaining the Pose” is that the runner should keep his or her foot underneath the hips until he or she enters the Pull phase of the technique (described below). Most runners drop out of the Pose too quickly, and this results in landing in front of the body’s center-of-mass and usually on the heel.
The Fall
Fine points:
■Fall in the Pose (keep the non-supporting foot underneath the hips until the Pull is initiated)
■The lean is primarily from the ankle through the hips
■There is some lean from the hips to the shoulders, but it is much less
An illustration of the Fall – Note that the angle is measured from vertical line to line formed by the ankles and the hips.
Pull
The Pull is probably the most difficult part of the technique to convey concisely, and there is a lot of subtly that will not get discussed here. So what is the pull? The Pull is literally pulling the foot from the ground directly to the hips. However, at the same time, this is when the runner drops his or her non-supporting foot to the ground. In other words, there is simultaneous exchange when the supporting foot is pulled up and the non-supporting foot is dropped down, and this is often referred as a “change of support”.
The simultaneous exchange is critical. If the timing is off, one way or the other, the runner is either landing in front of his or her center of gravity, thus breaking with each step, or the runner is executing a late pull, creating counterbalance with step. And as I mentioned earlier, counterbalance impedes falling, and this results in slower running. Most runners do both. They drop their non-supporting foot too quickly landing on their heels, and they execute a late pull, preventing efficient falling.
The Pull
Illustrations of the Pull – From the Fall, the runner pulls his or her supporting leg up and drops the non-supporting leg down simultaneously. When done correctly, the runner ends up back in the Pose.
Fine Points:
■The Pull is executed very quickly
■The runner does not drop his or her non-supporting foot until the Pull has started
■When the timing is correct, the runner will land underneath his or her center of gravity on the ball of the foot
■Landing on the forefoot is the result of doing everything else correctly. Forcing a forefoot landing without proper technique can result in injury
■The runner finishes by returning to the Pose and entering the into the next Fall
Monday, August 8, 2011
POSE Running Technique In Simple Terms
This is a repost:
There is a lot of confusion out there on the specifics about Pose Running Technique. I’ll do my best not add to that confusion with this brief overview, but unfortunately Pose Running Technique is “deceptively simple”, and there is a lot of subtlety that is difficult to convey within a few paragraphs. However, always keep in mind that it is designed to maximize the use of gravity via falling, and to minimize the drag of gravity via counterbalance.
The Pose Running Technique mantra is “Pose, Fall, Pull”, which describes the movement, and each of these actions are interdependent on the others. All three are necessary in order to execute the technique correctly, remove one and the others have no context. There is also one additional element which describes the frequency of the movement, and that is Cadence. So the four basic elements of Pose Running are Pose, Fall, Pull and Cadence.
Pose
The Pose is relatively straight forward. The running pose is designed to be the optimum position for falling forward when running. The non-supporting foot is tucked under the hip, raising the body’s center-of-mass. This position also moves the weight of the non-supporting leg to the front making falling forward easier. It also allows for positioning the foot under the body’s center-of-mass when the foot is placed down during the Pull.
An illustration of the runner's Pose
Fine points:
■The Pose is stable against gravity (the runner can stand in the Pose indefinitely)
■The shoulders, hips and ankles are aligned
■The supporting knee is always bent, never straight
■The weight is supported on the ball of the foot not on the heel
■There is a sight lean to the body to facilitate falling
Fall
By leaning forward from the ankles through the hips, the runner loses balance and falls forward. The greater the angle of the lean the faster there runner moves forward via the use of rotational torque. The angle of the lean will usually be the primary factor determining running speed. A world class 10k runner will have a lean of approximately 10 degrees. A world class sprinter will probably have a lean of 18 to 20 degrees. The maximum angle a human can sustain while running is 22.5 degrees. Dr. Romanov has measured Usain Bolt’s lean to be 19.5 degrees.
The most important point about the Fall is for the runner to maintain the Pose, until he or she begins the Pull. What I mean by “maintaining the Pose” is that the runner should keep his or her foot underneath the hips until he or she enters the Pull phase of the technique (described below). Most runners drop out of the Pose too quickly, and this results in landing in front of the body’s center-of-mass and usually on the heel.
The Fall
Fine points:
■Fall in the Pose (keep the non-supporting foot underneath the hips until the Pull is initiated)
■The lean is primarily from the ankle through the hips
■There is some lean from the hips to the shoulders, but it is much less
An illustration of the Fall – Note that the angle is measured from vertical line to line formed by the ankles and the hips.
Pull
The Pull is probably the most difficult part of the technique to convey concisely, and there is a lot of subtly that will not get discussed here. So what is the pull? The Pull is literally pulling the foot from the ground directly to the hips. However, at the same time, this is when the runner drops his or her non-supporting foot to the ground. In other words, there is simultaneous exchange when the supporting foot is pulled up and the non-supporting foot is dropped down, and this is often referred as a “change of support”.
The simultaneous exchange is critical. If the timing is off, one way or the other, the runner is either landing in front of his or her center of gravity, thus breaking with each step, or the runner is executing a late pull, creating counterbalance with step. And as I mentioned earlier, counterbalance impedes falling, and this results in slower running. Most runners do both. They drop their non-supporting foot too quickly landing on their heels, and they execute a late pull, preventing efficient falling.
The Pull
Illustrations of the Pull – From the Fall, the runner pulls his or her supporting leg up and drops the non-supporting leg down simultaneously. When done correctly, the runner ends up back in the Pose.
Fine Points:
■The Pull is executed very quickly
■The runner does not drop his or her non-supporting foot until the Pull has started
■When the timing is correct, the runner will land underneath his or her center of gravity on the ball of the foot
■Landing on the forefoot is the result of doing everything else correctly. Forcing a forefoot landing without proper technique can result in injury
■The runner finishes by returning to the Pose and entering the into the next Fall
There is a lot of confusion out there on the specifics about Pose Running Technique. I’ll do my best not add to that confusion with this brief overview, but unfortunately Pose Running Technique is “deceptively simple”, and there is a lot of subtlety that is difficult to convey within a few paragraphs. However, always keep in mind that it is designed to maximize the use of gravity via falling, and to minimize the drag of gravity via counterbalance.
The Pose Running Technique mantra is “Pose, Fall, Pull”, which describes the movement, and each of these actions are interdependent on the others. All three are necessary in order to execute the technique correctly, remove one and the others have no context. There is also one additional element which describes the frequency of the movement, and that is Cadence. So the four basic elements of Pose Running are Pose, Fall, Pull and Cadence.
Pose
The Pose is relatively straight forward. The running pose is designed to be the optimum position for falling forward when running. The non-supporting foot is tucked under the hip, raising the body’s center-of-mass. This position also moves the weight of the non-supporting leg to the front making falling forward easier. It also allows for positioning the foot under the body’s center-of-mass when the foot is placed down during the Pull.
An illustration of the runner's Pose
Fine points:
■The Pose is stable against gravity (the runner can stand in the Pose indefinitely)
■The shoulders, hips and ankles are aligned
■The supporting knee is always bent, never straight
■The weight is supported on the ball of the foot not on the heel
■There is a sight lean to the body to facilitate falling
Fall
By leaning forward from the ankles through the hips, the runner loses balance and falls forward. The greater the angle of the lean the faster there runner moves forward via the use of rotational torque. The angle of the lean will usually be the primary factor determining running speed. A world class 10k runner will have a lean of approximately 10 degrees. A world class sprinter will probably have a lean of 18 to 20 degrees. The maximum angle a human can sustain while running is 22.5 degrees. Dr. Romanov has measured Usain Bolt’s lean to be 19.5 degrees.
The most important point about the Fall is for the runner to maintain the Pose, until he or she begins the Pull. What I mean by “maintaining the Pose” is that the runner should keep his or her foot underneath the hips until he or she enters the Pull phase of the technique (described below). Most runners drop out of the Pose too quickly, and this results in landing in front of the body’s center-of-mass and usually on the heel.
The Fall
Fine points:
■Fall in the Pose (keep the non-supporting foot underneath the hips until the Pull is initiated)
■The lean is primarily from the ankle through the hips
■There is some lean from the hips to the shoulders, but it is much less
An illustration of the Fall – Note that the angle is measured from vertical line to line formed by the ankles and the hips.
Pull
The Pull is probably the most difficult part of the technique to convey concisely, and there is a lot of subtly that will not get discussed here. So what is the pull? The Pull is literally pulling the foot from the ground directly to the hips. However, at the same time, this is when the runner drops his or her non-supporting foot to the ground. In other words, there is simultaneous exchange when the supporting foot is pulled up and the non-supporting foot is dropped down, and this is often referred as a “change of support”.
The simultaneous exchange is critical. If the timing is off, one way or the other, the runner is either landing in front of his or her center of gravity, thus breaking with each step, or the runner is executing a late pull, creating counterbalance with step. And as I mentioned earlier, counterbalance impedes falling, and this results in slower running. Most runners do both. They drop their non-supporting foot too quickly landing on their heels, and they execute a late pull, preventing efficient falling.
The Pull
Illustrations of the Pull – From the Fall, the runner pulls his or her supporting leg up and drops the non-supporting leg down simultaneously. When done correctly, the runner ends up back in the Pose.
Fine Points:
■The Pull is executed very quickly
■The runner does not drop his or her non-supporting foot until the Pull has started
■When the timing is correct, the runner will land underneath his or her center of gravity on the ball of the foot
■Landing on the forefoot is the result of doing everything else correctly. Forcing a forefoot landing without proper technique can result in injury
■The runner finishes by returning to the Pose and entering the into the next Fall
Thursday, March 3, 2011
POSE Tips
1. Learn the Pose: relax, soft knees, weight on the ball of your foot- this will also help you with balance.
2. Pulling: once you get this movement, you will just think about pulling your foot UP under the hip- remember when you drill, exaggerate the pull, pull your foot all the way up under the hip. Then when you run, you only have to pull the foot up enough to break contact with the ground.
3. Falling: Use a wall or a friend and start really close and then move further away as you get more comfortable.
2. Pulling: once you get this movement, you will just think about pulling your foot UP under the hip- remember when you drill, exaggerate the pull, pull your foot all the way up under the hip. Then when you run, you only have to pull the foot up enough to break contact with the ground.
3. Falling: Use a wall or a friend and start really close and then move further away as you get more comfortable.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Run & Swim
Yesterday I ran 5 miles @ Turkey Mountain working on my POSE. Then I swam 1000yds working on my freestyle.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Monday, November 29, 2010
Turkey Mountain Running
Yesterday I took Kiah(my dog) running on turkey mountain. We covered about 4 miles. I had no watch and no purpose. We did some casual running and then we did some sprints. Not only did we get to enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery, I worked on the lean and the pull.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Running is a Skill. So Practice
Most people don’t give a second thought to running technique. They learned to do it as a kid and not much has changed since. By learning to run efficiently, you can reduce your risk of injury.
Lean Forward
Leaning forward starts at the ankles, bending starts at the hips. When you are running, you want the hips to be open so that your upper body and lower body are in a straight line. By leaning, momentum is generated by falling forward and catching yourself. The more you lean forward, the faster you go.
Shorten the Stride
Efficient running technique requires a relatively short stride length. Running speed is dictated by the degree of the lean, and not by the power put into “pushing” the body with the legs. In efficient running, the rule of the stride is “keep it under the body”. If you’re reaching too far forward or allowing the foot to fall too far back, you are wasting valuable energy.
Relax the Arms and Shoulders
A common mistake made during running workouts, is to tighten up the muscles of the arms and shoulders. Actively remind yourself to relax the hands, arms, and shoulders, so that the energy can go to moving forward.
Try This
Stand up straight with your feet under your hips. Slowly lean forward until you lose your balance and must catch yourself with your foot. Maintain the lean and watch your speed continue to increase. Back off the lean just a little bit and you’re running.
Scaling Make it Easier:
1)Run slower.
2)Run for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds. (Play with these numbers- eventually, work your way up to running for 5 minutes, walking for 30 seconds. Then abandon this method entirely).
Monday, November 1, 2010
2010 Tulsa Run 15k Results
Click here for results:
My official time was 1:18:42
3 minutes slower than last year, but it was really HOT in that suit.
I'm just sayin
This is my running group, we did track workouts on Tuesday nights leading up to the Tulsa Run.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
"Grace" & 400 meter records
30 Clean & Jerks for time @ 135lbs:
2:25 PR (previous time 2:36)
Then I did the track work at Rogers 2 person team relay 10 x 400m
Everything felt great and after the workout we did a 400m race.
My time was 1:02 (400m) PR (previous time 1:04)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Dual Training
October is my favorite time of year because of many reasons. Mainly because of the perfect Fall weather and Football. I've been riding my bike almost everyday 7-10 miles since I got it. I have put over 200 miles on my new bike in a short time. I have been doing track work(running) and running to Yoga lately. It's that time of year again for the 15k Tulsa run. Yesterday I ran 4 miles on Riverside in 31:52. Then I rode my bike 6.7 miles in 26 minutes. Back to Back! Endurance
What do you do for your endurance?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
2010 Komen Tulsa Race for the Cure Results
This was a huge race with thousands of people all starting at the same time. It took lots of time getting to Riverside because of the congestion. My time was 23:31
Click here for all results
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
POSE Running
This is a video of Dr Nicholas Romanov running on ice using the POSE running method. I have been applying this method for the last 19 months and feel I have gotten really good at it.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
My new Invo-8s
I just received my new shoes today after a 6 month back order. This is my 5th pair of this brand, they are perfect for POSE running. I will run a 10k on Sunday in them and then an Adventure race next weekend in them.
Elite Trail and Adventure racing shoe providing high levels of race comfort and grip performance. Has a low profile midsole with stick rubber outsole. Radical design upper provides excellent support while the fascia-band aids propulsion efficiency of the running cycle. Ideal for short fast races.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Running Technique
Most people don’t give a second thought to running technique. They learned to do it as a kid and not much has changed since. By learning to run efficiently, you can reduce your risk of injury.
Lean Forward
Leaning forward starts at the ankles, bending starts at the hips. When you are running, you want the hips to be open so that your upper body and lower body are in a straight line. By leaning, momentum is generated by falling forward and catching yourself. The more you lean forward, the faster you go.
Shorten the Stride
Efficient running technique requires a relatively short stride length. Running speed is dictated by the degree of the lean, and not by the power put into “pushing” the body with the legs. In efficient running, the rule of the stride is “keep it under the body”. If you’re reaching too far forward or allowing the foot to fall too far back, you are wasting valuable energy.
Make the body look like a Figure 4
Relax the Arms and Shoulders
A common mistake made during running workouts, is to tighten up the muscles of the arms and shoulders. Actively remind yourself to relax the hands, arms, and shoulders, so that the energy can go to moving forward.
Try This
Stand up straight with your feet under your hips. Slowly lean forward until you lose your balance and must catch yourself with your foot. Maintain the lean and watch your speed continue to increase. Back off the lean just a little bit and you’re running.
Scaling Make it Easier:
1)Run slower.
2)Run for 30 seconds, walk for 30 seconds. (Play with these numbers- eventually, work your way up to running for 5 minutes, walking for 30 seconds. Then abandon this method entirely).
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Running & Yoga
I often hear runners complain of sore feet, bad backs, sore knees, tight hamstrings, and tight hips. If people would learn how to POSE run then they could reduce injury. Over the years, I have seen runners with joint pain, back problems, muscle pulls, tendinitis, strains, and sprains. Runners need to increase their range of motion. Through stretching and yoga they can get better in terms of strength and flexibility. If you would like to gradually integrate yoga into your workout routine, begin with these basic poses:
1) Downward-Facing Dog: From a position of all fours, lift the buttocks up toward the ceiling. Elongate the spine, and straighten the knees, and push the heels toward the floor as much as you can without forcing. Lift the wrists. Move the abdominal muscles in and keep them firm; drop your head toward the floor and let it hang loosely.
2) Triangle: Stand with your feet about three apart. Turn your left foot in 30 degrees and your right foot out 90 degrees. Be sure that your right heel is in line with the arch of your left foot. Bring your hands into a T position and take a deep inhale. Exhale and move your pelvis toward the left as you extend your torso to the side and over your right leg. Place your right hand down on your shin and stretch your left arm vertically overhead, palm forward. Turn your head to gaze softly at your left thumb. Release by coming back to standing and practice on the opposite side.
1) Downward-Facing Dog: From a position of all fours, lift the buttocks up toward the ceiling. Elongate the spine, and straighten the knees, and push the heels toward the floor as much as you can without forcing. Lift the wrists. Move the abdominal muscles in and keep them firm; drop your head toward the floor and let it hang loosely.
2) Triangle: Stand with your feet about three apart. Turn your left foot in 30 degrees and your right foot out 90 degrees. Be sure that your right heel is in line with the arch of your left foot. Bring your hands into a T position and take a deep inhale. Exhale and move your pelvis toward the left as you extend your torso to the side and over your right leg. Place your right hand down on your shin and stretch your left arm vertically overhead, palm forward. Turn your head to gaze softly at your left thumb. Release by coming back to standing and practice on the opposite side.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Half-Marathon
I will attempt my 1st half-marathon this Saturday, May 15th, 2010
The Aquarium Run set for May 15, 2010 promotes physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle while raising funds for the non-profit Oklahoma Aquarium's educational programs and exhibits. The event features a half-marathon, 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk. Plus a post-race cook-out on McGraw Beach, a kids zone and free race-day Aquarium admission for registered runners and walkers! Check out website here:
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Get Fit Tulsa 5k Race
Get Fit Tulsa’s mission is to make children’s health and wellness a major priority in the Tulsa community. Our responsibility will focus on providing the necessary tools for school-age children to become educated in the areas of fitness and nutrition. Get Fit Tulsa’s major goal is to lower the statistical percentage of obesity among school age children through innovative programs of health and wellness activities.
•Get Fit Tulsa Annual 5-K Run, April 10, 2010. Tulsa University (11th & Harvard), Fun Run at 8:10 a.m., 5K at 8:30 am. All Ages
•The 5-K race is a scenic run through the Tulsa University campus to 6th Street and back
Sign up here
Friday, April 2, 2010
Athletes ditch traditional sneakers to embrace barefoot running
Some area runners are leaving their sneakers behind to try a more natural approach to training.
From barely-there shoes to nothing at all, some seasoned runners say barefoot running has its benefits.
"Running sneakers provide a tremendous amount of support and cushioning, but they could be hurting us by causing the foot area to move differently," Framingham runner Adam King said. "Shoes are basically doing the work nature intended our feet to do."
A self-proclaimed "fitness geek," King said he's always interested in running improvements and was intrigued by the trend he read about in magazines.
While shopping at Framingham's REI store two weeks ago, King spotted a shopper sporting a pair of Vibram Five Fingers - a thin-soled shoe with separated toes designed to provide some protection from rocks and glass while simulating being barefoot.
That day, he walked out with his very own for $80.
"It took about 10 minutes to get my toes in the toe sections, but I got used to them," he said. "I was surprised how natural they felt right away, like I was barefoot -- which is the whole point."
The 32-year-old runner said he wears them about four times a week, and runs less than five miles. Though he said he gets quite a few confused gazes and questions about the unique shoe, King said the Vibrams have helped his form.
"I run on my feet often. I use my feet from work to leisure. I want them to be as strong as possible, and running barefoot I think will help that," he said. "After the first time I wore them I was sore in places I didn't know I had."
Northbridge runner Tim Doiron bought a pair last summer after reading about the benefits and said the change has improved his stride.
"I tend to strike on my heels, and when you run barefoot you really can't do that. It's nature's nice way of telling you that hurts," he said. Barefoot running "forces me to run on the ball of my feet. When you put on a pair of shoes, you don't always do that."
Doiron, who is 41, is training for the Boston Marathon next month, and recommends runners wanting to lose their sneakers start slowly.
"You have to gradually go into it. I by no means consider myself a barefoot runner; I'll occasionally go out and do it because I like the freedom," he said. "If you do it 100 percent, your form has to be improved. You're going to get pains you're not used to having."
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