Monday, February 27, 2012

Learning To Write Left-Handed

Um, newsflash ... changing your running form completely is kinda hard.

It hurts.  It makes you slower.   I takes focus and dedication.   It's frustrating.   And it hurts.  But I've had great support from numerous people, especially Coach Ken Schafer and Jill at Run With Jill, who both have offered personal experience and professional help!  They have been awesome.

To recap - I've ran about 10,000 miles in the past 6 years ... all as a notorious heel striker.  In that time I have been fortunate enough to BQ three times & run Boston last year, win my age group several times, and typically run 6 days per week ... all without injury.  I've been very blessed!  But over the last couple of winters I noticed growing minor aches and pains in my joints and ankles.  I felt that as I grew older, I needed to find a healthier and more efficient way of running so I would stay healthy, and also so I could eventually be one of those 80 year old guys you see from time to time in marathons.  I did a lot of reading and decided to change to more of a forefoot/mid-foot strike to protect my body from the constant jarring that accompanies heel striking

In early December, I embarked on the whole POSE way of thinking.  I started striking with my forefoot, and concentrated on quicker strides to eliminate the long over-striding heel strike.  It's been pretty tough so far, but I'm finally starting to work it out a little.  I'm right handed.  And I try to explain the change to other runners as trying to learn to write with your left hand.  Everything just seems backwards, slower, and frustrating.

I've had to drastically reduce  my mileage, which if you follow my blog, you know is killing me.  But my legs just aren't stable or strong enough yet to go back to a full mileage load.  The most miles I've been able to log is about 40-45 per week.  And all of those are much slower.  For most of the races I've ran since the change, which has only been 3, I just haven't felt adequately prepared - and my times have definitely shown it.

The good new is, almost all of the soreness in my calves is gone.  They are stronger and getting used to the new stress they are under. (This method is a little like running on your tip-toes ... but not really if you do it right)  Plus, with the shorter stride, the tendinitis in my right hamstring that I struggled with  for most of last year is fading.  It's mostly due to the shorter quicker strides, but I've also done some ART and additional stretching and strengthening.  Good balance has always been an issue for me, which is essential with this form - and I'm still working on that.  So save your "GO TO YOGA YOU DUMMY" comments.  I know it works ... but yoga hurts - I'm trying other things.

So this weekend I'll put the new form to the first real test at the Little Rock Half Marathon.  I think I can run it relatively healthy and relatively fast - hopefully around 1:37 ... but that's still about seven minutes off of my 1:30 PR.  But at this point I'll take it! Getting back to full speed is still several months away. but I feel pretty healthy and still am pretty positive about the change.  So anyway - there's the update.  Hope your running is going well!
... be great today!

19 comments:

  1. I'm almost one year into learning to forefoot strike and it's STILL hard! Love the left-handed analogy, it's so true.
    As for balance, try some one-legged squats. Super hard but super worth it!

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  2. I am not expert on running form but I have to say that I admire you for making this change. This takes real dedication because you know what you can do and how fast you could go and it would be "easy" to go back to your old form to get a better time in a race and you are still sticking with your plan even though you know the PR has to wait. This will pay off in the long run. thank you again for your comment last week I appreciate it.

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  3. I just posted on this last week. It is hard an yes, it takes time. More than I thought it would. But in the end, it is so worth it. I have no hamstring tightness anymore either, and I'm someone who used to be perpetually tight there! I also recover really fast from my long runs--something that didn't used to happen either. Keep at it!

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  4. Is this the "running on your toes" method? I still have so much to learn...

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  5. I really admire your courage and determination to do this. I'm lucky in that I've always been a natural forefoot striker. I can't imagine going through the exercise of changing form. All the best and keep it going!

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  6. Michelle, yes if you're a heel-striker, you can kinda think of the POSE method as running on your toes, but when you get into it, its a lot more involved with various movements

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  7. Looking forward to reading your report and how it worked. It does appear to be difficult. Good luck!

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  8. I'm just getting started... again... Thanks for sharing your experiences

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  9. That is outstanding. Takes a lot of willpower to rework something where the end result has been so good for so long. I've been retooling my stride for about a year now as well. Haven't been as committed as you, but it's slowly turning into what I want. When I look at race photos, however, my strike looks fantastic for the first 2/3 of the race, and from that point on I look like I'm driving nails into the ground with my heels. Hard to stay away from old habits when your running out of gas.

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  10. I am glad you finally detailed your switch to Posse form because I for one have been incredibly interested. I completely admire your dedication and willingness to change your form. I 100% understand how mentally difficult this must be for you.

    Good luck at the half this weekend.

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  11. Hoping Mother Nature's on your side this weekend ... and you master those downhills :). Been great comparing midfoot strike noted with ya!

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  12. seriously speaks volumes about you - your determination.

    jill - ya, she's pretty amazing. take any and all advice she gives.

    sorry I'm so late to the party.

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  13. Such patience! I don't think I could do it. I've tried to change from heel striker to something at least a little further away from my heel, but alas...usually by the first trip around the track, I've given up. "It's too hard" I say in my whiny voice :p
    You. Rock.

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  14. Just read your comment on my blog. Johann might be a little upset that his gender went unrecognised.

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  15. I'm a big heel-striker too (and feel free to use "big" in multiple contexts... read my blog today for more info...). Good luck with the switch, and good luck this weekend!

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  16. Hope you surprise yourself at the race, and run a bit faster. Glad your new stride is starting to pay off.

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  17. You are retraining your body... that's never easy! Hope that the half this weekend went well! :)

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