Chi Running

Sell me 'Running injury free' and I am buying.
Coach Mike suggested that this method of running in harmony with your body, from your Chi - center of mass for us non-believers, could be of some interest.

What is obvious is that after we did a quick running evaluation, I realized I was not where I thought I was from a running technique. No surprises, it happens to me a lot.

Heel strike was the most glaring issue, Hip drop, and few others details.
Back to the design board.

Working hard of changing the feeling of running.
Falling from the belly button.
Rolling the hips.
Cycling the legs.
Stop reaching.
And stop reaching.
Loosing the arms and shoulder.
Light. And fluid.

Don't get me wrong, I have the basics.
90 strides/min. (Usually) forefoot landing. That's about it.
A little sad after reading all those books, doing those training camps and running... running...

After one week of filming myself and trying to forget everything we learned for years, go back to our natural - childish - way of running, I am starting to have some form that look like the pro(s) in the book(s). At least, As far as I can tell.

Can't wait tomorrow morning and see what Coach Mike will tell :)
Pretty sure there is room for improvement, but if you saw my previous showcase .... Nothing to be proud of.

Limiting my running to 30 min / day - more and start to ache my Achilles tendon - allow me to try to be qualitative, and really focus on technique.
And hopefully, eventually, one day, maybe, who knows, stay injury free.


**EDITED**
Now with a video that works. The session with Mike was really good. Of course, I was not there yet. my trailing leg is way too short, knee drive not deep enough, and -of course - that cause me to over-reach. However, we agreed I was on the right track.
The main work is actually not where I thought it will be : Loose the upper body, swing shoulder and hips, and Loosen the ankles - the secret for 'ninja' running. He gave me a couple of drills to 'reset' the posture every know and then.
Toward the end of the session, I seemed to get it and have a very smooth and efficient running.

Now.... You do not unlearn decades of bad running mechanics in 30 minutes. It is gonna takes time. I have a 'strong' hip drop - either weakness or compensation because of my right groin pain - TFL. And the left shoulder is totally out - TLN.

But at least we have a good starting point.

Unlocked

This is now official, some people have magics hands.
I went through -again- the ones from my chiropractor, two days ago.
No surprises there. Hip were off, one inch and half, one leg shorter than the other one.
Symptoms are by now, very well isolated. Limping on the right, pain in the psoas, sudden nerve pain.
I should have n=known better and rush over there as the first signs showed off.
Good to know: Listen to your body, it knows better.

Lois's practice is very welcoming, at her image.
But more important, she can really help.

After a quick check-up, my back was "locked up", and overall extremely tense. No surprises either. I have been training a lot, certainly too much, and not stretching enough. But is there such thing as stretching enough ? Craaaaaack. Back in place. But for how long ?

Morale: Back on the yoga mat, sun salutations in the morning and one hour of practice every day. I even took an official yoga teacher and I am paying for it. Well, I had a good deal, we are family after all.

Now, I have been running a dozen miles and a couple of hours those last days, and everything seems as usual. Light pain, but nothing blocking. At three weeks of the marathon, this is reassuring, even if my training plan have been shot.
Anyway, nothing really matters... I am running again :)
Thank you, Lois !

Back on torture Bench

From the Runner's world series, a good set of videos on the various running injuries (and non related).


from www.drjordanmetzl.com, I definitively fall into the Hip Tendinitis category. Again.

Of course, I did not learn anything. At this point, I think I got all the information I need. I just need a quick in the butt to continue to do my stretchs and my exercises.

Easier said than done, as always.

Hopefully with tha pain being back and rest almost forced, I might start to listen to myself...

ps : The workout for prevention is interesting as well.
(ironstrength-workout)