I continue to practice ChiRunning with great success. I believe my new running technique will allow me to run injury-free. As a result, I am confident I will achieve my ultramarathon goal.
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| The Bamboo Forest on the Northshore Trail. |
My training plan called for a nine mile run today. I've learned from previous experience that I need to stick with the plan and to slowly build my weekly mileage. I realize now that I can not build endurance without patience (Yiannis Kouros).
I typically try to run slow and flat on my weekly long run. However, my next milestone race is on a technically challenging course. In addition, I am still testing out the ChiRunning technique. So I wanted to throw some small inclines and technical challenges at my legs. The best place on the Northshore Trail for this is north-west of the MADD shelter.
I ran from the MADD shelter to Far Gate and back. The total trail run was just over eight miles, less than my scheduled distance. But I was happy with the run and decided not to push it further.
Limbs: Excellent!
Throughout the run I focused on my midfoot strike, continuing to try to keep the impact light and even. I think I was once again successful. I didn't have any problems with my legs. No soreness before or after. No calf muscle problems. No issues with my knees. No ankle problems. Nothing!
ChiRunning is working for me. I continue to practice the technique and get smoother and lighter. My legs are loving it!
Lungs: Excellent
As I wrote last week, I am still impressed with the way my lungs have healed from quitting smoking. I am no longer coughing during my runs, at least not to a degree where I notice it. I still think the cooler weather is helping with my breathing. But I also realize losing the excess weight and just a general improvement in my fitness also helps. As was the case last week, I didn't feel like I was out of breath at any point during the run. It's all good.
Laughs: Excellent
I am in a great place mentally with my running. I can't wait to get out there each day and I don't want to leave once I start running. The hard part is tearing myself away from the trail. I know based on previous runs that I could easily add a mile or two or ten to each run, and that won't help my training. So I am sticking with my training plan so that I don't become victim to over-training.
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| Vegetation along the trail. |
Learning: ChiRunning Technique
By far, my focus over the last couple of weeks has been on learning how to run injury-free. As I've written previously, based on my research I decided to adopt the ChiRunning technique.
Probably the most significant change I've made is moving to a light, midfoot strike. Since changing my foot strike, I have not had any problems with my legs.
I had originally switched from a heel strike to a forefoot strike in order to respond to a problem I was having with my knees. However, this shifted the problem from my knees to my calf muscles, which I've now struggled with for a few months.
But since switching to the midfoot strike, and practicing the other ChiRunning methods, I have not had any leg problems. I plan to continue practicing the ChiRunning technique on all my runs, not just the long runs.
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| About a mile south of Far Gate on the Northshore Trail. |
The following outlines my training plan for next week:
- Monday: Rest
- Tuesday: 3 miles
- Wednesday: 5 miles
- Thursday: 3 miles
- Friday: Rest
- Saturday: Cross-training
- Sunday: 10 miles
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