ThinkRunning http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog Because I think a lot about running Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:38:53 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Think Running Chesterfield http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/jogging-tours/think-running-chesterfield/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/jogging-tours/think-running-chesterfield/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:27:22 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=914 Running ToursI have started a new running tours business up. The temporary website to enable people to book for a tour is here. http://www.eventelephant.com/thinkRunningChesterfield The Stephenson Tour is the first of many tours I plan I plan to conduct in and around the Chesterfield area. Tours I have in mind are: The Chatsworth Tour The Hardwick [...]]]> Running Tours

I have started a new running tours business up. The temporary website to enable people to book for a tour is here.

http://www.eventelephant.com/thinkRunningChesterfield

The Stephenson Tour is the first of many tours I plan I plan to conduct in and around the Chesterfield area.

Tours I have in mind are:

  1. The Chatsworth Tour
  2. The Hardwick Tour

And many others in and around Chesterfield.

Furthermore, I plan to offer bespoke tours and a running buddy service for tourists and visitors to Chesterfield who would like some company out on the run. The buddy service extends to any distance you like – I’m happy to run 20+ miles with you if you so wish and I have a variety of routes both on and off road that I could show you.

Contact me via the form provided and I’ll get back to you to set a date and time for bespoke tours or running buddy services.

Contact Ian
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cforms contact form by delicious:days

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/jogging-tours/think-running-chesterfield/feed/ 0 Shoe Doctor http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running-gear/shoe-doctor/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running-gear/shoe-doctor/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:43:52 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=905 CIMG0790  Using minimal shoes is not without its hazards. When running without socks or very thin socks you suddenly become painfully aware of what is on the inside of the shoe. Many shoes have ridges formed by stitching lines which spoils the shoe comfort. Why not wear thicker socks? I hear you say, well then [...]]]>  

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Using minimal shoes is not without its hazards. When running without socks or very thin socks you suddenly become painfully aware of what is on the inside of the shoe. Many shoes have ridges formed by stitching lines which spoils the shoe comfort. Why not wear thicker socks? I hear you say, well then it doesn’t feel as good, and the shoes are too tight in places or they pull on your toenails with the stitching, just like the seams in the shoes! Of course, you don’t find these things out until you have done some longish runs in them. As my transition to ever more minimal shoes progresses I have been running for longer and further in my Salohs. I never felt a thing while running but when I stopped I noticed an abrasion on my toe – not a blister, it was skin that had been completely worn off by the seam on the inner of the shoe. These shoes feel great to wear are by far the most comfortable I have ever worn and fit perfectly. I have got the fit so it is very roomy on the toe box and snug around the rest of the foot where I want it. Of course now, the upper of the shoe being so pliable, it is wobbling about up front over my toes and the seam was catching. In the image above see the unmodified Salohs on the left (insole non-standard due to dog chewing incident! Notice how the modified shoes spread more and thus are more foot-shaped than the ones on the left!

 

This Seams to Work!

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What did I do about it? Some months ago I saw someone on Posetech had modified their shoes for ultimate comfort and I investigated what could be done with my Salohs through experimentation. I have two pairs so if I wrecked one pair that wasn’t going to be a catastrophe. I took a craft knife to the fake leather bits on the shoes and removed them carefully easing out the stitching and trying my best not to slice through the shoe upper. I’m getting closer to huaraches by the day! I have considered removing the bit of upper covering the toes which would necessitate wearing them with no socks of course! As you can see in the photo the fake leatherette material created a stiff ridge made worse by the stitches. With this removed the feet are free to spread as they need to and there is only soft cloth like material on them thus no chafing!


What Are They Like to Run in?

No more chafing at all, anywhere, very comfortable and you can hardly feel them on your feet. Of course, the description is how they feel for me to wear! I’ve run a fair distance in them and probably will run a marathon in them at some point. That doesn’t mean to say they will suit everyone. Salohs are increasingly difficult to get hold of but why not try customizing your pair if you have them? You could of course investigate customixing some shoes you already have, send me yours and I’ll post them on here!

 

Let’s Get Minimal

 

I’ve used that heading before, I’m sure. Ah well, here is another link pointed out to me by a keen runner and coach. I think it’s really good that the minimal shoe thinking is going more and more mainstream and it looks like the big players in the industry are starting to take note at long last!

 

An excerpt from the link..

“The entry of the bigger brands into the barefoot/natural running category is a sign that it’s not just a flash-in-the-pan trend. 

“I think the best thing about it is that, because some of the bigger brands like Saucony and New Balance have shoes in this segment, shops understand it now. The same ones that two years ago were saying we were crazy are now accepting us,” says Ecco’s David Halter. “This is not a fad; it’s here to stay.””


The minimal shoe movement does seem to be becoming more mainstream and the large companies look poised to make even more money out of the minimal shoe proponents! Just think, it must be a Godsend to the shoes companies – people want much less shoe and are willing to pay the earth for it! Let’s show them by voting with our wallets. Go for the ones that are very reasonably priced and the market will respond!

 

I am getting increasingly interested in minimal shoes! Do send in your experiences and customisations!

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running-gear/shoe-doctor/feed/ 0 RunCity Tours http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/news/runcity-tours/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/news/runcity-tours/#comments Wed, 11 Aug 2010 07:26:08 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=899 Fancy combining running with a tour around the sites of Nottingham? RunCity Tours is the company to get in touch with. They have a range of ready made tours and I believe will tailor tours to suit the individual and/or group, meeting up at a place that is either detailed in the tour on the website or you have pre  arranged with RunCity Tours. For more details  CLICK HERE

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/news/runcity-tours/feed/ 0 Should We Go the Distance? http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/should-we-go-the-distance/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/should-we-go-the-distance/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:44:32 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=891 long-run.jpgQuite an interesting debate on one of the forums I frequent about the The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) schedule and its suitability for use in training for a marathon. My feelings are that in running, you get out what you put in, which basically means to get better at running a [...]]]> long-run.jpg

Quite an interesting debate on one of the forums I frequent about the The Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) schedule and its suitability for use in training for a marathon.

My feelings are that in running, you get out what you put in, which basically means to get better at running a long way i.e. marathon then you have to train yourself to run a long way which involves regular long runs and a good base mileage every week around which you do the other stuff such as speed, tempo, marathon pace training etc. That being said, everyone responds to training differently and that may mean an individual’s mileage may not be the same as another person’s. The optimum mileage and training loads per person will be a little different but I believe the main theme is the same. If you train like a 400m runner then don’t expect to excel at marathon! If you run a good chunk of miles each week though, you will become aerobically fitter and thus your times for all distances will benefit.

One person I met recently on a UKA course exemplified this; she is a working Mum and just fits in the running when she can. When she first began training for a marathon she admits that she didn’t have a clue really nor did she have time to ‘read up’ so she just went out and ran, building up quite quickly to running 20 miles every day! She recently ran a 2:45 marathon off this training and is a none too shabby 17:56 5k runner! When asked she said she did no speed work as such – she just went to races. The rest of the time she ran nice and easily paced because “she doesn’t like running too hard!” You’ll be relieved to learn that the runner now has a coach and is benefiting from a structured training programme!

Basically I think the message is that it pays to build up a good base and if you are a new runner then spend the first year or so at least just enjoying running and building that base with plenty of easy miles – that’s my take on it anyway! Enjoy the article – CLICK HERE!

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/should-we-go-the-distance/feed/ 2 20 Miles or So in My Salohs http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/20-miles-or-so-in-my-salohs/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/20-miles-or-so-in-my-salohs/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:58:46 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=885 Decided that I have been rather lazy of late and I really needed to get over my “runner’s block”. I found inspiration on Twitter after seeing how hard a certain athlete pushes herself and a friend from Denmarkshire urging me to get off my backside. Thanks!

I decided to run nice and easy, concentrating on staying relaxed, fluid and light. I still have some strength issues with my gluteus minimus and medius especially on the left BUT I do know how to fix it while running now. I start to feel the knee drifting inwards so I just very slightly alter how my legs swing by engaging core gently (not forcing it) and imagining change of support and that seems to get my legs and feet behaving themselves again. Running is mainly mental!

Notice I saved the hardest up hill climb for the last couple of miles before the descent back into my village. I’ll do it the other way round next time to see how that feels!

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/running/20-miles-or-so-in-my-salohs/feed/ 2 Articles of Interest http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method/articles-of-interest/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method/articles-of-interest/#comments Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:41:25 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method/articles-of-interest/ thinkWebSysHome.jpgJust recently I have been extremely busy with another project that I’m getting off the ground thus, I have neglected this site of late. All that is about to change soon For now, here is a roundup of some interesting articles I have found… Undoing Bad Habits A lot of learning to run better is [...]]]> thinkWebSysHome.jpg

Just recently I have been extremely busy with another project that I’m getting off the ground thus, I have neglected this site of late. All that is about to change soon For now, here is a roundup of some interesting articles I have found…

Undoing Bad Habits

A lot of learning to run better is about removing the extraneous efforts we put into it, removing the bad habits we may have accumulated over the years. Adjusting style is not about any extra movements, it’s about moving less thus improving efficiency

How to Use Pose Method
I know I go on and on about how Pose is not in itself a style of running but I think this is an interesting take on how to use the method in order to improve your running. It really is brutally simple, just not particularly easy to get! This is because we are our own worst enemies when it comes to change – we instinctively distrust change because we are not comfortable with the unknown. Until we can accept that perhaps there is a better way to learn how to run and indeed accepting that we need to learn to run in the first place, we cannot move on to use any method to help us towards the goal of running more efficiently and injury free.
Being Stiff
Naturally I mean in relation to my running technique! It is a tonal quality, one of feeling relaxed yet resilient like a spring or an elastic band. This does not mean however that we must stiffen up the feet for example – a common mistake that leads to plantar fasciitis and all kinds of injury to lower legs and feet.
“Traditionally, a typical perception was that strength was required to ‘push off’ from the ground so as to maintain stride length and cadence. Hence, the more strength, the greater the ability to push-off, and the faster, or longer, you could run. However the problem with this logic is that the length of time that the foot is actually in contact with the ground, and in an appropriate position to generate forward propulsive force, is extremely short. Not only is overall ground contact time short, but much of this time is consumed with absorbing the force of impact. In other words, time spent decelerating and arresting the downward momentum of the descending mass. As a result, the window of opportunity for any conscious pushing-off from the ground is exceedingly short. Far too short to generate the required muscular force necessary to power the next stride forward.”
Linked from the UKA site is this presentation by Drew Harrison.
Very interesting indeed. What I find quite amazing though is that this “phenomenon” has only just been made public, or at least it was only posted today on the YKA coaching site.
I posted my personal feelings about this when I started this blog last year …
My “flat tyres” analogy is basically saying the same thing as the football in the presentation.
Back to Traditional
Like Marmite, you either love or hate the lycra shorts for blokes. I have worn them for several years now but I have decided to get back to basics and see how my running comfort is using traditional shorts. There seems to be quite a lot in the media these days about it not being a particularly good idea for blokes to compress their tackle, apparently it should be able to swing freely. I do think also that the extra room in these shorts makes for a less “budgie stealing” look and makes one feel a little less self conscious about the “tackle”.
Shoes, More Shoes
I know, I’ve already posted some photos of these! I have been running in them and I like them so much I have ordered another pair!
My initial fears about width in these shoes have turned out to be unjustified. I think they will give a little too in time. The very nature of the upper is more supple and pliable.
Plantar Fasciitis
This is something I have suffered with myself – although I don’t say much about it. I quickly realised that it was something in the way I ran that was causing it. However, stopping doing whatever that was proved to be rather difficult! I know Dr Romanov suggests that you can “run through it”. I think this may be true in mild cases but for many I would say that stopping running, looking at what shoes you wear for work (you spend a long time in these!) and looking at how you walk will give it time to settle down a little. Then put in to practice what you have learned. that is what I did and I no longer suffer from it. A lot of people seem to try to ignore it in the hope it will go away. Sadly, nothing will change unless you change something. As difficult as this may be to accept, it is the truth.
Traditional Views
In what seems to be stark contrast here are some traditional views by the experts. I have no idea if they are correct but suggesting that “too much running” is a cause is not what runners want to hear!
The video below talks a lot of sense and then contradicts itself by saying orthotics treat the cause. They may do by attempting to stop the foot moving but with time this will get worse not better. Little or no thought is spent on the consideration of patient psychology traditionally. A lot of talk about the symptoms but what has caused it? Could it be the way the person walks or runs? Why is the foot “over pronating”? Interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9dfdou0hYo
I took professional advice and was told to stop running and that I needed orthotics. I did not stop running, I never had the orthotics yet my feet recovered. How? I figured out what I was doing with my feet that could cause such an injury then I stopped doing it! It took a while to settle down and I did back off on the training for a good while. I never completely stopped running though.
]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method/articles-of-interest/feed/ 0 Barefoot Drilling http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/barefoot/barefoot-drilling/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/barefoot/barefoot-drilling/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:01:48 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/barefoot/barefoot-drilling/ IMG_0272   I just had to blog about this! I don’t actually do these drills to the letter. However, I do regular barefoot runs and focus on relaxing my feet. Look at this . Interesting isn’t it? At least once weekly I go up to our local cricket pitch, take off my shoes, walk around, relax [...]]]> IMG_0272  

I just had to blog about this! I don’t actually do these drills to the letter. However, I do regular barefoot runs and focus on relaxing my feet. Look at this . Interesting isn’t it?

At least once weekly I go up to our local cricket pitch, take off my shoes, walk around, relax the feet and do some running. I run slow to start with then I run a few laps as fast as I can without pushing. I just run like the little boy.

I spend most of my time barefoot now though; since working from home I have a new found freedom and my feet are thanking me for it.

]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/barefoot/barefoot-drilling/feed/ 1 Puma Street Kosmos http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/kit-reviews/puma-street-kosmos/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/kit-reviews/puma-street-kosmos/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:30:59 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=854 CIMG0773I appear to have purchased some new shoes to try out. I liked the look of these as they have exactly the same sole as the Saloh and H Street which have now been discontinued. I will do a full review when I have run in them, for now, suffice to say that I love [...]]]> I appear to have purchased some new shoes to try out. I liked the look of these as they have exactly the same sole as the Saloh and H Street which have now been discontinued. I will do a full review when I have run in them, for now, suffice to say that I love the uppers, the way they lace up is much better than the Saloh and they are a very comfortable shoe. I was initially concerned that they may be a bit narrow although this seems to be more about the styling than actually being too narrow. I can get my feet in quite comfortably and I think they will also give quite a lot as they wear in. A good point is they don’t have the strap of material across the top of the toe box like the Saloh – I doctored a pair by cutting this off and they made great shoes afterwards!

Apologies are in order as I have been neglecting this blog of late due to my work being focussed on getting my business site up and running. Hopefully I should be able to get a little more done now.

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]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/kit-reviews/puma-street-kosmos/feed/ 1 Drills with Jeremy http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method-drills/drills-with-jeremy/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method-drills/drills-with-jeremy/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 05:46:53 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=839 A lot of people know the sub four minute miler Mr. Jeremy Huffman, a Pose Method Coach who has kindly taken the time to demonstrate all the most important drills used in Pose Method to help people to develop their perception and skill in order to be able to run better and injury free. I [...]]]>

A lot of people know the sub four minute miler Mr. Jeremy Huffman, a Pose Method Coach who has kindly taken the time to demonstrate all the most important drills used in Pose Method to help people to develop their perception and skill in order to be able to run better and injury free.

I have taken the liberty of including them all here so people kind find them easily and make good use of them. Enjoy!

Pose Stance


Foot Tapping


Falling Pose Stance


The Pony


Change of Support


Hop and Tap Drill


Change of Support while Hopping


Two Foot Tapping


Stationary Lunge


Foot Tapping (Variations)


Drills Performed on Ledge/Step

I hasten to add that these drills aren’t about making your heel stay in the air by holding it, they simply demonstrate that if you have the majority of your body weight over the ball of your foot then the heel will not need ground contact. You should keep a relaxed ankle at all times and body weight over the ball of the foot by keeping your hips and upper body forwards slightly (alignment) as we all keep saying.


It is early in the morning, I will no doubt clean this post up later.


]]> http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/pose-method-drills/drills-with-jeremy/feed/ 1 Blogging Centrally http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/messages/blogging-centrally/ http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/messages/blogging-centrally/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:04:11 +0000 IanM http://www.thinkrunning.com/blog/?p=838 As you can see, I am now using Blogo, a marvellous blogging tool actually. I have to admit to being rather behind the times and still using my WordPress back end “manually” to blog from. Now of course I can prepare a blog entry and post it to any number of online presences! I really [...]]]> As you can see, I am now using Blogo, a marvellous blogging tool actually. I have to admit to being rather behind the times and still using my WordPress back end “manually” to blog from.

Now of course I can prepare a blog entry and post it to any number of online presences! I really like that!

Anyway, I thought it only polite to inform my followers – both of them! :-) that I have now managed to restore the situation blog-wise and all is well. Also, stay tuned as they say for more blogs now I have a great productivity tool.


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