Reforming my Form

Yesterday morning, I went to see the physical therapist (Jeff Waldberg) who had given our Team a presentation on injury prevention. I decided that it makes more sense to learn proper running form now, while I'm achy but before I am seriously injured, than after the fact. So, after the preliminaries (intake, medical history, areas of concern, etc), he videotaped me running on a treadmill for a few minutes.

He was able to play back the video in slow-motion, and stop on certain pictures and show me exactly what I was doing. He had a lot to show me.

1) I was landing heal-first.

This is apparently normal and proper when walking, but when running, is not the best point for absorbing shock. Landing on your heal, Jeff explained, would be akin to jumping off of a 4-foot high surface and landing on your heals. That would hurt. It increases the risk for hurting the knees and hips, among others. Optimally, I should be striking the ground in the middle of my foot, (i.e., not running on my toes either).

2) My take off was too slow and I was bouncing vertically.

Basically, my stride was a bit too long, which was causing the leg on which I was pushing off, to hyper-extend my toes. It did some other things as well, making me generally less efficient, and overcompensating with a more of a bouncing up and down motion. It wasn't extreme, but still, was not optimal.

3) I was doing a few things right.

My cadence and arm swing angles were pretty close to what they should be. It was nice to know. I need to pick up my cadence just minimally, and it will be ideal.

4) I was tilting my body slightly.

I don't know how to describe this without the pictures, but essentially, I was bending a bit at the waste. Jeff said that he has seen people with much more severe tilting (which again, reduces efficiency and places additional strain on muscles), but that correcting it will help me run more efficiently.

These are all of the big points that I can remember off of the top of my head.

So, then he showed me how I should be running, such as where on my feet I should be hitting the ground, and basically how to run with more efficient alignment. I started again on the treadmill at a low speed, implementing his suggestions, and felt the difference at once. As I felt more comfortable, we increased the speed. As a comparison, he had me go back to running how I had been (heal-first), and instantaneously I felt more impact, more effort, and more work from certain muscle groups.

I'm going back next week, as a follow-up to make sure I am able to remember and continue to run with good form.

I am so glad that I was able to do this. I have never really been taught how to run in a way that identified what I was doing. TNT told us generally that we're supposed to not strike on the heal, but I didn't realize that that's what I was doing. And I haven't had anyone take the time to show me how to change it.

I have my 5 mile run on Saturday morning, so I plan to practice this new form then.

What I Think I Can Do vs. What I Actually Do

The "impossible" has become my jumping-off point. 

At Saturday's practice, our team changed locations from the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks park to the park at Balboa.  I knew that we were scheduled to complete four miles, and that this time, one of those miles would be timed so that we knew what our "pace group" would be. By the middle of the warm-up jog, though, I felt tight, tired and worried that I would not even get through the warm-up. But I somehow did, stretched, and then we all set out for mile one.

As I had been doing, I decided to power-walk this first mile. The nice part was that I was able to look around and take in the incredible scenery. I am so annoyed that I've been living down the street from one of the most serene parts of LA that I've seen, and that I only just discovered it. Balboa park reminds me a bit of Boston common...but with better weather. And birds! There were soooo many birds.  I even saw a heron or egret (I'm not sure which, but definitely from that family).  The worst part of this first mile, however, was the fact that I had to go to the bathroom. And I ended up a mile away from it.

But I couldn't walk back, because the second mile was our timed mile. We were only going a half of a mile to our starting point (which had the bathrooms), and turning around, so I had to just deal with it. I figured that I would power walk this timed mile, but then our coach told us that in order to learn what our 60% of our effort is (which is what we're supposed to be training at on Saturdays), we need to know what our max is. We were told that we should push ourselves to a point that we wouldn't be able to sustain for a long period of time. So, I started walking for a few seconds at the beginning, and then decided to push myself. I ran (though it probably appeared to be more of a jog). I felt pretty uncomfortable because I passed the walkers, but I wasn't quite up to speed with the runners who had started off at a run. But I figured that I would just alternate the running with walking. 

But then I started to feel so good and I did not want to walk. I got to my turn-around half-mile point, feeling winded, but energetic, and enjoying the wind in my face. (I finally got weather-appropriate running gear and it makes the cold of 7 am more bearable.)  I started walking again for a bit, and then felt that urge to run again. So I did. I was pretty close to one of the runners, so I tried to pick up my pace a bit and catch up. I walked once more, but then saw the finish line, got excited, and ran. My friend Kelley (who had already gotten to the finish point) ran out to meet me when I was close, and ran the remaining distance with me, pushing and encouraging me.  

Before I set out for the timed mile, I asked my mentor Brett what time I should be aiming for, and he said that walkers should generally aim for no more than 17 minutes. I made it in 11 minutes, 40 seconds.

Okay, clearly, I'm no elite athlete here. But last year, I decided to run down the block from my house. Literally. One block. I thought my calves would fall off at the end of that, and I couldn't catch my breath for another block. I had just walked a mile, and run/walked another one. And, I got put into my pace group with other runners (and one amazing-kickass-fast walker). 

To put us into pace groups, they told us to add 2 minutes to our time (13:40), and group one was under 10 minutes, group two under 11, group three under 12, group four under 13, group five under 15, and group six over 15.  Our group is not huge, and our pace is run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute. The other week, this pace was exactly what I told our running coach (Bridget) that I couldn't sustain. But, I figured that maybe I have gotten stronger, so I decided to give it a try on the next mile. After all, I could always change pace groups.

I was actually really surprised when then next mile passed. I was running and talking with Kelley, and Victoria, who is a really nice girl that I met the first day of practice, but who I hadn't talked to much since then because I had been training with the walkers and she with the runners. But even more surprising to me than the fact that I was actually running 3 minutes at a time, was that I was having fun doing so.

Mile four came, I still had to use the restroom, and I FINALLY was running back to it. But I didn't want to stop and lose my momentum, so I kept going through the end of the mile. I ran 3 minutes, walked 1 minute, for two miles! AFTER mostly running another mile. After walking the first. WHAT?!?

So much for classifying myself on what I think I can do. I have no clue what I am capable of. 

It's not like I didn't think that I would get here. I am training for a marathon. Clearly, I was eventually going to be able to do 4 miles. But I had no idea that I would get where I am as quickly as I have. Who knows what I'll be able to do in a few weeks even? 

One of my favorite moments of the day was when Brett (mentor) gave me a high-five after the timed mile, and laughed at me and mocked me for saying I wasn't able to run. 

After the run, our stretching and my bathroom break (FINALLY), we had clinics on fundraising and on injury prevention. I learned a whole lot of useful information, the most helpful of which was probably that most injuries are caused either by overworking (and not letting the muscle tissue heal) or by problems with a runner's form. 

I cannot wait to see what I am capable of doing next. 

Introduction

Hi there.  Thanks for checking out my blog.  

My hope is to keep my friends and family updated with my progress as I train with Team in Training (TNT) for the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon on May 31, 2009.  I realize that this is a pretty dramatic goal for someone who is, let's face it, seriously overweight and not in prime shape. 

Why I Decided To Do This:

I have a few key friends who I consider to be "runners." I admire my friends considerably, and have always felt awe at their ability to train for and complete a marathon. But I've also felt like they're a different species than I am. I've always thought that I'm not built as a "runner." Up until now, my main experience with running was the "run days" we had in gym class, which I dreaded so much that I literally suffered anxiety dreams over them. 

But then, almost as sudden as flicking on a switch, I decided to walk/run a marathon myself. It was shortly after New Year's, and I was at my friend's house scrapbooking photos of my dog. (Yeah, I know. No comments on this please.) My friend (I don't know if she wants to be named, so that's why she's going by the vague designation "friend") who is a leukemia survivor, had run with TNT when she moved to California a few years ago.  She didn't know many people in California, so she had decided to join TNT to help raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, to meet other people, and to train for a marathon. She told me that she had never run before that, and that since the first event, she has now run several marathons and countless shorter races.  Wow.  My scrapbook pages, embellished with paper dog bones, were looking sort of lame compared to her album that was too small to hold the many photos and mementos from of her multiple races.  

I asked her about TNT, and she assured me that most people who decided to train with TNT were not "runners" before they joined, and that TNT provides a well-rounded training program that helps people ease into huge goals without making the mistakes that often lead to injury, burn-out, or failure. It seemed like a good way to learn to run, and for something that was greater than simply my own personal fitness goals. 

Initial Changes:

Once I made the decision, and opened my mind to the possibility of running, I felt an unexpected wave of relief. It was as if I had been living within physical constraints from which I had broken free. (Yes, clearly they were mental self-labeling constraints, but the feeling was more of a physical one.) I suddenly believed that I could learn to run and within 5 months, become a "runner." I started reading about running and learned that there is a whole lot more to the sport than simply putting on a pair of overpriced shoes and moving my legs. I started thinking about my body as more than "overweight." I started to think about what my body can do, not just how it looks. I began to focus on food as fuel, not just as "good" or "bad." 

I'm sure there are scores of books on attitude and perception, but for me, it was like a chain reaction. Once I opened my mind to the possibility that a non-runner could become a runner, suddenly, I felt like I could tackle almost anything if I decided to, planned carefully, and committed. What an exhilarating feeling! I joined Weight Watchers, determined to stick with it and change my relationship with food. 

First Steps:

I started out walking around my block, while adding spurts of jogging. The first few times were surprisingly fun. My reading had helped me realize that combining intervals of walking and running was a way to build endurance and strength, not, as I had long thought, a sign that I couldn't run. I also learned that I should not run as fast as I can for as long as I can withstand. So I actually started to enjoy being outside, moving and not feeling as though I would keel over at any moment. 

On my second walk/jog, I was able to jog for longer intervals than I had the first time. I was surprised to find myself disappointed that my scheduled 30 minutes had ended. 

My first group practice was actually disappointing, however. I had expected to run a timed mile, be sorted into a group of people who were at a similar pace, and start training. But it had rained, and although we met and learned a lot about the process, stretching, fundraising, optimal apparel, etc., I was actually bummed for the first time ever that we wouldn't be running (the track had flooded). Weird. I was bummed I couldn't run. 

The second group practice was a whole lot better. This time we had a clinic on proper running and walking technique. Our group is divided into "walkers" and "runners." Most people, however, combine both walking and running during training and marathons. I wasn't sure which group I should join, since I felt like a walker-who-wanted-to-become-a-runner. My coach suggested I start with the runners, since we would start off at an easy pace (i.e., run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute). But, I realized that at my current stage, I am able to run 1 minute and walk 3. So we agreed that I would benefit from learning the techniques for both running and walking, but training initially with the walking group. 

And that's when I learned that athletic walking bears little relation to the kind of walking that I've been doing for the past 26+ years. (I don't know how old I was when I started walking. I assume it was after I turned one.) But it is FUN! And as I get stronger (and lighter), I will be able to incorporate more and more jogging. 

So, the second group practice was terrific. I walk/ran 2.5 miles and felt fantastic. We also had a clinic on nutrition, and on running shoes. (My excessive reading on marathon training already paid off; during the shoe clinic, I won a hat for being able to explain to the group who Phiddipides was and what he did.)  

Since that practice, I've only had one additional walk/run. Due to an unusually nasty storm, I did that practice at the gym, but was able to run a lot longer than I had previously. I completed 2.77 miles in 40 minutes (10 of which (.5 miles) were at a slow warm up/cool down pace). My next steps will be tomorrow.

My Training Schedule:

Currently, I'm training a few days per week. Mondays and Wednesdays are my mid-week runs, which I do on my own, though weather permitting (and schedule permitting) I may occasionally do with some of the group. At this point, the goal on these days is to walk/run for 30 minutes. Sundays and Thursdays are cross-training days. I have been doing yoga and pilates, to help strengthen my core and increase my flexibility (so I am less likely to get hurt). And Saturdays are the long group runs. However, for now, we're starting pretty slowly, and will gradually increase our distances. This Saturday, for instance, we will walk/run 4 miles, and the following week will be 5 miles, followed incrementally by 7, 9, 11 and a half marathon (13.1) on March 28.

I'm excited about the half marathon. I will be running it with members of my TNT training group in Agoura Hills, nearby. It will be held on a trail, which should be an added challenge. I figured that it's good practice to see the feel of a "race" on game-day before the May marathon. 

Next Steps:

Tomorrow I plan to walk/run for 30 minutes, but it's still unclear whether weather will dictate that I do this at the gym or outside. I realize that I probably can run in the rain (I don't think I'll melt), but I think I'm less likely to slip and injure myself (especially as I'm practicing new and proper form) indoors. But I'm hoping that the weather changes soon and becomes the sunny California that I love. 

A Special Thank You:

Thank you to all of my friends and family for your continued support of my efforts. I can't tell you how much it means to have you backing me as I work toward my goals. And thank you also to those of you who have so generously donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on my behalf. I have pledged to raise $2500 to this wonderful organization before the middle of May in exchange for the amazing opportunity they are providing to me. Your help and support has already helped me raise almost $1000. I cannot thank you all enough!  For those of you who are interested in contributing, you can do so easily online:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/rnr09/jgusdorff