Active Community: Message List - My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:46:59 GMT

Sounds difficult, I will have to do some research!

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:11:48 GMT

I bought a pair of Newtons for myself over Christmas. They came with instructions lol. I thought that was kind of wierd, everyone already knows how to run. But I tried the instructions and the results aren't even really debate-able.

There's lots of info out there on it (just google "natural running") and I am far from an expert but what I took away from it is:

1) Don't overstride - your feet should land directly under your center of gravity. If you keep your head level, pointed at the horizon, you should not be able to crank your eyeballs down and ever see your feet.

2) This will increase your cadence which it should. From what I've read good runners shoot for 180 steps/minute which is 3 steps/second. NOT what I had envisioned when I started running distances.

3) This is the hardest part for me - you lean forward at the ankles (not the waist) and I would describe it as basically a constant controlled forward fall. I still have trouble doing it correctly on flat or especially downhill surfaces but it seems like I've got it when going uphill. Its almost like I can't go fast enough yet to do it right otherwise. I'm at the point where I think I probably need some coaching.

4) Another way to think of it is your legs should be *pushing* you forward never pulling. Don't reach out and pull, but land underneath your center pf gravity and push off. You should land mid/fore-foot (some would argue landing on your heel is still OK, I dunno), your heel lightly bounces off the ground and then you push off.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:52:35 GMT

Hi Andy: Tell me more...what do you mean by "natural running?"

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:24:55 GMT

I have a similar goal although it is to just break 20:00 in a 5K. Have you had anyone look at your form? I was slowly inching my way down...29:57, 28-something, 27-something, 26:18 then I started "natural running" and just started lopping off time during my training runs. I still don't have it down pat but my first 5K only a week after starting it was 23:47. Later I shaved 15 minutes off my Half PR *while cramping for the last 4 miles*. I'm talking, for the last two miles of it, every other block I was leaned on a tree working out a cramp and still blew my old PR away.

Form is extremely important and I suspect overlooked by most if not all new-ish runners. Both for speed and injury prevention.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:45:20 GMT

Almost 2 months to recover from the hip flexor problem. I am certain it was caused by my show switch. Been running again

for about 2 weeks with no major flexor pain....as Leonard Cohen sings, "Hallelujah!"

Looking for a So Cal race about 30 days from now to see if I can make some progrss on down from 26:01.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:54:03 GMT

Thanks YD! That all makes sense. I have been thinking about swimming. I have never done much, on the other hand - I hadn't run much until a year ago. My hip flexor is still pretty sore. My chiro warned me that it would be.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 10:44:41 GMT

As usual, congratulations on your improvements! (63 seconds are a lot of seconds in a 5k!)

I would advice going easy on injuries, rest and if you absolutely "have to" run do it slowly. Once this is done, you can probably benefit from increasing your weekly mileage (again, build up slowly) and do some speed work in order to increase your pace awareness and get more comfortable with the distance.

I would suggest considering taking up swimming. It is often overlooked as a cross training exercise for runners but it will help you improve your lung capacity and will give you a much less agressive exercise to do for those days when your legs could use some rest from running.

I have not had much experience with strength training, but I did some core training and thought it had a noticeable effect.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 05:52:18 GMT

Beautiful day for a run today, only moderate win. Set a new PR and chopped a minute and 3 seconds off my last run. 26:01 in today's Run For Gold 5K. Essentially 8:39 miles. Running a 19:59 5K will require 6:31:9 miles....I have some work to do. I am fighting a very sore left hip flexor, my Chiropractor got me to the point where I could tolerate running roday.....but it hurts like a biatch now.....daggers in the hip joint. A few days of rest and stretching and heat/ice are in order. Then back to "work," I have to admit - this is the most fun I have had in a long, long time. I am going to do some basic strength work too.

Any suggestions from you with lots of mileage and/or coaching?

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:21:30 GMT

Run For Gold 5K in Santa Clarita on Sunday. Hoping to take the next step and run a 26:30 or better. Should be nice, in the 50's, hopefully not too much wind (but it is blowing like the devil right now) if I am lucky it will be overcast with a little drizzle.

My Quest For "Running My Birth Year" in a 5K

guest — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 03:21:19 GMT

PDR Sunday....13.1 miles.