Training update - Week one - March

This last week was a light one running wise.

Mondays run.

- 8k run in approx 42 minutes. Forgot my heart rate monitor so was not able to keep an eye on that.

This run was around the Auckland Domain (three laps of a 2.7k circuit) and is relatively flat apart from only a gradual climb of about 500 meters in one section before descending for a similar distance. I like this circuit for three reasons;

- it is close to my work place so it is just a matter of me putting my running gear on after work and getting out there.
- being a park I can run on grass for most of the run which I like to do when possible to keep from stressing my shins too much.
- being a circuit I can easily pull out early if I need to. Lately I have been getting a numb left foot after about 30 minutes of running but some days that could be after 20 minutes or some days (rarely it seems) not at all.

For this run I decided that I would try out a new method or technique of running that I have just learned a bit about after reading a Blog titled A Passion for Running. The technique is called The Pose Method and essentially it advocates a running style in which you land on the mid foot rather than heel. You have a slightly more forward lean and rather than pushing off with your trailing foot, you concentrate on lifting your foot directly upon landing by using you hamstrings thus almost falling forward. I won't go into any more specifics here because I'm far from an expert, but if you have a history of injuries then I would suggest you check out this method.

I got through the run okay. The Pose Method felt a little strange but I managed to keep it going the whole way just by concentrating on the key points I have picked up so far from their website; shorter stride, landing on mid sole and flicking the heel up immediately on landing.

It felt like I was working harder. I did the same run only a week before two minutes quicker. I'll put that down to just trying out the new method.

Beware of sore calfs though. I had sore calfs right through to Thursday. Apparently this is pretty common for new comers of this method.

Fridays run

- 7.2k in 40 minutes. Max heart rate 171. Ave heart rate 153.

This was a mid day run during my lunch break. It was a hot day and I went on a circuit which takes me a fair distance from work. This run includes a rather long hill climb of about 2k which I found pretty tough in the midday heat and with the new method. The last 2k though is all pretty flat so I finished relatively strongly.

Again very sore calfs all weekend. Maybe I should have delayed taking up the technique until I had completed the suggested strengthening exercises? Guess I'm just eager to get on with it. Started these today though so they should improve soon.

Went for a 20k bike ride on Saturday morning. Slightly under an hour though I was held up by traffic lights more than I usually am so that time could have been a bit better!

Wanted to run today (Sunday) but decided against it because of the calfs. Hope these will have settled down enough by tomorrow for be to get out. I have the Round the Bays fun run next Sunday, an 8 km run around Aucklands Waterfront which attracts over 60,000 runners every year.

Technorati Tags
Running The Pose Method Training

 Subscribe in a reader