Warm up.
THE INSPIRATION MUSCLE
Kristin Armstrong
I can really get into the way that yoga people talk about their passion and call it "a practice." As in "the practice of yoga" or better still, "my practice." I like how the word "my" denotes ownership, and how the word "practice" means an endless state of learning. Anyone doing yoga, from a total newbie to a teacher or even a guru, is still practicing.
I went to yoga yesterday, a beginner class, and this idea stayed with me. Our instructor, Malisa, talked about how the practice of yoga is so much more than a series of simple (though often difficult) stretching poses, that it's a way of looking at life. She said it was a way to break down the parts of the body in order to focus the mind. It was a way to quiet the mind so that we might be able to notice passing feelings and circumstances, noting them without necessarily assigning meaning to them. What a perfectly awesome idea.
I floated out of there and the idea of my practice is still playing in my head. It tumbled though my thoughts on a rainy 7-mile run this morning, and distracted me as Cassie put me through a weight lifting regime at the gym. Running is a lot like yoga in that way, it is more than just a motion or a hobby, it's a way of life. And it is also a way to quiet and focus the mind. I decided I am going to start thinking about running that way, as a portion of my overall practice. I own it, so it's my practice. And I guess, as the owner, I get to figure out what comprises my practice.
UNCOMFORTABLY NUMB: THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPERLY FITTED SHOES Coach Jenny Hadfield
I recently bought new running shoes, but my feet are going numb while I'm running. I bought a half-size bigger than my last ones, because I read that would help. I can't run a full mile without my feet going numb. What can I do?
Numbness in your feet, or anywhere else for that matter, is never a good thing. So I'm glad you wrote. Although it isn't good, numb feet isn't uncommon and may be due to improper fitting shoes, lacing technique, or even the style of shoe. Buying running shoes is very much like shopping for eye wear—everyone is going to need something different and it really pays to invest in being fitted at a running specialty store.
You're right, it is important to have enough length in your running shoes and most experts recommend about a thumb's width from your longest toe to the front of the shoe. It is also important to fit foot volume (or height) as wearing a low-volume shoe with a high-volume foot can cut off the circulation. This is especially true for high-arched feet. If this sounds like you, check out the lacing technique shown in this article, under the heading, "MY SHOE IS TOO TIGHT ALONG THE TOP OF MY FOOT." This technique uses parallel lacing and reduces pressure on the top of the foot, which may be the cause of your numbing situation.
Because you are feeling numbness in both feet, it most likely is related to the shoe style, fit, or lacing. If the alternate lacing technique doesn't help, stop by your local running specialty store and ask their advice. They can check the fit, watch you run in them and verify what may be causing the numbness.
DEAR JOHN: LETTERS TO THE PENGUIN
Dear John:
Have you ever had conflicting emotions regarding a race (a half-marathon, in my case) that you were running or walking simply to offer support and encouragement to someone else (much slower) all the while itching to be competitive, to test yourself, but knowing you can't because the main goal is to help another person? - Carol
Hi Carol:
What a fantastic question. Thanks for giving me a chance to talk about something close to my heart.
One of the best parts of running is the joy that you feel when you do it, and the satisfaction you feel when you’ve finished. It doesn’t matter what your pace is, or what the distance is; all of us who have been running for any length of time have experienced those feelings.
There’s also a different feeling that comes from putting everything you have on the line and going for broke. It’s like a throw of the dice. Win or lose, you know that it was all you had.
But there’s yet another feeling, and one that I’m lucky enough to have often, of sharing a moment in someone else’s life that’s special to them. I’ve seen lives change right before my eyes. It’s really quite amazing.
So, yes, I’ve been there. It’s difficult to give up your day when you know it’s your day. But, at least for me, it’s been worth it.
Waddle on,
John
Waddle on,
John “the Penguin” Bingham
Runner’s World columnist
Author,
RUN WITH INTENT
by Steve Goodier
Buckminster Fuller once said, "The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it's a different kind of life." And it's not about what you're getting paid to do. If you want to live abundantly, decide what you really want and figure out a way to do it. Be clear and live with intent.
You may have heard of Fred Lebow. Fred complained to his doctor that he lacked energy. His doctor advised him to take up running in order to increase his stamina. He fell in love with it! He was 39-years-old when he entered his first race, and did horribly. He beat only one other contestant: a 72-year-old man. But he loved it! Fred decided what he really wanted to do, and he did it in his spare time. He joined the New York Road Runners Club and organized New York City's first marathon race. But what Fred truly wanted to do, even more than run, was to bring people together. And that is what he did. He believed that anybody should be able to run: people of all ages, any background, professional or amateur, and of any country.
Today, more than 28,000 people of all backgrounds and nationalities compete in the NYC Marathon. Not everyone in New York was excited about people running through their neighborhoods. Fred was approached by a youth gang that warned him nobody had better run through their turf. "That's great," Fred enthused. "I need someone to protect the runners in your area, and you look like just the fellows to do it." He gave them each a hat, shirt and jacket and that year, when the marathon went through their neighborhood, those young men proudly guarded the runners along their way. Fred decided what was truly important to him and he found a way to do it. He lived with intent.
That single decision made his life remarkably different. In 1990, Fred Lebow found out he had a brain tumor. In 1992, he ran his final race. He crossed the finish line, holding the hand of his friend and Norwegian Olympic medalist, Grete Waitz. A bronze statue was created of Fred in his running clothes, checking his watch. It is now placed at the finish line of every race. Fred died in 1994, but as one sports writer said, "Fate handed him a short race. With his gall, with his love of life, Fred Lebow turned it into a marathon." Fred would say it's not about how long you live, but how you run the race of life.
Do you run yours with intent?
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Raise the bar
Whomever it was that said a red sky in the morning is bad news, probably wasn't a runner and certainly never saw the sky I saw last Saturday morning.
At times it was like I was running inside of a photograph that was being worked on in some photo editing software and different levels of sepia tones were being experimented with to find what looked best. It was simply spectacular, a great way to end off my training for the Niagara Falls Half Marathon.
As I look back over my training log, all I can say is man, I nailed it. I reached every training goal, ran smart and injury free. I've always tried to instill in our Running Club members that they should talk more openly about how proud of themselves they are. Sometimes, modesty, well, sucks. So let me follow a little of my own advice and get my celebration going a little early.
I've never run better, or stronger. I've never been in such good shape. It's all down to the calorie management and the miles, no doubt, but more than that, it's down to my mind. I have figured out that running and physical fitness in general is not about sweating and panting and achey muscles, it's about having a strong mind, raising your bar, and working hard to clear it. As I read over the comments I wrote in my log, one really stands out to me:
"Best run of my life. Who is this guy?"
There were times, during my longer runs, I didn't know who I was, or where it was coming from. If you want to run faster, you have to run faster, if you want to run longer, you have to run longer. Don't be afraid to ask your body for more -- we're bigger than our bodies and we're as great as our minds will let us be.
So as I head to Niagara Falls this weekend I've laid out three goals for myself -- one that I will be happy with, one that I will be thrilled with, and one that I will be over the moon with. Whatever race day brings me, I will run smart, stick to my plan, finish strong and leave everything on the race course.
I've read that achievement is the result of dedication, hard work and constantly raising the bar. The achievement was the training. This weekend's race is the celebration.
One cheeseburger and a chocolate shake, please! I've earned it.
Run for your life.
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Issue 22 Volume 2 - Oct. 24, 2008