Core Running = New Balance

I was 15 years old when I went for my first “real” run. I wore bulky, over produced Etonic running shoes. They had white soles, white leather detailing and very white thick nerdy laces. Anyone watching me jog by would think I was wearing marshmallows for shoes. I progressed to a Nike runner with pronounced arch support and a thick sole weighing in well over 14 ounces. For years, I shopped at La Boutique Courier and Boutique Endurance in Montreal and ran my first 5km, 10km and marathons with products from these “purist” running shops. All the well-meaning and seasoned sales staff advised me that with my flat feet and Morton’s Toe, my shoe options would be limited to the “stability, control, support” shelf. This advice was gospel to my eager and believing ears.

Over the next 15 years, I went on to invest in every running shoe on the market using those descriptive features and benefits– stability, support, control. To this day, my shoe closet has 10 runners for every one sexy pump or knee-high boot. My collection has, however, evolved to include a range of lighter weight stability shoes, trail runners, adventure racers, racing flats and most recently, two pairs of New Balance Minimus Shoes: the Minimus Zero and Minimus Trail.

Minimus Zero

Minimus Trail

Sports medicine practitioners, kinesiologists, exercise physiologists, human performance experts, running coaches, running bloggers, as well as weekend running warriors have heavily debated the subject of traditional vs minimal shoes. In simplistic terms, findings prove that a less corrective shoe and a progressive training protocol will produce biomechanically efficiency, improved neuromuscular control, reduced injury and ultimately improved economy and performance. However (and this is a very important however), the key to owning these running attributes is in the progression to becoming a minimalist shoe runner. Umpteen running protocols exist to guide newbies in their new slipper-like runners. And speaking from experience, I would highly advise seeking advice from a knowledgeable running professional and strictly abiding by the pre-determined rate of advancement.

In my case, an expert sought me out. Curb Ivanic, founder of CoreRunning.com read my blog reporting on my running “come back” after a 6-month injury influenced hiatus. Curb coins himself a running nerd with serious credentials and qualifications to back up his passion and expertise. His CoreRunning.com business seeks to help anyone that wants to improve his or her run performance. While his protocol with every athlete is based on developing a strong foundation (fundamental movement skills) before moving into the fitness aspect (endurance, strength, power, balance, coordination) and technical skills (biomechanics and economy), Curb customizes his approach to every individual once they have undergone an assessments, gait analysis and muscle testing under his watchful eye.

After reading about the severity of my injury and my slow journey back to unihibited running, Curb suggested he might be able to help. Following run specific tests, a thorough gait and form analysis, mobility testing, muscle balance assessment and some in depth discussion about my run history, Curb summed up his findings and how we could unleash some run potential with a healthy and progressive approach. In less than one week, we met again to review a customized strength and mobility program as well as the “Interval I” 8-week running protocol using a minimal running shoe. Here is the protocol: http://www.therunningclinic.ca/medias/pdf/interval-program-i-2.pdf

Curb, being an avid proponent of going back to the basics, believes that we can re-teach our neuromuscular pathways, recruit the proper muscles for force application, and develop a natural running gait by developing our fundamental movement patterns, dynamic fitness and sport specific skills using a minimalist shoe. In his view, I was the perfect candidate for success since my running was in fact starting over from square one. Square one felt like a purposeful place to start.

In less than a month and a half, my progress has been nothing short of phenomenal thanks to Curb and my long time coach, Jasper Blake http://www.b78.is/ (also a running guru with a rich running pedigree and minimalist shoe supporter). The strength and mobility program has noticeably improved my muscular recruitment, core stability and gait pattern. The progressive run protocol (in a minimal shoe) is re-training my neuromuscular patterning. Having started with 3 x 1 minute run/1 minute walk and only adding 1 minute each day allows my body, joints, muscles and brain to adapt and absorb the effort. The stress is methodical and progressive with virtually no margin for overuse.

With no need for orthodics, corrective shoes, and an air of lightness in my step, I found myself researching all the minimalist shoes making impact with respected runners. In a few quick days, Hayley McGowan of Method Personal Training introduced me to Jordan Cluff, co-owner of the New Balance Vancouver, Delta and Langley Stores. Jordan was well versed in my athletic career and quest to integrate a minimal shoe into my running program. Following a lengthy discussion on the philosophy and research behind a minimalist approach and the R&D behind the various minimal New Balance shoe options, Jordan had me try on over 6 pairs for feel, fit and function. Without much debate, I was ecstatic to leave the store with two minimalist shoes (the Minimus Zero and the Minimus Trail) ready to start training new running mechanics. Here is a link to a great video clip of Jordan explaining the Minimus Zero shoe. http://www.newbalancevancouver.ca/info/new-balance-minimus/

In my research on New Balance and the evolution of the Minimus shoe, I found this summary to be very helpful: http://www.newbalance.com/performance/running/nb-minimus-zero-9-things-you-should-know/

Without a doubt, nothing feels better than running in a lightweight, airy, freeing and roomy shoe, especially after a holistic approach to training that prepares the body to run. Born To Run by Christopher McDougall is a great read for anyone questioning the possibility of applying a minimalist approach to running. I welcome your experiences with a minimal approach to running and maybe even life.

Off to clean out my running shoe closet…

Happy Strides.

What Is Your Method?

Most evenings, as a ritual to unwind and enter a sleep like state, I take ten minutes and peruse the multisport websites. Typically, Slowtwitch accurately reports on the latest race results and athlete interviews. Once in a blue moon nuggets of insight stick with me. They get filed away in my memory bank only to be retrieved when I need reminders from seasoned athletes or sport historians. This is, after all, highbrow literature only read by the gifted and educated few.

Of late, two articles resonated with me. One was an interview with Brian Lamar, an ITU Pro Triathlete newer on the racing scene. He lives in LA and balances his professional athletic career with a full time teaching career. Victor Plata, an Olympic triathlete and world champion with an outstanding athletic pedigree, coaches Lamar. In the interview, Lamar shares one of Victor’s analogies related to the cumulative effect of methodical training: 

Lamar says, “Victor has a great way putting things in perspective. He has this analogy that he uses when discussing training. He likens training to Aesop’s fable of “The Crow and the Pitcher.” In the fable a thirsty crow comes upon a pitcher that has water at the bottom, beyond its reach. The bird then drops pebbles in the pitcher until the water rises to the point where it is able to drink. Training, he says, is like dropping a pebble into the pitcher: the change is imperceptible. But gradually you are building strength and endurance, and one day you will reach down and the speed you’ve been looking for will be there. This mindset helps take some of the stress off of workouts. If I have an off day or I don’t think I quite nailed it like I’d hoped, he’ll say, “just another pebble in the jar.””

Calm thoughts float in to my mind after reading this analogy. My jar is filling up with pebbles thanks to all the purposeful training sessions invested in rebuilding fitness and athletic confidence since three bolts were screwed in to my right hip last fall after a bone fracture. The fable gives meaning to the regularity and consistency of daily training sessions. It underscores the truth behind the saying that “patience is a virtue.” It breeds gratitude for being able to spend time moving our bodies knowing strength and endurance are the eventual result after repeatedly practicing the movement patterns. And best of all, it makes the rewards from the journey so much sweeter.

The second article deals with the topic of “training as much as possible”. http://www.xtri.com/features/detail/284-itemId.511713556.html  The article mainly speaks to endurance athletes that are training for long distance events such as Ironman races. It highlights the difference between an athlete that can afford the luxury to nap, wear compression socks, seek regular recovery treatments, and follow near perfect fuel habits to an athlete that works full time with 2.5 kids and maxes out at 6 hours of sleep per day. The message in this article speaks volumes since I often find myself in conversation with workout enthusiasts pining for more time to train yet constantly complaining of fatigue and ongoing obligations that impinge on scheduled workouts. As noted by the author, the stresses of life are often more taxing on our bodies than any given training session. The unrelenting combination of the two is a recipe for a mental and physical burnout. Fortunately there is an easy solution.

 

The fable and the training dichotomy highlight answers to questions we athletes are constantly asking ourselves:

“Are we getting stronger, faster, more skilled?”

“Is the consistency of training paying off?”

“Are we recovering from our training sessions?”

“If we sleep in, will my (swim, run, bike) be stronger tomorrow?”

“Are we balancing our training with life responsibilities?”

“Is there a method to our madness?”

If the answer is categorically “yes” then you are in the drivers seat. Keep on steering the ship and go back to the fable analogy for perspective or skip a session if your kids concert ran late.

This leads me to some exciting and recent news. As of last week, I formally partnered with Method Personal Training founded and owned by Jamie Armstrong. Method is a one on one personal training studio in West Vancouver, British Columbia. A small team of dynamic, highly skilled and ultra energized athletic trainers dedicate themselves to bettering the lives of hundreds of clients through personalized fitness protocols. As I witness every time I step foot into the studio, Jamie and his crew are offering unrelenting support and motivation to each and every client aspiring for more health, fitness and strength. The subtle trust and mutual respect perulates evidently  between trainer and client.

For the past two years, I have been a regular participant of their infamous cycling specific sessions and earned the affectionate reputation of “The Girl That Does Back-to-Back Classes.” (No Tattoo). I often turn up after a swim session with plans for a short run or strength workout to follow. I am one of many doing the same thing and as luck would have it, many of us do it together.

Method attracts powerful-corporate-time-efficient executives, stay-at-home-fashion-forward mothers, ultra-fit endurance athletes and one-hour-a-day twice-a-week exercisers. Whatever the persona of those training at Method, one thing is consistent amongst the clients – they are all inspired, believing, committed and methodical in following Jamie’s approach and philosophy. Proudly, I consider myself on the top of that inspired, believing, committed and methodical heap.

The Method Team: Jamie, Arimo, Hayley, Sharon and Ashley have the “X” factor ongoing on. It’s difficult to put a finger on it, but there is a "something unique” factor that exudes from the Method studio. Better yet, everyone wants to be a part of it – group event participation, destination races, 15+ cycling classes per week, Gran Fondo training rides, triathlon camps, sweat for six workouts, one on one sessions, coffee at Crema and everything in-between. Very often it is the in-between that influences highly functioning people to loyally return for huge exertion and energy expenditure, day in day out, year after year.

Speaking from personal experience, Method has been and continues to be a very important ingredient to my training protocol. It contributes hard-wired cycling sessions in a social and structured environment with super skilled trainers overseeing my whereabouts. It gives me a place to join in and share experiences about life, goals, injury and recovery, adventures and new discoveries. Little does he may know, Jamie sheds new insights (aka: little nuggets) every time I show up for a session. He is innately wired to offer precise guidelines that when followed, practiced and embraced breed excellence.  And I want to be excellent, don’t you?

Jamie and I formalized my role as an ambassador for Method after my sharing with him how grateful I was for what his organization has brought to me as a professional athlete thriving in the Method environment. I am very proud to be onboard and share the Method story with as many people as would benefit. Slowly but surely, the vast majority of my active peers are accompanying me for a Method experience. If my consistent attendance encourages others in any small way, the return benefit is far greater than could be expressed.

On the race scene…

The snow continues to fall in the west coast of Canada. Whistler received over 4.5 feet of new snow last week. This climate phenomenon has influenced my training strategies, keeping me off the roads and onto the cross-country trails of Cypress Mountain and Whistler Olympic Park (Callaghan Country). Fortunately, the fitness gains and enjoyment factor share no competitors. As an attempt to fire up my competitive juices, I jumped into the Payak 30km Loppet at Callaghan (Feb 25th) as well as the Sovereign Lakes 30km Loppet (March 10th). Both welcomed top-notch athletes and challenged my ski skills and race fitness. Both factors benefited tremendously from the experiences only to best serve me for one last 30km Loppet on March 31st at Mount Washington, Comox, BC.

After all this skiing, my legs, lungs and mind will be ready to roll when my new Specialized bikes arrived for 2012!

What is your method? If unsure, please join us at Method Personal Training. We will make you excellent.

Christine