More Manatee Mayhem - 2017 Edition - Closed (Page 27)

Welcome back, Laura! 

If you have a chance to post a bio, that would be great! 

I'm going to say that it would be an interesting challenge. You have historically raced hard at the 70.3 distance, so I think the biggest challenge for you would be mental. Not going full out race pace from 2015. Instead, work on the swim as much as possible, ride the bike a bit, run when you can in training. Then, take what the day and the course have for you on race day.  I think your current shape is probably better than most "out of shape" people. Also, you stated that you would be racing for fun and that you would "accept going slower". 

Also, if memory serves, you like the race experience. So, go race!

I believe the standard answer is, "Do It!"

Double Whammy

As always, welcome.

Hi, everyone.  Thank you all for the well and good luck wishes.  Surgery went as expected - even got in and out of there early if you can believe that.  A few days to recover then I start walking unrestricted.  Follow up in 4+ weeks and I think I'll be swimming and biking then.  Maybe PT - I'm going to request it so I can be taught/shown what to do and then go from there.

More later...thanks again Manatees!

I'm happy to see all went well and hope your recovery is easy!!

Roster updated!

Great news!

Fingers crossed for an uneventful recovery.

That is excellent news! Hope all goes easier than you plan, too!

Agree, it's great news! But still, take it easy - and good call on asking for PT - better to have someone show you what your new normal is.

Actually it's the opposite - shortening my stride and focusing on a higher cadence when running really improved my speed and I finally broke through that 50-minute mark for the 10k distance. 

As for flexibility i haven't had any running form really impact that. I have always had tight hamstrings/hips and love yoga for opening everything up. It feels less like stretching and combines so many good things; meditation, flexibility, mobility and strength. I haven't been in ages. I need to go to yoga ... 

I think that it all comes down to what you want to get out of the event.  Be honest with yourself.

I think you need to be careful when you increase your stride length as over striding can lead to injury.  If you do exercises to gain flexibility in your hip flexors you will have a better range of motion that coupled with exercises to strengthen  your glutes so you can push off more powerfully may lead to a longer, efficient stride without causing injury.  Quick cadence is also important to increase speed, so I'd work on also trying to get my cadence up to around 180.

Welcome back!!!

Thanks for the update, Mike, glad everything went smoothly.  Sounds like you are taking a smart approach to rehab and getting back at it.  Heal carefully and well!

I am currently working on a shorter stride length, specifically to keep my feet "underneath" me. Like others, I am looking for a higher cadence as well. I have been a heelstriker my entire life and the PF fight I am going through has made me think through everything. EVERY. THING. And I have found that one thing that helps keep the heel pain at bay and generally makes me feel good is consistently stretching. 10 minutes every morning, 10 minutes every night.  I'm not sure being more flexible makes me faster, but it helps me feel better.  This may simply be my perception, YMMV.

This is what I understand as well - so i always see a caution flag on lengthening out strides. My early coached run groups always talked about shorter strides and keeping your feed under you (like Chris said).

I totally get it on the yoga. Different strokes. Something else to look into are some specific drills, i had one coach recommend leg swings - and these can be done at the beginning/end of a run without too much imposition. 

One thing that helps form a TON is running lots (yes, mostly slow, sometimes fast - but lots).  More time in the street helps your body figure out what is an economic style for you.

The caveat that flows from the above is that trying to just change your form all at once to what you see as an ideal might not be actually ideal for you and might get you injured if you just implement the full change at once (speaking from personal experience and also others' experience as conveyed).

That is not to say that you should not do drills to increase your cadence, focus on leg recovery, or try a different upper body position, or different arm carriage, etc.  More that those need to be drills working you incrementally to a new set point, preferably one at a time at first, and coupled with lots of just plain old running for you to understand what drives your own best economy.

I've certainly learned more from running, drilling on the track and then recording what works on my fast runs than I could pull from Runners' World or the like (which often have a general rule or a recent fad - both of which can be misleading or even dangerous in the extreme). Those are good idea sources for the lab (running).

Just my opinion, of course, so take it well salted.

Matt

(and my fast pace (5k or mile) cadence is also more in the 190's than 180's, with threshold a bit over 180, tempo around 180, and slow runs ranging in the 170's usually - at least most days - but my legs are pretty short!)