Asphalt Junkies CLOSED AND GETTING OUR FIX (Page 135)

I'd say welcome back, but you're never away from friends.  It's great that you got through the tri and are back to the family time.  Now the trick we all juggle is to keep all the priorities straight yet still get some training and follow this crazy sport!

Hope this goes according to plan Dirk.  That girl has been through enough recently, don't you think?  Time for some clear sailing.

Yay!!!!  So glad it went well!!!!

X2 and hope you recover quickly!

X3 glad to hear it went well Jeff and hope you have a quick recovery.

Welcome back, David.  We all think it's great that you are putting your family first, so don't worry about that.  Good luck in getting started on your training again. 

I told you the investigation into the hit and run was going to turn up some pretty scary stuff.  Finally, the police have released some info that everyone around here pretty much knew was the case.  The jackwagon that hurt my friends murdered another woman before the incident.  Not sure how long before but probably not long.

Like I said, my friends were in the wrong place at the wrong time when the shark swam by.  There was absolutely nothing that they could have done to prevent this chain of events.  (Well, the dude could have been kept in jail on a previous charge of assault with a deadly weapon.)

I am NOT going to change the way I do anything regarding running or cycling.  I am safe.  I wear lots of bright stuff and lights.  I don't wear headphones while cycling.  I only put one earbud in while running.  I take out said earbud when I'm entering blind corners.  What more could I possibly do?

I resolve to continue enjoying my life while cycling and running outside!

This whole incident makes me sick.  The memorial service for my friend is on Saturday.

Thanks for listening.

Tracy, so sorry for the families involved.  They are in our prayers!!!

Jeff, x4 on the speedy recovery.  Take it easy and give it time to heal!

Dirk, hope you are enjoying your vacation!

Tracy still thinking about you, your friends and their families and keeping you all in my prayers. I agree it sounds like there wasn't much your friends could have done they were absolutely in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think you have the right attitude as well you are taking every precaution you can so don't let this stop you from enjoying your time out when you are running and riding.

JoAnne I hope you are feeling better soon so you can get back to training for your marathon. Make sure you take care of yourself and you still have time to get yourself ready for that. I also hope you and your husband have a safe trip and enjoy the time away while you are in PA.

Jo, yes it does take longer to recover as we get older and nutrition has to be MUCH better..well for me anyway to avoid getting fat....lol

Hey enjoy your trip to PA, sounds like a lot of fun!  When you get back, you'll be like new

Have a safe trip!

Tracy, that is a horrifying story though I'm glad they were able to piece it together.  Your approach sounds great and I suppose you're right in that when the wrong person crosses your path there's sometimes nothing which can be done.

Prayers going out to you and the families.

Tracy, I have been thinking about you, your friends, and their families.  I am still in shock over it, so I can't even begin to imagine how hard it has hit you. 

When I'm out on the road, I think of things like this.  I have been reading a running book recently, and it talks about waving to oncoming cars.  I've always done this as a friendly gesture, but the book suggests that it also serves to make sure the driver is aware of your presence.  I know that what happened to Tracy's friends probably could not have been prevented, but now more than ever I'm aware of how important and life saving something so simple could be.  If some of you don't already wave to drivers, perhaps now is a good time to start. 

Sounds like a good book.  What is it?

I wave to drivers all the time.  I also flash the peace sign and the sign language "thank you" sign.  Some drivers get the one finger wave (but only after they pass me at a high rate of speed with total disregard for my presence on this beautiful earth).

Tracy I was wondering about the investigation. This is just terrible. It sounds like a story I would hear about on Dateline - unreal.

I also wave Allison. Smile, wave or pull off the road all together for combines or other farm equipment. And I agree, it is as much for me to see that yes, they can see me as it is to be friendly.

question for the Junkies.....

What type of running shoes do ya'll run in.  I've been running in Brooks Ghost series and they have a 12 % heel rise.  We have an excellent running shoe store here in town and I told them I wanted to stop doing the heel striking and they recommenced the 8 percent drop to help eliminate heel striking and make the stride more efficient.  They did advise to go slowly as I would probably be a little sore.  He went on to say that I would eventually want to drop to a 4% drop.  So the shoe I got was a Saucony Progrid Ride 5.  It is an 8% heel drop.  They said running is not as technique specific as swimming for the general public but to get good, it is.  thoughts???

I was going to run in them today but it was raining and I just couldn't take a new pair out in the rain so i took my old pair.

Now be honest, how many heel strikers are out there.  Does it really matter? I was watching the olympics and I didn't see any heel strikers.

Karl I am not expert and I would defer to the those here who have been running longer than I have but I saw a very interesting article on this in one of the USA triathlete emails. I will try and find that but it short it said that some of the greatest runners were heel strikers. It was very technical but I think it was how you go about it heel striking if that makes any sense. Me I am not a heel striker I run more where am landing with the front or mid portion of my foot when I run. I am also running with more heavily padded running shoes as I prefer the Asic Kayano's although I have run with the Nike Free's and the Nike Lunar's. I can't run long distances with the less padded shoe like the Free's or the Lunar's. They are fine for short distances but I just can't tolerate long distances in that type of shoe.

I found it, here is the link to the article

http://www.usatriathlon.org/about-multisport/multisport-zone/multisport-lab/articles/footstrike-debate-022812.aspx

My first question would be why do you want to stop heel striking?  Are you getting injured or sore?  Reading articles about the current rage over minimalist running?  I think the part of your foot which hits the ground isn't as important as where your foot hits in relation to your center of gravity.  You don't want to be reaching out in front when you land and creating a braking effect with every step.

And I'm not at all sure about lesser heels/barefoot running directly eliminating heel striking.  My oldest son lives in barefeet, and always runs barefoot (even in the woods) and he is the worst heel striker in the world.  I cringe expecting broken bones every time he runs.  So even if you wanted to get to a more even landing, the shoe may not bring that result directly.

I use New Balance 860 and 870.  I have extremely wide feet, so they are one of the few shoes I've found which fits and just feels right when I run.  I have no idea what the heel rise number is on either model.

My thoughts, knowing nothing about the mechanics of running, are that you should run in the shoes that feel the most comfortable to you.  I wouldn't worry too much about heel striking or not, just listen to the signals that your body sends you and find the shoes that work the best for you.

JoAnne,  I think that its really easy to overlook the impact that stress has on us physically.  Exercise is great for you, but if the training is becoming a source of stress rather than an outlet for stress, you may want to reconsider what you're doing.  You only get one body. 

Sounds like this weekend will be a great re-charge for you.

Since I've had IT and issues and shin splits constantly, they looked at my stride.  1st I wasn't hitting the 180 steps per minute and I was landing way to far out front, causing stress to my shins in their  theory????

I have been running forefoot for a few weeks in my old shoes and when I do this, it is like I'm resting, my energy goes down and my speed up, for example try ruynning up a hill forefoot, then hill striking and see which is easier.

I will try those shoes for a few weeks, if they don't work out, I use them for yard work..lol  Those shoes are not true minamilist (can't spell it)  this store is anti minamalist.  Time will tell, will post again later.

thanks for ya'lls feedback

GREAT article Tony, thanks for finding it.