by Rick Platt
For the past few years, runners participating in the Colonial Road Runners Wednesday afternoon interval sessions at Walsingham Academy have had to contend with about a sixth of a mile per lap of medium-sized rocks, used to cover the maintenance road from the far end of the track, along the woods line, and to the baseball backstop and dugouts. While run-able, the rocks were not fun to run on, and slowed down the pace for that section.
That inconvenience is now history. Back in March Walsingham agreed to purchase a dump truck-load of finely crushed stone, which was left in four large piles. The Colonial Road Runners agreed to provide all of the labor in moving the existing rocks to the side to provide an even base, then loading and dumping countless wheelbarrows full of the crushed stone, before smoothing out the finished running path.
Led by project coordinator Rick Platt, the regulars (with at least three work sessions) included Frank Caruso, Andrew and Mercedes D’Amico, Frank Faykes, Jim Goggin, Ian Hawkes, Ed Irish and Ann Jurczyk. Also putting in at least one work session were MacKenzie Carnes, Greg Dawson, Rex Hoover, Ashley Hoover, Steve Menzies, Paula Pickering and Daniel Shaye.
The finished smooth, flat surface is wide enough for two runners abreast, and is similar in condition to running paths at Noland Trail, Warhill, or Newport News Park. Try it out sometime!
So if you’ve been avoiding the Walsingham intervals in the past year or so, because you didn’t like running over the rocks, that excuse is gone! Come on out, and join us for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28th, in a ceremonial lap around the “short loop”, before the regular interval workout. Even if you can’t make the ribbon-cutting session, we hope as many of you as possible will become regulars at the Wednesday workouts on our new path.
Note that the October 28th interval session will be the last one at the regular March-through-October 5:30 p.m. starting time. With daylight savings time ending on Sunday, November 1st, all workouts from November 4th through the end of January will be at the winter starting time of 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
FLY, FLY AWAY
By Sally Young
yo-sal@cox.net
I was wondering why the deer fly kept getting bigger and bigger, and then it hit me right in the eye. I was running in the middle of a flash mob offlying bugs, trying to keep my mouth shut and my speed up, but they were landing all over me, morphing my style into that of a frenzied hackeysacker. I finally smacked one, and pulled my hand back, horrified to see it covered with my own blood. That's when a fly hit my eye, with another going straight into my mouth, mid-"ow". I reached up, smearing red across my eyeand knocking out my contact lens, reducing myself to blind staggers and drooling, like I was fresh off a Haitian white powder binge.
Deer flies thrive in damp, wooded areas or fields during warm weather. They begin swarming at dawn for about three hours, and then again around sunset.They're attracted to forward motion, and can't be outrun. A fly will circle its victim's head and shoulders, delivering a painful cross-shaped cut that pools with blood. Insect repellants are ineffective, but attaching a flypaper-like Deer Fly Patch on your hat will help ease your run. Google Tred-Not Deer Fly Patch.
yo-sal@cox.net
I was wondering why the deer fly kept getting bigger and bigger, and then it hit me right in the eye. I was running in the middle of a flash mob offlying bugs, trying to keep my mouth shut and my speed up, but they were landing all over me, morphing my style into that of a frenzied hackeysacker. I finally smacked one, and pulled my hand back, horrified to see it covered with my own blood. That's when a fly hit my eye, with another going straight into my mouth, mid-"ow". I reached up, smearing red across my eyeand knocking out my contact lens, reducing myself to blind staggers and drooling, like I was fresh off a Haitian white powder binge.
Deer flies thrive in damp, wooded areas or fields during warm weather. They begin swarming at dawn for about three hours, and then again around sunset.They're attracted to forward motion, and can't be outrun. A fly will circle its victim's head and shoulders, delivering a painful cross-shaped cut that pools with blood. Insect repellants are ineffective, but attaching a flypaper-like Deer Fly Patch on your hat will help ease your run. Google Tred-Not Deer Fly Patch.
The Many Faces of Running
by Dr. Daniel Shaye, Chiropractic Physician
Running. Covering ground on 2 feet. It's a universal experience, one we runners all share... or do we?
When you and I think of running, we may think of lacing up our shoes and heading out for a half hour run, or even a race; but there are many faces of running. Here in the USA, running is a form of recreation, a type of exercise, a path to health and/or personal joy. When I lived in Kenya, I saw running used as both a career path and a road to national pride; but I also saw it used as transportation-- especially by kids traveling to and from school. In America, our transportation typically has wheels and a motor. This is not the case in the more rural areas of developing nations... and sometimes they don't even wear shoes (the legends are true).
Having diversified my athletic endeavors, I've discovered other faces of running. I wouldn't dream of lacing up my high-top basketball shoes for a 3-mile trail run; yet for basketball, they're a must. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined giving up a trail run for 1-3 hours of sprints up an down an 84-foot-long hardwood, indoor court... yet it's still my legs, running and bounding, that carry me. The experience has its differences from distance running, to be sure: No deer sightings, no spikes, no precipitation, and never a hill or bump. Even so, it's still a thrill and joy to experience my body, moving through space, my heart pumping and lungs expanding.
We runners are a diverse family. A sprinter or triple-jumper might in some ways have more in common with the basketball player than the 5000 meter specialist; yet can even the 5K runner compare him or her-self with the marathoner? And what of the ultra runner's experience? I've never "been there," yet I understand that going 50 or 100+ miles is very, very different from the half hour or even 2 hour runs I've known.
Some of you might argue that we runners are all a family, sharing in a unique life that is separate and distinct from what basketball players or others might experience... yes? But again, I wonder if our family is bigger than we think. Some runners are driven by the watch, or the scale, or by competition. Some live running as a primal joy, a mental health exercise more than a physical one; and still others live a desire to move beyond desire, to be one with the experience. If such diverse people, doing such disparate things, can all call themselves "runners," might our family be even bigger than we at first conceive?
Whether we run, or racewalk; whether we bound and race, or shuffle along; whether our shoes cover our ankles, or exist not at all; and even whether we run for reasons as different as spikes and trainers; we runners of all stripes share a bond. A distance run, or playing 5-on-5 basketball, both require that our own two legs carry us-- and no one else's. We can experience the forms of the run as our solo treasure, or build a community and social support network around the activity. Perhaps we can expand our family, even while we experience what is in so many ways an intensely personal experience.
I'll see you on the road... or trail... or track... or court... or wherever you choose to run.
Yours in running, health, & fitness,
-Dr. Daniel A. ShayeCertified Chiropractic Sports PhysicianFellow, International Academy of Medical Acupuncture
Do you have a question you’d like answered? Mail your questions c/o Performance Chiropractic, 1307 Jamestown Road, Ste. 103, Williamsburg, VA 23185; e-mail pchiro@performancechiropractic.com ; or visit www.performancechiropractic.com
Running. Covering ground on 2 feet. It's a universal experience, one we runners all share... or do we?
When you and I think of running, we may think of lacing up our shoes and heading out for a half hour run, or even a race; but there are many faces of running. Here in the USA, running is a form of recreation, a type of exercise, a path to health and/or personal joy. When I lived in Kenya, I saw running used as both a career path and a road to national pride; but I also saw it used as transportation-- especially by kids traveling to and from school. In America, our transportation typically has wheels and a motor. This is not the case in the more rural areas of developing nations... and sometimes they don't even wear shoes (the legends are true).
Having diversified my athletic endeavors, I've discovered other faces of running. I wouldn't dream of lacing up my high-top basketball shoes for a 3-mile trail run; yet for basketball, they're a must. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined giving up a trail run for 1-3 hours of sprints up an down an 84-foot-long hardwood, indoor court... yet it's still my legs, running and bounding, that carry me. The experience has its differences from distance running, to be sure: No deer sightings, no spikes, no precipitation, and never a hill or bump. Even so, it's still a thrill and joy to experience my body, moving through space, my heart pumping and lungs expanding.
We runners are a diverse family. A sprinter or triple-jumper might in some ways have more in common with the basketball player than the 5000 meter specialist; yet can even the 5K runner compare him or her-self with the marathoner? And what of the ultra runner's experience? I've never "been there," yet I understand that going 50 or 100+ miles is very, very different from the half hour or even 2 hour runs I've known.
Some of you might argue that we runners are all a family, sharing in a unique life that is separate and distinct from what basketball players or others might experience... yes? But again, I wonder if our family is bigger than we think. Some runners are driven by the watch, or the scale, or by competition. Some live running as a primal joy, a mental health exercise more than a physical one; and still others live a desire to move beyond desire, to be one with the experience. If such diverse people, doing such disparate things, can all call themselves "runners," might our family be even bigger than we at first conceive?
Whether we run, or racewalk; whether we bound and race, or shuffle along; whether our shoes cover our ankles, or exist not at all; and even whether we run for reasons as different as spikes and trainers; we runners of all stripes share a bond. A distance run, or playing 5-on-5 basketball, both require that our own two legs carry us-- and no one else's. We can experience the forms of the run as our solo treasure, or build a community and social support network around the activity. Perhaps we can expand our family, even while we experience what is in so many ways an intensely personal experience.
I'll see you on the road... or trail... or track... or court... or wherever you choose to run.
Yours in running, health, & fitness,
-Dr. Daniel A. ShayeCertified Chiropractic Sports PhysicianFellow, International Academy of Medical Acupuncture
Do you have a question you’d like answered? Mail your questions c/o Performance Chiropractic, 1307 Jamestown Road, Ste. 103, Williamsburg, VA 23185; e-mail pchiro@performancechiropractic.com ; or visit www.performancechiropractic.com
Friday, October 9, 2009
The First Crapolfest 5K
By Rick Platt
Soccer and running were intertwined at the inaugural Crapolfest 2009 5K Run last Saturday, starting and finishing at Albert-Daly Field, the soccer stadium for William and Mary. The race benefited the Andrew E. Crapol Soccer Scholarship, and was organized by the W&M Tribe Club, with assistance by the W&M men’s soccer team.
Andy Crapol (1978-2009) was a Williamsburg native who played soccer for Lafayette High School, then at William and Mary under Coach Al Albert (the race director for the Crapolfest run). The 5K was a Colonial Road Runners event. Andy’s mother, Jeanne Zeidler, is on the Williamsburg City Council, and is the current mayor of Williamsburg. His father, Edward Crapol, is a professor emeritus in history at W&M.
Andy was diagnosed with esophageal cancer early this year, and died tragically within months. His wife, Allison Simmons Crapol, was at all the weekend events, including handing out the race awards.
There was almost $12,000 raised from the Crapolfest weekend events (also including a mini-golf tournament Saturday afternoon at Pirates Cove), and with $4,000+ in additional contributions made to the scholarship fund, that made for over $16,000 raised. The Crapol scholarship is now endowed with over $70,000.
There were 195 finishers in the 5K run/walk, and an additional 31 finishers in the 1 mile fun run/walk. The mini-golf tournament attracted about 125. There was also a W&M women’s soccer game Friday evening, and a men’s soccer game Saturday evening, where rival George Mason prevailed 1-0.
The top three overall men were Danny O’Callaghan, 37, of Houston (17:04), Gregor Kranjc, 35, of Williamsburg (17:13) and Daniel Shean, 26, of Williamsburg (18:07). O’Callaghan coached Brittany Lane, a junior starting midfielder on the W&M women’s team, for the Challenge Soccer Club in Houston, and came to the race with Brittany’s father, Brent Lane. Kranjc is a visiting professor in the same W&M history department as Andy’s father.
The top three women were Alaina Redd, 16, of Midlothian (and Cosby High School) in 20:53, Claire Zimmeck, 22, of Williamsburg (22:02) and Kristin Morgan, 24, of Williamsburg (22:48). Zimmeck was a two-time All-American for the W&M women’s soccer team, graduating in May.
The race course was mostly flat, and included a loop around Dillard Complex to start, then heading out the recreational bike path past the James City County Williamsburg Recreation Center, down Longhill Road to Ironbound Road at James Blair School, then back past the Plumeri Park entrance road to the finish at Albert-Daly Field, where refreshments were served and awards handed out.
Some of the notable runners, with soccer or W&M connections, placing in the top three of their age groups were Robert Bryden of Richmond and Greg Westfall of Manhasset, NY (both ’97 soccer grads); Scott Cooper of Toano (a coach in the Virginia Legacy soccer club); Sean Pieri (vice president for development for W&M); John Tuttle (W&M ’88, who was recently named one of the top 25 men’s soccer players of the CAA for its past 25 years); Gonzalo Abrigo (father of current men’s player Nick); Milam Walters (married to Andy’s older sister Heidi Crapol); Brent Lane (father of Brittany); Christine Connelly (wife of W&M associate head soccer coach Chuck Connelly); Brita Marmon (W&M assistant women’s soccer coach); and Karen DiNuzzo (mother of Michael on the W&M men’s team). Jonny Kamara, the second assistant coach for the W&M soccer team, who also coaches Virginia Legacy, would have been one of the top finishers, but he was accompanying his 3-year-old son Atticus to an impressive 39:23 time.
There were numerous other family members of Andy’s participating in either the 5K or 1 mile events, including Jeanne Zeidler, Ed Crapol, brother Paul Crapol, sister Heidi Crapol, aunt Marianne Crapol, father-in-law Robert Simmons, mother-in-law Patricia Simmons, and sister-in-law Kimberly Simmons.
Andy Crapol was best friends with Shane Emmett and the entire Emmett family since they were little kids, and all the Emmetts participated, including father Bob, mother Pauline, and brothers Shane, Casey (who designed the race entry form) and Quinn (designer and webmaster for the http://www.andycrapol.com/ website), and sister Molly (who ran barefoot).
Al Albert’s son Graham, also a former W&M soccer player, ran the first mile holding a soccer ball, then once the course opened up a bit, dribbled it for the final two miles of the race.
Full results can be found at http://colonialroadrunners.org/2009Crapolfestresults.txt.
Soccer and running were intertwined at the inaugural Crapolfest 2009 5K Run last Saturday, starting and finishing at Albert-Daly Field, the soccer stadium for William and Mary. The race benefited the Andrew E. Crapol Soccer Scholarship, and was organized by the W&M Tribe Club, with assistance by the W&M men’s soccer team.
Andy Crapol (1978-2009) was a Williamsburg native who played soccer for Lafayette High School, then at William and Mary under Coach Al Albert (the race director for the Crapolfest run). The 5K was a Colonial Road Runners event. Andy’s mother, Jeanne Zeidler, is on the Williamsburg City Council, and is the current mayor of Williamsburg. His father, Edward Crapol, is a professor emeritus in history at W&M.
Andy was diagnosed with esophageal cancer early this year, and died tragically within months. His wife, Allison Simmons Crapol, was at all the weekend events, including handing out the race awards.
There was almost $12,000 raised from the Crapolfest weekend events (also including a mini-golf tournament Saturday afternoon at Pirates Cove), and with $4,000+ in additional contributions made to the scholarship fund, that made for over $16,000 raised. The Crapol scholarship is now endowed with over $70,000.
There were 195 finishers in the 5K run/walk, and an additional 31 finishers in the 1 mile fun run/walk. The mini-golf tournament attracted about 125. There was also a W&M women’s soccer game Friday evening, and a men’s soccer game Saturday evening, where rival George Mason prevailed 1-0.
The top three overall men were Danny O’Callaghan, 37, of Houston (17:04), Gregor Kranjc, 35, of Williamsburg (17:13) and Daniel Shean, 26, of Williamsburg (18:07). O’Callaghan coached Brittany Lane, a junior starting midfielder on the W&M women’s team, for the Challenge Soccer Club in Houston, and came to the race with Brittany’s father, Brent Lane. Kranjc is a visiting professor in the same W&M history department as Andy’s father.
The top three women were Alaina Redd, 16, of Midlothian (and Cosby High School) in 20:53, Claire Zimmeck, 22, of Williamsburg (22:02) and Kristin Morgan, 24, of Williamsburg (22:48). Zimmeck was a two-time All-American for the W&M women’s soccer team, graduating in May.
The race course was mostly flat, and included a loop around Dillard Complex to start, then heading out the recreational bike path past the James City County Williamsburg Recreation Center, down Longhill Road to Ironbound Road at James Blair School, then back past the Plumeri Park entrance road to the finish at Albert-Daly Field, where refreshments were served and awards handed out.
Some of the notable runners, with soccer or W&M connections, placing in the top three of their age groups were Robert Bryden of Richmond and Greg Westfall of Manhasset, NY (both ’97 soccer grads); Scott Cooper of Toano (a coach in the Virginia Legacy soccer club); Sean Pieri (vice president for development for W&M); John Tuttle (W&M ’88, who was recently named one of the top 25 men’s soccer players of the CAA for its past 25 years); Gonzalo Abrigo (father of current men’s player Nick); Milam Walters (married to Andy’s older sister Heidi Crapol); Brent Lane (father of Brittany); Christine Connelly (wife of W&M associate head soccer coach Chuck Connelly); Brita Marmon (W&M assistant women’s soccer coach); and Karen DiNuzzo (mother of Michael on the W&M men’s team). Jonny Kamara, the second assistant coach for the W&M soccer team, who also coaches Virginia Legacy, would have been one of the top finishers, but he was accompanying his 3-year-old son Atticus to an impressive 39:23 time.
There were numerous other family members of Andy’s participating in either the 5K or 1 mile events, including Jeanne Zeidler, Ed Crapol, brother Paul Crapol, sister Heidi Crapol, aunt Marianne Crapol, father-in-law Robert Simmons, mother-in-law Patricia Simmons, and sister-in-law Kimberly Simmons.
Andy Crapol was best friends with Shane Emmett and the entire Emmett family since they were little kids, and all the Emmetts participated, including father Bob, mother Pauline, and brothers Shane, Casey (who designed the race entry form) and Quinn (designer and webmaster for the http://www.andycrapol.com/ website), and sister Molly (who ran barefoot).
Al Albert’s son Graham, also a former W&M soccer player, ran the first mile holding a soccer ball, then once the course opened up a bit, dribbled it for the final two miles of the race.
Full results can be found at http://colonialroadrunners.org/2009Crapolfestresults.txt.
Friday, September 18, 2009
What's the Big Idea
IT'S TIME TO BIG IT UP
Like the White Queen trying to believe a few impossible things before breakfast, most of us can't fathom entering a race that covers a full zipcode or two. But for people like Cheryl Lager, the word "ultramarathon" sets off a waggle dance of pure running glee. Cheryl was an average, young, middle-aged woman, experiencing average,young, middle-age spread. She joined an average joe's gym so she could fitinto her average-size clothing. (Sorry!). Soon, treadmill running gave wayto road races, and short distances grew to full marathons. But for Cheryl,marathons simply ended too soon. She had reached the inflection point inlong distance running where lunacy and genius come together to form a neworder: Marathon Maniacs, an elite group of insatiable marathoners who run 50and 100 mile events as well. Happiness comes from being irretrievably drawn into a quest that will notend. "The secret of life," said Henry Moore, British sculptor, "is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bringeverything to, every minute of the day for the rest of your life. And, themost important thing is, it must be something you cannot possibly do."
Sally is also an artist. Her art work can be found at Parlett's Cards, Stationery & Gifts in Williamsburg, Gallery at York Hall on Main St. in Yorktown, Gallery on the York on Rte 17 in Yorktown, Peedles Gallery and Gifts at 404 Wythe Creek Rd in Poquoson, and Rooms, Blooms, and More in Hilton Village on Warwick Blvd. in Newport News.For comments, questions and resource referrals, she can be reached at yo-sal@cox.net. © by Sally Young
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Race Day
These are some basic guidelines for everyone involved in a road race. If you are running, there are the usual things like laying out your gear the night before to avoid the last second rush and forgetting some of your stuff, or arriving early for registration, etc. For volunteers there are similar things like remember to charge the battery for the clock, etc. There are a few other things to remember.
First, if you are running, the number goes on the front. And pin that bib to something you will be still wearing at the finish and in a place where, if a volunteer has to tear off the pull tag for you, they won't be also risking grabbing onto something you don't want them grabbing on to. The volunteers at the finish line need to see your number so they can record the order of finish. Bandit catchers need to see your number so they know you can go through the chute. Photo companies need to see that number when they take your picture in the big races so they can send you the offers to buy your picture. Do not take your dog or your baby stroller through the chute with you. Liability insurance ban those for one thing, and they jam up the chute and slow things down for another. If you have to pick one, pick the dog. Trying to veer a bigass stroller the size of a small SUV through the chute is like having your baby do the announcement on your voice mail. You think it's adorable, the rest of the world finds it annoying. By the way, USATF also bans headphones (iPods, etc.), but most race directors ignore that one. Music is a wonderful and inspiring thing. Your brain can produce it without the electronics. When you run with the music in your head, it leaves your ears free to hear things like birds singing and the engine of the car bearing down on you.
When you pin the number on, do not put a pin through that big hole in the pull tag. You will just slow things down again as a volunteer tries to undo the thing from your sweaty self (by the way, taking a shower before the race, too, is not a bad idea) while the line behind you gets longer. The hole is for the string and again is for getting the results in order. And don't pull that tag off before the chute. "Where is your pull tag?" "It's in my car." Arghhhhh.....
If you feel the need to throw up at the finish, aim as far away from folks as possible. Don't feel bad, lots of people heave, just try not to spread that competitive love around. There are better ways to share bodily fluids. Which leads to the next point. If you have to vomit or otherwise relieve your self during the race, again, move away from the people and try to find some quiet time and private space - preferably not somebody's yard. When you are out on the course, look before you blow your snot rockets and spit loogies. People don't appreciate getting hit with those. And if you are running into a stiff wind, like happens in VA Beach sometime, you could put your eye out. (And you will swear that despite running at top speed, the wind is pushing you backwards.)
George Sheehan wrote in "Running and Being" about some runners being annoyed by his groaning as he ran during races. If you find yourself running alongside someone who is wheezing what sounds like death on a cracker, don't get annoyed and mad. That just causes you to lose your focus. Use it as a motivator to go faster to get as far from the screeching as possible. And there is recent research that cursing and groaning can actually relieve pain and make you feel better. Just be aware of who is around you. You may feel better but they may be offended. Go figure.
Don't get too uptight about your number. If you happen to get the number 1 and you look at least semi-fit, people will most likely assume you are one of the top runners even if you have trouble beating your own shadow to the finish line. Take it in good humor. And next time send your registration in a little later. Don't have a hissy about the numbers 69 and 666. They are just numbers you will be wearing for a short time and not declarations of your lifestyle choice. And dammit, why don't I ever got those numbers.
When you get to the finish line, slow down. Do not run over the person in front of you or pass them. Remember those pull tags? This is where the tags get pulled and put on the stringer. You want to know where you finished in the order, don't you?
Runners who have finished and spectators need to be aware that they are still on planet earth with things like cars and trucks and later finishing runners. Get out of the road and get off of the course. It is hard enough trying to finish fast, sometimes with buses and cars in the way, but when there are oblivious people tooling around between you and the finish, it can make you want to go into linebacker or hockey mode. It will take a few seconds off your time, but from then on, people will get the hell out of your way. You may even be permanently assigned 666 as your race number.
Course marshals need to pay attention. Sometimes runners wind up in places far off the course, totally lost because a course marshal was chatting up somebody or was not where they were supposed to be and didn't guide a runner to make a turn. You find yourself looking around a campground wondering where in the world you are. And sometimes the lead bike or car doesn't know the route and takes a wrong turn and the leaders go off in the wrong direction. The upside to this is that runners who don't usually place have a better shot at placing. It is sort of like handicapping horses except the fast runners don't carry more weight, they have to run extra distance.
Race walkers need to walk. The USATF rule is this: "Race walking differs from running in that it requires the competitor to maintain contact with the ground and straighten their front knee when the foot makes contact with the ground, keeping it straightened until the knee passes under the body. Judges evaluate the technique of race walkers and report fouls which may lead to disqualification. All judging is done by the eye of the judge and no outside technology is used in making judging decisions." This is what it looks like:
Runners can walk and run, just like Jeff Galloway teaches it, but walkers only walk.
One thing nice about running races is that people are competitive but also cooperative as a rule. They want to do their best, but also encourage and cheer each other on. There is rarely the elbow throwing, heel clipping, leg entangling, roller derby aspect to it. Having said that, cutting in front of someone or riding on their heels is not good. Remember, the goal is fun and doing your best. There are times people blow their stacks and act like idiots for reasons that sometimes only they know. They may have been aggravated by trying to weave through a pack of folks running together taking up the whole width of the course. This is especially true when the course includes trails. Be mindful when some one is behind you and trying to pass. Yet another reason to fore go the headphones.
Don't stop at the water tables. Grab a cup and move along out of the way so other people don't run into you. And double knot your shoes while you're at it. Abrupt stops on the course to tie your shoe can result in untended acrobatics and road rash. And that's a best case result.
At the start line, slower runners and walkers start at the back of the pack. There always seem to be some slow runners and some walkers who have to start on the front line. It can make the faster runners behind them feel like they are stuck in the opening scene of "Office Space."
Be polite to your fellow runners. Running cranks up the sinuses. If you notice that your bud has something hanging from his chin or a booger like a stalactite hanging from a nostril, give him a discrete heads up. And a tissue if you have one.
Pack some Purell. You've hit the Port-a-Potties, you've run the race and wiped the mucous and spit you secreted with your hands and smeared that onto your sweaty outfit, and now you are digging into the goodies at the finish line. Clean your hands first, please. This is not a Hep A support rally. And leave some goodies for the folks who haven't finished yet. Good lord! I got to do some speed work to get to those bagels quicker.
Lastly, thanking volunteers is a good thing, congratulating other runners and walkers is a good thing. And remember, you are doing a good thing taking care of yourself. Running is good for your physical, mental and emotional health when you keep it in perspective. If more people took care of themselves like you, health care costs would be a lot lower and folks wouldn't be as likely to turn into screaming meemies when talking about health care reform.
You can get the official USATF rules for road racing etiquette at http://www.rrca.org/programs/education/raceetiquette.pdf.
First, if you are running, the number goes on the front. And pin that bib to something you will be still wearing at the finish and in a place where, if a volunteer has to tear off the pull tag for you, they won't be also risking grabbing onto something you don't want them grabbing on to. The volunteers at the finish line need to see your number so they can record the order of finish. Bandit catchers need to see your number so they know you can go through the chute. Photo companies need to see that number when they take your picture in the big races so they can send you the offers to buy your picture. Do not take your dog or your baby stroller through the chute with you. Liability insurance ban those for one thing, and they jam up the chute and slow things down for another. If you have to pick one, pick the dog. Trying to veer a bigass stroller the size of a small SUV through the chute is like having your baby do the announcement on your voice mail. You think it's adorable, the rest of the world finds it annoying. By the way, USATF also bans headphones (iPods, etc.), but most race directors ignore that one. Music is a wonderful and inspiring thing. Your brain can produce it without the electronics. When you run with the music in your head, it leaves your ears free to hear things like birds singing and the engine of the car bearing down on you.
When you pin the number on, do not put a pin through that big hole in the pull tag. You will just slow things down again as a volunteer tries to undo the thing from your sweaty self (by the way, taking a shower before the race, too, is not a bad idea) while the line behind you gets longer. The hole is for the string and again is for getting the results in order. And don't pull that tag off before the chute. "Where is your pull tag?" "It's in my car." Arghhhhh.....
If you feel the need to throw up at the finish, aim as far away from folks as possible. Don't feel bad, lots of people heave, just try not to spread that competitive love around. There are better ways to share bodily fluids. Which leads to the next point. If you have to vomit or otherwise relieve your self during the race, again, move away from the people and try to find some quiet time and private space - preferably not somebody's yard. When you are out on the course, look before you blow your snot rockets and spit loogies. People don't appreciate getting hit with those. And if you are running into a stiff wind, like happens in VA Beach sometime, you could put your eye out. (And you will swear that despite running at top speed, the wind is pushing you backwards.)
George Sheehan wrote in "Running and Being" about some runners being annoyed by his groaning as he ran during races. If you find yourself running alongside someone who is wheezing what sounds like death on a cracker, don't get annoyed and mad. That just causes you to lose your focus. Use it as a motivator to go faster to get as far from the screeching as possible. And there is recent research that cursing and groaning can actually relieve pain and make you feel better. Just be aware of who is around you. You may feel better but they may be offended. Go figure.
Don't get too uptight about your number. If you happen to get the number 1 and you look at least semi-fit, people will most likely assume you are one of the top runners even if you have trouble beating your own shadow to the finish line. Take it in good humor. And next time send your registration in a little later. Don't have a hissy about the numbers 69 and 666. They are just numbers you will be wearing for a short time and not declarations of your lifestyle choice. And dammit, why don't I ever got those numbers.
When you get to the finish line, slow down. Do not run over the person in front of you or pass them. Remember those pull tags? This is where the tags get pulled and put on the stringer. You want to know where you finished in the order, don't you?
Runners who have finished and spectators need to be aware that they are still on planet earth with things like cars and trucks and later finishing runners. Get out of the road and get off of the course. It is hard enough trying to finish fast, sometimes with buses and cars in the way, but when there are oblivious people tooling around between you and the finish, it can make you want to go into linebacker or hockey mode. It will take a few seconds off your time, but from then on, people will get the hell out of your way. You may even be permanently assigned 666 as your race number.
Course marshals need to pay attention. Sometimes runners wind up in places far off the course, totally lost because a course marshal was chatting up somebody or was not where they were supposed to be and didn't guide a runner to make a turn. You find yourself looking around a campground wondering where in the world you are. And sometimes the lead bike or car doesn't know the route and takes a wrong turn and the leaders go off in the wrong direction. The upside to this is that runners who don't usually place have a better shot at placing. It is sort of like handicapping horses except the fast runners don't carry more weight, they have to run extra distance.
Race walkers need to walk. The USATF rule is this: "Race walking differs from running in that it requires the competitor to maintain contact with the ground and straighten their front knee when the foot makes contact with the ground, keeping it straightened until the knee passes under the body. Judges evaluate the technique of race walkers and report fouls which may lead to disqualification. All judging is done by the eye of the judge and no outside technology is used in making judging decisions." This is what it looks like:
Runners can walk and run, just like Jeff Galloway teaches it, but walkers only walk.
One thing nice about running races is that people are competitive but also cooperative as a rule. They want to do their best, but also encourage and cheer each other on. There is rarely the elbow throwing, heel clipping, leg entangling, roller derby aspect to it. Having said that, cutting in front of someone or riding on their heels is not good. Remember, the goal is fun and doing your best. There are times people blow their stacks and act like idiots for reasons that sometimes only they know. They may have been aggravated by trying to weave through a pack of folks running together taking up the whole width of the course. This is especially true when the course includes trails. Be mindful when some one is behind you and trying to pass. Yet another reason to fore go the headphones.
Don't stop at the water tables. Grab a cup and move along out of the way so other people don't run into you. And double knot your shoes while you're at it. Abrupt stops on the course to tie your shoe can result in untended acrobatics and road rash. And that's a best case result.
At the start line, slower runners and walkers start at the back of the pack. There always seem to be some slow runners and some walkers who have to start on the front line. It can make the faster runners behind them feel like they are stuck in the opening scene of "Office Space."
Be polite to your fellow runners. Running cranks up the sinuses. If you notice that your bud has something hanging from his chin or a booger like a stalactite hanging from a nostril, give him a discrete heads up. And a tissue if you have one.
Pack some Purell. You've hit the Port-a-Potties, you've run the race and wiped the mucous and spit you secreted with your hands and smeared that onto your sweaty outfit, and now you are digging into the goodies at the finish line. Clean your hands first, please. This is not a Hep A support rally. And leave some goodies for the folks who haven't finished yet. Good lord! I got to do some speed work to get to those bagels quicker.
Lastly, thanking volunteers is a good thing, congratulating other runners and walkers is a good thing. And remember, you are doing a good thing taking care of yourself. Running is good for your physical, mental and emotional health when you keep it in perspective. If more people took care of themselves like you, health care costs would be a lot lower and folks wouldn't be as likely to turn into screaming meemies when talking about health care reform.
You can get the official USATF rules for road racing etiquette at http://www.rrca.org/programs/education/raceetiquette.pdf.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Running Forms
Proprioception is our awareness of our body and how it moves. There are a few cases of people who have lost this awareness and only one individual who has taught himself to be able to walk again by retraining his brain. (http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30683-one-step-beyond-loss-of-proprioception-video.htm and http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2006/05/05). Our bodies use V3 neurons to ensure coordination between the left and right sides (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/how-the-body-maintains-balance-while-walking_100105195.html).
There are many coaches and teachers who teach various ways to run. Here is a sampling of a few:
Chi Running promises injury free running and increased efficiency. The inventor, Danny Dreyer, based the form on elements of tai chi balance along with the use of gravity in the tilt of the body in running. You can read more at http://www.chirunning.com/shop/home.php.
The Alexander Technique is used not only for walking and running, but dancing and other ways of moving. The emphasis is on as awareness of your body and how it moves and to learn to move more comfortably and without pain. (http://alexandertechnique.com/)
The McCall Technique emphasizes form and balance and, as do the prior two, mid-foot strike. http://www.mccallbodybalance.com/ and http://mccallmethod.com/
The last technique we will look at is Nicholas Romanov's Pose Method. (http://www.posetech.com/) There is an emphasis on relaxation and mid foot strike and there are drills to improve performance.
One thing to keep in mind, when you change form, you stress your body. Ross Tucker of the Science of Sport wrote in 2008:
"...what the Pose running study at UCT showed me a few years ago is that if you change the landing of the foot, you predispose the athlete to injury - that study took a group of runners and within two weeks had them all running on the midfoot (please don't write in to say that Pose doesn't mean midfoot, because Romanov was the coach and he was happy with their technique!). Two weeks later, they all broke down with Achilles tendon injuries!Why? Because sitting where you are right now, if I was to walk into your office or your home and take you outside and ask you to please run landing on your forefoot or midfoot, I can pretty much guarantee that the way you would achieve this is to point your toe down...you're probably doing this as you read this - contract the calf, and point your toe away from your body, like in ballet. Now imagine your body weight landing on that contracted calf muscle 85 times a minute for 4 hours. That, simply put, is a recipe for disaster.However, if you can gradually change your landing, then I do believe that you can shift your footstrike. But it's a gradual process. And more important, what is the point? There is no evidence that heel-strikers are injured more, no evidence that mid-foot runners are faster and perform better than heel-strikers, and so the ultimate question is:Why would you want to change your foot landing to begin with? Science has little to offer you in support of this. And so my advice, having read this far (well done!), is to forget about the possibility that you're landing "wrongly", and just let your feet land where, and how they land, and worry about all the other things you can when you run!If there is one thing you change in your running, don't focus on your footstrike, but rather on WHERE your feet land relative to your body. Because if you are over-reaching and throwing your foot out in front of you, that's a problem, but what happens when the rubber meets the road is less relevant!" http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-footstrike.html
Investigate techniques, find what works for you, and one thing consistant through these techniques is balance and relaxation.
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