Danny Dreyer, author of Chi Running, a revolutionary book that focuses on running technique to not only heal and prevent injuries, but also to help you run faster, has started to syndicate some extremely useful tips on Amazon.com. Here’s a couple of tips that Danny has already offered:

Running Form
“The longer the distance you run, the more amount of time you’ll need to spend landing on your midfoot instead of your forefoot (as sprinters do). If you spend too much time up on your toes, the small muscles of your legs will become overworked and/or over trained and you could end up being a candidate for some form of overuse injury of the lower leg (shin splints, calf pulls, achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and even metatarsal fractures).”
Danny Dreyer, Chi Running.

Another useful tip from Danny:

Whether to breathe through the nose or mouth
“As for breathing, it is best to work your way towards breathing through your nose as it gets the air deeper into your lungs than mouth breathing. Nose-breathing also stimulates nerve endings in your head as the air passes through the sinus passages, which help to relax the brain. In the winter it pre-heats and filters the air going into your lungs. Practice nose breathing for short periods at slower speeds and you’ll gradually be able to nose breathe at the faster speeds. I can run at a 7:30 pace comfortably with my mouth closed at this point and it’s very relaxing.”
Danny Dreyer, Chi Running.

Mike of KidsWifeWorkLife was kind enough to send along this story from TIME about the birth of the Nike+ Sport Kit.

With Nike Plus, a group of Nike executives has combined the world’s top sporting-goods brand with the world’s most beloved gadget, all while cleverly capitalizing on the social-networking craze.

The result is a product that could completely transform the way we run.

The story tells how Nike conceived the concept and pitched Apple in late 2004, providing insight into how these two very different companies worked together to create the product that we know and love today. The project was very cloak and dagger.

Apple is famously secretive, surprising the market with its new products, while Nike usually informs retailers of its plans six months in advance. In this case, Nike acquiesced to the Apple way, putting Nike Plus on sale just 50 days after announcing it.

Read the entire article here.

It’s a fact that if you participate in a sport long enough you’re going to get injured. Well, I’ve reached that point. Last Sunday’s run was AWESOME, as previously posted. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that Herculian feeling for Wednesday’s four-miler. Granted, my time and pace where almost perfect, except for a small amount of walking due to sharp pain in my left shin. That’s right runners, I have a shin splint.

Shin splints are a condition that causes pain and sometimes swelling in the front part of the lower leg (shin). The pain is most likely from repeated stress on the shin bone (tibia) and the tissue that connects the muscle to the tibia. They are common in people who run or jog. Activities where you run or jump on hard surfaces, such as basketball or tennis, can also lead to this painful condition. - WebMD

The treatment for this ailment isn’t more cow bell, but rest, stretching, and ice packs. Granted my leg might feel better and training can continue, but what about my mental pain - the longing to run by the river on Sundays or hearing my favorite quote “400 meters to go?” I guess I’ll just have to settle for reading my favorite blog, 400mToGo.

Though shin splints are pretty common for long-distance runners, it doesn’t give way for a lack of stretching, warm-up runs, and keeping training on pace. It’s an all too common pitfall of pushing ourselves too far too fast (which is what I think caused my injury). Remember to train hard, but train SMART so that you can enjoy those long Sunday runs.

Ice Cold Running

I knew this morning’s run was going to be tough when the thermometer read 22° F. With wind chill in full effect, it felt more like 5° F when I stepped outside and got on the track. The breeze was so cold that it brought tears to my eyes for the first mile or so, making me wish I had access to a treadmill or an indoor running track.

I originally planned to run a 5k this morning, but considering how cold it was, I changed my mind and set out for a two-miler. Even though it was a short run, it was a really difficult run. Not only was I fighting the cold, but I was fighting a battle with my head the whole time I was running. My brain kept telling me things like, “Hey, man, it’s way too cold to be out here!” and, “Why don’t you just wait until tomorrow. I’m sure the weather will be much nicer tomorrow.” Try and keep up a decent pace while your mind is being dragged kicking and screaming around the track. It ain’t easy!

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Nike would have you believe that the best and only official way to connect the Nike+ sensor to your running shoe is by spending at least $60 on a pair of Nike+ compatible running shoes. There are always many ways to skin a cat however, so here’s a roundup of 10 alternative, and significantly cheaper ways of attaching the sensor to any brand of running shoe.

1. SwitchEasy RunAway, $8.99 + shipping

The RunAway is one of the most attractive and functional sensor holders I’ve seen so far. Even Apple would be proud of this design. Not only is this attachment weather-proof and super-sturdy (there are multiple locking mechanisms), but it also comes complete with a slot to store your Nike+ receiver if ever you need to travel or store your Nike+ kit.

2. Lacelid, $4.95 +shipping

This functional, cheap case is made of durable rubber, and attaches to the outside of your shoe laces. The Lacelid Web site offers several bundles should you want to purchase multiple items, and you can choose either black or white versions. The only downside to this solution is that there is no protector/cover for your sensor and is therefore always exposed to the elements.

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As in football, any given Sunday can bring victory or defeat. Sometimes no matter how hard you practice, the other team practices harder. I face this uncertainty around 3:30 pm every Sunday - that’s my regularly scheduled long run. It’s the time when I battle against the pavement. The past couple of long runs haven’t exactly been in my favor, but, like the NY Giants, I’ve always beaten the odds and conquered my adversary.

The conditions couldn’t have been better for Sunday’s eight-miler - sunny skies, a good night’s rest, and an extra bottle of water along with my Gatorade. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better run . . . well, maybe a slightly faster time, but, none the less, I can finally put another one in the win column.

When there’s lightning,
You know it always brings me down…
- Ronnie James Dio

Me too, Ronnie. Especially when it means I’m not going running.

I was really excited about this morning’s run. I planned on getting out of the house early and heading to a local 1/4-mile track for my first 5k of the week. I made sure to get all of my running gear - the layers of wicking clothes, jacket, gloves, hat, iPod, earplugs, and Nike+ receiver - laid out the night before. I set my alarm extra early to allow myself enough time to drive over to the track and still make it to work on time. I even gave myself a, “When the alarm goes off, you’re going to hit the ground running!” pep-talk as I was going to bed.

Sadly, when my alarm went off this morning, I heard the sound of rain against the bedroom window. I stepped out on the front porch to find medium rain, cold wind, and lightning.

Before I heard thunder, I considered toughing it out and going for it. As soon as I knew there was lightning, going running was out of the question.

Thankfully, the rest of the week looks like great running weather. I’ll be laying out all of my running gear again tonight, giving myself the same pep-talk, and hitting the track with all of the early-morning energy I can muster.

Had Jeremy and I registered in advance for the Bartlett 5k race, we would have been assigned a random race number to wear on race day. By registering in person the night before the race however, we were able to make a request for a specific race number. And, what was one of the numbers we requested? The image of Jeremy above wearing the actual race number is obviously a big clue, but yes, you’ve guessed it, the number was 400, to tie in with “400m To Go!” It was an opportunity too good to miss.

I ran with Jeremy in the Bartlett Valentine 5k race yesterday and it was a great day for many reasons. In contrast to the deadly tornadoes we experienced earlier this week in Memphis, the weather was perfect - sunny and approximately 50˚F, very warm by Memphis’ standards for February. It was the first time I stood on the start line with a friend. Typically, I’ve always run by myself in the handful of 5k races I’ve previously participated in, but spending the morning with Jeremy prior to the race really helped settle nerves and put me in a positive frame of mind.

I won this race in my age category (Male 30-34) this time last year with a time of 23′30″, so I felt a little pressure to match my performance this year. I felt prepared, endurance-wise, because I had been concentrating almost exclusively on long distance running recently, but, that extra, slower mileage was at the sacrifice of my speed work. So if I had any negative thoughts or doubts in my mind going into this race, it was in relation to how well I could incorporate sprinting into my race tactics despite not training for it.

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Since my last post I have set a set a new PR for my fastest mile and had a long run or two, but I must admit last week I wasn’t able to run as much as I should have, but in place of two of the missed runs weren’t in vain.I saw two OUTSTANDING movies that are helping me push through those days when I say to myself, “Man I don’t want to run today”. The first of the two is called, “The Long Run“. Though one may be of the opinion that the name isn’t very creative, but trust me, it fits. The movies is about a failed track coach who discovers a young woman who has extraordinary talent and with his coaching will be able to win the Comrades. Read the rest of this entry »