born to run is a flipping good book

[Ian]

if you're a serious runner, you need to read it!

very interesting research on persistence hunting, diet, technique...

lots of touching and inspiring stories - the tarahumara at leadville, czech olympian emil zapotek winning his first ever marathon, ultra runner scott jurek winning the badwater ultramarathon...

everyone thinks they know how to run, but it's really as nuanced as any other activity... ask most people and they'll say "people just run the way they run". that's ridiculous. does everyone just swim the way they swim? for every other sport, lessons are fundamental; you don't go out and start slashing away with a golf club or sliding down a mountain on skis until someone takes you through the steps and teaches you proper form. if not, inefficiency is guaranteed and injury is inevitable.

don't fight the trail... take what it gives you. if you have a choice between one step or two steps between rocks, take three.

think easy, light, smooth, and fast. you start with easy, because if that's all you got, that's not so bad. then work on light. make it effortless, like you don't give a shit how high the hill is or how far you've got to go. when you've practiced that so long that you forget you're practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. you won't have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you'll be fast.

[Ian]

[GrahamB]

I dunno. I taught myself to swim. I just swim the way I swim.

[Darth Rock&Roll]

the logic is flawed by comp[aring ruleset sports with natural activities.

people run and swim the way they naturally run and swim.
If they want to take that into a venue and compete, then and only then would i advise they start looking at what everyone else is doing.

In essence, I am not agreeing with the overall sentiment here. It detracts form the amazing array of inborn capability we come out of the box (so to speak) with.

[MUTANTRENAISSANCE]

This book is about the running nazi everyone run the same or else?!!?!?

Nah im just kidding any good parts about long distance running in there?

[fuga]

Ian, thanks for the recommendation. On of my buddies also liked it. I'll put it on my to read list.

-pete

[Darth Rock&Roll]

Don't get me wrong.

I agree fully that in order to do something fully, you have to study the best shapes and constructs to express.

But, is that necessary to enjoying the activity?

You can indeed go out and golf badky and still enjoy it!

You can run slowly and enjoy that and you can dog paddle and enjoy that.

Injury is more common in competitive sport than in leisure activity.

It's the bridge between the two where the fault lies.

[David Boxen]

I dug his talk. Makes complete sense to me.

[Ian]

the logic is flawed by comp[aring ruleset sports with natural activities.
...
It detracts form the amazing array of inborn capability we come out of the box (so to speak) with.

I can tell you haven't watched the talk.

the author argues (with ample research to support his thesis) that people have the innate ability to run but have been conditioned for the last couple of decades to do it incorrectly. what's being promoted is a return to the body's natural, 'inborn' style of running.

I dunno. I taught myself to swim. I just swim the way I swim.

of course it's your choice, but I prefer to listen to people who have at the very least completed and done well in marathons. I want to learn from people who can complete ultras with ease, not intermediate runners. makes sense to learn from the best.

Nah im just kidding any good parts about long distance running in there?

basically the whole book

Ian, thanks for the recommendation. On of my buddies also liked it. I'll put it on my to read list.

-pete

hey pete was it you who was talking about buying your own huarache sandals kit? that's something I'm planning on doing (making my own).

[fuga]

hey pete was it you who was talking about buying your own huarache sandals kit? that's something I'm planning on doing (making my own).

I bought them from http://barefootted.com/.

Pretty simple to make. He has a PDF on his site explaining exactly how to make them. I could not otherwise source vibram sheets, so I bought the DIY kit from him (6 mm thickness). One might be able to order Vibram from a shoe repair shop.

They basically look like gladiator sandals. In fact, my buddy who has the 5 fingers kept telling me how he was going to get a pair of huaraches.

I've used them for hiking, some short running, and walking the kid to school in the morning. I enjoy the sensation of the feet on the ground without all the cushioning. Very liberating and I am feeling the feet getting stronger and more open. I am hoping to get out for a hike with them tomorrow.

-pete

[meeks]

I dunno. I taught myself to swim. I just swim the way I swim.

yea... I don't need to take swimming lessons...I'm a street swimmer....*cracks knuckles*

how many of you guys have received that line from guys during conversation about your kungfu?

[Alexander]

I also thought the book was fantastic. I'll be sure to share if barefoot running fixes my knee problems that persistin IMA.
Humans certainly are born to run though. A professor and I had this discussion once.

[Michael]

I dunno. I taught myself to swim. I just swim the way I swim.

yea... I don't need to take swimming lessons...I'm a street swimmer....*cracks knuckles*

You should've put this in the Funny Things People Have Said thread.

[Ian]

pete,

yes that's what I was talking about barefoot ted's youtube channel has some instructionals as well.

I was thinking of going diy instead of ordering online, because in the book the author describes how the tarahumara were cobbling together sandals from dumpster material and some hemp rope minutes before a race. shouldn't be too hard.

right now I alternate between bare feet and these (only when absolutely necessary):



have only managed 20 k in 'skins' while I'm adjusting, but wow... it's fucking fun. like you're an all-terrain hovercraft... almost like flying!!

short-term goal = marathon in sandals. then 100k in sandals.

happy training!

[bailewen]

I have a question.

As a really just kind of begging to consider adding running to my training....what's a decent time for a 2k warm up to training?

Not talking about competition or anything. 2k, so far, feels pretty nice. It's not too tiring. It doesn't make me train my actual kung fu less. Just don't have an idea of what a "respectable" time would be for that. Like, what is a decent goal to set to consider yourself a "decent" runner? I could imagine upping it over time to 4 or 5k but not longer or it would start to be it's own thing as opposed to just a sort of supplement to kung fu.

I have traditionally really truly hated running but as I approach 40 and notice a little horizontal expansion happening for the first time in my life . . .meh.

So any suggestions for a really kind of neophyte runner?