Fit and Run.Info

Over at Titanium Runner, who ran with me in yesterday’s Earth Day Run 2010, actually, his first 5K run after doing marathons and an ultra (!), commented about my running:

• First, he has a great and correct posture in running.
• Two, he is a heel striker which is very common.
• Finally, this guy doesn’t seem to get tired easily!

Hahahaha… nice comments. Never thought that I have good form and sometimes, do get conscious about it. With this feedback, I can at least not worry about it anymore and devote more time to building endurance. Being a heel striker ain’t bad but he mentioned about midfoot strikes and that will be something that I will look up and read further soon.

As for the third comment, it’s nice that another well seasoned runner has noticed it but it is still something that I have to devote more time on. Endurance. As much as possible, I conserve energy when running but after about 25 minutes into the run, I do get tired. Side stitch can crop up that I have to slow down or even walk until it disappears and run again.

Anyway, Blas, thanx for the comments man!

Okay, I ran, solo, around Legaspi Village, Dela Rosa St. and Greenbelt 1 this Friday night using a running route in Makati City that I used prior to this one.

A Friday night run.

• If I was in Cebu, there might have been more runners with me, mga ungo, as what we have been called, starting from the Sun Star office to either Banilad Town Center or at the Asiatown IT Park.
• If I was in Cebu, there might have been a speaker sharing his/her experiences and giving out tips.
• If I was in Cebu, I would have surprised myself again with a new PR.

But I was not.

I didn’t plan to do a solo night run. Blame sleeping late (actally, I couldn’t sleep) until about past 4AM that I just have to say goodbye to an early morning’s exercise, my second day of my 6th week in the couch-to-5k running plan. I was out the whole afternoon and early evening but when I arrived home at around 9PM, I just felt something is missing.

It’s really kind of strange. Once the running bug bites, if you can’t hit the pavement, there’s this uncomfortable feeling, a kind of itch that just wants to be scratched. It’s like a ghost, slowly rearing it’s head, staring you in the eyes and trying to taunt you.  I couldn’t just do anything but give in, scratched it and faced the ghost head on.

I laced my shoes, stretched, closed the door shut and headed out into the night. Tiring but I felt complete.

At noon yesterday, I was at Runnr for one very important task: get my running gait analysis as they have a video gait analyzer and they do it for free. I’ve been advised by runner friends Max, Gifford and Marlon to go there and have it analyzed so that I will know what kind of pronator I am and correspondingly, what kind of shoes I should get.

Now some basics from the New Balance website:

What is the running gait?

The running gait is a unique set of actions and reactions that your foot performs while in motion to support, cushion, and balance your body.

What is pronation?

Pronation is simply a normal foot in motion, from foot-strike on the outside of the heel through the inward roll of the foot. Pronation occurs as the foot rolls from the outer edge to the inner edge. Everyone pronates, and the initial pronation is considered an important and healthy response to the intense amount of shock imposed upon the foot and is integral to propelling you forward. If the foot pronates too much or too little and does so frequently, several biomechanical problems may result that will cause a decrease in performance and increase the possibility of injury.

Having one’s running gait analyzed is important to reduce the possibility of injuries, which is important whether or not you have health insurance, as no one wants to get hurt, let alone while exercising. At Runnr, its a treadmill equipped with a video camera at the back, a laptop at the side which the operator handles and a monitor infront. With bare feet, I ran for a few seconds and later, the attendant looked at the results. In slow motion, he pointed out that my right foot overpronates a little bit than my left but both, mildly. From the same site:

Overpronators generally land in a pronated position and continue to roll significantly inward as they go from heel strike to toe off…

Because of this, I was advised to look for running shoes for stability. Even if you don’t go to Runnr, both at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Ayala Center in Cebu, you can actually check what kind of pronator you are. Just check the same New Balance website I’ve pointed out above. I did this and I can say that I do overpronate.

The advantage, however, of getting the high tech analysis is that the guesswork of being an overpronation (one needs a shoe for stability) and severe overpronation (one needs a shoe for motion control) or under pronate (one needs the shoe to be cushioned) or if one’s gate is normal (neutral) is eliminated.

Okay, I admit, despite the many plans of starting to run, I have to put it in the backburner as I got quite busy with travels and work right up to my neck. But it’s still there. Once I will finish some important tasks, I’ll hit the road.

For the meantime, there are great races coming up this month. Two of which, are the Condura Run 2010 – Run for the Dolphins, 7 February and the Century Superbods Run, 21 February. The latter is very much recommended by my runner friends because of the preparation as well as the only race that passes through the Skyway. The latter, is of course, have stellar attractions/celebrities that would make runners, both male and female want to run with.

Check the above links out and practice, practice and practice.

I used to go to the gym and climb mountains as well as do cardio. Unfortunately, for the past two years, life has been more on the easy and inactive side that I’m dealing with the consequences. My mountaineering club mates have been egging me to go with them in their climbs but I can’t just join them without preparation. Seriously, I want to get active again and for me, running would be the answer. To develop endurance. To keep fit and be healthy.

The sport, judging from friends, online updates as well as news, is having a resurgence. It is popular as ever that there’s even a store dedicated to it here in the country. Lots of races monthly and even former colleagues from the company I was working for before even organized a running club. There’s an active community for it that will be a great help in motivating starters on keeping to hit the road.

I’m no stranger to running. During college, my boardmate, Angel, ran. While I wasn’t fully into it, I’ve always recognized its benefits. And so, this start of the year, I’ve pledged that before 2010 ends, I will already be able to join a race. I want to start running. Properly. Be serious with it and hopefully, get fit.