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One of the biggest problems I've had was trying to figure out this whole breathing thing. Yeah, I've taken a breath or two in my years, but running and breathing...well...I sound like an asthmatic steam locomotive running in reverse after chain-smoking a carton of unfiltered Camels.
One in, two out. Two in, two out. Two in, one out...and you do the hokey-pokey and you shake it all about! ??? It wasn't adding up for me. Until...
one of my class mates (a powerful runner and genuinely good guy) laid-down some wisdom on me that had me awestruck. It went something like this: "When you are thirsty, you don't put the glass to your lips, draw deeply on the cool water and...spit it all out. Nope, you drink it down. The same goes for breathing when you run. First, you have to draw it in, then keep it in your lungs where it can do some good before getting rid of the CO2. Your breathing needs to refresh your lungs and muscles...drink deeply."
It took the span of...oh...fifteen seconds for my breathing cadence to sync-up with the rest of me. (two in, hold for a beat, out...all by foot cadence...very rhythmic)
I had previously asked all of my instructors "how"...begged these guys, each and every one of them..."Master Yogurt, teach this poor Padawan your breathing secrets" To the man, they would say something uber-helpful like: "Get in better shape and you'll breath better", or "breath quieter." You know, serious secret wisdom of the ages translated from ancient texts carved into stone jello molds.
Once I get it all put together and finish this coarse, I think I'm going to give each of my instructors a copy of "The Cool Impossible". I can't stomach the idea of somebody coming along behind me in another class, just as hungry for knowledge...just as scared or intimidated by the very act of bipedal locomotion taking place faster than an amble...just as injured, hurt and pained as I WAS and that person getting screwed by ignorance on the part of the "experts". Not on my watch; not if I can prevent it.
Allen, good f
Allen, way to go! You are very inspiring, thank you
Update: It's been two weeks since I've started doing things (mostly) the Cool Impossible way and, well it's been great! The micro (stabilizing) muscles in my legs are still screaming every day, but I'm taking that as a good thing. I'm still feeling like an elephant trying to balance on a golf ball when doing the stabilizing ball exercises, but I'm managing to laugh at that "soup sandwich" guy in the mirror now.
(Note to self: try to fall off of the damned ball in such a way as to NOT hit the hefty Cross Fit chick way over there across the room in the face with the suddenly repurposed, speeding "dodge ball"...apparently, that's frowned upon in this establishment)
I have also managed to finish all the class runs WITH the class. That's HUGE to me. Even more than that, I'm starting to shave some serious time off my mile times. If I can keep improving (Hey, it's Cool Impossible!), over the next three weeks, I may even make my mandatory run times!!!
Yeah, I'm getting the impression that this stuff WORKS!!
I went with a "minimal" (4mm drop)pair of Brooks before going to the B2Rs...next pair. They really helped counter the heal strike my Asics Nimbus' were promoting. Night and day.
I will admit, there seems to be something terribly wrong with me now, though. It seems that I've developed some form of horrible brain infection. Not only am I running with my class (3-5 miles 3x per week), and running 1.5 to 3 miles at lunch 5 days a week, I also seem to have some kind of unreasoning compulsion to knock-out another few miles when I get home in the evening. Could I have been infected by a brain-eating ameba? I've had my wife check for the tell-tale marks of a alien mind-control device implantation surgery, but...well...no dice. I've purchased a nice snap-brim tin foil fedora, just incase it's a secret governmental experiment beamed through Castle reruns, but that's also failed to diminish the urge. What's happening to me?! (I'm even considering training for a 10K.)
...my wife is even considering joining me on some runs now. Is it THAT contagious?
THUNDER Tater, HOOooooo!
Well, I have a little news. Actually, to me, it's huge. My first knuckle-down serious effort at running using the new biomechanical model was Monday. I struggled to keep up with the others in my program. (let's call it "class" for lack of a more fitting description) I kept sliding between the old way, and the new way. I think it was mostly because of old habits colliding with present pressures and lack of muscle memory. For a while, I felt "better faster", but a long uphill shredded that. So, Monday was...a wash.
Tuesday was a light day, and the exercise ball exercises entertained some folks at the gym. At least the pointing and snickering seems to indicate amusement. Right?
Today, things changed some more. Another class run, including several rounds of "Indian runs" up until the half-way point and I was still chugging along with the rest of the class! More than that, by the end of the circuit, I was STILL with the class! After 5 1/2 weeks, this is the first time I finished ANY run with the rest! I'm hurting, but I'm doing the happy dance. Horse Liniment anybody?
Don't get me wrong, I know there's a bunch of work left to do. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually looking forward to it.
I showed "Cool Impossible" to my PT instructors and told them I was trying to fix my stride, and they seemed to actually (ahem) like the idea.
Oh...um...a tip from me to y'all: Be very aware of your audience when you decide to celebrate your (my? ...minor?) victories with a "thunder...Thunder...THUNDERCATS, HOOooo!"
The Cool Impossible: Run Beyond Limits
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