100: Head/Heart/Feet

100: Head/Heart/Feet opens is an amazing look into the Vermont 100 (VT100).  At this point it's the most decorated ultrarunning film, appearing at 12 film festivals, receiving  director's award.  We follow Zak Wieluns in his third attempt at completing the VT100.  As the story unfolds of race, we flash back to his training and previous attempts.  This story is complemented with stories of other endurance athletes and germane interviews from professionals.  Anyone in the sport has failed an attempt at an event, or knows someone who has.  (Know thyself in my case!)

I am a sucker for these films since it is my sport.  I was stoked to be offered a chance to view a Kickstarter Screener.  I guess my wood working background appealed to 'Hammer and Saw films' (hehe).

100: Head/Heart/Feet opens at an aid station 'somewhere in Vermont' at 10:30pm we see a race that has been going on ALL day.  Weigh-ins for the runners, medical attention, head lamps, cramps, scrapes and (notably) dozens and dozens of volunteers, crew'ers.  So much support.  As a runner, I seldom get to see the behind-the-scenes work, concerns, logistics and support that goes in to races like this.  Movie summary from the creator's the site:

“100: Head/Heart/Feet” will follow the day-to-day life of ultra-runner Zak Wieluns as he trains for and finally runs a 100 mile race. The actual event is called the Vermont 100 Endurance Race, one of the original 100 mile runs in the USA. This year the Vermont 100, which raises funds to benefit the Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports Association, celebrates its 25th anniversary, promising an even more competitive challenge for the 300 dedicated runners who attempt to complete this grueling competition over Vermont’s paved streets, gravel back roads and wooded trails…in daylight and darkness…all within 30 hours. A well-trained few will complete the race; many will never cross the finish line.

Being a 'recreational' runner, like Zak, one finds a struggle for not just the runner but also for those close to the runner.  Many of us are: parents, husbands, cubicle-slaves, and.... also wanting to run 10-20 hours per week??  John Lacroix is interviewed in the movie and makes the most salient points about how the hobby of unltrarunning is <paraphrased> what we need to be happy.  It is important our loved ones understand that.  With equal fervor, we must encourage our loved ones' pursuits for equivocal levels of happiness! (just my opinion.)

This movie is the story of a journey, finishing something you've started.  Lean on people you care about to help you through your journey.  Never be afraid to ask for help.  I cried three times during this well put together documentary*.  The filming shifts to focus in on small details of what a runner might notice.  Explains the physical and emotional pains of reaching far to achieve something great.  This movie is for everybody, whether or not you plan to run 100 miles.

My favorite line: "dude I really smell, seriously I think I really smell."

My favorite scene: The recurring interjections of a sports psychologist explaining the underlying rationale an endurance athlete is making the decisions and reasoning they exhibit.  Tied with the interviews of ultra-athletes that give their own applicable experiences.  

What bothered me about the movie: The concept of weigh-ins for endurance athletes.  It's ok to see if someone is gaining too much weight (overdrinking!)  But losing weight in an endurance event will never lead to dehydration as is suggested.  It's not the movie-makers' fault for this potentially misleading information.  The concepts of calories in = calories out and drink to lower body temperature or avoid dehydration are antiquated and need to stop.  Hundreds of endurance athletes have overhydrated and died through exercise associated hyponatremic encephalopathy (EAHE).  Many times by EMTs not knowing what the athlete is suffering from and adding more hydration intravenously.  It's a pet-peeve of mine that this dogma continues.

Support the sport, see the movie.  Then train for something hard!




*As a teenager I swam for the state.  I was tested for VO2max, step-tests, etc.  At the time, I was under the impression I would be some notable athlete.  Mostly it was natural ability, decent genes.  After a misspent youth and young adulthood, I didn't do another competitive event until I was 39 years old.  Watching Zak go through some of the athletic testing resurfaced some of those emotions.  So well filmed, it hit me hard.

"So if you'll excuse me, there's someone I need to get in touch with and forgive.... myself"
-Fat Bastard

Overuse Injuries

Oh how i enjoy taking two sides of an issue to see which explanation is the more supportable (it's a science thing).  Sometimes the counterintuitive explanation is the correct one.  Knowing this, and knowing 'words have meaning' - we enjoy picking apart words, diagnoses, explanations, etc…

We can't help but chuckle when hear the term "overuse injury" used to 'describe' running injuries.  In googling it (in quotes) gives you about 83,500 results.  The top 3 are definitions.  

sportsmedicine.about.com  Definition: Chronic pain and injury refers to the sort of physical injury, ... are sometimes referred to as cumulative trauma or overuse injuries. 

emedicine.medscape.com  Overuse injuries, otherwise known as cumulative trauma disorders, are described as tissue damage that results from repetitive demand over the course of time. The term refers to a vast array of diagnoses, including occupational, recreational, and habitual activities. 

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/ Overuse injury
Sports medicine A sports- or occupation-related injury that involve repetitive submaximal loading of a particular musculoskeletal unit, resulting in changes due to fatigue of tendons or inflammation of surrounding tissues; OIs include tennis elbow and golf elbow. 

From emedicine: "cumulative trauma" sounds more like blows from a hammer than feet landing on the ground doing something as natural as running.  We assumed these definitions might be silly because it is so common to describe running as feet slamming on the ground, or pounding the pavement.  But obviously, some of us realize running has been with humans for millions of years - an adaptation used to survive.  Running is as natural to humans as breathing, or the muscles used to balance or stand; or having a beating heart.  These are muscle contraction too and not likely to hurt or be sore due to 'overuse'.

If you've been running non-stop since childhood with a form that is natural to the variable compliances of the muscles and tendons at your natural cadence with appropriate protection yet proprioception- we DOUBT seriously that you'll have an injury from overuse!!  It's more aptly an issue of underuse.

An explanation or diagnosis of an injury, condition, whatever must have the distinction between proximal cause, ultimate cause, fundamental cause.  There are chains of causes some proximal, some ultimate.  Some medical professionals have fancy terms for things that nothing more than a regurgitation of the symptoms.  " i have pain in my foot arch"  "oh you have plantar fasciitis"   which is what you said to them!  

Example: 

I am hurt due to an inflammation of a tendon, that's proximate.  The tendon is inflamed because of a muscle imbalance, that's an ultimate cause.  There is a muscle imbalance because of a form issue, biomechanics, leg length discrepancy, neuromuscular disconnect, or simply NO feedback mechanism of your bad form due to your overly cushioned shoes.  

Think about it, and don't settle for lame diagnoses.  

Ticking Time Bomb, How Children's Shoes Cause Problem Later in Life

15MAY/11Off

Ticking Time Bomb, How Children's Shoes Cause Problem Later in Life

What's wrong with this photo? Plenty! The young boy's shoes will screw up his gait and cause muscle imbalance. And he's stretching!

by Dr. Phil Maffetone

Twenty years ago, a review of shoes and gait in the journal Pediatrics outlined some key factors that affect children’s feet. Pediatric orthopedist Lynn Staheli, M.D., from the Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, listed these important points:

1.) Optimum foot development occurs in the barefoot environment.

2.) Stiff and compressive footwear may cause deformity, weakness, and loss of mobility.

3.) The term "corrective shoes" is a misnomer.

4.) Shoe selection for children should be based on the barefoot model.

5.) Physicians should avoid and discourage the commercialization and "media" obsession with faddish footwear.

6.) Merchandising of the "corrective shoe" is harmful to the child, expensive for the family, and a discredit to the medical profession.

The Nike V Infant toddler shoe.

Perhaps the most offensive aspect of the footwear industry is the harm it deliberately inflicts upon unsuspecting children by encouraging them to wear bad shoes. Between the twin forces of television and parental encouragement, little Johnny or Jill are defenseless. In particular, there's the potential damage to the young developing body and brain. And, this could be a primary cause of physical imbalances, injury and disability and later as adults.

It was evident from Dr. Staheli’s article that shoe companies in 1991 were already heavily marketing unhealthy children’s shoes, playing on the parent’s emotions and those of older children. Today, shoe companies continue to use clever million-dollar advertising campaigns to encourage kids to ask for, and parents to buy, harmful shoes. And it’s obviously successful. The U.S. children’s footwear industry, which includes shoes for kids up to 16 years of age, generates over $5 billion annually, where products are made for cuteness and style rather than function.

What’s the best shoe for your child? None—barefoot is best and nothing comes close. Children should be barefoot, most, if not all the time. This provides the optimal stimulation of the foot by the ground, which helps train the brain for proper gait and other natural movements that children require from the start.

When a shoe becomes absolutely necessary, Dr. Staheli says it should be lightweight, flexible, shaped more or less quadrangularly, and should not have arch supports and stiff sides. She says that pediatric orthopedists strongly oppose "corrective" or "orthopedic" shoes for straightening foot and leg deformities like flat feet, pigeon toes, knock-knees, or bowlegs, claiming there’s no evidence that these so-called therapeutic shoes are effective. Instead most of the supposed deformities in children naturally correct themselves. How you might ask?

Being barefoot is the best way for that to happen. Most healthcare professionals who properly understand a child’s body mechanics know this. (Yet there are many “experts” who recommend the regular use of shoes for young children, but they are usually aligned with the shoe industry or companies making orthotics and other corrective devices.)

Any shoe has the potential to seriously disturb the gait of a young child. His or her sensitive feet sense footwear much more than the adult foot. Even relatively minor pressure on a child’s foot from a shoe can begin deforming it, leading to a permanent problem.

During the first year following the acquisition of independent walking, most of the child’s gait activity, in particular, the neurological memories—the communication between brain and body—becomes well established.

Barefoot is best for children.

During this time, if the feet are not allowed to develop well, gait and balance disorders begin to occur. In many children, these irregularities are often subtle (the “clumsy kid”) while others more serious such as increased vulnerability to physical injury and various neurological imbalances anywhere in the body, including those associated with eye movement.

The full development of a child’s balance and compensatory mechanisms, and overall gait mechanics, takes years to mature. While the first five years of life are most delicate, neuromuscular interference from footwear can occur at any and every stage along the way into early adulthood. This can lead to more serious and chronic physical imbalances later in life, such as a running injury or back pain, and even amplify the stress caused by imperfect shoes.

Earlier this year, Caleb Wegener, Ph.D., and colleagues from the University of Sydney, Australia, reviewed the problems associated with a variety of different shoes worn by children for walking and running. Their study, published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, states that, “Shoes affect the gait of children. With shoes, children walk faster by taking longer steps with greater ankle and knee motion and increased tibialis anterior activity. Shoes reduce foot motion and increase the support phases of the gait cycle. During running, shoes reduce swing phase leg speed, attenuate some shock and encourage a rearfoot strike pattern.” In short, these are some of the specific items that are a recipe for physical and neurological disaster, and the start of a process of chronic injury and disability that could last a lifetime.

These researchers noted Dr. Staheli’s 20-year old suggestion that shoe design should be based on the barefoot model. But some of the shoes they tested were designed on these principles and still caused gait irregularities in children. 

The researchers also state that, “Further attention could also be paid to reducing the weight of shoes which may be responsible for some of the [abnormal] changes found in children’s walking and running gait.” (It’s interested that this type of “free” information is available to shoe manufacturers but may never be utilized—instead, they test their shoes on machines, not real people.)

Among the untold problems that wearing shoes can impose in the developing child is the impact on the brain. From a baby’s very first delicate steps, each walking and running gait pattern significantly influences brain development. These actions affect lifelong patterns in the nervous system, even beyond the gait and balance mechanisms—they include postural habits, the ability to compensate to physical stresses, and the growth of muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and other tissues. Normally, with each muscle contraction and relaxation, and every joint movement, important neurological patterns are created by the brain, just like with any memory. Shoes distort this process, and instead, the brain learns and designs irregular patterns of movement throughout the body.

Most childen's shoes are health hazards. It's like handing them "smokes"-- which is what candy companies did for many years.

In addition, other areas of the brain can be impaired. Normally, during early development in children, all the important neurological input from body movements trigger increased blood flow throughout the brain. This brings in oxygen and many other necessary nutrients to promote growth and development in areas that include learning, speech, and memory. Without the natural muscle contraction in the feet, for example, especially in the very small immature muscles that move the toes, impairment from wearing thick, oversupported modern shoes can reduce the brain maturing process.

In children plagued with posture- and gait-related problems, avoiding wearing shoes is even more important. This can help stimulate the above-mentioned neurological functions, which can, in itself, be very therapeutic. Rather than attempting the use of “corrective” shoes and related devices, such as inserts or braces, finding and correcting the causes, including  neuromuscular imbalance, is important.

Many physical ailments in adults could begin at this young age. Think about all the physical problems you’ve had in your life—it’s possible that many began during development of the important brain-body mechanisms due to significant interference by shoes.

It seems silly to even be discussing the issue of children’s shoes. Most people don’t question the fact that eating junk food is bad for kids, or smoking cigarettes. The level of brain and body stress from wearing bad shoes can be just as damaging. The most logical, effective, and healthiest way for children to develop their whole body is by being barefoot.

This essay originally appeared on Dr. Phil Maffetone's website. For more information on the do's and don'ts of children's shoes, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella has a lot more on the kids page on hisTwo Rivers Tread website. 

Foot Strengthening by Mobility WOD

K Star and Brian fly through these mobility movements that are great lower leg looseners.  Watch this video a few times to get the gist, and find your own nightly mobility movements that work for you.  

B2R Shoes, yay! (First Look)

I was happy when my former running coach, Eric Orton, said he had a line of shoes coming out.  Eric taught me the importance of cadence, running economy, running-specific leg, core and glute strength (in other words, everything I know).   I am all ears when Eric suggests a shoe, so him 'making' a shoe! Even better!  <<--in summary, I had high expectations.  

The first Born2Run shoe is road shoe available in red or flourescent yellow.  The zero drop (0mm heel to midfoot differential) has become a requirement for running shoes for me.  The shoe is very lightweight at about 7ounces, comparable to Merrells or the latest Vibrams.  When I saw the stack height I feared there would be little ground feel.  The split toe, or cloven sole, seemed novel.  I have Vibram five fingers and Zem Gears so I'm no stranger to having things between my toes.  

I chose a true to size for me.  Sizing is a little bit of a science to me.  It's not about where your toe lands in the front of the shoe, it's about lining up the flexible part of the shoe with the flexible part of your foot <see pic>.  My toes' bend lines up with the natural bend in the shoe (as measured from the heel) perfectly.  <In summary the distance from your heel to your toes' hinge point should match the hinge point of the shoe>.  Fortunately, in this case, this shoe is flexible enough that if you're off a bit it won't matter.  

Putting the shoe on I first noticed how thin the material between my toe was!  It was unnoticeable.  As is explained repeatedly on mobilitywod.com, the gap between my big toe and the rest of my toes gets bigger as my feet get stronger - the cloven shoe helps with that.  Some people with weaknesses or tightly crammed toes may not find this as natural a fit as I did.  I then noticed even though the stack height is tall, the material is thin enough that I had great ground feel.  I could tell if I was standing on a quarter.  The shoe comes with two pairs of tabi socks, so i paired them together.  I then tried my injinji toe socks and found them to also be a great fit, unobtrusive even.  

My first day of wearing them, I took them though a crossfit workout that included box jumps, rope climbs, weightlifting, and running with weights.  The shoe performed very well and didn't slip when sweaty. In fact, the upper gripped the rope well!  The shoe also gave good lateral stability and didn't roll across my foot the way Softstar runamocs, or Zem Gears do for such workouts.

So far I have run in them on paved trails, roads, sidewalks and track for 5-9 mile runs.  My feet felt a little tight post-run; I think I'm calling upon more foot muscles with these shoes than I need for my Merrell trail gloves.  Whenever I feel sore, I'll change shoes the next day and swap back and forth.  I haven't needed to do that in my B2Rs.  I've ran with them for 4 days in a row and counting, hill repeats, hard intervals, recovery.  All good!  

Fit, ground feel, flexibility are all A+.  No seams inside to annoy me, achilles tendon guard is low and flexible.  Can not be improved.  My two tiny complaints: 


a.) my laptop cable has once gotten caught in between the toe seam! I took a couple steps and yanked the cord out (thank goodness it was a Mac - magnetic connector!)


b.) this little liner at the bottom worked its way out of the shoe as I ran! <see pic> it was travelling up my heel during my speed workout day.  Funny that i'll blame the shoe, although it's probably my form - my problem!  ;)

I look forward to beating these shoes up some more and talking more about their longevity. 

Below is a quick, unnarrated vid showing the difference in heft and flexibility between the Brooks True Grit and the B2R Road shoe.  Notice the True Grit's split toe is really artificial, just a slice in the tread.  

 

Take Control of Your Cadence

You need to be the boss of YOUR cadence, don't let it be controlled by someone that's not you! I noticed sites like these (Link Here) are popping up to sell you songs in an effort to better control your running.  Their web site claims this:  


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Linking BPM to Running Speed How to work out which BPM to choose: The run2rhythm program is essentially coupling running cadence to music. With running, very few people can sustain a steady rhythmic pace over an extended period. Many tend to start too fast and don’t get to finish the distance intended, or within the time targeted for the run. The run may not last as long as they intended…..”puffed out early!” Outdoor running: Run for 15 minutes at a pace you are comfortable with If you are starting out this will be slower than if you are a conditioned runner. During that run count your steps for 1 minute. Do this several times to get an average. Then, refer to the chart below to determine the BPM you should choose.

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I think in their description they're smearing cadence (steps per minute) and running speed.  In a car you've got tachometer and speedometer, tach measure cadence of engine, speedo is mph of vehicle.  Like running in place is steps / min and 0 mph.  To extend my analogy too far ... a pump is an engine (like a car engine) that runs at one rpm all day.  A pump's engine's rpm was chosen to be at it's peak efficiency.  Running is much the same way.  There is little reason to deviate at ALL from YOUR personal efficient cadence when endurance running.  


What is 'my' natural cadence?  My resonance?  Well it depends, but not by much!  You can experiment by just hopping in place (two foot hops to start with) like you're jump roping. Start out springing up once a second.  You'll notice that's so slow that the spring energy you loaded on your tendons dissipates before your next hop.  Try two hops per second boing-boing-boing, you should notice that some energy is stored then released to help you spring back up.  As a boundary condition try hopping as fast as you can.  It's WORK!  A typical figure to work with is 180 steps per minute (aka 90 strides per minute).  If you want to synch that up to music or an audio metronome (many apps available for phones, or search metronome on amazon.com).  


I treat 180 spm as a MINIMUM.  If you're running there is no good reason to allow that stored elastic energy to dissipate, use it for your next stride and it doesn't hang around long!  ;).  An interesting test is to search for your maximum.  Fun thing to try at a track, do a series of 200m with rests each one increase a few strides per minute.  After 205-210 it's really hard to keep up.  What's your max?


Note: if you are synching up to music or beats, treat each beat as a foot LIFT, (not foot fall) otherwise you'll find yourself planting your foot unnaturally hard.  


Enjoy and let us know how it goes!

The Foot Drills

The Foot Drills 

By Russ Ebbets, DC 

<We did the six drills at the start of each practice. Five of the six drills are done barefooted or in stocking feet. The distance covered for each drill is about 25 meters. Each drill is done once daily. The walking is done at one’s own pace. Total time for the drill with shoes off to shoes on is about four minutes. Pretty simple. 

The six drills, illustrated above, are simply to walk on the outside of the foot (invert the foot), walk on the inside of the foot (evert the foot), walk with a toe-in, or pigeon-toed gain (adduct the foot), walk with the toes pointing out (a la Charlie Chaplin), and with the shoes back on, walk on the heels – this protects against bruising the heel. Done daily these six drills will eliminate shin splints, Achilles’ tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, lessen the chance of a severe ankle sprain and virtually all knee problems. (The famous Rice Study done in the early 90s found that 79% of running injuries are from the knee down). 

One of the reasons I had successful teams is that my athletes made it to the competition day healthy and ready to compete. Season after season was completed with virtually no injuries. It should be noted that there are three problems with the foot drills; they are simple, they are easy, and they are free. It doesn’t involve more than taking off one’s shoes and putting one foot in front of the other. But that is easier said than done. Why do the foot drills work? There is very little muscle in the foot. 

• Most of the balance and proprioceptive sense we get comes from our muscles. 
• The neuromuscular pathway (the communication line) from the brain to the foot is the longest and slowest in the body. This leads to bad, or at best, poor coordination of the foot. If you doubt that, put a pen between your toes and try to write your name. 

The demands of athletic participation - be it running, jumping or quick starts and stops - places tremendous stresses on the foot. In fact, the foot must sustain seven times the body’s weight with simple running, and up to 20 times body weight in some jumping activities. Done repeatedly, this is how an overuse syndrome such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis or Achilles’ tendonitis develops. By challenging the foot with various gaits, one develops a clearer pathway from the foot to the brain. Clearer pathways are faster and more responsible. This gives one better balance and proprioception. Each foot strike becomes more “sure,” the foot contacts the ground without a wobble, however slight that wobble might be. It is because of the “sure foot stride” that the overuse syndrome (Achilles’ tendonitis, plantar fasciitis or shin splints) are eliminated. It has been said that running is a ground contact sport. It is this repeated micro trauma of ground strike, repeated thousands of times than can lead to injury. Other factors, such as running surfaces and proper shoe selection, can influence the incidence of injury. But I will contend with a great deal of assurance that the six foot drills, done consistently, will have a tremendous positive benefit on one’s athletic participation and performance. Applying the simple, easy and free. The last note. The foot drills will also make you faster. I mentioned the slight “wobble” of each foot strike. More accurately described, a “wobble” is lateral, side-to-side motion. Speed is generally straight ahead. If, on each foot strike there is the wobble or lateral motion before there is the forward motion, there is lost time – not much, but some. If one’s ground contact time can be reduced 1/100th of a second (it takes 14/100ths to blink an eye,) the cumulative effect can drastically improve one’s performance. Consider this – if one takes 50 steps in the 100m, 50 x 1/100 = 50/100 seconds, or ½ a second. One-half second is the difference between the 9th place spectator and the Olympic Gold Medallist. In a mile, this reduced ground contact time translates to an 8-10 second difference and in the 10K it means between 50-60 seconds. An improvement made in the blink of an eye, one step at a time. Simple, easy and free.>