Minimalism, Science, and the Body Engine

4 Stroke Engine

If we run, we know what it is to hurt. Pain in the knees, feet, hips, and well everywhere. But why? Lately, there's been a lot of talk about the minimalist approach to running. In the journal Nature, Dr. Dan Lieberman et. al. approach the science of minimalist running through a ground-up approach. In order to understand pain and running, it's important to look at the body as a fully integrated system.

Step out side and go for a run. Before we take that first step, the entire body begins to work as a unified machine. I like to think of it as a four stroke engine (seen to the right.) An engine needs to cycle through 4 processes to fully function and provide your car with the power it need to operate. Air intake, pressure, spark, and exhaust. If we remove one of those cycles, the car will sputter and in most cases, cease to work properly. Similarly, the body rely's on 4 processes working in conjunction with one another to help you run most efficiently - keeping in mind that it's still possible to run through a faulty function, peak efficiency is less attainable.

The first stroke: Energy

D-Glucose

Fueling the engine gives us energy to perform. There are infinite opinions on what specifically are the best foods for pre, during and post run; ranging from the holistic Chia seed, to scientifically created powders, goo's, bars, chews, pasta, sushi, Mountain Dew, Slurpees, bananas, protein shakes, beef, chicken, gummie bears, and even pizza. The one thing that all of these foods have in common is that they all contain calories of some kind. Without getting too scientific, the body needs calories to convert into energy. Because everyone's bodies are different, it's hard to say what foods work best in general regarding each individual. In general however, there is a consensus that carbohydrates are the best form of energy. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose which is then used to create physical energy. When running longer distances however, energy from carbohydrates can run out, at which point the body begins to use energy converted from fat calories. Identifying the foods that work best for you can be fun. Journal or takes notes on what you eat and when you eat it.

The second stroke: Mechanical (RunnersWorld has a great article on Perfect Form.)
"GET LOOSE! Get funky...get your body moving. It started with your feet....awwww your feet. Your hips, your legs, your arms...GET LOOSE!..."
Feet
Acknowledging and analyzing the physical movement of the body when running is critical and can influence our entire running cycle. Starting in the feet, Dr. Lieberman makes a case that how our feet impact the ground can determine a runners overall experience. He breaks down and analyzes the rear foot strike (RFS), mid foot strike (MFS), and the fore foot strike (FFS), and examines the physical impact on the body through each of the motions. Assuming that less impact = greater efficiency, then MFS-FFS is the first foundational element to efficient running mechanics.

Calves
Moving upward (assuming MFS-FFS,) the calf muscles act as shock absorbers. As the mid to fore foot strikes the ground, energy is transferred from the impact of the foot up the achilles tendons and into the calf. Traditional RFS runners experience energy transfer from the heel up the leg into the large quadriceps. Transitioning from RFS to MFS/FFS, runners will, within a matter of minutes, begin to feel fatigue in the calves. I'm convinced that building these muscles slowly over time will result in a successful transition. With the burden of energy now in the calves, the quadriceps require less oxygen to operate, resulting in a more efficient distribution of energy and less stress on the knees.

Core
Continuing upward, the core muscles of the abdomen hold the lower back in place. When the core muscles weaken, the lower back tends to scoop inward and can become sore, especially after long runs. Leaning very slightly forward at the ankles can help tuck the hips under the rib cage, protecting the lower back.

Upper Torso
Shoulders and arms are the final mechanical element working together to help produce momentum and balance. Keeping the shoulders relaxed and the wrists pinned close to your hips can help improve efficiency. Sprinters tend to move their arms with greater motion to help generate power and forward momentum over short distances. Running longer distances with large movement in the arms will tire you out quickly. Less upper torso movement + relaxed muscles = greater efficiency, IMO.

The third stroke: Respiratory
Breathing is something we do every day without thinking. We do it when we sleep, when we work, when we eat, and always. But we can also breath when we think about it. Try it right now. Take a deep breath and really enjoy it. Try to identify all the parts of your body that enabled you to take that breath. Breathing starts in the brain. If I want to take a breath under my own power, I first think about it and almost instantaneously, I feel my lungs fill with air. Thinking about running while your out beating the pavement can actually have an incredible impact on your performance and stamina. I generally try to breath in through both my nose and mouth every second step, exhaling forcefully but relaxed through my mouth. When's the last time you actually thought about how you breath when running? Here are some great tips to think about.


The forth stroke: Intangible
Willpower is often spoken about in an abstract way. But what is willpower and why even discuss it as part of the running machine? Websters dictionary defines willpower as energetic determination. How appropriate given the nature of this post. How can determination be measured? When all energy is spent, our bodies and running form begin to brake down. When it feels like we're on our last breath, it is energetic determination that can push us to surpass our physical boundaries; the casual runner included. I enjoy visualizing the intangible nature of willpower binding the energetic, mechanical, and physical properties of running together in symphony of moving parts, all working together to, for lack of a better definition, move the body from one place to another under its own power at varying speeds. As an example, consider the female finishers of last years Boston Marathon (great read.)

Trailing with less then two miles to go, Desire Davila made her move on Caroline Kilel. Seen in the clip; Kilel was able to edge out Davila to win with what appears to be a combination of factors. Unseen in the clip; the inner thoughts of energetic determination that drove this spectacular finish between two competitors. We are privyed the results of their willpower through observation and left considering the massive accomplishment of running 26.2 miles in 2 hours 22 minutes. But such energetic determinism isn't reserved for the elite. We all have access to the intangible nature of willpower. Digging deeply to find exactly where it resides remains a question for another day.

So we're left contemplating our existence as runners; asking ourselves what we can do to better our experience. When we look at a car on the road, it has thousands of individual parts all working to accomplish their goal of, well, being a car. Complex systems interacting with one another creating movement, converting fuel to generate energy, etc. All the while at it's heart is the 4 stroke engine, without which, it wouldn't run.

                 

TMIRCE's IN4MAL Birthday: 3 Reasons why you don't want to miss it

4 years ago, a man by the name of Dave Johnson decided to go for a run with some friends. On Saturday, October 22nd, we celebrate his legacy by throwing ourselves a huge birthday bash. TMIRCE'ers have been pounding the pavement and slamming breakfast for nearly 4 years now and we've built a lot of friendships, not just with one another but with great organizations like:

• New Balace Reach the Beach Relay
• City Sports 
• Race Menu
• Hint 
• Clif 
• Mix1
• El Taco Llama

...and they've always come through for us in big ways. We've grown by leaps and bounds and you, Informal Nation, are the reason why we've been so successful. Volunteers, race and event organizers, and Saturday cleaning crews are just some of the ways people have stepped up for TMIRCE. We want to thank everyone for being a part of this club and the only way we know how to do that is to get down and seriously boogie.



So are you still on the fence about coming out on Saturday, October 22nd? Here are 3 reasons why you should really consider RSVP'ing:

1. This is by far, the largest event we have and it only happens once a year. The people that you normally see in running clothes and on the streets will be decked out in their finest party gear. Wait, what? You heard me. This is a FANCY event - held at the prestigious Courtyard Marriott in Cambridge. Dress to impress.
2. The raffle is one of the best you'll come across at any informal event. You can purchase tickets at the door. 5 for $5, 10 for $10 and wingspan for $20. Here's a taste of what's in store:
• Local restaurant gift certificate dinner's 
• City Sports gift cards and other gear
• Reach the Beach Relay running gear
• Race Menu - 4 entries to the Monster Dash and Bash party
• Grand Prize (The same as last year. Were you there? Who remembers?)
• Sur-prize raffles that the organizers don't even know about yet
3. Last years success of the Mix1 Dance Off has inspired us again to invite Katie Visco back to defend her title. Katie threw down some serious moves and won the dance off of the century, yielding her unprecedented Mix1 prizes. Does anyone have the guts to step up or face getting served? 

Of course this is just a taste of what's to come. Surprise guests and activities for all will round out a fun night of dancing, beverage-ing, and hanging out with friends. If you want to come and haven't RSVP'd yet, go to either of the sites below and RSVP to one. The event costs $15 dollars. All proceeds of the night, including raffle sales, go to your running club so that we can continue to grow and stay informal. 

RSVP on Facebook.com 

or

RSVP on Meetup.com

The Meat and Two Veg of One's Weekly Running Schedule

I made a vow after running Boston and Big Sur Marathons this spring that, in training for my next 26.2 miles, I'd like to run three times a week and definitely no more than five. This would be the "meat and two veg" staple diet of one long run, one tempo and one speed workout at the very minimum. Long runs I love (especially if it involves a road-trip) with tempos being social and a great time to catch up with friends; it's the speed workouts I've always had trouble with.

You see, I've always defined speed as equating to track workouts and I'm not very fond of running in circles and quickly get bored of it. Fortunately speed can also be attained via interval and fartlek workouts practically anywhere outdoors - a habit I've developed most Monday evenings. Tonight was no exception with fellow TMIRCEr's, Andy and Brian, being up for it too. The weather was cool and the sun already beginning to set when we met by the Esplanade at 6.15pm. My legs were tired following a 5K race yesterday so my expectations of completing the whole thing in a usual fast pace were somewhat low. 

Our goal was pre-programed into our Garmins of 5 miles of 0.15 mile fast / 0.35 mile slow with a short break in the middle and, after a short warm-up, we set off. Our fast pace always hovers in the low-mid 5 min/miles and the slower ranges anywhere up to a 9 min/mile pace depending on the weather, how tired we are etc. For me tonight the slow periods were slower than usual and much welcomed.

The beauty of these workouts is that time passes quickly, it's fun to see other runners you know and, most importantly, you're not getting dizzy on a track; I've found the discipline and speed comes in handy during races and it's an awesome workout to do with friends. 

We'd love to hear your thoughts and experience on track v's these more "open-road" intervals so please comment below. Thanks for reading... Martin

Defying physics at the Harvard Track

In typical New England fashion, summer has tucked tail and run for the hills. What should we expect then? One thing we all know is that rain sucks. Sure a light sprinkle might be nice when it's 90 degrees and humid; but when the temps start to drop and layering becomes necessary for those nightly runs, sogginess is an inevitable result.

Here's my suggestion. If you have never been to a track workout at the Harvard Track with TMIRCE, you might want to consider attending on those rainy days. Why do you ask? Well, watch this clip of Adam and Jamie from Mythbusters before reading on and you'll get the idea.

lululemon got us running

When someone says they like lululemon, they're probably a woman and you think they're totally into yoga. Well look out ladies and yogi's - lululemon is making a case for us guys too! And not just in the yoga department. They are jumping into the running foray feet first and with a big heart.

Left to Right: Anne Morrissey, Amanda Walsh, Joe Davies, Martin Potter, Andy Marx,
Chris Montgomery, Liz Tempesta, Kaipo Henning (Not Pictured: Jeff Barbieri, Ellen)

Last night, a few Informal Runners of varying abilities gathered at the lululemon store at the PRU and were presented with a unique opportunity - personal assistance in selecting a running outfit and then a run/wear test with Assistant Manager, Nicole Cristoforo, 400m hurdler Jonathon Hall of Northeastern, and all the sushi we could eat. In return, we were asked to be righteously critical of the gear. If lululemon does one thing well, it's listening to their customers and enthusiasts.

11 of us departed for a lovely 3.3 mile run around the Charles, as is tradition, and were greeted by a cool, evening breeze. Myself, Martin, and Amanda were all recovering from an incredible half marathon, Sunday in Quebec City, while our stiff legs from the 7 hour, post race drive home were thankful for the 25 minute shake out jog. Returning to the store hungry, we crowded around a generous tray of Snappy Sushi -- tuna, avocado, and california rolls are some of my favorite pre and post run foods -- go Omega-3 fatty acids!

As for the gear, I ran in the light as air short and was pleasantly surprised by the compression lining sewn right into the shorts. There are a few pockets, one zipper low on the left quad for an id, credit card, T-pass and Panera card. I didn't notice to much shifting of material during the run and felt comfortably cool. If you bump into any of this crew on the street, ask them what they think of the gear!

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

Blues and Running: The two best clubs in Boston heating up

Put some south in yer mouth yall.

Wednesday night, I made my way into the heart of Brighton to find some respite from the oppressive heat and humidity. The plan was to grab a bite at one of my favorite local BBQ pits, Smoken' Joe's BBQ. While I found a nice air-conditioned restaurant, Pianist, Alizon Lissance and special guests made sure that they kept the place hot with some great southern blues. I felt like I was in the heart of Cackalacky as the tomato base was flowing and the pulled pork was 'smoken.' Get there early on a weeknight for some great food and music. Joe's  selection of west coast beers, while limited, really highlights the BBQ/Blues joints' attention to southern detail. Joe himself (a self-made BBQ expert with more then 20 years experience) is usually around to serve your drinks. And if you're lucky enough, he'll sit down at your table and educated you about some of the greatest jazz and blues musicians you've never heard of.

Best run ever.

TMIRCE Saturday's at City Sports have been equally hot, both in attendance and temperature - more so the temperature. The dog days of August have settled in. The past few weekends running have been hot, but also humid. TMIRCE'ers have been coming in the door with a good pre-sweat. I tend to have difficulty maintaining speed and endurance in the heat - not to mention my body also seems to breakdown faster and recovery takes longer. Be heard - What are 3 things you do to train and recover in the heat? - Best answer will be the topic of my next post. The run was the best ever as is tradition but the table of healthy snacks and goodies surpassed my weekly expectations. The stand out items of the week, Ginger donuts, were baked by TMIRCE baking veteran, Diana.


I'm hopeful 8/20's TMIRCE - pre Puma 5 Miler at 5pm - in response to this post, will have some pulled brisket, coleslaw, and corn bread for the post run festivities.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

PUMA with a Hint of rain

I can take a Hint - to re-hydrate that is.

Last night, PUMA of Newbury St. hosted their first, of what I hope to be many, group runs. I had responded on Facebook along with 90 or so other respondees but was unsure of how many would sneak out of their offices and homes to run. Upon entering the store, runners were greeted kindly by the enthusiastic Greg Haskell, who handed out PUMA gift-cards, PUMA 5 Miler discount cards, and directed us to the Hint bucket. My favorite is the Mango Grapefruit.

The running route was familiar as it took us across the Harvard Bridge (Mass Ave.) and around the Museum of Science for a total of 4.5 miles. Running with some local Bostonian elites including Martin Potter of cheekyrunnning and winner of the Reggae Ramble, Chris Wagner, motivated us to hold a 7:36 pace. The rain held off just long enough to make the run enjoyable.

Post race beers at Octoberfest.

Harpoon also stepped up in supporting a great after run shindig at Lir on Boylston St. They were handing out drink tickets, pizza, and sandwiches. According to local running legend Kaipo Henning, Harpoon was very generous. They also happen to sponsor one of my favorite events of the year, the Octoberfest Road Race - Registration opens 8/19 and it will sell out.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

 

Learning to run and relax on Martha's Vineyard + Garmin Forerunner 210 Review

When I arrived on the Vineyard Thursday, I was greeted by the Conway's of Lincoln, MA and offered an Adirondack chair and a glass of white wine. My intentions for this trip were work first, play second, but how could I resist. Feeling motivated to get a good run in on Friday morning, I decided to test out my new Garmin Forerunner 210. This really helped me get out of bed and go, otherwise, the day would get ahead of me and running would take a back seat.

I stood on the stairs of the house on Coffins Field Rd. searching for satellites. My Garmin took about 30 seconds to sync up and find all three needed to triangulate and track my movements. I was impatient, but this 30 second moment taught me a valuable lesson; never go running out of haste. With a "bleep" from my wrist, I was off to explore.

Running with Lulu in a Thunderstorm

Last night I was heading out the door for an after work run with Nicole from lululemon. I felt a breeze and looked up and saw ominous storm clouds approaching. Inside the buzzing store, Nicole and I discussed briefly our concerns regarding the weather, but decided, as most Bostonians of summer do, to brave the elements as they presented themselves.

The streets of Back Bay were crowded with throngs of people, clinging to every moment of outdoor time they could, creating a challenge of bobbing through the crowds as we attempted to find the river path. The heat was oppressive at one point, but the breeze kept us going until we reached the Harvard Bridge on Mass Ave. when the sky's opened.


Nicole, Assistant Manager of lululemon in Back Bay, has a deep passion for running, yoga, and bringing the Vancouver based brand onto the running scene. Did you know that they make men's apparel? I've been a fan of lululemon since I bought my running shorts there back in March, but I've come to realize that they are more than just a clothing store. lululemon has a great mantra geared towards creating a healthy community, bringing people together to share in positive experiences through yoga, running, and sometimes the occasional beer and sushi.

Our run took us around the Museum of Science where the duck boats were lined up with excited children quacking away. The rain continued to pepper us but at this point it was a welcomed reprieve from the heat. As we cruised back into the Back Bay, around 8 min/mi for the duration - said my Garmin Forerunner 210, the sun broke the clouds and reflected off of the Prudential Tower. After a good stretch and a quick bite at Bostone's, my favorite local pizza joint, we said our goodbye's and headed for home.

Summer Days and nights on the road in Vermont - GMR Review

A few months ago, I received an invitation to join a team for a fabled 200 mile relay. That's right, 200 miles. But before you jump to the conclusion that I'm solely nuts, our team consisted of 11 other people, split between two vans that would leap frog one another during 30 hours of running.

The scenery is what you'd expect from Vermont. Green, mountainous, epic vistas and then there were the little details. During my 3:30am run, the near full moon was setting just in front of me to my right, while the darkened sky was giving way to the early morning sun behind my left shoulder. I quietly ran through a Christmas tree farm, seeing triangular shadows looming in the early morning mist, and smelling the deep pine as it moved over the roadway. My other two runs were equally experiential with rolling hills, turtles, and lots and lots of cows.

Informal Queens of TMIRCE Track - and some guys too.

The queens of track and Ryan

Sunny, warm nights in Boston don't happen often enough, but when they do, people shake off that wintery rust - grabbing the bull by the horns and coming out on Tuesday nights to run faster and stronger. The workout was a simple "sandwich" 1200m - 800m x2 - 400m - 800m x2 - 1200m and a 200m on top, bringing the total distance to 6.2k. What was special about last night was the great camaraderie between runners, supporting each other, clapping and cheering as we finished each lap.


It's been exciting to hear all the great success stories from runners who have been coming out to track workouts and pushing themselves. TMIRCE encourages runners to support one another and to push one another in running - and sometimes life  -  when we need it. That being said, informal Ryan recently ran a 5 miler at a 7:20 min/mile and attributes some of his recent successes to track workouts. Congrats to him for really utilizing track to get a bit stronger and faster and seeing success.

Last night we shared the track with several other clubs, all going through their weekly motions of run and repeat. Our workout pushed us to run a bit further than normal though, keeping us out 15 minutes later than our usual Tuesday workout. No one seemed to mind though, since the weather was immaculate. Not represented by the photo above are the 4 other runners, Ray, myself, Evan, and Renee who were either nursing blisters, speeding around the track, or just playing Words with Friends. 

After the beating ourselves playful into the ground, we went to Charlies Kitchen, home of the famous Double Cheeseburger and jalapeno poppers. The beer flowed and burgers demolished by the ravenous runners. A typical night of track, and post track celebrations as constituted by the Tuesday tradition.  

INFORMAL MINIMALIST CLINIC

Running twice a day. 3 reasons why you should.

Go AMCATS

Without getting into the nitty gritty details that no one wants to hear, I'll begin with this. Running twice a day can be a challenge with busy life schedules, work, kids (I don't have any though), ice cream eating contests, but there is always time to run/exercise if you use these three points as a guide:

1: The magical 25th hour
I know it seems counterintuitive, but the more you run, the more time you have for other stuff. Don't believe me? Well thin about it like this. You want to run twice a day so you wake up before work and get out on the streets. Do three miles in 25 to 30 minutes and run number one is over. You now have the whole rest of the day to do everything you want and then some. That 2nd run at lunch, between classes, during a shift break, or after work, gives you what seems to be some extra time in the day. It's magic.

2: Beef up your mileage, rock your legs
Training for a relay? Or how about a marathon? Beefing up mileage without breaking down your body can be a real benefit from running twice a day. Try 5 in the morning and 3 to 4 miles at night for a good 8 to 9 miles in one day. You'll build muscle without sacrificing to much energy.

3: Cause 3 times is too much
Who really wants to run 3 times a day anyway. Unless you're running to and from work, and running to get your lunch, really just running all the time, planning on three times a day to run is something not even world class athletes do.

What do you have to say about running twice a day?

Get out there and stay healthy. Eat right, take care of your body and run.

TMIRCE Minimalist Clinic