What’s better than traveling back across the country to speak at the longest running, runing-specific conference in north america? Making the trip knowing that the city has just gotten over 10 in of snow and not knowing if your flights will take off, let alone land where you’d like.
Its our 10th year with a great line-up. So brave the white stuff and headaches – its going to be 46 on friday, and 50 on saturday – come join us!
I did an audio podcast with Mark Kennedy of Healthnomics.com yesterday. Check out the link, and you’ll get to hear some great discussion on runners as athletes, running form, and footwear. You can even listen to it while you run!
The black box training model that most of us follow is pretty much like a blender.
Its time for breakfast, and you want a smoothie. You scrummage through the kitchen and try to find anything resembling fresh or frozen fruit. The blender is loaded up, and spinning loudly as the morning sun crests through the window. You take a sip……its good. But why isn’t as good as the smoothie you made a few days prior. What specific things made the other smoothie better?
Most of us put as much forward thinking into smoothies as we put into our training plan. We throw a bunch of training hours in, and based on our success, we arrive at conclusions. Well, what really happened? Some of you may have gotten faster. But could you have gone faster yet? Some of you may have plateaued…..why? And a few of you may have even gotten slower…..a lot of people really want to know the answer to this!
Wouldn’t it be nice to know more than just “effort in = race performance out?” What if you could actually see inside the black box?
When athletes come to me for an analysis, my goal is to find their limiters. Everyone has them, but not everyone knows how to find them. Over the past decade, I’ve blurred the lines between sports medicine, lab analysis, and performance training. And I’ve done it by being specific. I take a hard look at the state of your body, and a hard look at your sport performance. My lab has fancy tools like force platforms and instrumented treadmills, and a real knack for understanding how these values actually impact your sport’s performance. I can see into your body in ways that no “trained eye” could ever hope to capture. Specific measures = specific answers. I call it “opening the box.” It works.
Over the next few posts, we are going to go through some examples on how this approach has helped others in the past. But if you want to know how it helps you, and want to look inside your own box, give me a call!
Calling all MD’s, PT’s, ATC’s – the premier Clinical Education event for Running-specific education is coming around again. Come celebrate our 10th year at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, this March 8th and 9th.
Although we’ve had many coaches and guru’s attend this event in the past, the aim is to enrich the minds of the clinicians who will be guiding your care as a runner. Dr Robert Wilder, Eric Magrum, and myself have been hard at work over the past ten – yes 10 years! – to assemble the brightest and most relevant content to help you perform.
This year’s keynote presentation features Dr. Rodger Kram from UC-Boulder. Dr Kram’s research, presentation style, and findings have made him a true authority. It’s tough to find a journal article on running that doesn’t cite his work. After seeing him speak many years ago, I had a paradigm shift in the way I thought about running injury and performance. And we’ve got a host of other excellent presentations from leaders in the field. You’ll be in for an exceptional treat. Brochure link is below – Hope to see you there!
So its the second week of the new year. Did your 19 New Year’s resolutions you had planned make it through week #1? This time of year, we all get caught in a trap: “Im going to do more base training, more speed work, more intervals, more weights, sleep more, eat healthier….the list goes on and on. While it would be great to have the luxury of time to make us all into training animals, we have this thing called life that gets in the way sometimes. And then a lot of us become discouraged when things don’t work out the way we planned, and we don’t achieve “more” of everything we set out to. Instead of doing “more” in 2013, let’s ask a simple question to help you do “better” in 2013.
Hard questions = best answers
When I work with a patient or athlete, I always discuss THEIR goals for the upcoming season. There really isn’t any right answer here – it may be to make the Olympic Trials, simply to PR at your half marathon, or just be able to get to the point where you can train consistently – your goals are your goals. My job is just to help you achieve them. After you tell me your goals, I ask one simple, but humbling question: “what’s the biggest thing that stood in the way of your goals the past season?”
Ouch. This is typically the point where eyes roll back in your head. Every day you hit snooze and didn’t get up to train is flashing before your eyes. Why you didn’t dig deep for a finishing kick in your last race becomes more painful now than it did when you got passed with 50 feet to go. However, this question is not meant to punish you, its to get the the root of the problem. You don’t drive to grandma’s house aimlessly, you have directions and a plan to get to your destination. Training is the same thing.
Think backwards form your previous season. What went well? What were the defining workouts for you? Were you rested properly going into big races? How was your pacing? Did you do a good job of timing your weight sessions in relation to the rest of your workweek? Was your total volume of training time realistic with everything else you have going on in life? Did you pick the right races? Did you start oyur intinse training at the right time of the season? Wish you would have done more basework in the off season? Wish you would have taken more time off in the off-season to avoid burnout? What things stand out that didn’t go well? Were your goals too ambitious given your current life situation? If so, can other things be altered to allow you to train appropriately? Did you have fun?
Note: this image is for figurative purposes only. If you see a lion in the mirror, you should probably run away.
This simple question can help you identify important things that often get lost in the shuffle. If you want to improve as an athlete, you need to train. Period. But your training should be focused for you, and “more” training is rarely the answer. Everyone wants to have some voice come along and say “just do this and you’ll achieve what you desire” Well, if you are honest with yourself, you’ll find that voice is you. With your limiters in front of you, you can now focus on specific ways to attack it. Looking backwards helps define where we need to move forward in 2013.
So we are officially past one of the coolest days ever (12-12-12) and now 11 days away from when the man in the red suit flops down your chimney to bring joy to all the good little boys and girls. Those of you much better than I are likely done your Christmas shopping. But if you are like me, and still haven’t picked out any presents for your wife (or other person you care about), I’d like to offer a few suggestions. If someone you love is looking for an edge, wants to improve their skills, and is looking to blow their inner athlete wide open – then look no further……
#1 – Rocker Board.
You’ll notice a common theme here. All of the tools (toys) listed here are designed to help you improve balance and proprioception. These skills carry over in spades to all your athletic persuits: running, cycling, skiing, surfing, climbing, kiteboarding, football, basketball, tennis, and possibly even bowling. Rocker boards are a great tool to teach you how to stabilize your foot and ankle. Hard unstable surfaces provide an optimal training environment to improve you. You should look for a board that only rocks in one direction (thus the name rocker board). Many folks also make boards that wobble and spin in all directions (called wobble boards). Both have their place, but when it comes to training the foot and lower leg, I’m a big fan of the former. These are sold in many places. If you are looking for suggestions, I typically direct people over to sportssmith.net because they have the cheapest one I’ve found: $29.99.
#2: Surfing in your living room – meet the Si-Board.
So you’ve mastered basic balance skills, and are looking to quite possibly have as much fun as possible while under your roof? Look no further than the Si-Board. Sure the Indo Board is cool, but this thing is in a class by itself. I have one and absolutely love it. Its so much fun! Its not one of those things you’ll say “oh I have to make time to work on my balance……” Its so engaging that you may find yourself taking time away from other things! Your feet and hip stabilizers will get a workout like nothing else. They are pretty $$$$. I bought the DIY creator kit for cheap, and in 45 min was “surfing” in my living room. In my mind, if you are an athlete, you should have one of these. Period.
#3: Surfing down the pavement –> Longboard.
Presents are all about fun right? Buying a long board was one of the best decisions I made. Its not like hucking off the loading docks like we all did when we were 12. This is all about the flow. It’s great to carve slalom turns down the hill – almost as much fun as skiing or snowboarding. And once you learn to “pump it” you can fly. I can roll miles down the road without pushing at all. I guess some people might say its a great workout, but its so much fun I’d do it even if balance skills didn’t translate into other sports. What board to get? wow – there are hundreds of options out there. Personally, I’ve got a Original Pintail 40. I bought it because it has springs instead of bushings. This makes it easy to rail turns at low speed and a bit tougher to control at high speeds, but lets’ face it: Most of us aren’t looking to hit 50 mph down a mountain while slamming a RedBull. Only warning I’d offer is this: you may find yourself longboarding more and doing your typical sport a bit less!
#4: a book? Maybe a book called Anatomy for Runners! Its by far the cheapest thing on this list, and quite possibly the most valuable. I’ve spent many years of my life teaching. I’ve taught at UVA and continue to teach around the US. You’ll be surprised what people are capable of when you give them the knowledge to succeed. That was the goal behind my book. Its a way to give you information to help you hit your goals this season and beyond. Sure its slanted towards runners, but about 80% of the information in there applies to other endurance and strength and power sports as well.
If you are looking at the equipment above and thinking “that’s a bit high level for me- no way”……let’s put something out there. Blowing past your comfort zone is the only way you’ll ever make jumps to the next level in your performance. And yes, I’ve put “old folks” on these with tons of success. Sure you should be careful when you are learning, but I will caution you that liberal use of #2 and 3 above just might result in fun!
Disclaimer for the people who think I’m funding my retirement with these recommendations. I personally bought the Si-board starter kit and my Original Longboard (in fact I bought a second one too!), and my clinic purchased the rocker board form Sports Smith. These folks have no idea that I am writing this, and I’m getting absolutely nothing in return.
Well, with the legal mumbo jumbo out of the way, Happy Shopping, and Happy Holidaze!!!
And if you’d like to re-live a little Christmas story from last year, check out how Climate change is impacting reindeer training.
One of my former clients paid me a visit today for a check-up. While talking to him, he offered music to my ears.
“I did all those glut max exercises you told me about, and now my pants don’t fit!”
When muscles get stronger, the muscle fibers actually increase in size. Bigger muscle fibers can produce more force…..A positive thing for you as an athlete. This is a good way to “outgrow your clothes.”
Drinking too much egg nogg at your holiday party this week is a less preferable way to outgrow your clothes.
This video is only partially disturbing
One of my favorite things is teaching. Sure I like the human body and what its capable of, but more importantly, I like the challenge of trying to teach average-Joe runner, their college coach, and their physicians and therapists. Each of these groups has a different education, different background, and different expectations, but they all want to learn to be better. Its my hope that I can offer some specific help to all of them.
I went to a class on teaching once, and learned a thing or 5000 about how we absorb and interpret information. To really enable someone to learn, you had to challenge the student to the point that their previous thought process is shattered. By poking holes in what we think, and replacing them with what we know, your and frame of understanding is shifted forever. Its my job to get you to think critically, so that you can think for yourself.
Since I get lots of people asking when my next talk is, I thought I’d share a few upcoming events in case folks were interested. Always good to cram more stuff in you brain.
Wed Dec 5th, 2013: The Running Event in Austin, TX – the annual conference for the Independent Running Retailer Association. Saucony is gracious enough to bring me in to discuss the mechanics of running. The more your local running retail staff knows about running the more they’ll be able to help you. I’ll also be doing book signings if anyone needs stocking stuffer.
Jan 20-21st, 2013: The Speed Summit in Morristown, NJ, an official USATF Level 3 Coaching Education Seminar. Want to save a few bucks? During checkout, type in “Dicharry” in the code box and you’ll save $10. Also if you print out the form and mail it in, you’ll also save an extra $9 dollar processing fee. I’ll be giving two talks: “How to prepare the body for optimal speed and strength training” and “How to screen for zebras in a field of horses.” But enough about me though….there are some major heavy hitters speaking. I’m really looking forward to this event.
Feb 23rd-24th, 2013: The Running Summit in Costa Mesa, CA, an official USATF Level 3 Coaching Education Seminar. And if you decide to attend, type in “Jay” in the code box during your checkout and you’ll save $10 dollars. An impressive weekend of discussion from some of the country’s most prominent coaches. As for me, I’ll be giving two talks: “Stretching, Strengthening, and Screening: Answers to questions to help your runners run” and “How shoes impact your form and how your form impact your shoes”
March 8-9th, 2013: The 10th Annual UVA Running Medicine Conference: From the Lab to the Clinic. This one really is near and dear to me. This started as a vision a decade ago when Founding-board members Dr. Robert Wilder, Eric Magrum, and myself came together to see what would happen if we had the first running-only medical education conference. Well, what began with 50 people mushroomed to over 240 of the most passionate running-specific healthcare providers in North America gathering to discuss better care for their patients. Its our 10th year! Thanks to all of you for your support over the years as we aim to give you the best experience possible. I’ll present “What to expect when you’re expecting: how clinical lab measures translate to gait.” But don’t come just for my talk! We’ve got a host of talented presenters, including the one and only Dr. Rodger Kram from CU-Boulder. Whenever I get some great brainwave creep into my head that I think is new, I’ll research it and sure enough, Dr Kram already found it out years ago. He’s brilliant and an amazing presenter that we are luck to have. And yes -there is a lab session yet again on Saturday and space is limited. Check out the link for full content.
April 19th and 20th: Care for the Injured Cyclist in Ann Arbor, MI. Yes, time to switch gears – literally. We’ll delve into the finer points of bike fit from both the performance and injury aspect, discuss how cycling contributes to chronic problems, and cover novel ways to improve on-the-bike stabilization and technique drills for efficiency. Don’t have the reg link for this one yet, but I’ll post it when I do.
Whew. that’s a lot for now. And somewhere in here, I need to fit in a ski trip!
Hope to see you in class.
Several years ago while working on a project for Running times magazine, I was fortunate enough to meet photographer, farmer, and pizza baking guru, Joel Wolpert. Joel is an athlete (a pretty darn good one!) and knows how to frame shots that make sense to athletes. Joel’s keen eye frames the vastness of landscape, the quietness of a still, and the inner human spirit.
Joel in his moment of Zen capturing the shot.
The best thing about working with Joel is that you don’t have to tell him the exact step by step shot you are trying to frame up – all you have to do is tell him the purpose of the shot, and his experience gets to work to make it work for the audience. I trusted him to shoot my book. And since I’ve gotten lot of comments from readers that the clear pictures are an outstanding aspect of my book, I’d say his skill speaks for itself.
Over the past few years, Joel became a great friend, and I’m lucky enough to be on his photo feed. He just set up a website so he can share this with more of you. Joel took my most favorite running landscape photo last year at a race high up in the Himalayas. I’m not sure its possible to capture the sheer size of those peaks, but seeing Everest and her friends peek out high above the clouds sure is enough to dwarf anything I previously thought of as a mountain. And there is lots more on the rest of his site. Folks, this isn’t eye candy; its eye chocolate.
There is a store called “Daddy Ultra Runs” down in Cocoa Beach, FL, and the owner, Hernan Garcia, is giving away my book with every shoe purchase from October through December…..at his own expense. Is this crazy? I don’t even know this guy. Why would a shop owner do something like this?
Let’s look at the reality here. 82% of runners sustain a running injury during their lifetime. Stats show that 42-62% of runners get hurt each and every year. Those numbers aren’t good! In fact some people would look at those numbers and say “running is dangerous – stay away!”
However, my experience treating runners daily for over a decade, and collecting objective information on their running stride in my lab has shown me that running isn’t really the problem. The problem has more to do with a) your body, or b) the way in which you run. While I spend my “day job” doing individual running assessments in my lab, I realize that I can’t see everyone, which is why I wrote the book, Anatomy for Runners. While its no substitute for a full one-on-one evaluation, its the best I can do until I’m able to successfully clone myself.
Let’s be honest, Your local running retailer is the first point of contact for runners. They see way more runners in a day than any local clinician does, and can take advantage of their exposure as educators. They can spread better information to both new and experienced runners, and together, we can work collectively to change those injury stats, and keep you running healthy into the future.
Thanks Hernan, and thanks to all of you who are spreading the word on the book!
Jay Dicharry's Website, An Athlete's Body 