Form, form, form......aka my friend Bikram

... that's the key for me. From a car accident to one two years ago (but this one I got hit while out running across a cross walk) I have had various compensatory problems during my running career (another completely different story). If I can keep my mechanics efficient then my performances are good. When the mechanics are off… well let’s just say it’s a long day.

Back in 2005 I was able to find a really good chiro in New Zealand who I worked with on ‘natural’ form. The result was no pain and very fluid mechanics. But one year later, when I got hit by ‘the car,’ I ended up compensating too much and have struggled with efficiency ever since. Even last year I had some fantastic workouts that were pretty as much as good I have ever done. I found I could do the workouts, but when it came to racing I found myself working too hard at the halfway point of races and I would pretty much go backwards very drastically.

In the fall my wife took in a class of Bikram Yoga. It’s often called ‘hot’ yoga and is a series of 26 yoga poses, but this ain’t no ‘meditation’ relaxing yoga. This is intense yoga done in high 30 degree heat. They put you through the poses and it’s as much a core stability workout as it is stretching. At the end I am always thankful it’s over, but the next day my runs are always smooth and quick. I find I am ‘lazy’ in regards to early season Bikram sessions, but as I get closer to bigger races I try to get in two sessions a week.

Friday: Run at lower and upper SFU trails (the ’90 min loop’ as I call it). This isn’t a measured loop, but rather a ‘feel’ loop and I have certain spots along the way that let me know if am running slow-med-quick. At a certain point where I consider around 49 mins to be quick (and my best is 48) I hot 47 without much effort. The idea was to get through the first 50mins and then work the hilly sections the last 40. I was too quick at the lower levels of the trails and had to throw in some extra sections. The result wa 93 misn of good aerobic fartlek longish run.

After I hit some Bikram Yoga, but I was only about 90mins after my run and I just went through the motions.

Saturday: AM 50 min run at Buntzen lake trails with ‘dug’ and then took her to the lake for some ball throw and for me soaking my legs in the cold water.
PM 33 min at a decent clip

Sunday: AM 30min acceleration tempo run at Bby lake trails. The idea is 10mins below MP, 10mins at and 10mins at threshold pace. Didn’t feel smooth mechanically (I realized after I was running more with my arms and less with my ‘core’), but I thought this might happen as it was only about 40 hours after my Fri run.
PM 22 mins plus 6 x 10 sec strides. My form was much better and I felt great