question for Wahine

[knapplaura]

I am very impressed by your run time in IMC. I am trying to get my run for IMAZ 08 to approximately 4:20 +/-. Last year I did 4:48.

How much running did you do and what pace did you do your long runs? Last year I held about 9:30 or faster on my long runs but at the IM I really felt like I was operating at max capacity.

I have not started running long again, right now focused more on cycling and swimming. Want to work on running technique since I have a history of knee problems but nothing severe lately.

thanks for the advice,
Laura

[Wahine]

I'm at work and won't have much time to post over the next few days but I just caught this and I promise to come back to it.

The skinny:

3 runs a week, one for hills and speed intervals, one for form only and one long run. I never ran more than 15 miles in training and my long runs were slow, zone 1 to 2.

During race season I started to throw in some short runs off the bike such that I was doing 5 runs per week about but 2 of those were only 1 to 2.5 miles.

The biggest difference for me was the form work and a hard effort brick once a week.

[knapplaura]

Thanks!
Am curious what you used as a guide for form work...I have friends that are trying Evolution Running and Pose Running, and both are advocating each method.

[Wahine]

I am working with a coach on form but I believe what he says is similar to chi running. It's the foot flat stride with significant weight shift from one side to the other, higher knees and heels than I'm used to and LOTS of upper body, arm driven rotation.

It made a huge difference on how my legs felt running off the bike. It gets me using my glutes more and hams less.

To answer some of your other questions, my long runs were paced at 11 to 13 mm. But closer to racing I started to do longer runs at race tempo, working up to a 1 mile warm-up, 13 miles at just sub lactate threshold and 1 mile cool down. That was my hardest run.

I'm also going to try crossfit.com this year. I'll let you know more when I know more. Just found out abut it last night.

[KnottedYet]

Just jumping in to say that Chi-Running made it possible for me to run again.