Ask questions and listen to the answers

[The Moose]

As runners some of us can forget that we still have a lot to learn about running.  It seems simple enough, left foot, right foot, repeat...right?
Nope.  If you want to go faster, or farther, or feel more comfortable, whatever.  There's often more you can do than simply put in more miles (although for many of us that's a big part of the answer).  Some of you have read about posture and breathing etc, but take the time to listen to other runners, especially runners who are closer to where you want to be than you are (ie, faster, or better distance runners etc.).  Many times advice is offered to us that may not do us any good at all, but through listening carefully to the whole conversation, we can learn something we hadn't thought to ask.
An example of this came to me a few weeks ago as I was driving home from ATB.  I was car pooling with a runner I'd met (who happens to be a lot faster than I am) and through the course of the conversation learned that her coach kept yelling at her to get her knees up and her arms down.  I knew that bringing up your knees makes you run faster, but "arms down?" I asked.
It seems that we draw our arms up higher when we're tired, which is less efficient (who knew?). So Tuesday after ATB I went out for a short 5 miler.  Now I must admit that I'm not normally the best at pace, but this night I ran every mile at 77% HR, almost rock solid.  Mile 1 was all over the map, but I expected that.  Mile 2 and 3 were steady at 8:33 each (almost to the tenth), at the end of mile 3 I decided to try and lower my arms.  Mile 4 and 5 were amazing, I dropped exactly 20 seconds per mile, still at a solid 77% HR max with 8:13 each.
The point is not the pace, it's the difference in pace, all because I talked to and listened to someone new.

Race on friends.

Mike

[Jane]

So by keeping your arms down, how far down do you mean?  I find I get tired of holding my arms bent at the elbows all the time (don't forget we are out there for a LONG time, and keeping them like that for 3.5 hours starts to hurt).  So I have tried straightening them out and running with them hanging down by my side.  I find I feel like I run faster like that, but don't know, as I wasn't keeping pace. 

I can see what you mean about how as you raise your arms higher, you become less efficient.  Is part of the reason because it would make you more tense through the shoulders and back which would be detrimental?

I remember when I ran my first half with Sandy oh so long ago (2000 in Ottawa).  In the last 5K when I was really struggling because my legs were seizing, she warned me about swinging my arms around too much which I guess is the natural tendency when you are trying to take some of the work away from your legs.  She told me that extra arm movement would just make my heart rate go up even more and make the run more difficult.  I still try to remind myself of this when I am getting really tired.  It's strange, but I can remember exactly where we were when she told me that.  Rounding Dow's Lake.  Lake on the right, tulips on the left and legs that felt like lead.  Sandy, I cannot thank you enough for running my very first half (and my second full) with me!   As I told Andrea this morning -- Sandy can get you to do things that you never thought you could, because she gets you to push yourself a little harder than you thought was possible.

[Jane]

  Sorry, as I was re-reading my post to make sure I hadn't said anything really stupid, I looked at my avatar, with my arms raised above my head and thought - ok, I guess my arms were a LITTLE high at that point of the race!      (and it was right near the end)

[Laurie]

Hey Sandy... What are you doing May 27...  maybe you'd be wanting to coach another one thru their first 1/2!?!?
Good advice.. i'm all ears..

[Cathy]

We all have a tendancy to hear people speaking but we aren't really listening.  Good advice to take Mike.  Listening is something that we have forgotten how to do.  Time to be retrained, no matter what the topic. 

[Cathy]

Speaking of listening, Laurie, would this be the Ottawa 1/2 you would be doing?

You are an extremely strong runner.  This should be a piece of cake for you.

You go girl.

And would you be wearing your cool shirt for luck.  After all you are famous and maybe someone will recognize you there.

[Sandy]

Id love to but will be away at a training camp.  You will be just fine and we'll be thinking of you.

[Laurie]

ya. the ottawa 1/2.  Ottawa was - 2 years ago in May - where i got 'bitten by the bug' to run!  I went up there with a friend - to drive her home after running her first 1/2... and she said 'you come here - you'll want to run'.  I laughed..and said 'you're crazy.. i don't even want to walk.'...
well... She was RIGHT!!  I came home - started walking - until i could do 5k 3x a week..and then started a running course that Sept... 
Last May 1 ran the 5k there ... this year the 1/2.  Its sort of the 'anniversary' run for me...  This year KC is running the 5 there.. maybe next year he'll run the 1/2 with me (he's saying 'ya .. right'.. as i type this!!)...   ofcourse..thats what I said last year too!!

Is anyone from your group doing anything in Ottawa that weekend?  We have someone from our club doing each event!  exciting!!

Sandy.. what training camp??

[The Moose]

So by keeping your arms down, how far down do you mean?  I find I get tired of holding my arms bent at the elbows all the time (don't forget we are out there for a LONG time, and keeping them like that for 3.5 hours starts to hurt).

Ah, that's a great question.  I normally run with my elbows bent to about a 45 degree angle, so I tried making it closer to 90 degrees, so forearms parallel with the ground instead of pumping towards the sky.
And yes, my arms get tired as well (especially lately holding them in a different position).  Last winter I spent 2 nights a week in the gym doing upper body work and it helped a great deal.  This year I got lazy, and I can really tell the difference.

As for your arms being that high at the end of a race, you must be in better shape than me, I don't think I can lift my arms that high after a race.

I'll be in Ottawa that weekend, see you all there.

Mike

[Sandy]

It's an Ironman camp in Lake Placid for our group that is doing the race in July.  We'll be there Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sunday.+