Runners arms – do they matter?

When I was at the track with my coach this week, he accused me of sticking my elbows out – and kept yelling at me. I know I used to be REALLY bad for this, but I thought I had fixed it. It seems not. BUT – does it really matter I wondered? My usual curious mind set about locating the answer.

Does it really matter?

It seems arm action in part, influences your legs. The role of the arms is to stabilize the torso so that power can continue to be efficiently transferred through the hips. It is this ability to transfer power effectively through the center of mass that not only improves rate of acceleration, but also facilitates reaching maximum velocity, maintaining those top speeds and reducing the rate of deceleration.

They go on to say ‘speed is a product of stride length and stride frequency. Stride length and frequency are determined, in part, by the motion of the arms. If you are lazy or passive with your arm action, you are limiting your potential for speed.’

So, yes, it seems that is matters considerably!


So what SHOULD my arms be doing?

Upswing, parallel to your body, forearm parallel to the ground, hands relaxed, not clenched.
Full range of motion – smooth swinging arms - like pendulums! You will see this advice in many locations if you google it. Here is one quote example:

You should also make sure that your arms are moving from chin height at the front level and then all the way to your hip pocket region in the back level. This will ensure proper range of motion in your arms. Also by having proper range of motion on your arms your legs all also move correctly.

The movement of your arm action should also be coming from the shoulder joint. The motion should be similar to that of a pendulum on a clock. It should be moving forwards and back. Just make sure to keep the above tips in mind so that you have proper range of motion in your arms.

More advice can be found here and here too. It is also widely stated that you should stay relaxed! Tension amounts to slower times.

Drive the elbows down and back. (This is the part of the swing I neglect most! Oops!)

Avoid crossing your arms in front – keep them parallel to the body.

Conclusion:

Does it matter – it seems so!! Neglecting arms = lost speed! Better get a grip on this!!

A Murder at the track on Saturday!

Its been a helluva week. I currently have no car, so I am having to cycle absolutely EVERYWHERE and have been doing so for a month now. At first, it was cool, not a problem, but now, its getting kinda wearing. I liked the aspect of choice related to the journey to work – shall I go by car or by bike? Hmmmm, currently – no choice! Despite this, I have managed to re-jig and get through almost all my training, as well as cycle commuting to work every day.

What you CAN’T do without a car!

Having to cycle to EVERYWHERE means everything takes miles longer, which means not as much gets done. Here lies the problem. With no car, morning gym and swim sessions become almost impossible. There just is not enough time to cycle to the sports centre, do my stuff, cycle back, get breakfast, cycle to work, and start work on time. PLUS – I am not sure I have the energy for all that before 9am every day either! So, 3-2-1 has not been going to plan, as I often can’t do the early morning session, unless it’s a run session. I also can’t get to the track to meet my coach – because it’s about 12 miles away and the appointment time just doesn’t allow me time to get there on my bike from work (if I even had the energy for that!) So, this week, it was moved to Saturday morning, so I could go by train. Appointment time – 7.15am! AAAArgh! I used to be used to that, but with the temporary loss of early morning sessions this was not going to be easy!

The track session of death!

I was told the plan was 4 timed mile reps. It was November since I last did this with my coach. I hate them! It’s so monotonous; I just can’t get my head around it. I was dreading it. PLUS – it was trenching it down too, so I just didn’t have my head screwed on at all! I went armed with my orbana, because I knew I would need it, and the asthma inhaler – I knew I would need that too! When I got there Coach was already drenched, wrapped up in full head to toe waterproofs. I had better make this worth his while I thought, poor chap.  After a warm up, it was down to business. It had been ages since I did these, I wasn’t sure I would be too good at pacing, so I put pace on the garmin screen – something I am usually forbidden from looking at! It was raining hard, and there was a driving wind on the back straight too, not nice.

Mile 1:

I heard shouts as I set off, and worked out by the curve of the first bend what it was  - I had set off far too fast. At the end of lap 1 I was 30 seconds ahead of my target time – that has only got to spell trouble! Lap 2, I slowed down a bit – on purpose, and by the end of that lap was feeling much better, lap 3 was o.k. and by lap 4 it was getting tough. Time – a new mile PB and 25 seconds under the target time. I was pretty damn stoked actually.

Mile 2:

I was dreading this – there was no way I could do that again. Still, focus on the ACTUAL target I had been given. I was ordered to go slower. So I did, it seemed odd. Same drill, first lap, WAAAAY too fast, but I rectified it much more quickly, laps 2 and 3 alright, lap 4 tough. Time? Still 11 seconds inside the target time. But jeez I was feeling it now, and I needed that inhaler.

Mile 3:

I just knew from the start this was going to be ugly. I set off under a much more controlled pace, but by the end of the 2^nd lap I felt like collapsing and stopping right there, it felt like I should feel on lap 4! At the end of lap 3 I was told that I had slowed quite a bit. I looked at the pace. It had dropped way back beyond the target time. So I had some serious work to do. I had to make 15 seconds of pace up on this last lap. I gave it everything I had. I just focussed on me, my legs, my form, and that number on the watch. I glanced at it as I turned for the last 100m and it was back under the target – by only 1 second but still, it was under. As I crossed the line, I knew I had JUST managed to get it back again, but I collapsed onto my hands and knees in exhaustion, and it took quite some time before I could stand up again. The last mile rep was cancelled, despite the fact that I vowed to do it and give it my all.

My thoughts:

At first: wow – I was rather impressed with my new mile PB – and so was coach – he hadn’t thought it possible at this stage in the season, and in this weather.

Later: hmmph, I did the session in November and managed all 4 reps, the last being only 1 second different in time to my 3^rd on this occasion, and much more consistent. So, I began to think that maybe it wasn’t so good after all.

And in reality: I was told off for being too pessimistic – as usual! My first mile was waaaaay faster than I ever thought I would be able to run, ever. It was well inside the target time my coach set me when we first met. He even doubted that I would manage it, more recently. My second wasn’t far behind. I must get a grip and recognise the positives when they come. I AM running much better than I thought I could, and in the latter stages of mile 3 I proved to myself that I could push myself to the absolute limits and still drag my legs round a decent lick of speed. I pushed myself further and faster than I ever thought I could. My heart rate far exceeded the previous max heart rate a run test had produced.

I CAN DO THIS!!

Let’s see what triathlon season brings. J

Self Belief

Today was a busy day. I hate Tuesdays! I had NO time to think about the track session I had in store for me with my run coach. Perhaps this is best I wonder? I did my usual dash in dash out with 20 minutes to spare between work and the arranged meet time. As I whirled through the house, hubby asked what I was doing today... ‘I can’t remember’ I replied, ‘I don’t think he’s told me’ and rushed off out the door.

Then it dawned on me. I remember now. Mile reps. Hmmmmmmmmmm. All the way there I begin to ponder how boring that sounds – 4 laps of the track for each mile. Yawn. I hate the running track at the best of times!

Coach bounds out of his car, all wrapped up (it’s apparent he’s doing no running today!) grinning, springing on the spot and exclaims ‘hello! Are we ready for this then?’ I reply in monosyllables and off we go!

Task: 4 x 1 mile with short timed rests in between. Great. ‘I’m doing this for your own good’ he announces, still grinning at me!

Keith positions himself on the finish line with the stop watch, apparently planning to report to me each lap what the time is so far. Me being one for figures, he probably knows this strategy will either make or break me. We are about to find out which one it is!

Mile 1

Lap 1, I concentrate on NOT setting off too fast, checking my watch as I leave the start line ‘don’t you be looking at that watch!’ he barks at me! It feels easy, as I pass him he announced ‘oooooh that’s a bit fast. Ooops. The hurt will start in a minute I think to myself. Lap 2, 3, 4 still ok. Mile 1, 36 seconds faster than my target time. J excellent. But no time to celebrate, no no. Crack of the whip and off we go again.

Mile 2

Off I set, didn’t dare look at the watch, lap 1, ok. Lap 2, ok, lap 3, starting to be a little less than ok, and the times were slipping away. EEEEK. I have a mental wobble on the first bend of lap 4. I hear him shout ‘last lap... come on!’ so I dig in. I am DETERMINED not to give up so soon into the session. I GASP over the line in my exhaustive asthmatic way, to be told it was only 2 seconds slower than the first, and still 34 seconds faster that the target time. Excellent!

Mile 3

It took some recovering from that second one. Yes I do have asthma, but usually only stress / exercise related. Yes, I was pretty stressed! My legs felt the protest as soon as I set off from this one. I began to feel the lactic burn, I could hear Kim http://www.kimingleby.co.uk/ piping in my ear ‘did you do the best that you could, on the day, with the conditions?’ NO! I wasn’t. COME ON MEL!! With renewed enthusiasm I dragged my sorry ass round the last lap. I was damned if I was going to give any time away on this mile, that was the mistake I made on every race, so this WAS going to be as fast. Result? Exactly the same as mile 2! OH MY GOSH!!

Mile 4

Needed serious mental strength here. I was sure before I even started that I would not make it round. I was exhausted. After lap 2, the time reports suggested I was losing far too much time per lap to maintain the pace of the previous miles. I set off on the bend of lap 3 thinking this is a waste of time, why am I doing this, a triathlon is only 3 mile run, I don’t need this 4^th, its ok, 3 were alright weren’t they. Then that blooming Kim popped into my head again. No Kim, you just KNOW I wasn’t doing the best I could was I now, let’s face it! So the remainder of that mile, I had Kim mentally chasing me round, I had Keith going on at me in the other ear stand tall, relax, hips forward, drive... my head was spinning. I dug in. As I crossed the line I was SURE that I had run that one 30 seconds slower. Nope. I only lost 3 more seconds.

The moral of this session?

·        I am better than I think

·        I am making GOOD progress

·        This coached running IS working

·        I CAN push myself just that bit further than I thought I could

·        If I don’t look at the data, perhaps I run better than I thought possible

·        I DO feel pleased with myself and I am pleased that Coach is pleased.

·        The track IS NOT a scary place! :)

The hilarious goings on on the track this week!

I did a run training session today with Kieth Molloy, my run coach. He was under orders from Steve Casson, my triathlon coach, to go easy on me because it is recovery week. I asked him last week what he had in mind, I was told 'agility'. this meant nothing at all to me!!

I turned up on friday, very foggy, dark, track lights are off. I thought, hmm, what on earth might he have in mind? He told me that we were going to do an easy 3 mile run, then some resistance work. Ok, harmless I think. So off we set. First mile all uphill. I had been told last week that my running posture was much better, and Kieth said the same today, told me i was running up hill much better too. I looked at the watch, average for me. I kept going. At the top, I thought, ok, rest is flat or down, I am going to now focus just on form. Easy pace, focus on form. SO I concentrated on hips forward, driving off the foot, arms in the right places, with Kieth chuntering at me  all the time as a reminder. I didnt look a the watch at all. I have been taught to know on feel. it still felt ok, so I carried on. Sometimes statistics are my downfall, and i see good numbers and think EEEK! and slow down.

At the end of mile 2, the watch vibrated. I took a glance, wow, I thought, this pace is good, for what feels 'ok'!! I had one more mile, along the flat. mile 3 is usually my undoing in a race, so I stayed very focussed, on form, still getting my timely reminders from Kieth, and aimed not to lose any of that pace on mile 3 (because I usually do!) It still felt ok, and I stayed focussed. Towards the end of mile 3 I knew it was no longer an easy HR, but there wasnt far to go, I was going good, i would stay focussed and see how I can do. The moment it vibrated for 3 miles, I slowed and looked at the split. The last mile was 1 minute 20 seconds faster than the first, and around 45 seconds faster than what I might expect to be my average pace on that run. I was rather impressed considering it was a steady run, not a hard effort (probably helped by the fact that it is recovery week!

Then the fun began!!

Kieth went to his car and got out a contraption rather like this.

What on earth is that i wondered. He then explained. I couldnt help but laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh!! I was very glad at this point that it was dark (and foggy) and there was no-one around...

because this is what you do with that... Oh yes!! It is like being taken for a walk!! I went first, and it was only 60 metres. 60 metres... I'm glad it was no further!! When i set off i felt like i was tied to a lamp post!! Then, as i got going, it felt like any moment now he would let go, and i would go cattapulting across the track like a rag doll! I didnt even get to the finish line before I was laughing!! He kept telling me it wasnt funny, this was good resistance training that would strengthen the drive on the foot. But I was still laughing!!

Then I got to have a go 'on the reins' so to speak! When he set off, I am quite sure it wasnt the same because I was suddenly lurched forwards and felt like I was taking a REALLY big dog that I cant quite control for a walk!!!

4 lots of 60 metres like this and I thought I was going to collapse!! It still makes me laugh now! When he set off to go home, he put the harness in the boot, in case passers by thought he has some strange bondage fetish!!

I bet a man thought up that idea for run resistance training....!