I’ve written a few heavier posts lately…and it’s time for a little lightness and a little running talk. (But thank you for your super kind words.)
After running two marathons this fall, I could have either colossally burnt out or gotten super charged up about running.
After the way I’ve talked about running the past few months, you know it’s the latter. Although it was a huge disappointment to get injured and not be able to chase a marathon PR, in some ways it was a blessing for me to chill out and just enjoy running without pushing myself for a PR. I hope to run for the rest of my life, so there’s always time to PR.
Janae’s talked about the “1 percent” (or 3 percent? I don’t know, I can’t find the post) — those little things you know you should do to become a better runner, but you don’t always necessarily do.
I am already in a serious long-term relationship with my foam roller, but I’m terrible at stuff like mobility work, strength training and core training, and I’m resolving to work on those now in the “off season.”
Which is why I’m going to what I fondly call “Runner class.” My awesome PT, Finish Line Physical Therapy, is offering a Functional Strength Series, and this first round of classes is called Mostability. Or Mo Stability (Yo), as I prefer to think of it.
It’s meant to help runners recover from their fall races and work on mobility and stability. The 50 minute-classes start with mobility work, move into circuits and end with a wonderful cool-down.
Here’s a sampling of some of the exercises included in our workouts. Our bodies exist in a three-dimensional plane, but we usually just stretch in one-dimension (great explanation here.) Everything we do in this class involves those three planes — for example, we’ll lunge forward, laterally and then work on external rotation.
- Lunge Matrix: https://youtu.be/tsuvxkPGt2o
- Common Lunge Matrix with Same Side Rotational Reach: https://youtu.be/B0TwlyrJqnI
- Plank with Pelvic Driver in All Three Planes (20 seconds for each plane):https://youtu.be/z9d42nrX_gM (The first round of these is just like an upward dog/downward dog flow, but feels SO good.)
- Restorative Pose- Thoracic Spine: https://youtu.be/VBUbtlzLXQU (No savasana, but pretty damn close.)
What are those extra things you do to become a better runner? What are your favorite strength/mobility moves?
Be right back, going to chill in the restorative pose!! 🙂
I”m taking 5 weeks of barre classes right now and while I am not a fan, I think building up all those little muscles is going to pay off.
I am all about cross training. I go to bootcamp and HIIT class twice a week. I absolutely believe that this keeps me from getting injured. BTW, I am so impressed with how you came back from injury to run 2 marathons. No matter the time, it was impressive.
“I hope to run for the rest of my life, so there’s always time for a PR.”
I understand your comment in the context of your post, but time marches on and there will be a day that your PRs are behind you. They are for me. That’s ok – I’m still running for the rest of my life! 🙂
No, I know what you’re saying too…but I’m not there yet 🙂
@Glen Snider:
Actually you never know! My boyfriend’s mom just now BQ’d(I know that as you get older the time expectations change but she only started running again about seven years ago when her sons went off to college) and averages a marathon a month!
Either way as a really injury prone runner(meniscus tear which was excised in September followed by a bout of plantar fasciitis when I was cleared to run) I appreciate that comment a lot! It’s easy to want to push harder than your body can at a particular moment in that search for a PR.
I take similar classes at my CrossFit gym which are CrossFit Endurance based. It’s nice to have my physical therapist there too and it has been a total game changer as far as my form, turnover, and injury prevention goes!
I’ve always had problems doing my mobility work with any sort of regularity too… I’ve always figured it’s just because there’s not really any sort of “progress” to measure, so it ends up feeling like I’m wasting my time (even though I know I’m not).
I guess it’s just something I need to get over.