clinics
Find Your Spring: The Missing Link to Teaching Running Gait
This last weekend, I had the opportunity to hold a running clinic with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella at his minimalist running store in Shephardstown, WV. We covered a ton of useful information, most of which is included in Mark’s video he did for Running Times.
When we were discussing running form, Mark describes the legs as springs. The tendons and ligaments of the feet and legs store energy as the foot hits the ground. This energy Read More...
Grindstone 100 Miler Preparation
In about three weeks, I’ll be attempting the Grindstone 100 miler in Swoope, VA for the second time. The first time around, I DNFed around the half way point. It was an abysmal failure, but a great learning experience. My preparation for this attempt feels much better.
Last year, I was overly confident based on my positive experiences at Western States. This was my thought process immediately before the race:
I ran very Read More...
Perfecting Foot Strike: The Kitty Litter Trick
Mastering foot strike is one of the most difficult tasks some barefoot/minimalist shoe runners attempt. Maybe you’ve been a long-time heel striker and want to move to more of a midfoot strike. Or perhaps you’ve been a sprinter and can’t shake the habit of “running on your toes.” Either way, changing foot strike can be exceedingly difficult.
In my Merrell Bareform clinics, I teach people to land with their feet pancake flat (thanks to Jon Sanregret Read More...
Woodstock Trail Running Festival Quick Recap
As tempted as I am to write a full, detailed event report, I think the details are best left to others for reasons that will become obvious. I’ll just give a topical recap.
Run Woodstock is a trail running festival held in Hell, Michigan. We’ve attended the event each year since it was founded four years ago by Randy Step and his Running Fit (a local running store) gang. The race features three days of Read More...
Should We Teach Running Form?
A few years ago, Richard Knobbs, an Internet friend, asked me a series of questions about running I had never considered. I couldn’t find the original message, so I’ll paraphrase. He asked the following:
Is there a right way to run?
If so, how should it be taught?
What happens if we’re wrong with either question?
The questions were framed around the idea of barefoot running, but can be generalized to the greater running community. A recent article in Read More...
Upcoming Clinics in Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Montana, and North Carolina!
Our upcoming clinic schedule:
September 5th, Gazelle Sports, Kalamazoo, MI, run @ 6pm, clinic at 7pm
September 7,8,9: Run Woodstock, Pinckney, MI- fireside clinic, time TBD
September 19th- Up and Running, 6123 Far Hills Ave, Dayton OH, 7pm
September 27th – Idaho Mountain Trading in Idaho Falls, ID, 5:30 or 6pm – clinic/run
September 28th – Schnee’s Boot & Shoes in Downtown Bozeman, MT, 5:30 or 6pm – clinic/run
September 29th – Schnee’s Boot & Shoes, Bozeman, MT, 8am
October 9th, Out Sports, tri shop, Cary, North Read More...
What Do You Mean “Listen To Your Body?”
Go to any barefoot running forum and you’ll see people giving advice to “listen to your body.” It may be the most common phrase uttered by barefoot runners. Pretty much any barefoot runner that’s run at least a few hundred miles immediately understands the meaning. It’s a confusing phrase to the uninitiated, though.
What exactly DO we mean by “listen to your body?” And is this really good advice? Wouldn’t it be easier to teach running gait Read More...
Why is a Cadence of 180 Considered a Magic Number?
If you spend enough time around runners and a discussion on running form comes up, you’ll likely hear the “180 rule.” It states your feet should touch the ground 180 times per minute or more. This will result in the most efficient form. In theory.
Unfortunately, the rule is often botched. The most common mistake is to leave off the “or more” part at the end. The result is a belief that every runner should be running Read More...
