Running

(August 11, 2011 Update) - Nothing major, except that I do have a pair of Vibram Five Fingers now and have run in them a couple times. They’re fun. The feel of being almost barefoot makes you feel a bit like a kid again. But do read up before trying them. Keep runs short at first. I’m sore after just a mile or two. I’ll keep it up though and maybe by this time next year I’ll be a full-fledged ‘barefoot’ runner.

~

As I creep into my 30s, I can happily claim to have been a runner for more than half of my life. Despite not being built really for running (weighing in at about 190 pounds on average), and suffering a couple knee injuries over the years – one from skiing and another while playing tennis – I’ve kept going and hope to be a life-long runner.

I’ll use this page to post new runs/times and discuss things like shoes, running techniques, and random things like “running meditation.”

So far I have one marathon (Sept 20, 2009):

 Search Results – 1 Result(s) Found
Race Last Name, First Name
(Sex/Age)		 Time OverAll
Place		 Sex Place
/
Div Place		 DIV City, State, Country
MT Governor’s Cup Marathon
9/20/09		 Whitaker, Justin (M29) 3:50:51 63 48 / 8 M25-29 Missoula, MT, USA

 Three half marathons (athlinks results):

Event Name & Course State Date Bib Plc A Plc G Plc O Final
Missoula Marathon & Half Marathon 2010 – Half Marathon MT 7/11/10 5697 21 165 241 1:45:54
Montana Governor’s Cup Marathon & Half Marathon 2009 – Run/Marathon MT 9/20/09 740 8 45 63 3:50:51
Two Bear Marathon & Half Marathon 2009 – Run- Half Marathon MT 9/13/09 864 1 10 13 1:39:18
Wheat Montana 5K 2009 MT 3/21/09 - 4 12 15 22:17
2007 Missoula Marathon – Half-Marathon MT 7/15/07 - 32 193 401 2:20:05

Plc A = Place for age group, Plc G = gender, and Plc O = overall.

Three 10k runs, most recently in for the YMCA in Missoula, April 30, 2011 (link):
62 7/18 3438 10K Justin Whitaker 30 M 46:44 7:33

(62 of 393 overall , 7th in age group and 18th in gender)

A small, fun (but hilly!) Earthday run in Bozeman 2 weeks earlier, finishing in around 53:30.

And the 2004 MT Governor’s Cup 10k (time around 48min if I remember correctly) And a few other runs, including Helena’s “Don’t Fence Me In” 12k trail run in 2009 and again on May 14, 2011:

77 Justin Whitaker Helena MT 509 30 19 M 30-39 1:14:00.1 9:55/M

Shoes

Currently I run with the Asics Gel-DS Trainer (pictured left). Previously I used the ASICS GEL-Nimbus. My philosophy is to find a good (GOOD) running shop and try out some shoes with a pro. If they don’t have you walk barefoot with their head on the floor watching, they’re not a pro (imho). Things like that will tell them if you you pronate, supinate, or land with a neutral gate. Different shoes adjust for subtle differences here.

I supinate. And I have a very low arch. In fact when I was 15 or so a doctor during a physical told me I was essentially flat-footed and that I’d never run distance.

Some of my friends have tried and most rave about ‘barefoot’ running (book) – usually prefering the Vibram Five Fingers running shoes. The authoritative book on the subject is Born to Run, which I read in May, 2011.

Technique

I am currently working on my own version of running, similar to Chi Running. I’ve read Danny Dreyer’s excellent book and took an intermediate/advanced seminar on the technique. For the most part I’d simply recommend Chi Running itself, and as time provides, I’ll write about differences between my own method and Chi Running.

One of the most interesting books I’ve read on the subject, however, is Body, Mind, and Sport: The Mind-Body Guide to Lifelong Health, Fitness, and Your Personal Best. Author John Douillard argues for the use of ONLY nasal breathing – even during long runs. Those who have done yoga have probably heard the benefits of exercise restricted to nasal breathing, but it’s quite a feat to run only breathing through your nose. I did that on my first half marathon (2:20 in Missoula, 2007) but I haven’t returned to nasal breathing as a runner.

Misc

“Running meditation” is a concept I’d like to work on more as a yogi, meditator, and runner. Chi running itself is a lot like yoga, seeking to find proper balance in the body to create a smooth, effortless motion. But it can be taken further, incorporating mindfulness of breathing meditation, for instance, and subtle body-scans to check and adjust one’s posture mid-run.

For now, that’s a start. Feel free to email me (via the about me page, or use the comments) and be sure to check back from time to time for updates.