4-16-2012
Mon-AM: 1:25, 3000' ~ SoBo Peak
Up and down South Mesa/Shadow (Towhee was really muddy); still a few inches of snow the last few hundred feet to the top.
4-17-2012
Tue-AM: 1:33, 3000' ~ Green Mt.
Kind of a convoluted start to the morning. At the last second, Joe and I decided to head up the Saddle Rock trail to try and scramble the Gregory Flatironette to the top of the Amphitheater trail. On our first attempt we were on a rib of rock too far west; dropped all the way back down to Gregory and then negotiated a rib that was too far east. Finally worked our way over to the actual GF for the last hundred feet or so. Looks like a nice line if you get on at the bottom. From there, Joe ran down Amphi (tapering for Zane Grey 50) while I ran to the summit, heading up SR-Gman and descending the 1st Saddle before running back down to Pearl.
4-18-2012
Wed-AM: 1:07, 3000' ~ Green Mt+barefoot
Up and down 3rd access. 36:30 PR from Chat to the summit, which was weird as I wasn't putting in a particularly focused effort and had a sluggish start being almost a minute slow to the base of the 2nd Flatiron. Round-tripped in 57:28, after which I put in 10min of barefoot on the Chautauqua lawn.
4-19-2012
Thu-AM: 1:18, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd, down 3rd access. Mostly stuck to hiking today. Snuck in the odd running-like step here and there on the way down.
4-20-2012
Fri-AM: 1:00, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd, down 3rd access. Met Dakota at Chat and headed up. Running when the terrain allowed. Afterwards, headed to Eldorado Canyon for some climbing. Dakota led like a champ while I flailed on top-rope.
4-21-2012
Sat- off.
4-22-2012
Sun-AM: 1:21, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up the 2nd and down 1st Saddle. Continued perfect weather.
Hours: 8h54
Vert: 20,800'
I'm really looking forward to getting an in-depth gait analysis at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine this week, as I think my mechanics (along with my admittedly undisciplined enthusiasm, i.e. boneheadedness) are the root cause of the frustration with my shin. Hopefully something is picked up on there, and I can come away with a specific plan of action for correcting some strength/flexibility imbalances.
Meanwhile, it feels more like summer every day here in Boulder:
Mon-AM: 1:25, 3000' ~ SoBo Peak
Up and down South Mesa/Shadow (Towhee was really muddy); still a few inches of snow the last few hundred feet to the top.
4-17-2012
Tue-AM: 1:33, 3000' ~ Green Mt.
Kind of a convoluted start to the morning. At the last second, Joe and I decided to head up the Saddle Rock trail to try and scramble the Gregory Flatironette to the top of the Amphitheater trail. On our first attempt we were on a rib of rock too far west; dropped all the way back down to Gregory and then negotiated a rib that was too far east. Finally worked our way over to the actual GF for the last hundred feet or so. Looks like a nice line if you get on at the bottom. From there, Joe ran down Amphi (tapering for Zane Grey 50) while I ran to the summit, heading up SR-Gman and descending the 1st Saddle before running back down to Pearl.
4-18-2012
Wed-AM: 1:07, 3000' ~ Green Mt+barefoot
Up and down 3rd access. 36:30 PR from Chat to the summit, which was weird as I wasn't putting in a particularly focused effort and had a sluggish start being almost a minute slow to the base of the 2nd Flatiron. Round-tripped in 57:28, after which I put in 10min of barefoot on the Chautauqua lawn.
4-19-2012
Thu-AM: 1:18, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd, down 3rd access. Mostly stuck to hiking today. Snuck in the odd running-like step here and there on the way down.
4-20-2012
Fri-AM: 1:00, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up 2nd, down 3rd access. Met Dakota at Chat and headed up. Running when the terrain allowed. Afterwards, headed to Eldorado Canyon for some climbing. Dakota led like a champ while I flailed on top-rope.
4-21-2012
Sat- off.
4-22-2012
Sun-AM: 1:21, 3000' ~ 2nd Flatiron+Green Mt.
Up the 2nd and down 1st Saddle. Continued perfect weather.
Hours: 8h54
Vert: 20,800'
I'm really looking forward to getting an in-depth gait analysis at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine this week, as I think my mechanics (along with my admittedly undisciplined enthusiasm, i.e. boneheadedness) are the root cause of the frustration with my shin. Hopefully something is picked up on there, and I can come away with a specific plan of action for correcting some strength/flexibility imbalances.
Meanwhile, it feels more like summer every day here in Boulder:
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| Base of the 2nd Flatiron: start of my usual scramble en route to the summit. |
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| Green Summit #100 of 2012. |
12 comments:
Hi Anton: Having seen you run on a few occasions, I just can't imagine your gait is an issue. You have an extremely efficienct stride. A few questions I do have:
1) Do you need a little more shoe? I'm not advocating Hokas by any stretch, but maybe you need a little more cushion under your feet? I realize that as a New Balance athlete and essentially the inventor (along with Kyle Skaggs) of NB's minimal trail shoes, this might be a tough issue to face--but maybe there's merit here? And maybe trying some beefier shoes--which may seem like heresy to you--is worth it?
2) Are you running too much vertical? Looking at your training logs, I can't believe my eyes sometimes. It's not the time or distance that get me--it's the vertical on a day-in and day-out basis. Daily summits on Green and Bear (including the descents on rocky, technical trail) might be aggravating your shin.
Good luck with everything! Like many, I am pulling for you!
Wyatt
Wyatt--Thanks for the thoughts. A seemingly efficient-looking gait doesn't mean that footstrike/plant is necessarily what it could be and from what I've seen of my form on film, there are things that I would definitely correct if I could. Specifically, my stride tends to have a kind of "egg-beater" swing to it, which is probably caused by tight/weak hips. This probably also contributes to the valgus (dropping in) of my right knee and eversion of my right foot upon footplant. All of which means more stress on my right post tib. I had to do a lot of focused work a couple of years ago to help correct the valgus in my right knee, which was causing some retinacular aggravation/inflammation there for a long time (almost didn't run the 2010 WS100 bc of this and have felt it during/after every single ultra I've raced since the 2009 Fruita 50).
Additionally, I've almost certainly been compensating for my right shin pretty much every day for the past 15 months, so it's almost impossible that some sort of weakness/imbalance hasn't developed.
Shoes: I'm working on some stuff with NB. I don't think that simply putting one's foot up on a tall platform is the answer when you're addressing stability issues. There is definitely a happy middle ground. (And I have experimented with other more cushioned/supportive shoes w/ basically no discernible improvement.)
Vert: probably. I really haven't done much actual running at all over the past year. The vast majority of it has been hiking, and that's why I've sought so much vert (hiking on the flat is infuriating). However, when I have introduced running, I think I've definitely made the mistake of not first progressing gradually on the flats before taking it to the mountains. This is something I hope to change the next time my shin feels like it's ready.
Hi Anton,
Couple form possibilties: from the WS100 movie, you're efficient but your stance was slightly back seat, and your arms looked tight. Geoff and Kilian had a bit more lean and arm swing. Clearly efficient, but I bet BCSM will have good input.
-Chris
Tony,
You're spot on in thinking of the hips. If you look superior to the problem, (anatomy sense) you will most often find the lower parts are over compensating for weak core, knees, thighs, glutes, what have you. I'm not the kinesiology guru, but when your gait is analyzed, you might be surprised. Just remember "quack" versus "sense" when listening to medical advice from anyone...including MDs, trust me.
Btw, are you still biking around town and to and from running? Does that put pressure on the shin?
Best,
Kevin
Tony,
hey I have a sep question unrelated to your form, but is related to shoes: I see you running in the 1010's and 110's in a lot of your pics and was wondering which of these you like better for really technical trails? Im moving back to Durango in a few months and last time I was there I was running in the 101s and noticed there was not a lot of lateral stability on off-camber trails and the grip wasn't fantastic either on the dustier parts of the trail. Ive run in the 110 a lot since it came out, but the heel counter is way stiff and caused me to go 1/2 size bigger just to accommodate that. However the lateral stability is great and the sock less running I do in them has caused 0 issues. so comparing, lateral stability, grip, sock liner feel, and heel counter stiffness what are your thoughts between the 110 and 1010?
Appreciate any insights, and good luck with the form man! I spent a year tweakin my form and every little bit helps a lot.
Blake
Tony,
Curious, did you pace or were you going to possibly pace for Joe at Zane Grey? Or did you head up for aid at all? I missed the race because of a sickness, for the second straight year. Did Joe pullout early? Or all together?
Godspeed.
Logan
I hiked past the 2nd flatiron recently, and it's pretty steep. You go straight up it as part of your normal running route? Have you ever slipped on it? My stomache for this kind of thing is diminishing the older I get...
hey anton, what are those red shoes that you are wearing in the pic? they look sweet!
Blake - Given your lateral stability concerns, I would probably stick with the 110 if I were you; its lateral control on cambered terrain is the best I've ever had in any mountain running shoe.
Logan - No, I was never planning on being at ZG this year, and wouldn't have been healthy enough to even do any pacing there. Joe got lost for an hour; sorta tough to come back from in only a 50mi race.
David - When soloing/scrambling--even 4th Class stuff like the 2nd Flatiron--slipping is something you tend to avoid with all of your focus and strength.
Joshua - I'm wearing a pair of the forthcoming NB 1010.
Good Grief, it does look like summer in Boulder! There's 5cm of freshies and one large elk on my front lawn this morning. I'm just waiting for the arrival of spring! The elk is a good sign. :)
I've got a fever and the only prescription is a new Tony blog post.
That's how it! The beauty and pleasure of being in nature more than the success of fitness! :)
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