Home :: Questions and Answers

Running Questions and Answers

Question:

I'm not 'getting' how to do B's. What part of the foot is supposed to be hitting the ground—the ball of the foot just in front of the arch? or closer to the toes? Also should I be trying to avoid reaching farther than 90 degrees? And finally, where, compared to the planted foot should my foot be striking the ground?

Answer:

When doing A's, B's and C's... the goal is to simplify the running gait. These exercises break the gait into 3 segments. The B is the most difficult of the 3 segments. The goal of the B is to add-on to the A and create the optimal positioning of the forward foot. The common problem that new runners encounter is the fact that they 'kick' the foot forward (like the can-can), instead, the foot needs to act as a lever from the knee. This snap is the key to the B.

The leg goes up from the knee, the foot dorsiflexed, and then hinges forward and then snaps down. The entire motion should be quick and complete and builds strength all while working on the proper form. The foot that does the forward motion should only move slightly in front of the other foot (only a few inches). B's can be done while walking (slowly and really controlled) or while skipping forward (more movement and better for warming up).

The downward motion (snap) is the most important part of the B. It must be quick and controlled. It should go more than 90 degrees, but remember it's not a kick... it's a lever! When doing skipping B's, the only part of the foot that ever hits the ground is the ball of the foot. When doing walking B's the entire foot will touch the ground because the cycle requires more time and is a slower motion.

Lastly, the arms are always the forgotten part of the A's, B's, and C's... they must work in the same manner that they do when running. The common mistake for new runners is that they will use their left arm forward at the same time as the left foot. If your left foot is doing the motion—then your right arm must be going. For example, when throwing a baseball with your right arm, your right foot ISN'T forward!

Answered by: David Milne, Victoria store

For clarification or any other questions please contact us at peninsularunners@telus.net.

Top

Question:

How do I know what pace I am supposed to run? I always find I have trouble knowing my pace.

Answer:

There a few answers to this question, but the easiest thing to remember is that the average person runs too fast on their "off-day" runs. When someone is on an easy run they should be able to hold a conversation no problem; however, most people try to keep up to other runners and are always holding on so they aren't getting the benefits of "off-day" runs. They basically turn them into another workout. This leads to the largest problem in distance running—over-training.

So what can we do about this? This is where Heart Rate monitors come in. They force you to slow down with a beeping sound that goes off when you are outside of your optimal zone. These are great training tools for people who are lost on pace. They even have speed distance monitors that tell the runner their exact pace per mile or kilometre.

When running workouts...people have to be more responsible on listen to the demands of the workout. When a runner is warming up they should be doing just that—warming up. This pace should be slower or equvalent to easy runs. The actual pace during workouts should be the most intense running during the week. If you're running a speed workout... then you should be going quicker than race pace, thus making race pace feel slow. If you're working on longer intervals the pace should be close to race pace so that your body can adapt to the pace and discomfort.

The pace of each workout is difficult to understand for a new runner. It takes time and practice to be comfortable knowing that you will be able to finish the workout at the pace you started. The biggest mistake we see is that people have one pace and that doesn't lead to improvement.

Answered By: David Milne, Victoria Store

For answers to your running questions please email your questions to peninsularunners@telus.net.

Top

Have a running question of your own? Email us!