MR Runningpains! Run on my friends... |
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Races are crazy right now! As I write this, I have 24 athletes racing this weekend! Great to see such activity! That said, if you're interested in talking about coaching, please reach out! The trails are calling...will you answer? -Aaron Saft MR Runningpains |
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I took the top of the podium in a hard fought race at The Front Range 5+ Miler in Pisgah National Forest. Thank you Sheridan Byers for the picture! Such a fun race, and the first time in years that my wife and I were able to race together (she took 2nd female overall). Unfortunately, I sustained an injury while cooling down and then injured my ankle upon returning to running. As I write this, I'm wearing a boot with a possible stress fracture. More on this in an article on dealing with injury below. As for coaching, I've switched over to coaching Indoor Track for West Henderson High School. It's fun to switch gears and work with sprinters, jumpers, hurdlers, and of course the distance runners. For adults, I have a great team, and I'm looking to add a few runners, so if you're interested, please reach out! I received my invitation to register for The Western States Endurance Run and I signed up! Holy smokes! It's still unbelievable. I've started a Patron only bi-monthly Podcast Episode based off my Patreon supporters questions. Please join supporting me by contributing monetarily on a monthly basis at patreon.com/MRRunningpains As always, thanks for your support, for reading, subscribing, and sharing these resources. You can find a complete archive of my previous newsletters and podcasts on my website (PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW). If you have any suggestions for future newsletter articles or sections you'd like me to include, please reach out to me! And as always; Keep running my friends! The trails are calling...will you answer? -Aaron Saft MR Runningpains |
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I'd certainly appreciate your support of this newsletter & my podcast! If you're able, and you feel what I do is worth your support, please consider donating on Patreon! For as little as a dollar a month, you can help me continue to putting out resources to help your running. Thank you to all those that already support me: Cullen Hicks Leah Lanier Teresa Bowser Carolyn Morrisroe Mike Sears Julia Jordan Nicole Burnham Peter Keyo Will Weidman Philip Taylor Martin Thorne Nancy Lewis Victor Dostrow Kendall Weaver Nate Heaslip Austin Elder Tory Grieves | | |
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Coaching Services I HAVE OPENINGS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!!! As a certified coach (USAT&F Level I, RRCA Level II, UESCA Running & Ultrarunning, McMillan Coaching, & Lydiard Foundation Level III) I want to make sure each athlete not only gets the training they need, but to maintain the joy and fun that running should be! I love running, and I want to make sure each runner finds and maintains their love for the sport as well!!! My Philosophy: I believe that running is a journey that should be shared and enjoyed along each step of the way. By coaching, I create a partnership with each individual athlete in which we get to know the individuals needs and ways in which we can find the most success in helping the athlete achieve his or her goal(s) through training. We cannot be successful without building trust in one another, and that begins with our daily honest communications as to how the athlete is performing in running and how daily life may be affecting their run for the day, week, or beyond. I believe in a comprehensive approach to training in which we have to consider the athlete’s history with training (successes & failures), strengths & weaknesses in training and how we can capitalize on the strengths and strengthen the weaknesses, and keeping a long term view for the athletes longevity and health in the sport. My goal for each athlete is to keep them healthy and enjoying the sport in route to helping them build stamina & endurance, while getting faster & stronger. I coach Adults interested in distances of 5k to Ultramarathon. For $125 a month, my coaching provides: Online Training Plan Using Training Peaks Premium Edition Daily Feedback & Weekly Email and Communications Unlimited text, emails, & calls Flexible Schedule Changes Private Facebook & Strava Groups Weekly Topic covered in a Zoom Conference w/ Q &A Sessions Running Form Analysis Footwear and Gear Selection
If you're interested in having a conversation, please don't hesitate to reach out by clicking the button below. | | |
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Reflections Bigfoot 200 Recap Part III - Conclusion - (Part I & II are on my blog as well) Trying to Process the Bigfoot 200 Nathan continued with me. Ultra-math was not particularly on point for either of us in this next section. I believe what happened was I miscalculated both the distance and gain that I would see on my watch at the next Aid Station. I think Nathan did the same as we both felt we should have been at that next Aid Station about 2-miles before we actually arrived. That made for a lot of patience on my part as we continued to climb in the heat. Fortunately, I was able to maintain my composure and get to the Spencer Butte Aid Station without a hissy fit, but my feet needed attention. My blisters were bugging me, and I knew we had a 2800’ descent down to the next Aid Station in a 4-mile stretch. I needed my feet as prepared as they could be. When we got into Spencer Butte Aid Station, we addressed my feet and had some food. It was a nice reprieve, but suddenly what had been such a hot day seemed to cool off quickly. I started to get some chills, so I put on another layer and told Nathan we needed to keep moving. I was over 100-miles into the race, and overall, I was very pleased with how my body was holding up! Continued on my Blog (Link Below)... | | |
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Training TIP Stages of Dealing with an Injury "Turn every setback into a comeback." - Kobe Bryant Pictured at left is my current situation. A walking boot due to a possible stress fracture from rolling my ankle for a third time. Why did it come to this point you might ask. Great question! I attribute it to the where I was in the stages of grieving an injury. I was in the first phase, denial. I didn't believe the injury was truly that; An injury. I stupidly ran through it without thought of prehab/rehab. Denial can be ugly, and unfortunately it got real ugly! Addie Bracy writes about the stages of grieving in her book, "Mental Training for Ultrarunning". Just as we grieve a loss of a loved one, we go through the same stages when we are sidelined by an injury. We start with denial, just as I did. The first sprain was an injury I refused to recognize. It wasn't until I rolled it the third time and I couldn't walk that I gave in to the injury having been forced to do so. DON"T LET YOURSELF COME TO THIS POINT! The 2nd phase is anger. Anger can be expressed in many ways. You can be mad at an external source (a continuation of the denial phase - phases can overlap). In my case, I could be mad at the root that causes this final nail in my proverbial injury coffin. You can also be mad at yourself (internal source), which was my case. I was mad at myself for not taking care of my ankle and putting myself in a situation I knew my ankle wasn't prepared for. Bargaining is phase three. We typically try to find a way to try and continue to run or get back to running sooner than we should in this stage. In my case, I tried to tell myself it wasn't that bad and I would be back to running in a few days (more on this in a bit). We tell ourselves there's a magic solution and we'll find it to resolve the injury. If I wear this brace, if I tape it this way, if I wear these shoes, etc. etc. etc. There's no easy solution other than to rehab the injury and give it the time it needs, but we certainly believe we can find a shortcut. Tough to do, but if you can recognize that you are bargaining, it's good to seek a medical professional at this point to find a plan to move forward. Depression usually sets in after the realization that bargaining isn't going to work. We're bummed that we can't run. It hurts to have running taken away because the reality is, we weren't given the choice to not run. We were forced into this hiatus, which never feels good! In this phase, it's good to have a team to talk about these feelings and express your emotions. This can be, but is not limited to a training partner, loved one, coach, or medical professional. The final stage, according to Addie Bracy, is acceptance. This is the realization that you cannot run without pain and could be potentially doing more damage if you continue to do so. Here, seeking a diagnosis and rehabilitation process from medical professionals is the path to your return to running. It's not to say you won't return to one of the other stages in this process, but you're choosing to recognize the injury and do what is necessary to get you back to health and running pain free once again. The process of going through each stage might be quick or it may take some time based on your past experience with injuries and the severity of the injury itself. Allow yourself to go through each stage, and recognize the process as you go. As I wrote about above, having a team that can help you through this process makes it easier to process and deal with the injury. Knowing who to go to in the medical field for diagnosis, who can help with the rehabilitation process, and who you can speak to about how you're feeling. Your moods will swing (sometimes wildly). Some times it may be difficult to be around running. Recognize those times and try to have other activities you can do that will take up your time and distract you from running. I'll speak on cross training below to help you physically feel better about not being able to run, but you also need something to keep you mentally engaged. That can be something like reading a good book or engaging in a hobby you might not normally have time for. Find something that will allow you to enjoy yourself! Injuries are tough and they happen! There's no way around that, but if you understand these stages of grieving, and that you need to go through them, you're hopefully going to get through them a bit quicker and hopefully do what's necessary to return to running on a faster timeline then if you continue to run through the injury as I did. Don't be an Aaron! |
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Training Corner Cross Training When I say "Cross Training", does that evoke negative, positive, or neutral thoughts? That can depend entirely on why you are cross training in the first place. Oxford Language defines "cross training" as "the action or practice of engaging in two or more sports or types of exercise in order to improve fitness or performance in one's main sport." Keep this in mind while I discuss our options. Some of you may already incorporate or are looking to add other aerobic activities into your training, and that's great! The bulk of this article will focus on you. Maybe you are like me though, and cross training only takes place when you're injured. When we can't run, we usually seek another avenue to maintain or build our fitness. If you're in this boat, it's best to ask your medical professional team what activities, frequency, and duration are appropriate for you! To those that are looking to add cross training into your regimen, keep in mind the definition of cross training from the introduction paragraph. In our first scenario, perhaps you have a propensity for injury, and you want to increase your aerobic volume without adding more running to your weekly totals. In this case, what do you have access to, and how much time do you have for that given activity? As David Roche just wrote about in a recent article (https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/trail-tips-training/elliptical-cross-training/), the elliptical can give you the most bang for your buck and replicate the benefits of running better than was previously thought meeting both pieces of the definition for cross training. However, you may not have access to an elliptical machine. This is where it can be tricky. If our goal is to gain aerobic fitness through cross training, your next best bet might be cycling. The drawback with cycling is that you have to ride for so much longer than you would run in order to gain the same aerobic benefit. It also doesn't replicate running, but does meet the needs to reduce impact and chance of an injury while at the same time improve our overall fitness. Another option is aqua jogging. Perks are that you don't have the impact of running, and it replicates the motion of running as well. The drawback here is that it typically only maintains aerobic fitness, as it's very difficult to maintain the HRT necessary to make the gains in fitness we can by running. Ultimately, it comes down to what is available to you, what are your goals for cross training, and how much time do you have to devote to the activity. |
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FOLLOW UP ON THE ULTRASPIRE BRONCE VEST I previously reviewed the Bronco Vest in the October Newsletter. Having more time with the vest, I discovered that the flap on the back of the vest (red piece of fabric all the way to the right in the photo) hit my neck and just generally annoyed me! So I had my mother, who is an amazing seamstress, sew that flap by folding it down on itself and sewing it so as not to hit my neck. It is amazing now! |
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FOLLOW UP ON ALTRA MONT BLANC In my review of the Altra Mont Blanc (non BOA edition), I spoke about a modification to the lacing of the shoe that helped secure the fit. Just to review, I also went down a half size. In the picture at right, my fingers point to where I added two eyelets on each side of the shoe (four total) . The lower eyelet was added between the two material loops, and the upper eyelet behind the last factory made eyelet on the collar of the shoe. I used an awl and a mallet to create the holes using a wooden board to do so. Make sure the board is between the upper and the tongue of the shoe so as not to make a hole in anything other than where we want the new eyelet. The lacing is up to you, and you may have to play with it to get the fit and security you are looking for. In the pair shown in the picture, each shoe is actually laced differently to give each foot a better fit. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out before making a hole in your shoe. You can't go back once there's a hole in them! |
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| | New hats are in! $35 (includes shipping) for the red and black BOCO technical trukers. Email me using the button below if interested. Put BOCO hat in Subject line. | | |
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| | I have a few of the old BOCO Technical Grey Truckers hats pictured above if interested as well. These are also $35 (includes shipping). Again, email me using the button below if interested with BOCO hat in subject line. | | |
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MR Runningpains Podcast There are so many great conversation I've had in this past month, but I am going to highlight speaking with Nathan Leehman. Nathan and I speak on current trends in running footwear. I launched the video for this on YouTube (see below for that) so that you could see what we were talking about in our conversation. I hope you take away a lot from our conversation! | | |
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| | Shoe Review:Hoka Mach 5 I'm always looking to create diversity in my training footwear lineup. The Hoka Mach 5 is a very versatile shoe as it can be used as a daily trainer for your long runs as well as your workouts. It can also be used on race day for a wide variety of distances (including ultras). Hoka has made quite the substantial updates over the course of this shoes lifespan. The evolution to this point seems to have followed a path of finding the right blend of cushioning so that the wearer feels a soft yet responsive ride. I've work it's predecessors, and I must say, the Mach 5 feels like Hoka has hit the mark with their latest edition. With two different densities in the midsole, the Mach 5 has a smooth transition as you roll through to toe off. In previous editions, I felt I lost energy/momentum as my foot struck the ground and struggled to get to toe off. The Mach 5 is much snappier and I have no such feeling upon landing, transition, or takeoff. In fact, I don't even notice anything in that cycle, which is what I want out of a shoe. The upper and heel counter provide a good snug/comfortable fit. I will say, I had to go down a half size in these. And at 8.6oz (men's size 11), they are super light! I don't know how these will fair in the durability category due to the exposed rubber of the outsole (there is no carbon rubber on the bottom of the shoe as a means to reduce weight). Overall, I think Hoka has a solid update here! At $140, you get a very versatile workhorse in the Mach 5! | | |
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| | Follow Up:Altra Outroad The first thing I will note is we have to remember that this shoe is a hybrid road/trail shoe. It's not designed for the rigors of a true trail shoe. That said, I've been pleased with its performance when I do take it on single track. I wouldn't know that I have a hybrid shoe on when on rocky/rooty single track trail. That is until I hit a water crossing. While the tread held up well on wet rocks and roots (much better than the Lone Peak actually), the shoe did not drain well after being submersed. Again, we have to be mindful that it designed for such use, I am simply pointing out some scenarios in which this shoe did not preform well. The shoe retained the water, not draining well and adding to the shoes weight for a long time after the water crossing. The weight is already a bit hefty, coming in at 11.1oz (men's size 12 - NOTE I had to go up a half size in these). Let me also point out that these shoes do feel great on the road. Often times, a hybrid shoe feels a bit stiff/rigid on the roads, but the Outroad feels very smooth and comfortable. I'm very pleased with the Outroad overall, and find myself reaching for more often than any other shoe in my collection. Keep in mind that I live on a dirt road and do a majority of my running switching between dirt and paved roads. If you run road to trail or mix surfaces as I do, the Outroad is a great option! Keep in mind that it is on Altra's "Slim Fit", so it is one of their lower volume molds. That fits my foot well, but make sure it fits yours just as well! | | |
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Gear of the Month Nitecore NU25 360 Lumen Headlamp I had two friends mention this headlamp to me, so I felt it worth the purchase ($36.95 - website link in button below). They raved about how lightweight this headlamp could be. None of us have any affiliation with the company, so take this as an honest recommendation! The band that comes with the lamp can be removed and replaced with shock cord (great video for doing so here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdK7BXsX8_Q&t=1s ). This makes the total weight of the headlamp microscopic in comparison to its original weight, and with a burn time of 5 hours at 190 Lumens, you can carry two of these lamps and have it weigh less than carrying backup batteries. That's the headlamp I put together pictured at left. That reads 1 ounce on the scale! These lamps are rechargeable, compact, and extremely comfortable. It can be a backup lamp, or primary if it suits your needs. It's a versatile piece of equipment that doesn't cost much to modify (I think I paid more in shipping than I did for the lengths of shock cord and toggles). You'll find this in my pack moving forward! Again, check it out by clicking the button below. | | |
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Book of the Month WHEN RUNNING MADE HISTORY by Roger Robinson I learned about this book while reading an article in Like the Wind magazine. The article was on the author, Roger Robinson, who is an amazing age group world record holder at multiple distances! Mr. Robinson writes about major running events that have occurred from 1948 thru 2014. These are obviously very inspirational tales, and Mr. Robinson has a knack for spinning them! I hope you enjoy! | | |
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Podcast of the Month Strong Mind Podcast with Hazel Findlay I really enjoyed this conversation about Flow. I'm always trying to learn more about Flow and creating that state of mind. Here's more on the conversation from the show notes: "Hazel talks to Sue Jackson about flow, mindfulness and performance and how they all relate. Sue is a psychologist, researcher and mindfulness practitioner. She has a phD in flow and carried out the first in-depth qualitative investigation of the experience of flow by elite athletes. She studied under Csíkszentmihályi, who first coined the term flow and carried out the first research into flow as experienced by everyday people. Sue and Csíkszentmihályi wrote a book together called 'Flow in Sports' which was the first book addressing flow state in sport.
Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in climbing, sport and life in general. Check out strongmindclimbing.com for more information on our coaching, online course and upcoming membership programme." Have a listen... | | |
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Song of the MonthADD THIS TO YOUR RUNNING PLAYLIST Live is Life by Opus Sometimes when you're running you need a reminder of something positive outside of running. For me, and hopefully you can agree, Ted Lasso (if you haven't watched on Apple TV, please do so!) is a great reminder of positivity and belief! This song is on the Ted Lasso Locker Room soundtrack playlist, and reminds me of Ted and his "Believe" locker room poster. Have a listen! |
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Trail Maintenance Carolina Mountain Club has trails that need a trail maintainer to adopt them. You can find out more information on the Club and contact them through the link below. | | |
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American Trail Running Association The American Trail Running Association, ATRA, was formed in mid-1996 as a Colorado not for profit corporation to serve the mountain, ultra & trail (MUT) running community. Our mission is to represent and promote mountain, ultra & trail running. | | |
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ITRA Born in July 2013, the ITRA (International Trail Running Association) aims to give a voice to parties involved in trail running in order to promote its strong values, its diversity, the safety of races and the health of runners, as well as to further the development of trail running and ensure a constructive dialogue between the national and international bodies with an interest in the sport. | | |
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POW helps passionate outdoor people protect the places and lifestyles they love from climate change. We are a community of athletes, scientists, creatives, and business leaders advancing non-partisan policies that protect our world today and for future generations. | | |
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Kogalla Lights 15% Discount I'm a Brand Ambassador for Kogalla. You can purchase through the link below, use code MR Runningpains, and receive a 15% discount. | | |
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Love this community, and happy to share what I know. Please reach out if you have any questions in any aspect of running, training, and or racing!!! Sincerely, Aaron Saft MR Runningpains | | |
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