May 28th, 2010
All this serious running form dissection needs to be counterbalanced with some stupid shit. So let’s all admire my new shorts and top.
It’s been forever since I’ve bought new running clothes because damn, if polyester doesn’t last forever and ever (and I don’t care what we call wicking fabric, it’s polyester with holes in it), so there’s been no need. But I felt like having something new. Also, I haven’t taken a “look at me!” vanity shot in so long – the one on the About page is from March ’09 – so here’s as good an excuse as any for an update.
Voila! My cute new race outfit for Sunday’s 5K. It’s going to be hotter than hell, the high’s supposed to be 89 so it’ll likely be 75ish for the race, which is a major bummer – but if nothing else, I’ll be fetchingly coordinated.
Note: I don’t know why my head looks the size of a large pumpkin compared to my body, I seem to have acquired the newscaster “lollipop” physique somewhere along the way.
More Running Form Gab & Shoes
I noticed another significant and positive change from the new form adjustments…a lack of hip swivel. I never noticed it before, but when I A/B it and go back to running with the overstride, there’s a pronounced twist to my hips. With the correction, I’m running much more “dead on” which has to be a plus as far as running economy.
Back to shopping, I think I’m going to go for it and buy some Nike Frees or Saucony Kinvara’s. Joe mentioned the Kinvara’s on his blog today and I’ve had the whole minimalist thing in the back of my mind for a while, but wasn’t really thinking of acting on it because my fear of injury outweighed my curiosity. But I think by easing into it and keeping a close watch on any niggles, it shouldn’t be a problem.
As for the race, I’m on the fence of how to approach it, formwise. I’ve been doing the new way every day since Monday and while the old way feels wrong to me, I’m sure there’s a minor performance hit from having to concentrate on my body as much as I have. So I’d like to think I’ll throw any thoughts about running form out the window and just race. But I have an extremely busy brain, so I doubt that’ll actually happen. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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I’m weighing the Kinvara myself. I’ll be very interested to read what you think of it.
love the outfit! especially how color coordinated it is. i do the same thing, going as far to make sure my panties are too haha! good luck this weekend
and i tried to “correct” (for lack of a better word) and i definitely noticed a difference but it tuckered me out! i’m going to keep trying though so fingers crossed. i did like how i felt like i was flying
Very cute!! good luck and stay cool.
very nice outfit, dear. goodness – you are looking mighty fine, pumpkin head and all. but couldn’t you show us your ankles and feet too (even sans the kinvaras)? i want to luxuriate in the whole picture.
love your arms btw – but your abs ROCK!!!
you are going to go fast, fast. fast – i can just tell…
xoxox
oh – and i tried to look for youre guy with the 8 yrs of pics – but they deleted him for being nasty or something. hmm. really sorry i missed that…
Nice, Flo. Like the new tighter shorts!
On the hips thing, I suspect I too have a problem in that area but it’s hard to self-diagnose. I may have to make a video on do a frame-by-frame.
Cris, I’ll definitely keep you posted, might even go shoe shopping tomorrow!
Thanks Karyn and Sneaker, much appreciated!!
Monkey, I’m not sure what you’re talking about, you mean that Facebook thing that Catharine linked to? I had some false starts looking at it (gave a weird error message) but finally saw it. The guy was really cute till the end, then he looked like a homeless guy. And thanks too.
Jim, why thank you sir. On hips, are you overstriding still or are you cured, because I could see mine coming from that. Video would be great, no doubt. Do it and report about it, I’d love to read your findings and it’d make a great blog post.
The overstride is pretty much fixed, but I regress a bit sometimes. I don’t have a good idea what’s happening in the asymmetry department, but I think I’ve always had it. When I wear a loose fuel belt, for instance, it tends to creep around to the left. There’s an outfit in Berkeley that does video analysis with fancy software (I saw a workup they did on Magda Boulet), but that would be plenty moolah.
I bet you could figure some stuff out just by recording yourself running in front of your house. How fun it’d be to get the real one done though. Or have a coach to fix us bit by bit. Until then, we’ll have to make do the DIY way.
I am itching to do this race, too, but the temps are freaking me out!
You look fantastic, Flo! Amazing.
DO IT!!! That’d be so fun if you would. It’s a great course, I did it last year (and it was the same stupid temperature, too, lol). Hope you change your mind, it’d be great to hang together. And thanks, doll!
Flo,
“Pumpkin head”… NOT! It’s simple geometry – your camera was closest to your head. Next time place the camera near you’re feet, you’ll look like a size 16 ;-)
And speaking of shoes, try the Nike Free Run+ (http://www.finishline.com/store/catalog/product.jsp?productId=prod656998) which I’ve been running in along my Newton’s . They’re FUGLY, but fairly quick – and they’ll definitely cure anyone of a case of heel landing!
-Mark
Hah! Thanks Mark, perhaps I’m not the Jack ‘o Lantern I think I am. I am totally going to try on those Nike Free Runs! Very excited that you like them. I am crossing fingers and toes that they feel good on. I think they’d be my first choice, but yeah…FUGLY.
I love that outfit and I want your abs! I was proud of the fact that I was comfortable in a bikini on my cruise until I saw this picture of your six pack abs! LOL
Girlfriend, you SHOULD be proud, it’s not easy to be happy with our bodies, so much mental crap wrapped up in it (and I’ve been big, small and everything in between). I have my parents to thank for the abs, though you’d never have known it from their own bodies, lol.
I love the new running outfit! You look fabulous! Good luck on your 5k! I am sure that whichever form you decide to use, you will kick it.
Nice new running outfit!! Maybe I’ll see you during your 5k, that is if it’s along mlk drive, but regardless good luck speedy
Thanks Christi and Steph! I won’t see you during the race, Steph, it’s at the Please Touch Museum and Japanese Gardens but I’m sure I’ll see you during the week.
You’ll “fall in love” with the Kinvaras!
- rovatti (Kinvara shill)
Yes, Kinvara review, please. I’ve been training in the Fastwitch 3s — meaning doing most of my runs in them, not just speedier stuff, but the Kinvara’s are groovier looking and weigh about the same.
Looking good Flo! I like the pose, and love the color of the top. Best of luck to you in the 5k tomorrow, and I hope no birds fly into your head, (obscure Seinfeld reference).
Rovatti, it just hit me that that was the shoe you were gushing over the other day!!! I went back and reread your review, sounds great! OK, very excited to try them on. Interesting though, the Frees are more of a true “minimalist” shoe from what I’ve been reading this morning…that’s going to make it a hard decision (if both feel ok on my feet).
Julie, I’ll definitely let you know. Also, go read Rovatti’s review.
Tobey, thank you! Lol, hope no birds fly out of my head either (missed that episode).
Damn, you look buff! Hope it went well despite the heat….
I don’t know much about female outfits, but that one looks good. I was going to say the same as Mark U… put the camera a little lower… but I haven’t noticed that about your head until you pointed it out
Interested to see what you think of the Kinvaras. I love my Frees, but wouldn’t mind trying something else in the minimal family. Are they wide in the forefoot? Hope the race went well.