Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope

When I hit the wall, I reached out for help, life support from Tiny Dancer, runner camaraderie & friend support from D, and technical support from Dragon.

I facebook messaged Dragon* right after my run. I knew I needed a bit of coaching support and he had offered on an earlier day that if I needed someone to talk to he was there.

The message I sent was simple.

“Dragon, I could use a pep talk mixed in with how to spot overuse/over training call. Any time of day or night. –Hollie”

He called me later that evening and we talked about my shin about when to see a sports medicine physician, what to look for in one as well. We talked about form, pace, stride rate.  How many days a week I was running? That hitting a wall was inevitable but you can get through it. That if I wanted to run the boilermaker I should just run the boilermaker no matter how long it takes me. That mid-foot or forefront running is a good thing to look at and to just relax my feet & let them flap a little. That when he’s home for Easter maybe the Dragon family and the Miller’s can go for a little 3 mile run together.

He talked to me about stride rate and asked if I knew about it and if I knew what my rate was. I knew that stride rate was how quickly your feet took each step. I however, have no clue what my stride rate is. So Dragon said “that’s the only thing I want you to focus on right now, 180 that’s the magic number. It will feel like exaggerated baby steps", he said. However, he did not know how comforting those three words are to me.

For most runners there is a magic number of 180 (or 90 counting one foot) in one minute is the magic number to be striding at a rate that is using your muscles efficiently. Dragon said “it’s a magic number because no one can tell me why it’s 180, it’s just magic.”

He said he would send me some stuff for me to look at, as well as stuff for my one day a week cross training he suggested I add. He sent me awesome stuff. I’ve spent the past two days looking at everything he has given me.

I also found a sports medicine physician, where they have a sports medicine center and it’s in the same Schenectady office that was great with my shoulder surgery. I’m going in on Tuesday to have the doc take a look at my shin. As even today with one day of rest, my right leg & shin feel great but my left is throbbing a bit and a bit of wincing on the stairs occurred as well.

I know there are some of you who take a gander at this who are running as well, so I’m including the links Dragon sent me because they are great and this will make it easier for me to find down the road again.

What Dragon Recommends:
Stride rate stuff!
180 bpm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRgTxa5ak8I
180 bpm: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--11604-0,00.html
180 bpm music: http://www.dailymile.com/forums/general-running/topics/577-songs-in-the-165-180-bpm-range-i-need-more
180 bpm music: http://www.facebook.com/ladysouthpawmusic#!/ladysouthpawmusic

Running Right "video is sales pitch for shoes, you don’t need the shoes but the info in the video on form is good"

What is forefoot running?  “pay special attention to the "jog".  that's what you should be doing right now.  worry about speed later.”

*Dragon helps coach runners in the NYC Team In Training program and he's an awesome member of The Disco Squad. (I'm evnious of his adventures in running, but he's confident I can get there if I want to)