What to eat before running?

Bhuna Chana with Gur (Jaggery) – something that is fed to horses in India, so should be good enough for humans. Bhuna Chana (roasted chickpeas) are just packed with protein and carbs – to sustain any workout. And they also counter acidity (for folks who have this problem, running can aggravate acid reflux).

Three components to pain free running

1. The Shoes
2. The Technique
3. The Stretch ( or Stretches)

The Shoes

The Right Shoes! Oh my God – the right shoes can make the difference between enjoyable running and painful running.

When  I wear the right pair of shoes, the shoes themselves  go running (and just take me along with them).  When my wife and I would start out on our evening walk, if I had these running shoes on, I would just start running….no walking. I don’t know how it works, but your feet and your shoes, have an understanding of sorts.

Three Tried and Tested Shoes – Men’s

Brook’s – The Women’s Shoe Specialist – also has quality men’s running shoes

Saucony – Kinvara

Salomon’s Trail Running Shoes

The Technique ( a good Running Technique )

Ever pulled a hamstring or back muscle while running? I have – multiple times.  What I discovered was that

a) The wrong running technique can produce weird and unexpected strains and muscle pulls (in the neck even).

b) The wrong shoes can do the same – In fact, you may THINK you have perfectly well cushioned shoes, but too much cushioning (feet are too high), can also result in injuries.

So – what is the correct running technique? If you read the book below, you will discover several tips – including, what I like to call the ‘Cycling motion’ technique. It is just what it sounds like – a cycling motion with the lower legs. It should feel like your knees are going upwards and straight outwards – just like they would if you were on a bike.

I discovered this technique after years of running – and have been injury free (all my hip and back pulls were gone once I adopted this technique). Try it and see if it works. Also, give the book a read – it is a highly underrated running book IMHO.

The Stretching

The two stretches that all runners should be familiar with include:

Hands under feet pose – Padahastasana

Side Lunges

Supplements for Knees and Joints

Read my post on homeopathic treatment for joints – tendon and muscle injuries.

Omega Red

Vitamin B12

MSM Crystals

MSM, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Combo

Hot Castor Oil

Stretching and Hot Oil before a run?

Ankles and hamstrings need a good stretch, for sure. But I am lazy (before a run anyway), and want to minimize the stretching time. This simple yoga pose – hands under your toes, for about a minute, gets all the right muscles stretched. I know it’s a shortcut, so feel free to follow whatever your stretch routine is.

Yoga- hands under toes pose

Shoes

Putting on the right shoes should automatically get your feet motivated. That’s what you need to look for in shoes. For me, cushioning plus lightness leads to that feeling. While I am sure there are several shoes that meet this criteria, my favorite are:

Saucony – Kivana

And finally, what is a run without some good music to run to?

I spent years building an app specifically for runners and running music mixes. At some point (around the launch of apple music), itunes pulled my app down and made it unavailable, citing obscure ‘violations’ (no appeal process, speaking to them said they couldn’t provide any further details….). Anyway, enough of that – the bottom line is that I managed to recover a lot of the music that was hosted on a streaming service – and transfer most of the app’s playlists to spotify.

The post Running without Pain appeared first on Anuj Varma, Hands-On Technology Architect, Clean Air Activist.

Motion from Non Motion

Imagine that you are still (standing in the same place) as you start running.  Try and keep that ‘stillness’ in your mind – even as you increase your pace. In Buddhism, all motion is said to result from non motion (stillness). Try and keep the non motion as the center of your attention.

Sync your mind with your heartbeat

Your mind will try to wander. While you can come back to your breath, it may be easier to come back to your heart.  Just be aware of the pumping of the heart – that should bring your mind into the present moment.

The post Zen Running appeared first on Anuj Varma, Hands-On Technology Architect, Clean Air Activist.

The tip is simple:

Instead of lifting your feet first, lift your knees UP.  Initiate the movement with your knees – the motion should feel like a CYCLING motion – except not as exaggerated. That is to say, your KNEES will still go high – but not as high as while cycling.

Still, the key is the ‘cyclical’ – almost ‘circular’ motion of the lower legs.

The beauty of this technique is that:

• a) The knees pull the feet effortlessly.
• b) The knees also engage the CORE muscles – a key component of propulsion for the runner. i.e. The Core, if engaged correctly, help PROPEL the entire body forward.
• c) I found that I would land fairly evenly on my entire foot – allowing for better impact absorption. This enabled me to run longer without  experienced ‘foot fatigue’.

Summary

I found that I could run far more effortlessly – and far longer using this simple technique.

The automatic inclusion of my core muscles – and the FLAT footed landing of each step, also made it possible for me to run faster (without increasing the IMPACT).

I would highly recommend the book above – not just for this particular tip – but for realizing your full potential as a runner.

Thoughts? Comments?

The post The Cycling Motion – A useful tip for running better appeared first on Anuj Varma, Hands-On Technology Architect, Clean Air Activist.