I have to confess that I did not pay attention to the principle of Gradual Progress in two distinct but directly related areas, one in my "speed" running training, specifically in my track workouts, and secondly in my recovery from the running injury resulting from this first omission.  I had been doing interval repeats with some other runners and got overly focused on how fast I was able to run them. One day I set a new running speed PR and the next day I was feeling some tightness and discomfort around the area of my left Tensor Fascia Lata muscle.

My second "error" was ignoring the principle of Gradual Progress in the recovery from what initially was a minor running injury. Having registered for and having travelled to the Austin half Marathon, I unwisely decided to go ahead and run it even though I was still feeling  discomfort in the TFL area. I basically talked myself into a 13.1 mile race instead of backing off and letting my body have some time off to recover from my initial mistake in judgement. Two wrongs sure do not make a right in terms of ignoring the Gradual Progress principle.

Although my knowledge of Chi Running (good form, relaxed muscles, pelvic rotation, etc.) got me through running the Half Marathon without intense pain and with a respectable time, even the Chi Running technique could not protect me from myself.  Perhaps my runner's ego and some "magical thinking"  had led me to proceed but it didn't work and, sure enough, after running the race I was much worse off than before it. And for several weeks following the run, I paid the price - my running had to be minimal or none at all and my recovery from what could have been a minor and brief injury turned into an ongoing problem which only recently has seemed to clear up. 

So, what did I learn that might be useful to others? Patience, self-monitoring, taking a long term perspective - and above all, paying attention to the principle of Gradual Progress in your running and, if you do  end  up with a strain or some other running related injury, paying attention to the principle of Gradual Progress in your recovery. Attention to issues of Pre-hab in your running will likely prevent the need to have Re-hab later (see discussion of Pre-hab vs Re-hab by David Stretanski at http://www.echifitness.com/). However,  if Re-hab is ever necessary,  the guiding principle of Gradual Progress will make Re-hab shorter and more successful. That's my learning from this recent running experience. I hope it will be of value to others too!

In Chi Running, we talk about minimalism in terms of running shoes. When asked what kind of running shoes one should wear, I say two things. First, start where you're at. If you are in highly structured running shoes and orthotics, that is what your body is currently used to. You can still incorporate the basic pain-free running focuses, which will help strengthen your core muscles and add stability. As you get stronger, and your body awareness increases,  you may find that you need less external correction. (Note: I started practicing the Chi Running technique while still wearing orthotics and stability shoes) I may have my client remove their shoes during the posture lesson, which allows them to feel contact with the ground. For running, I tell them first listen to their body and put the Chi Running focuses into practice - one at a time. I encourage them to work towards less running shoe and less structure, if they want, but gradually (see below). The advantage of having less running shoe between you and the ground is the 'feedback' is more immediate.  To respond to that feedback on the run with less structure, the focuses should be well integrated into your neuro-muscular system. For shoe and support choice, I tell my clients to listen to their body and not their egos.

This leads to the second - follow the law of Gradual Progress. I recently talked to three different people who got metatarsal stress fractures after running barefoot or in extremely minimal shoes. In all cases, they did too much too soon. When I first ran without my orthotics (after wearing them for 12 years!), my right foot hurt from the lack of metatarsal support, because the muscles had atrophied over the years. My PT (who had advised I toss the orthotics) put a metatarsal pad in my shoe, and gave me some exercises to help strengthen my weak core. After a couple of years (read: gradual progress), and strengthening my foot muscles, I was able to let go of that support. It's been a road of trial and error, but today I don't wear inserts and do some of my runs in Vibram Five Fingers. So far, I can safely say the only time I had metatarsal stress fracture(s!) was when I wore orthotics. 

With all the hype and marketing that surrounds us today, it's easy to get caught up and believe we should be running in less now. This is a good opportunity to learn and practice nonidentity. With that, gradual progress and body sensing, you can make a wise choice in minimalist footwear, and when you are ready to make that transition. Your feet will thank you for it. 

And there were definitely crowds. The Health and Fitness Expo was a sea of runners, families and industry people sharing in the build-up to the race. I was the first speaker in their speaker series on Thursday afternoon and we had a sizable crowd despite the fact that it was the first day of the expo and I was scheduled to start speaking only 15 min. after the doors opened. Many thanks to all the wonderful Chi Running fans who came by our booth to give us their testimonials, which we hope to post on the website soon. If it's the pain-free Chi Running technique that keeps them going, it's their success stories that keep us going.

Michael Sandler and Jessica Lee stopped by to say hi. They're the folks who wrote the book Barefoot Running.

I also gave a Chi Running talk and demonstration to the AMAA (American Medical Athletic Assoc.) Symposium that was happening across the street from the convention center. It's an annual meeting of doctors who gather to share their knowledge of the latest in the care of running related injuries. The "act" that I followed was a discussion on barefoot running given by Dr. Dan Lieberman, Dr. Ilene Davis, and Dr. Mark Cucuzzella.  It was perfect timing for me to directly follow them because the attendees had been sitting and listening to speakers for hours. So, as usual, once the ChiRunning talk started they were up on their feet. I am VERY interested in more doctors hearing about the positive benefits of the pain-free Chi Running technique and we're winning more over every year. The talk was well received and many of the docs came by the booth afterwards to get a copy of the Chi Running book. 

THE RACE REPORT:

The weather on race day couldn't have been more ideal... as you can see by the finishing times of the leaders. (The winner deserves to hold the world record even if the course is a net downhill. Running Heartbreak Hill, preceded by the Newton Hills, at the speed those guys are running is amazing.) The temperature at the start was about 45º and it was a cloudless day. The constant tail wind varied between 5-15 mph and was a wonderful boost up the hills. The peak temperature never felt hot (≍55º). 

The start is a nice downhill and I was just running by feel for most of the first half. I felt very comfortable holding a 7:45 mpm pace for the entire first half. It was incredibly crowded, as you can imagine, so I spend a lot of time running in the dirt off to the side of the course, which felt like I was trail-running my way through the Boston Marathon. Lots of weaving up front. I must give the organizers a lot of credit. The start was one of the most organized and easy starts of any race this size I've ever seen. 27,000 people took off without a hitch. Having the chip stuck on the back of my race bib was also a nice feature.

Most of my up-front running focuses were: a. keeping my hips and legs as totally relaxed as possible, b. pelvic rotation on the downhills, c. lengthening my spine and keeping my shoulders low, d. leaning into the downhill sections to make up for any lost time on the uphills.

I started drinking water at every aid station after the 6-mile mark. My countdown timer was set to beep every 10 minutes, so I grabbed a small 6oz. water bottle from someone along the route and carried that. All I really needed was to drink every 10 minutes, not at every aid station. It worked just fine. The other thing I did was to take chocolate PowerGel about every 45 min. I'd do them in thirds and with each glob I would chase it with a mouthful of water and not swallow it until the gel was completely dissolved in the water. 

I also took one Succeed! capsule every hour throughout the race. I tape them on my race bib with masking tape and peel them off as needed. I call them my "bullet pack."

After the halfway mark the Newton Hills start showing up at mile 16. That's when my legs started feeling the effects of standing on a concrete Expo floor for the three prior days. I did my best to switch to lots of upper body usage and driving with the obliques and it worked well on the uphill sections. My pace through the Newton Hills slowed to anywhere from 8:15's to 9:45's.  After I crested the top of Heartbreak Hill (late in mile 20) I was able to re-cohere my energy and focus all the way to the finish. 

The throngs of encouraging spectators lining the course was a total inspiration. The Wellsley Girls were there as usual and gave everyone a good boost before heading into the hills. I'd have to say the best-crowd-of-the-day award goes to the folks on both sides of Heartbreak Hill... the "uphill" crowd lifted everyone's spirits the "downhill" crowd was over the top  

I ran a couple of easy miles with Ryan Miller who graciously met me at mile 8 (where he grew up). Go to his FB page for a "running interview." No matter how much I weaved through the crowd, every time I looked around he was right there beside me like a shadow. 

Many, Many heartfelt thanks to all the aid station workers and organizers who helped to make this year's Boston a fabulous experience for all the runners. There is NO WAY we could do it without your support. 

I have only a very slight soreness in my quads today from the downhills. I went for a bike ride this morning to circulate the blood through my legs and they're feeling great right now. Thanks also to all of you who have cheered commented on my Boston training on FB. It's sooooo inspiring!

DD

Here's the stats. First place in my AG finished 1 hour ahead of me!

Pre-event:

• Weather on event day – Look at annual weather patterns for this location and train by running in the appropriate conditions whenever possible.
• Wake-up time – If you’re in an unfamiliar city, give yourself a few extra minutes of travel time to get to the event.
• Pre-event diet (when, what, how much?) –If you eat any foods the morning of the event, they should be consumed 2-3 hours before you get started running (with the exception of bananas or other quickly absorbed foods).
• Running Shoes – Be sure to wear a pair that are sufficiently broken in. They may not look as snazzy as a brand new pair, but your blister-free feet will thank you. 
• Water belt or fanny pack – I always run with a fanny pack that holds my water bottle and a gel flask full of honey/maple syrup mix.
• Anti-chaffing lotion – Use it if you need it.
• Sunscreen
• Hat – Running in sunny, hot events, I like to wear a hat. It keeps the sun off my face and head, acts as a sweatband and, (as happened in the 90º 2004 Boston Marathon), will hold ice cubes to keep my head cool.
• Final review of event running focuses and pain-free running technique - midfoot strike, engage your core, etc.
• Set repeat countdown on your watch for every 10 minutes (check-in with your running focuses, body scan, hydration, etc.)
• Be sure your timing chip is tied to your running shoes. (I blew this one at my last Marine Corps Marathon and couldn't use the time as a Boston qualifier!)

During event

• Start Area Logistics
• Locations of porta-johns at the start line
• Warm-up area – Is there a flat, open space to do a warm-up?
• Start time
• Wave start? (Which wave is yours? Where is it? What time do you need to be there?)
• Expected size of crowds
• Crowd conditions before the start and at the start. If it's going to be crowded, plan your starting pace differently … especially if you're shooting for a specific overall time. Most events start to thin out within the first 2 miles. But some, like Boston, Disney World, or NYC may take miles before you can run comfortably.

Post-event

• Finish Area Logistics – The best thing for this is to get a map of the finish area from the event website so you can see a bird's eye view of the scene at the finish. You'll be glad you did.
• Area for meeting friends – arrange a meeting place well ahead of time and make a list of anything you'd like them to bring to the finish area (change of clothes, towel, sandals, beer…)
• Bag pick-up 
• Medical tent
• Proximity to transportation

Finally, take time to relish in your accomplishment! Accept the congratulations and pats on the back from your family and friends graciously over a delicious post-event meal.

It’s important to feel prepared for the day of your event, but the planning should begin in your training. If you would like more tips on how to fully plan for your event, check out our pain-free running training programs. The Mastery Phase of our technique-based training programs offers event-specific advice for the week before, such as a pre-event week meal schedule and familiarizing yourself with the course terrain online or in person if possible. There’s much to plan for, and the more you’re prepared, the better chance you have to make great time and set a PR.

Know Clearly Where You're At Mentally and Physically

Mental Status – Where's your head?
Whether you’re using our running and walking training programs or not, it's important to review your vision and your specific goals so you can make any necessary adjustments in your last phase of training. Is there anything about your current level of conditioning, or your walking event, that concerns you? All the training during this phase will be very specific to your vision and your needs, so now's the time to address any doubts, fears or anxiety. You may also have had set backs, so now would be the best time to reassess your original goals. If you're behind on your long walks or not getting as much mileage in as planned, you might want to reconsider walking a later race or a shorter one. Most training injuries are the result of listening to your mind instead of your body. After doing this reassessment, you might discover you're much better off than you had planned! Either way, it's essential to have a clear sense of your current mental and physical status before moving ahead.

Here are some questions to ask yourself during this "mental" evaluation. I suggest jotting down your answers in your training log. Your answers will help to shape and inform your training program as you move forward into specifically designing the next few weeks of your training.

End of week and end of workout reviews:

What are your internal goals?

• Is it important that you walk a new PR (PB)?§How do you want to feel during and after the event?
• External goals and/or concerns (fund raising, keeping up with someone, promises or expectations)?
• To not have any expectations of yourself?
• To walk a mindful race?
• To feel you walked the perfect race regardless of your finish time?
• To enjoy yourself?

What are your external goals?

• Overall time or average goal pace?
• To have a beneficial starting pace? (not too fast)
• To finish pain-free?

Physical Status – Where's your body?
Being clear with where your head is at is obviously only half of the picture. If you're going to plan a road trip it's best to make sure your car is in working order. What is your current level of conditioning? What are you truly capable of? Ask yourself, in general terms, if you have any physical problems or concerns. Note all significant answers in your training log.

Check in with your body and calculate or measure the following:

• Your resting heart rate [RHR]
• Your maximum heart rate [MHR] 
• Your maximum aerobic heart rate [MAHR] and associated pace
• Your aerobic range you want to hold during your walking event
• Your walking time trial results 
• The results of your Yasso 800's test 

Understanding what you want to accomplish and what you’re capable of accomplishing will help you create realistic expectations and goals for yourself on event day. It will also help keep you grounded when you’re influenced by the adrenaline and energy of the race itself. Of course, these goals may change and adjust as you continue on with your training. Training for an event is a fluid process. You will grow and change - mentally, emotionally and physically. Be in touch with all those aspects of yourself as you prepare to complete the walking event before you.