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ixty-five percent of all runners will have to stop running at least once every year due to injury. The ChiRunning technique offers a real solution to this high rate of injury and makes running not only safer, but also more efficient and more enjoyable for runners of all levels. Contained within the technique are movement principles found in t’ai chi, the mother of all martial arts. These guidelines are applied to running allowing you to bring your mind and body together to make the most of every move you make.
How long after a yoga session should I wait to lift?
October 23, 2009
Filed under Yoga Answers
I just started doing yoga about a week ago, and I really enjoy how I feel afterward. Since I feel rejuvenated and full of energy after a session, I like to do it in the morning. I like to lift weights or do some cardio in the afternoon or at night if I have the time and energy. But, I read online that doing yoga makes you temporarily weaker because of the static stretching. About how long does this temporary weakness last? A few minutes? Hours? Days?
ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running
by Danny Dreyer
ChiRunning is a running form and philosophy that takes the pounding, pain and potential damage out of the sport of running. S
The T’ai Chi Connection
In T’ai Chi, correct postural alignment is used to allow chi, or life-force energy, to flow more freely throughout the body. When your body is out of alignment, it is like a bent pipe that restricts the flow of water. Much attention is also paid to loosening all of the other joints in the body by relaxing one’s muscles as much as possible during movement. Movement originates from one’s center, also known as your core, and everything else relaxes to allow for fluid movement. When these concepts of alignment and relaxation were combined with a slight forward lean and applied to running, ChiRunning was born.
The result was profound for my own running and has now helped thousands of runners increase speed and improve overall performance while reducing injuries and recovery time.
Here’s what a couple of runners have had to say:
Mark just completed the Ironman Wisconsin in September, finishing is the top 15% of the 2200 person field. “…I gave it a chance and it completely changed my running style in a matter of weeks. I would go on these long runs and try to run my old way (which was just run anyway it felt good) and then mid-run, I’d switch to the ChiRunning style. People who I had been following for miles, were now behind me in a few strides, and I exerted no extra energy to do it!”
Catherina McKiernan of Ireland, winner of London, Berlin and Amsterdam marathons in ’99, and Silver Medalist in two World Cross Country Championships, has become a Certified ChiRunning Instructor due to the profound affect it has had on her running. Catherina writes, “My career was plagued by injury. When I discovered ChiRunning I knew that this information was important for every day runners and for competitive athletes. You know, I get more of a buzz out of teaching than I did out of any of the big races I won during my career. I am constantly getting great feedback and all my clients are thrilled. My own running is going great also – no niggles whatsoever.” Add a rich Irish brogue and you get the picture.
"…I gave it a chance and it completely changed my running style in a matter of weeks. I would go on these long runs and try to run my old way (which was just run anyway it felt good) and then mid-run, I’d switch to the ChiRunning style. People who I had been following for miles, were now behind me in a few strides, and I exerted no extra energy to do it!"
-Mark after completing the Ironman Wisconsin in September 2007
-Mark after completing the Ironman Wisconsin in September 2007
The Formula for Success
In ChiRunning we have a formula for success. We call it FDS, which stands for Form, Distance and Speed. The way to ensure your success as a runnere is to work on your form first, then add distance, with speed added as the last component. Your training schedule is, of course, a huge part of how your prepare for an event, but in ChiRunning we suggest that you focus on your form first, because when you’re running form is maximized for efficiency and injury-prevention, you can make the most of every training session. You then add in distance by working to hold your form for longer periods of time. Once you can hold your form over the distance you need, you then start adding speed to your workouts. Speed is the last component and is a result of good technique and conditioning and not reliant on strength alone. Speed workouts are also a place to refine your form, not just build strength.
In the ChiRunning method, there is a specific technique for every aspect of your training. For example it is more energy efficient to use a specific technique for running uphill and a different technique for running downhill. Likewise there are very specific techniques for increasing speed, for holding a fast pace, for resting muscles on the run, or for using a greater variety of muscles. ChiRunning is a mindful approach to running which encourages listening to and responding to your body so that you can quickly and accurately respond to any situation. Like a T’ai Chi Master, you will have a perfect response for anything that comes at you during a run.
Make Gravity Your Ally
The ChiRunning form uses a slight forward lean to engage the pull of gravity as the main propulsive force. While using your core muscles to keep your posture aligned the rest of your body learns to relax and offer no resistance to the pull of gravity. Overused, tense muscles create inertia and which works against your forward motion. To whatever extent you can rely on gravity to pull you forward, you can reduce your muscle usage. In doing so, not only do you reduce the potential for injury that comes from overused muscles, you also gain much greater efficiency, reduce your recovery time, and you can actually increase your speed with less perceived effort.
Relaxed muscles can absorb oxygen more efficiently than tense muscles. When your muscles are relaxed, it allows the recoiling action of your tendons to move your arms and legs rather than the contraction of your muscles. Additionally, when you’re relaxed you can increase your range of motion, reduce your breathe rate and lower your oxygen and fuel requirements. (when you’re muscles are always firing they are using up valuable muscle glycogen).
Align Yourself
In order to engage the pull of gravity, your body must first be aligned correctly which means:
•Every time your weight is supported by your foot, there is a straight line between your shoulders, hip bones and ankles. This allows your body weight to be supported by your structure (bones, ligaments and tendons) rather than your muscles, which reduces the energy expenditure of your leg and lower back muscles.
•Your left and right side are moving symmetrically.
•Every part of your body is aligned in the direction you are headed.
-your upper body doesn’t sway side-to-side,
-your hips don’t move laterally as your foot hits the ground
-your body does not bounce up and down
-your arms don’t cross your centerline
-your legs and feet are pointed forward as they swing
These are but a few of the possible misalignments ChiRunning helps to correct.
Master Your Body
Bringing this mind-body approach to running actually transforms running from a sport to a practice and allows you to gain much more from your running than merely staying in good physical shape. ChiRunning fully supports runners in understanding how their body works best and how to combine that with the mental focus needed to bring the highest level of quality into each and every run.
ChiRunning is particularly helpful when something is not going quite right, when your body feels sluggish, or when you get slung off course by that nagging pain that hits halfway through a race. What you need at that moment is a great toolkit and knowledge of what you can focus on, physically or mentally, to correct the problem.
I suggest that you work to master the connection between your mind and your body. It is a necessary skill that every top athlete in the world has. Try something, practice it, see the results and discover for yourself what works best for you. The ChiRunning form focuses are guideposts for your own personal research. Every time I go out for a run, I come back with something new to practice. I’m constantly working with my breath, my lean, relaxing more deeply. It is an ongoing process of discovery that I see no end to. It takes more focus than you might be used to with your running, but the payoff of years of pain-free, injury-free running will be well worth the effort…and you can look forward to becoming the master of your own movement.
For further information on ChiRunning, please go to our website at: www.chirunning.com
Five Tips From Chirunning
October 13, 2009
Filed under Running
Danny Dreyer, a marathon runner Ultra America and the Tai Chi practitioner, created a method of execution called ChiRunning, which combines the inner focus and flow of Tai Chi with the power and energy of operation. Here are five tips that ChiRunning has helped many runners begin to learn to run without injury:
1. Danny explains that Master Zhu – his Tai Chi teacher in Boulder, Colorado – said to keep your spine straight, but for the rest of the body relax and let the chi flow "like water through a pipe. In Chinese philosophy, "chi" is the vital energy or life force. This principle applies not only to Tai Chi, but to run too.
2. An efficient operation is not leg strength and leg speed. You have to let your body be removed from the center and allow the legs to simply go for walks. Let your speed is a function of their ability to relax more deeply, not their ability to push harder.
3. Let go of the pain, "No, no gain" attitude that many Westerners have toward the sport. Instead, the clear objective of establishing a communication link between mind and body. If you pay close attention to your body will learn what can and can not do. This is called "Body Sensing. By developing a good system of communication with your body can teach new skills and habits, without exaggeration and therefore hurting.
4. Lean slightly forward when running, about a quarter of an inch, and let gravity do some work for you.
5. The land at the foot instead of mid-heel, thus preventing the movement of breaking the heel, which is common in most of the runners.
Endurance training
When thinking of endurance training, some of the first things that come to mind are half marathons, marathons, triathlons, Ironman competitions, ultra marathons, and the Tour de France. However, endurance training doesn’t just relate to these types of sports. Sports that require short bursts of energy and speed over a prolonged period of time, such as football, basketball, and swimming are also dependant on endurance training. It is something that should be incorporated into every fitness routine.
What is endurance training?
It is actually a purposeful way of exercising to boost one’s stamina and endurance. This type of exercise is aerobic in nature versus anaerobic. Aerobic exercise strengthens and elongates muscles for extended periods of use. It improves cardiovascular function, enabling blood and oxygen to be delivered more efficiently to the brain and throughout the body, thereby improving the body’s ability to utilize oxygen. This is also a key factor in enabling the body to recover following exercise.
The benefits of varying your routine
Focusing solely on only one type of exercise is not ideal for the body or the mind. Endurance training requires strength and stamina, so incorporating different elements into your workout will help your body to perform better at your chosen sport. Boredom can also creep in without some variety in your routine. Incorporating cardio and weight training along with bodyweight training elements together in a routine will improve overall performance.
Diet
Changing from three larger meals a day to six to eight small meals is an essential component in endurance training. This will help to boost your metabolism and allow the body to use nutrients more effectively. Switching from heavy foods with little actual nutritional value to a diet filled with foods high in fiber such as fruits and vegetables, and drinking lots of water will promote a healthy body from the inside out.
Know when to rest
It is important with any type of exercise to listen to what your body tells you and to take proper rest breaks. Failing to do so puts you at risk for injury and burnout. The body will be unable to repair minor (or micro) injuries resulting from overuse and overstressing without these important breaks. Knowing when your body needs a break from exercise is key.
However, varying one’s exercise routine can also function as a type of rest, as long as you aren’t pushing your body too hard again in another way. Simply going for a relaxing bike ride or long walk can be a good change-up to your exercise regime. Getting a proper night’s rest with a full eight hours sleep is essential as your body copes with the new and increased demands on it.
Starting Endurance Training
Endurance training is vital to success in any athletic endeavor, but must be built up gradually. It cannot be achieved overnight. Allow your body to adapt and give it the tools it needs to function at peak performance – a varied routine, a healthy diet, lots of water, and proper rest. An integrated approach is required. You can then enjoy the many benefits of endurance training for years to come.
Must Have Triathlon Gear – Don’t Start Without Them
August 22, 2009
Filed under Triathlon
By Low Jeremy
A triathlon is basically a game of endurance. Your training, your stamina and your willingness will all help you know what it's like to reach the finish line. And the equipment you will use can also add up to your real race standing.
You need not invest much on top-of-the-line triathlon gears. A combination of some good equipemnt will create better performances.
Triathlon Bike
Any bikes are allowed in a triathlon race. However, there are those that can aid in maximizing your performance.
Central in choosing a triathlon bike are distance, frequency and weight. Some of the more popular options are bikes made from steel frames, titanium frames, carbon fiber frames and aluminum frames. As for the wheels, 650c's are best for small riders while 700c wheels provide the ideal stability for larger and taller riders.
On some points of the race, competitors believe that those with lighter and faster bikes have the most advantages. This cant be far from the truth but this does not tell it all. After all, the manner of use and the person's actual capacity to optimize the bicycle will create big differences.
Sure, the technologies used to develop a $10,000 triathlon bicycle would actually create some edges over those who only ride on $250 bikes. Nonetheless, never forget that the bike period is only a part of the three areas of discipline triathlon covers. And the bike itself is only a single component of the bike transition. You must still consider and be able to look eye on other principles that will lead you to the last transition stage.
Say you are riding on a high-end, oozing new triathlon bicycle yet bargained so much on the benefits it might give you. You surely have the speed, the style, and the envy of the onlookers and fellow triathletes. But without proper skills in it's operation, or proper planning during the course and even the endurance to continue biking after loosing much strength during the swim stage, your "nice bike" would be turned into nothing.
The shape, size and the inward rolling of your feet should be greatly considered when choosing your shoes. Running is usually the last stage in triathlon competitions. This is when all your energy is consumed. It is best that your running shoes help deliver you towards the finish line.
Triathlon Clothing
This may be a full-length wet suit or a two-piece that vary in length, style and function. There are literally thousands of choices for you, be sure that you fit several types before settling on your last pick. But whatever you choose, never consider saggy-looking wet suits made from heavy materials. They wont do you any good. They'll just drag you while on the race. To get the feel of the actual race, practice the manner by which you will wear and take off your wetsuit during the race.
Consider the construction of the material, the layout, the panels and the seals. The fit almost tells it all. It dictates your comfort and free movement while on track. The fitter it gets and the more sealed openings are-the better. Snuggers usually are the best choices. They fit comfortably while providing you enough space to move.
An ideal wetsuit should not have the same thickness. Thinner materials must be used in places where rigid actions are done. The chest, on the other hand, must be thicker since it surges into pressure the most. Extra stretchable materials must also be found in your ankles.
Basic physics tell us that heat transfers from a hot object towards a colder one. This law is so simple that you can bet it and argue otherwise 'til your wit's end. No triathlon suit can prevent the exchange of cold and heat. After all, that is not the work they were intended to do. However, many are so entirely engineered to make as much delay of the heat transfer as physical science would allow.
It is critical for a triathlon swimmer to preserve as much heat as his suit will allow because delay (even by a second or two) can create a large discrepancy between you and the racer running before and after you. The loss of heat in water are dependent on several variables including the total mass of the person's body, a person's physical exertion, the materials used in creating the triathlon suit and the temperature of the surrounding water itself.
The ideal triathlon suit, or any wet suit for that matter, is one that is made of three layers. The outer protective layer, the insulation layer and the wicking layer. The outer protective layer is obviously the one that coats the whole of the suit. The more popular material used for this is the neoprene. This works well yet very delicate that simple scratches may actually cause the suit to get serious damages.
The insulation layer, on the other hand, appears in many varieties. The most usual choices include wooly bear, open-cell foam, type-B marine thinsulate, and radiant barriers. The wicking material acts as the absorber of skin's moisture thus keeping the racers' skin dry. When the body is wet, it looses much heat than normal. The wicking layer of the skin prevents this from occurring.
Goggles
To improve your visibility in water, you must be equipped with a good pair of goggles. Among the popular choices are anti-glare, shock-resistant and anti-fog.
Save 10% on ALL your Triathlon gears
Triathlon Transitions
August 22, 2009
Filed under Triathlon
After speaking with a few friends who are racing in a sprint triathlon this weekend, I felt compelled to write about the commonality I observed among this group of beginner triathletes. Each made the mistake of focusing solely on training for the three main events: swimming, cycling, and running, and overlooked the significance of the transitions.
Strategically executed transitions will make the difference between a racer’s overall position and wasted time and energy that is nearly impossible to recover in a sprint race. For a beginning triathlete to become more competitive, he or she must approach triathlon as a five-stage race: the swim, swim-to-bike transition (T1), the bike, the bike-to-run transition (T2) and the run.
The most practical way to gain experience would be to compete in more races, but beginners who lack real-time experience can practice T1 and T2 to master these skills. The Expert, Gale Bernhardt has compiled a list of techniques to help you perform screaming fast transitions.
5 Steps to Running a Marathon for a Couch Potato
August 18, 2009
Filed under Running
For some, running a marathon is the ultimate goal. For others, it is a 26.2-mile waste of time. Then there are some of us who sit idly by, with envy in our hearts at the thought of crossing the finish line. There is, however, a strategy for achieving the ultimate goal of a marathon, even if you are a couch potato like I used to be, and believe it or not, it doesn’t require cheating.
The following steps will not only make it possible for a non-runner to finish a marathon, but may, dare I say, make it easy:
Step One: Drop the “Jogging Myth”
When I discuss running with my mother, she says, “Oh, I can’t run, but I jog from time to time.” This belief holds back many would be runners as they believe that running is too difficult, and that jogging doesn’t count. The truth is that jogging IS running. Here is the only distinction you will ever make when it comes to running: If you have one foot on the ground at any given time, you are walking. If you have both feet off the ground at any given time you are running, no matter how fast or slow you are moving. This leads to Step Two.
Step Two: Slow Down
The simple explanation of the scientific mumbo jumbo is this: Lactic acid accumulation in our legs equals heavy legs and fatigue. We want to increase our lactate threshold to avoid this. Science has found that you get the best results by training aerobically, which means slowing down your run to a very comfortable pace so that you don’t get tired while running. You may be asking, “How slow can I really go?” Keep reading.
Step Three: Listen to Your Body
Ideally, you should get a heart rate monitor and stay below your maximum heart rate. To find your optimal heart rate you can use an aerobic heart rate chart, or follow the 180 formula.
But let’s say you don’t want to spend the $100 on a new heart rate monitor; is there another way? Yes. Your body gives clues. Listen to your breathing. Are you huffing and puffing? Does your chest hurt? Is it difficult to catch your next breath? If so, you are running too fast. You should be able to breathe easily. Listen to your heart. Is it pounding, or barely noticeable? Check in with your eyes. Is it easy to focus on the world around you or are you getting tunnel vision? Overall, you should be enjoying the run, and if you are not, then you are going too fast. Slowing down makes running easy and trains your body to burn fat, which is Step Four.
Step Four: Become a Fat Burner, Not a Sugar Burner.
Burning sugar is like burning the head of a match. It’s fast and it disappears quickly. Burning fat is like burning coal. It’s slow, and long lasting. When we slow down our running, we train ourselves to burn fat instead of sugar, which is what we need for a distance run. Become a fat burner by consuming more good fats and less sugar.
“But I like sugar and bad fats,” says the reader. I understand, and suggest the rule of 80/20. Just make sure that 80% of the time you are eating good fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds) and complex carbohydrates (whole grain breads, quinoa, and beans). That means you get to indulge 20% of the time. This will support you in becoming a fat burner and push you to the finish line. Finally, we get to the most important step.
Step Five: Believe!
What you believe is true for you. If you truly believe you can do it, you will. If you believe you can’t do it, you won’t. To change your beliefs you must consciously associate massive pleasure with the belief that you will cross the finish line. Visualize how will you feel. Think about your new body, and the energy you will gain from this success. On the flip side, you must associate tremendous pain with the thought of not reaching your goal. What does it mean to stay the same? What will it mean in 10 years? Who else will it affect? When you believe you will gain more pleasure and avoid more pain from reaching your goal, you will be unstoppable.
Remember, you are not running a 26.2-mile race. It’s only 1 mile, 26.2 times.
Make running your favorite hobby
How to Start Running and Never Look Back
So you're all prepared to run. That's great, but the hard part isn't starting to run, it's actually sticking to a plan of regular training. In truth, running can be very difficult for new comers. You will exhaust yourself during your runs, then you may actually feel worse than normal the following day: sore, tired, and without any noticeable improvement in your health or body. The good news is, those feelings are short-lived if you're tough enough to get through them. Running is actually quite enjoyable once your body adjusts, and the more you do it, the better it gets. Here are some tips to help you through the dip:
Don't start too fast
One pitfall many people encounter is being too aggressive on their first runs. Mike has a new pair of running shoes, he woke up early to run, and he's ready to take on the world. He pushes himself to the limit on his first run, returning absolutely exhausted. The second day, although he's still exhausted and aching, he get up early and sprint up some hills. On the third day, despite Mike's best intentions, he can't get himself out of bed. He sleeps in and skip his run. The fourth day, Mike's job gets in the way. By the fifth day, he's just lost interest. The problem is, like many people Mike has burnt himself out. There is no need to reinvent your life and destroy your body in the first week. You don't even have to run every day. Try it every other day, or every third day, and allow your body to heal between runs. If exercise is completely foreign to you, you can even start out with some long walks and build up to jogging.
Don't diet excessively
One reason many people run is to lose weight. Running is, in fact, a great way to trim down, but you have to be careful. If you start a strict new diet the same time you start running, you could encounter problems. Running requires a lot of energy. If you decreasing your caloric intake with a low-calorie diet while simultaneously increasing your caloric burn with a new running regimen, you're just going to run out of fuel. Regular runners eat a lot, but they eat healthy. Good food not only fuels you on your runs, it will help your body heal during your rest periods. I'm thinking of fruits, vegetables, oats, whole wheat, lean meat, you know.
Find a partner
One of the best ways to get started running is to find a partner to run with. If they have running experience, all the better, because they will have plenty of knowledge to share, but they don't have to be experienced. Your running partner(s) can provide you with moral support, some friendly competition, and most importantly, a reason to get out and run. If you've already agreed to go running with someone, their peer pressure will make you a lot less likely to skip. Often, the hardest step is just deciding to put on your shoes.
Stick to a schedule
Developing a reasonable schedule and sticking to it is vitally important for a new runner. Little excuses have a way of working into your mind, destroying your pattern and begetting more excuses. There will be days when you don't really feel like running. You'll feel like you're not making progress and you'll struggle to complete your run. The beautiful thing is, if you stick to it, you're body will adapt without you even realizing it. Your stamina will increase. You're muscles will get stronger. You're lungs will become more efficient. Your heart will get stronger. One day you'll wake up and feel amazingly good. You'll run an extra mile with a grin on your face, just because you can.
61 year-old farmer won ultra marathon against top athletes
August 15, 2009
Filed under Running
The Legend of Cliff Young: The 61 Year Old Farmer Who Won the World’s Toughest Race
The legendary story of Cliff Young is already known to many runners. If you’re aren’t familiar with it, you’re in for a fascinating read.
An Unlikely Competitor
Cliff Young
Every year, Australia hosts 543.7-mile (875-kilometer) endurance racing from Sydney to Melbourne. It is considered among the world’s most grueling ultra-marathons. The race takes five days to complete and is normally only attempted by world-class athletes who train specially for the event. These athletes are typically less than 30 years old and backed by large companies such as Nike.
In 1983, a man named Cliff Young showed up at the start of this race. Cliff was 61 years old and wore overalls and work boots. To everyone’s shock, Cliff wasn’t a spectator. He picked up his race number and joined the other runners.
The press and other athletes became curious and questioned Cliff. They told him, "You’re crazy, there’s no way you can finish this race." To which he replied, "Yes I can. See, I grew up on a farm where we couldn’t afford horses or tractors, and the whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, I’d have to go out and round up the sheep. We had 2,000 sheep on 2,000 acres. Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but I’d always catch them. I believe I can run this race."
When the race started, the pros quickly left Cliff behind. The crowds and television audience were entertained because Cliff didn’t even run properly; he appeared to shuffle. Many even feared for the old farmer’s safety.
The Tortoise and the Hare
Cliff Young
All of the professional athletes knew that it took about 5 days to finish the race. In order to compete, one had to run about 18 hours a day and sleep the remaining 6 hours. The thing is, Cliff Young didn’t know that!
When the morning of the second day came, everyone was in for another surprise. Not only was Cliff still in the race, he had continued jogging all night.
Eventually Cliff was asked about his tactics for the rest of the race. To everyone’s disbelief, he claimed he would run straight through to the finish without sleeping.
Cliff kept running. Each night he came a little closer to the leading pack. By the final night, he had surpassed all of the young, world-class athletes. He was the first competitor to cross the finish line and he set a new course record.
When Cliff was awarded the winning prize of $10,000, he said he didn’t know there was a prize and insisted that he did not enter for the money. He ended up giving all of his winnings to several other runners, an act that endeared him to all of Australia.
Continued Inspiration
In the following year, Cliff entered the same race and took 7th place. Not even a displaced hip during the race stopped him.
Cliff came to prominence again in 1997, aged 76, when he attempted to raise money for homeless children by running around Australia’s border. He completed 6,520 kilometers of the 16,000-kilometer run before he had to pull out because his only crew member became ill. Cliff Young passed away in 2003 at age 81.
Today, the "Young-shuffle" has been adopted by ultra-marathon runners because it is considered more energy-efficient. At least three champions of the Sydney to Melbourne race have used the shuffle to win the race. Furthermore, during the Sydney to Melbourne race, modern competitors do not sleep. Winning the race requires runners to go all night as well as all day, just like Cliff Young.
12 Secrets to Being The Perfect Human
August 14, 2009
Filed under Running
The Perfect Human
By Joshua Davis
Dean Karnazes ran 50 marathons in 50 days. He does 200 miles just for fun. He’ll race in 120-degree heat. 12 secrets to his success.
DEAN KARNAZES WAS SLOBBERING DRUNK. IT WAS HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY, and he’d started with beer and moved on to tequila shots at a bar near his home in San Francisco. Now, after midnight, an attractive young woman – not his wife – was hitting on him. This was not the life he’d imagined for himself. He was a corporate hack desperately running the rat race. The company had just bought him a new Lexus. He wanted to vomit. Karnazes resisted the urge and, instead, slipped out the bar’s back door and walked the few blocks to his house. On the back porch, he found an old pair of sneakers. He stripped down to his T-shirt and underwear, laced up the shoes, and started running. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
He sobered up in Daly City, about 15 miles south. It was nearly four in the morning. The air was cool, slightly damp from the fog, and Karnazes was in a residential neighborhood, burping tequila, with no pants on. He felt ridiculous, but it brought a smile to his face. He hadn’t had this much fun in a long time. So he decided to keep running.
When the sun came up, Karnazes was trotting south along Route 1, heading toward Santa Cruz. He had covered 30 miles. In the process, he’d had a blinding realization: There were untapped reservoirs within him. It was like a religious conversion. He had been born again as a long-distance runner. More than anything else now, he wanted to find out how far he could go. But at that exact moment, what he really needed to do was stop. He called his wife from a pay phone, and an hour later she found him in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven. He passed out in the car on the way home.
That was August 1992. Over the next 14 years, Karnazes challenged almost every known endurance running limit. He covered 350 miles without sleeping. (It took more than three days.) He ran the first and only marathon to the South Pole (finishing second), and a few months ago, at age 44, he completed 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days, one in each of the 50 states. (The last one was in New York City. After that, he decided to run home to San Francisco.) Karnazes’ transformation from a tequila-sodden party animal into an international symbol of human achievement is as educational as it is inspirational. Here’s his advice for pushing athletic performance from the unthinkable to the untouchable.
1. BE AUDACIOUS
Finding the right challenge is the first challenge. "Any goal worth achieving involves an element of risk," Karnazes says in his autobiography, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner. Risk, yes, and creativity too. For instance, looking for the ultimate endurance running challenge, in 1995 Karnazes entered a 199-mile relay race – by himself. He competed against eight teams of 12 and finished eighth.
2. GO LACELESS
One of the biggest annoyances in long-distance running is lace management. After banging out 50 miles, it can be hard to squat or even bend over long enough to tie your shoes. The North Face recently responded to Karnazes’ complaints and came out with the $130 M Endurus XCR Boa. Its laceless upper is enmeshed in thin steel cables that connect to a tension dial at the back. A simple turn cinches the shoe onto the foot. No more slowing down to fiddle with laces.
3. FLIRT WITH DISASTER
In 1995, Karnazes ran his first Badwater Ultramarathon, a 135-mile trek that starts in Death Valley, California, in the middle of summer and finishes at the Mt. Whitney Portals, 8,360 feet above sea level. After running 72 miles in 120-degree heat, Karnazes collapsed on the side of the road suffering from hallucinations, diarrhea, and nausea. He had pushed himself to the point of death to find out whether he was strong enough to survive. He was. Though he didn’t finish the race that year, Karnazes came back the next and placed 10th. He won it on his fifth attempt, in 2004. "Somewhere along the line, we seem to have confused comfort with happiness," he says.
4. EAT JUNK – LOTS OF IT
You wouldn’t believe the stuff Karnazes consumes on a run. He carries a cell phone and regularly orders an extra-large Hawaiian pizza. The delivery car waits for him at an intersection, and when he gets there he grabs the pie and rams the whole thing down his gullet on the go. The trick: Roll it up for easy scarfing. He’ll chase the pizza with cheesecake, cinnamon buns, chocolate éclairs, and all-natural cookies. The high-fat pig-out fuels Karnazes’ long jaunts, which can burn more than 9,000 calories a day. What he needs is massive amounts of energy, and fat contains roughly twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates. Hence, pizza and éclairs. When he’s not in the midst of some record-breaking exploit, Karnazes maintains a monkish diet, eating grilled salmon five nights a week. He strictly avoids processed sugars and fried foods – no cookies or doughnuts. He even tries to steer clear of too much fruit because it contains a lot of sugar. He believes this approach – which nutritionists call a slow-carb diet – has reshaped him, lowering his body fat and building lean muscle. It also makes him look forward to running a race, because he can eat whatever he wants.
5. CUT BACK ON SLEEP
Karnazes has a wife and two kids, and he worked a 9-to-5 job for the first eight years of his quest to transcend his own limits. Finding four hours for a 30-mile run during the day was next to impossible. The solution: sleep less. "Forgoing sleep is the only way I’ve figured out how to fit it all in," he says, noting that running in the dark can be soothing. Plus, there’s less traffic to contend with. He now gets about four hours of shut-eye a night. Before he started running, however, he was just a regular guy who got a regular eight. As he started to run more, he found that he could sleep less. The National Sleep Foundation reports that exercise does lead to more restful sleep, and Karnazes takes this idea to the extreme. "The human body," he says, "is capable of extraordinary feats."
6. SHOW YOUR BODY WHO’S BOSS
"The human body has limitations," Karnazes says. "The human spirit is boundless." Your mind, in other words, is your most important muscle. As a running buddy told him: "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!"
7. GET A COOL WATCH
Karnazes wears a souped-up Timex that monitors his speed, distance, calories burned, and elevation, all of which is critical for deciding when to order the next pizza while in the midst of a 200-mile trek. Besides letting him order a pie on the run, his cell phone uses specialized GPS software to broadcast his location to the Internet for all to see. It’s fun to follow his icon rolling across the digital landscape, but it’s also useful when Karnazes disappears into the night. If he ever pushes himself too hard and collapses, his people can locate him. And fans would know something was wrong if his signal landed on top of a hospital icon.
8. LEARN TO LOVE KRAZY GLUE
If something goes wrong – and it inevitably will – it’s usually with Karnazes’ feet. In races and on training runs, he has battled giant, foot-devouring blisters. A surprisingly effective treatment: Krazy Glue. Pop the blister, slather the wound with the super-adhesive, and voilà – your foot is ready to take a beating again. The glue acts as a kind of indestructible second skin and has helped Karnazes finish competitions he wouldn’t have otherwise. (Officially, Krazy Glue recommends avoiding all contact with skin.)
9. GET USED TO IT
If you’re going to explore the boundaries of human endurance, you’ll have to learn to adapt to more and more pain. To prepare for the searing heat of the Badwater race, Karnazes went on 30-mile jogs wearing a ski parka over a wool sweater. He trained himself to urinate while running. He got so he could go out and run a marathon on any given day – no mileage buildup or tapering required. This training made the extreme seem ordinary and made the impossible seem the next logical step. Eventually, when he grew accustomed to the pain, it stopped hurting. "There is magic in misery," he says.
10. PROMOTE THE HELL OUT OF YOURSELF
Before he became Superman, Karnazes was the Clark Kent of the PR world: a humdrum marketing executive at a pharmaceutical company. But in the past three years, he’s published a memoir, nabbed a sponsorship from the North Face, appeared on Late Show With David Letterman, and gotten himself on the cover of a handful of magazines. The book and the North Face contract generate enough money to support his family, and the high profile translates into maximum motivation: Failure is scarier when the family income is on the line.
11. BREAK IT DOWN
Fifty-six miles into his first Western States Endurance Run – one of the oldest 100-mile races in the country – Karnazes found himself alone entering a canyon at twilight. It was tough going – the trek boasts a total elevation change of 38,000 feet. With 44 miles to go, his spirit was flagging, but he found a way to make it seem conquerable: He remembered the next checkpoint would leave only a marathon and two 10Ks left to go. He knew he could run each leg, and that helped him achieve the whole.
12. AVOID KRYPTONITE
Forget tequila. Karnazes has given up hard drinking. His big vice these days: chocolate-covered espresso beans.
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