http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KlNIOO9OxA
A hill workout at Forest Park with Darwin just a few weeks prior to him leaving for California. Darwin was offered an opportunity to box at the pro level and financially it was too good to pass up. I've had a blast working with him and know he will be successful in boxing. We'll never know how fast he would have been but I am confident that this season he would have turned heads and with another year of training he would have run sub-4. Thank you all for reading and supporting our efforts; continue to follow us as the team develops and we pursue our goals. Enjoy the video thanks to Mark Spewak!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Running is Freedom - Boston Reaction
I was not in Boston during the bombings nor have I ever run the Boston Marathon let alone any marathon. I received a text message from a great friend Tom Farrell asking if I had seen what was happening in Boston. I was confused, because we had already seen the elites finish and Tom and I had discussed the result. So what else could be happening? He told me to get on Twitter as there was word of an explosion. Upon first hearing the news yesterday my heart immediately sank and my stomach began to ache.
I immediately saw numerous tweets about finish line explosions as I began my search only minutes after the explosions took place. Details were few and facts were fragmented at best, but social media offered a window into the disaster. At this point I was upset but all I had seen were words. The pictures that I found thereafter really changed the perspective. Without going into much detail I began to find pictures that presented a clear view of how serious this was. It looked like a war zone. Smoke, shrapnel, blood, and people with various injuries looking confused. These were normal people just like you and I who were there cheering on their friends, families, and complete strangers as they completed a monumental task. An instant later, they were fighting for their lives. There were some amazing instances shown via video as people (officers, volunteers, and runners) immediately ran towards the incident and began helping however they could. These people had no regard for their own lives and they heroically charged in simply because they wanted to help. In a low point for humanity, the way these people acted show us that even when evil is present the good will still press on.
I had several friends and some people very dear to me at the marathon. I was nervous for their safety and after a period of trying to get a hold of everyone in one way or another all were accounted for. So despite the initial fear for my friends my feelings passed to disgust and anger. Why would someone do this? How could someone do this? This was an attack on running, one of the purest forms of freedom we know. It was also an attack on a beautiful aspect of the sport in that anyone can access the finish area. Anyone can relish in the joy of a runner's triumph. Anyone can be there! On any given weekend my friends, my family, my wife to be, any handful of people I know are at these events. This could happen at any event to any one of them! As you can see this anger led back to fear. Fear for the ones I care about and realizing how easily it could have been any of us. Trying to make sense of it just left me confused, but after a bit I began to see some clarity.
I, Danny Stults have never had much desire to run a marathon but yesterday afternoon I made the decision to run Boston 2014. Running is a freedom that we can't let fear take from us.
We will press on, we will continue to run, and we will also never forget the tragedy that took place yesterday. We honor those people who were killed/injured and their families by enduring. We cannot let fear dictate our lives. I plan on being at the starting line next year. The most difficult part may be getting into the race as this attack has created such an outpouring of desire to be a part of it. We will run to remember but also to show that they can't stop us. See you in Boston.
Thanks for reading and now more than ever Run Steady.
I immediately saw numerous tweets about finish line explosions as I began my search only minutes after the explosions took place. Details were few and facts were fragmented at best, but social media offered a window into the disaster. At this point I was upset but all I had seen were words. The pictures that I found thereafter really changed the perspective. Without going into much detail I began to find pictures that presented a clear view of how serious this was. It looked like a war zone. Smoke, shrapnel, blood, and people with various injuries looking confused. These were normal people just like you and I who were there cheering on their friends, families, and complete strangers as they completed a monumental task. An instant later, they were fighting for their lives. There were some amazing instances shown via video as people (officers, volunteers, and runners) immediately ran towards the incident and began helping however they could. These people had no regard for their own lives and they heroically charged in simply because they wanted to help. In a low point for humanity, the way these people acted show us that even when evil is present the good will still press on.
I had several friends and some people very dear to me at the marathon. I was nervous for their safety and after a period of trying to get a hold of everyone in one way or another all were accounted for. So despite the initial fear for my friends my feelings passed to disgust and anger. Why would someone do this? How could someone do this? This was an attack on running, one of the purest forms of freedom we know. It was also an attack on a beautiful aspect of the sport in that anyone can access the finish area. Anyone can relish in the joy of a runner's triumph. Anyone can be there! On any given weekend my friends, my family, my wife to be, any handful of people I know are at these events. This could happen at any event to any one of them! As you can see this anger led back to fear. Fear for the ones I care about and realizing how easily it could have been any of us. Trying to make sense of it just left me confused, but after a bit I began to see some clarity.
I, Danny Stults have never had much desire to run a marathon but yesterday afternoon I made the decision to run Boston 2014. Running is a freedom that we can't let fear take from us.
We will press on, we will continue to run, and we will also never forget the tragedy that took place yesterday. We honor those people who were killed/injured and their families by enduring. We cannot let fear dictate our lives. I plan on being at the starting line next year. The most difficult part may be getting into the race as this attack has created such an outpouring of desire to be a part of it. We will run to remember but also to show that they can't stop us. See you in Boston.
Thanks for reading and now more than ever Run Steady.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Suppleminimal
Minimal shoes are huge right now and I know a lot of people have very polar opinions of them. From my own experiences and that of those whom I've run with I see minimal shoes as a great supplemental training shoe for individuals running a fair amount of mileage. Hence... "Suppleminimal."
Minimal shoes are a great way to safely mimic barefoot running with less fear of a piece of glass or a rogue thorn causing you to fall to your knees in pain. Minimal shoes are often more flexible and keep your heel closer to the ground which works muscles in the foot and lower leg that may otherwise be underutilized. The idea is that you're strengthening stability muscles and developing stronger running form because of that. The downside is that you are often taking more impact and potentially changing your form while running in a minimal shoe which could lead to injury.
The key, as I see it, is to find a balance that works for you and to make small changes to find that balance. It's just like the idea of Steady State in that you can find a balance that works for you and that balance may not work for everyone. If you want to incorporate a minimal shoe into your training routine I would look at it in terms of percentages to reduce the likelihood or injury or a lot of soreness. Think of it in the same light that you would with regards to how many miles you run per week. It would be less than intelligent for most people to go from running 20 miles per week to 120 miles per week without a calculated progression. The same goes for shoes. You may find the most success by adding a minimal trainer one or two days a week at first and seeing how your body responds. It could be an "aha" moment or it could be a this feels awful moment. The point is to give your body a chance to see how it feels and how you personally like the minimal shoe.
For me, I have found that I like a minimal shoe for double runs but my body does not hold up well enough to use them for more than 10-15% of my weekly volume. I have found success with guidance/ structured shoes that offer a bit more support and when I veer too far I become less comfortable. So by adding the minimal aspect for a few miles a week I can achieve the benefits discussed above without the negatives. I also like to wear a minimal trainer as a kick-around shoe (that's what i call my casual shoes). You can still achieve some of the shoes benefits from simply walking in them while again reducing the risk of discomfort.
Quick Thoughts:
People ask if I'm pro-minimal or if I would recommend a minimal running shoe for them..... The answer is Yes, I am pro-minimal and I think minimal trainers make runners stronger over time. I approve the suppleminimal approach for using a minimal trainer for a portion of your weekly mileage based on how you feel.
This blog is based totally on my own opinions and should not be considered the end all be all. Some people can run hundreds of miles barefoot and never get hurt while others can run three miles a week and become injured. I hope that my thoughts will help guide you in forming your own opinion but remember that the words here are not based on medical studies but guided by my own experiences. You may find that everything I believe about these shoes is false for you, the important thing is that if you are curious you give them a try if you feel the need. I hope these words find you well; thanks for reading and continue to run steady!
Minimal shoes are a great way to safely mimic barefoot running with less fear of a piece of glass or a rogue thorn causing you to fall to your knees in pain. Minimal shoes are often more flexible and keep your heel closer to the ground which works muscles in the foot and lower leg that may otherwise be underutilized. The idea is that you're strengthening stability muscles and developing stronger running form because of that. The downside is that you are often taking more impact and potentially changing your form while running in a minimal shoe which could lead to injury.
The key, as I see it, is to find a balance that works for you and to make small changes to find that balance. It's just like the idea of Steady State in that you can find a balance that works for you and that balance may not work for everyone. If you want to incorporate a minimal shoe into your training routine I would look at it in terms of percentages to reduce the likelihood or injury or a lot of soreness. Think of it in the same light that you would with regards to how many miles you run per week. It would be less than intelligent for most people to go from running 20 miles per week to 120 miles per week without a calculated progression. The same goes for shoes. You may find the most success by adding a minimal trainer one or two days a week at first and seeing how your body responds. It could be an "aha" moment or it could be a this feels awful moment. The point is to give your body a chance to see how it feels and how you personally like the minimal shoe.
For me, I have found that I like a minimal shoe for double runs but my body does not hold up well enough to use them for more than 10-15% of my weekly volume. I have found success with guidance/ structured shoes that offer a bit more support and when I veer too far I become less comfortable. So by adding the minimal aspect for a few miles a week I can achieve the benefits discussed above without the negatives. I also like to wear a minimal trainer as a kick-around shoe (that's what i call my casual shoes). You can still achieve some of the shoes benefits from simply walking in them while again reducing the risk of discomfort.
Quick Thoughts:
- Minimal Shoes Offer Benefits Helpful to Long Term Running Health
- Being Careful is Important
- Small Changes are Best
- Shoes are just as Individual as Running
People ask if I'm pro-minimal or if I would recommend a minimal running shoe for them..... The answer is Yes, I am pro-minimal and I think minimal trainers make runners stronger over time. I approve the suppleminimal approach for using a minimal trainer for a portion of your weekly mileage based on how you feel.
This blog is based totally on my own opinions and should not be considered the end all be all. Some people can run hundreds of miles barefoot and never get hurt while others can run three miles a week and become injured. I hope that my thoughts will help guide you in forming your own opinion but remember that the words here are not based on medical studies but guided by my own experiences. You may find that everything I believe about these shoes is false for you, the important thing is that if you are curious you give them a try if you feel the need. I hope these words find you well; thanks for reading and continue to run steady!
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