greyhound

Hi Fish, I'm so glad winters are mild enough that winter running isn't a big deal where I live. When I can't run, I get really, really cranky. It's good to hear that I'll get better with the flexibility. It's been so much fun so far, much more than I expected before I started, that I can't see stopping now! Thanks! Brenda

I just started shotokan and I knew nothing when I first walked into that first class. I had only a vague notion of what kata was, and the extent of my karate knowledge was from "Karate Kid." I was just looking to try something fun, where I hoped I might work on my flexibility. In that first class I attended, they were working on kata. When the brown and black belts all did bassai dai (although I didn't actually know which kata it was at the time), I thought, I want to do THAT. That's when I knew I wanted to join up. Right now I finally know the moves to heian shodan (still trying to get my techniques down) and am having tons of fun. So I'd say just jump in! And have fun. Brenda

Heee...I used to have a tshirt that had "Fartlek...It's a running thing, you wouldn't understand" on it. It's a swedish term meaning "speed play," and it's a way to make interval training more bearable and doable away from a track. It's not as defined as track workouts; it's something that you generally come up with yourself, or your coach comes up with. For example, for me, in the middle of a long run, I'll do something like...5K pace to that light post, then jog to that sign, then 5K pace again to the next light post. Repeat 5 or 6 times. Bursts of high output followed by recovery are the best way to boost your speed, and you can do a workout like that on a track or a less structured one (fartlek) on your regular running path. It's fun and really helps with your race pace without having to hit the track. Hope this helps! Brenda

I haven't been taking karate long, but I've already gotten a "Have you kicked anyone's butt yet?" I also tend to get idiot responses while running. If I hear one more person scream out, "Run, Forrest, run," I'm seriously going to have to hurt somebody. Brenda

Hmmm, that sounds frustrating. Is there a good running store in your area? I notice you're in Charlotte, NC. There's a Charlotte store listed on some running resource websites called Run for Your Life that looks promising. They often can watch you run and analyze the wear pattern on your shoes (bring in your current running shoes), to see if there's something that either shoes or orthotics might help. For example, if you severely overpronate and aren't running in motion control shoes, you'll definitely have problems. And they'll probably know the best local sports doctors, if it looks like you need one. Anyway, hope this helps! Brenda

Hi, I've only been taking shotokan karate for a month or so, and there was a belt test soon after I started. I wasn't at the test, but while all of the adults from our dojo passed their tests, a bunch of the kids going after higher belts failed. From what I heard, they were all technically proficient, but their poor attitudes and lack of respect forced the tester to fail them. There were some very unhappy kids after that. They'd apparently been warned to take it seriously, but I guess they didn't listen. Our instructor was out of town for the test, in Las Vegas for a tournament, and I wonder if that might be one reason the kids got a little too full of themselves. Brenda

Hi Pineapple, For me treadmill running can never beat being outside, on my favorite path. I don't have one at home, but I certainly use the ones at my gym and when I visit my mom. Sometimes, you can't beat it. Weather, darkness, air quality, traffic, etc. can all make running outside nearly impossible. Their cushioning surface is often easier on the legs, and you'll know your workout to the last calorie and hill repeat. In fact, there was an Alaskan runner who trained for her marathon solely on a treadmill, who won the 2000 US Women Olympic marathon trials. That much running on a treadmill would drive me batty, but different strokes and all that. If you're looking for brand recommendations, the only thing I can say is look for some necessary features, and expect to lay out some bucks for a good model. A sturdy base and a wide belt are both key, and look for something with a powerful motor so that constant running doesn't fry it. My mom has a cheap treadmill that has all of those problems, and it's a nightmare to run on. It suits her okay, but she only walks on it. One that is progammable is great if you want to throw in some hill workouts or intervals. Wait, here's an article from Runner's World with their 2005 recommendations... http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-52-0-0-7807,00.html It looks like the picks start at about 600 bucks and go up pretty steep. If I were looking for a treadmill and couldn't afford those prices, I'd check the classified ads and garage sales. Treadmills tends to get sold cheap when people realize they've really just bought a huge clothing rack. Definitely take any treadmill you're considering for a test run. The article doesn't list the belt widths, which I would have thought was essential. Narrow belts make me tense up and make my shins try to cramp up. I've also accidently stepped half on the belt, half on the stationary base, and nearly did a face plant. No fun at all. And here's a longer RW article about treadmill running with some of their older picks. http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-52-0-0-5915-1-1X2X3X4-5,00.html Hope this helps, and good luck! Brenda

Hi! I'm a runner who recently started taking shotokan karate (a little more than a month now, and I'm really liking it). So far, my favorite is kata. I'm still learning heian shodan, but Thursday night, the instructor and two other black belts demonstrated their team kata (I can't remember which they did) and it was the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. For a runner coming to karate, I do find that my endurance is better than average during a karate class, but my flexibility is for crap (which is pretty common in runners). I've been reading the boards, kinda hanging out, but when I saw the shin splint question, I said, I can help with that! Shin splints...a common runner problem. There are a number of things that can help. I'd do four things. One is look to your shoes. Are they suited for running and how old are they? If they've lost their cushioning (which can happen in as little as three months of running), that can cause a problem. Two is check on your achilles tendon tightness. It sounds weird, but a tight achilles increases the amount of pounding that your shins are taking when you run. Stretch that achilles. Three, is have you bumped up your mileage, changed the surface you run on (more running on concrete, for example), or added speed work lately? Too big of a change in your running, and your shins can rebel. Last, is RICE, rest, ice, compression, elevation. I ice after every run, and it's amazing how much it helps. I use gel packs that I keep in the freezer. Anyway, hope this helps! Brenda