Date: 11/8/21
Training Day: 56
Miles: 2.8
Shoes: Altra Paradigm 5
Weather: High 30s
Activity: TRX for runners

How It Felt: The TRX exercises felt a little challenging, and I could definitely tell the difference between my right and left side during the leg exercises. I’m still not feeling 100%, so the run was just alright.

Commentary: Even before I started reading Ready to Run I intended on adding more strength training to my workout routine. I really believe all the strength training I did last winter helped out my running. Now that I’m almost finished with Ready to Run I am confident it’s one of the missing pieces to improving my running. But it’s not the only missing piece.

Ready to Run spends a lot of time talking about mobility – of the hips, ankles, feet, thoracic spine, etc. And Dr. Starrett lists plenty of stretches, smashes and exercises to increase mobility. Today I started incorporating some of them into my daily routine.

While bored at work I worked on my dorsiflexion and squatting. I also did some couch stretches. Before my run I did a few exercises to warm up instead of using the first few minutes of my run as a warm up. After my run I spent a lot of time doing stretches and mobility exercises.

Even though it’s only been a day, my dorsiflexion is better today than it was yesterday. I must say, I’m pretty damn excited about all this!

Some of the other things the good doctor recommends:

• At least three quarts of electrolyte fluids a day (i.e. add a pinch of salt to your water)
• Wearing compression socks after intense workouts and if you will be sitting for extended periods of time, like on a plane
• Wearing zero-drop shoes, not only for running but all the time (I ditched my cushy work Hokas for an old pair of Altras, and I have a pair of Xero HFSs on the way)
• Try to stand as much as possible, and at least once an hour move around to get the blood flowing (today I elevated my adjustable desk to standing height and moved when my watch told me to)

Anywho, some of this stuff is a wee time consuming, but I think it’ll be worth it in the end.

Training Journal cross training exercise fitness journal mobility running strength trail running training trx