Dr. Cindy Lewis, Chiropractor

Some of us have been participants or spectators in a running event or at least have seen people running down the street.  Have you noticed how some runners “make it look easy” and run so relaxed, while others make it look so taxing and difficult?  Running efficiently involves more than just putting one foot in front of the other – there is actually a lot that can be done for most of us to increase our efficiency, meaning we spend less energy working at a particular speed, and put less stress on muscles, tendons and joints.  Let’s spend some time now looking at what makes up the running stride and then go over a few key components of running mechanics that may help you get faster just by making a few changes to what your body is doing while you are running.

A complete running gait cycle includes both a stance phase and swing phase.  In walking there is part of the gait cycle called the double stance phase, where both feet are on the ground, but running should not include this.  For most of us who run we also have a double float period when both feet are off the ground – and this time period increases the faster we run.

The stance phase of running is that part of the gait cycle where the foot is touching the ground.  It is the first phase of the run gait cycle.  This is the time when your foot and leg is bearing your body weight – from foot contact to toe off.  It accounts for approximately 40 percent of the run gait cycle, as compared to 60 percent in the walking gait cycle.  The less time we have our foot on the ground, the more time we are moving forward, and the less time we have for poor body mechanics under weight bearing situations to happen and lead to overuse injuries.  The first part of the stance phase is called initial contact, and this is when your foot lands on the ground.  This is important because it is also the cushioning or shock absorbing phases, where your foot pronates at the subtalar joint, your knee is slightly bent and the lower leg goes through some internal rotation in order to reduce stress forces of impact.  The second part is called midstance.  Midstance is when your body weight is passing over the foot.  The other leg is in swing phase at this point and all the body weight now passes over a single leg.   At this point a normal foot should no longer be pronating – instead, the foot and lower leg should be strong and stable.  The third part of the stance phase is called propulsion.  This is from the time the heel lifts off the ground until the toes leave the ground.  A common mistake that beginner runners make is leaning too far forward during this toe off.  I do want you to have a slight forward lean, as we will discuss later on, but if you lean TOO far forward that isn’t good either.  Stay tall, chest proud, with a slight forward lean from the ankles.  

The swing phase of the running stride begins when the toe comes off the ground and ends just before your foot contacts the ground again.  This accounts for approximately sixty percent of the running stride, as compared to forty percent of the walking gait cycle.  There is no weight bearing through the joints and muscles at this point.  Therefore it is less relevant for injury prevention, however it is very relevant when it comes to efficiency.

Now, let’s review some key components of the running stride that can help you become a more efficient – and therefore faster – runner:

1. Whole body position – As mentioned previously, it is possible to lean too far forward during the propulsion phase, creating more work for the muscles in the back of the legs.  You should be running with a slight forward lean from the ankles, similar to a nice relaxed posture that if you weren’t moving anywhere and you stood in that posture, you would start to “fall forward”.  Be careful not to lean forward at the waist.  Maintain a strong core and proud chest.  Often I see people standing too straight, or even extended backwards somewhat.  That means they have to spend much more energy “dragging” their body forward, and they then have to “reach” forward with the leg and end up heel striking with more impact.
2. Cadence/stride rate – A run cadence of 90 strides per minute should be our goal, regardless of how fast you are going.  It is harder to do this when you are going slow – and if you are REALLY do a very slow recovery run, if it’s a little below 90 strides per minute that is okay.  But for zone 2 aerobic runs and above, get your cadence up to 90 or a little high.  Just getting your stride rate up with set you up to achieve a good foot strike, less risk of injury (less time for your lower leg and foot to be going through a single stance phase means less time for over pronation, over rotations, and more).  It will also give you an overall significant increase in efficiency.
3. Foot strike – There is a lot of information out there about heel strike, midfoot stride, toe running, and you could find some information to debate any of them as being good or bad.  Most runners do run with at least some heel strike even if they think they do not, especially as they fatigue.  What you want to avoid is really reaching forward and hammering the heel down into the ground, which should be solved by running with the slight forward lean and the high running cadence because there is neither time nor range of motion to reach too far forward with those two things happening.  “Midfoot” running should in theory end up with less impact force, however be careful that that doesn’t end up having you run on your toes, which is often ends up for many athletes trying to do this, which puts more pressure on the plantar fascia, calf muscles, and achilles tendon.  For many of us, a true midfoot strike will feel like a flat foot strike.

4. Arm position – Arms should be held high so that your hands are resting just under or beside your chest.  You might remember from high school physics that a shorter level takes less energy to move – which is what we are striving for here.  What is also important here is that arms should be moving forward and backwards rather than across the midline.  The elbows driving backward will help to drive the body forward.  In fact, later on in a run or a race when you feel your body fatigue and are having trouble keeping the stride rate up, try focussing on speeding up the arm swing instead and the legs will follow.

5. Leg position on swing phase – This follows along with what I mentioned above regarding arm position.   A shorter leaver takes less energy to move.  That means, the more knee flexion you have as you swing your leg forward and drive forward with the hip, the less energy it will take in the hips to accomplish this.  Generally, the lower leg should be parallel to the ground during swing phase.  Many runners do not do this and have their leg much too and too close to the ground at this point.

6. Vertical motion – Be careful not to start bouncing up and down as you start to adopt some of the things you have learned in this blog post.  This often happens at first when you start to increase your run cadence.  Be aware of it so it doesn’t happen.  Try thinking of yourself running under a low glass ceiling, so your head has to stay even so you do not break the glass!

7. General relaxation – Relax!  Extra tension means extra energy expenditure.  Think “make it look easy” during your runs, even they feel hard!  Relax the muscles in your upper back, shoulders, neck and face.  Relax your ankles and feet.  Relax anything that isn’t helping you run stronger or faster!

Efficient running is more than just putting one foot in front of the other.  Strides, specific running drills, as well as focussing on one element of your running stride at a time is worthwhile.  Remember, great efficiency means faster running at the same effort – and also reduces your risk of injury!  Happy running!

Everyone has a different experience being pregnant.  For some, it’s not safe to exercise and they need bed rest.  Others have extreme morning sickness (or all day sickness!) and really can’t do much at all.  Others, me included, may be able to continue some version of their pre-pregnancy physical activity level.

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I didn’t know until after the first trimester was over.  As a result, I was training as a professional triathlete, including spending a week in Florida with a group of other pro’s, training full time.  It’s true, I didn’t feel amazing at training camp – but I was still able to do it, and just figured I was getting older and my years as a pro were coming to an end as I was feeling a little more tired than I had in the past.

Because of this experience, when I found out I was pregnant this time around (and I was pretty sure about 2-3 days after conception!) I decided to continue training for the marathon I was aiming for, with modifications to my training plan based on how I felt each day.  Worse case would be that as we approached it, if things weren’t going well, I would just step down to a shorter distance event on race day and do what I could – walk, run or a combination thereof – to get to the end.

Once I knew I was building a baby, I was following a training plan that had me running 70-85km per week.  It included two specific interval or tempo runs, and three other runs to build volume.  I also had two strength training days and two days of cross training, which I have to admit I often did not do – electing to rest instead.

For the most part I got in 70% of those weeks of volume, but the intensity days didn’t always happen. If I wasn’t feeling good one day, I would move it a day forward.  The other 30% of the weeks may have started out okay, but at some point during the week there was a hiccup where my body just didn’t want to run. Often I would be lightheaded or just so heavy and fatigued. In these cases, I would listen to my body and skip it or cut it short.

This winter was very cold and slippery; so many runs were on the treadmill. That worked out okay because if I started to feel weak or light headed I could tone it down or stop – and not have to call for a ride home!

I started to really feel like I was pregnant in the last three or so weeks before race day. I was at about 15 weeks at that time, and starting to look like it. I felt heavy and tired and just achy!  Those weeks were not great for building confidence that I could run a marathon.  But still, I did my best to stay positive and continued trucking along the best I could.  One day would go well and the next wouldn’t, but I stuck to my plan of doing what I could.

I would be 18 weeks at the time of the race and I thought,”let’s just see what happens”. I planned to go slow, not stress out my body too much, and make sure both the baby and I got to end healthy and happy.  If necessary, I was ready to call it quits at any point during the race if I felt like it wasn’t safe to continue.

Race day came.  Waking up that morning I thought “Oh man, am I really going to do this?? Yes, I am!”  We drove to the race venue and got ourselves organized.  It was pitch dark as the race started at 6:00am.  When it was time to go, I started conservatively and just worked on finding my way through the dark path where it started without tripping over something or someone!

When your body starts to grow as you build a baby, your centre of gravity changes and you can feel less balanced.  It’s like re-learning every few days how your new body works!

I ran comfortably until about 25km and then started to feel more tired than I felt I should, and that running was a bit more of an effort than it should be.  At about 30km my back and hips realized they were carrying 15lbs more than they were used to, and the newfound laxity in my ligaments showed up as a very stiff back and hips that became pretty sore over the next couple of kilometers.

I have to admit that a short time after that I considered asking a stranger along the way if they could give me a ride to the finish line!  Instead, I just did a bit of a walk/run and took it one mile at a time, while maintaining a good headspace.  I was not out here to win a race; I was out here to take on a different kind of challenge!  I texted my husband and told him what time I thought I would be done so he wouldn’t be worried about me, and then relaxed and did what I set out to do – get to the end with some version of running and walking.

We did it!! It was the slowest marathon I have ever done, including Ironman marathons, by about 45 minutes, but it was my best ever (and only) marathon done at 18 weeks pregnant!  I was happy to be at the finish line and I was happy to have done what I set out to do. (And happy for my husband, who had a great race!)

As I said in the beginning, this is not something for everyone.  Every pregnant woman should listen to their medical doctor and get advice on what exercise is safe for them and their baby.

From what I have researched, most times you are safe to continue doing something that you did before you got pregnant, with modifications based on how you feel. Those might include some drop in intensity to make sure you have enough blood going to your baby, and watching that your core temperature doesn’t get too high.  But I am not an expert on this so please get your own medical advice.  My goal here is to share my experience and motivate other women who are pregnant to continue some form of physical activity and do what makes them happy – provided they are clear to do so.  Going into the birth process feeling strong and healthy typically makes everything smoother during and after delivery.  And getting your body back post-partum is typically easier if you maintain the habit of exercise.

What are we (this baby and I) doing now?  Well, now we are half way to having baby #2 arrive and it’s time to stay fit in a more casual way, doing a variety of things.  I have been running 30-40 minutes when I feel like it, cycling and swimming casually, and have been focussing on being in the gym maintaining strength through weight training.  After my first daughter was born I had some issues recovering from a C-section and the muscle imbalances that came along with that afterwards. This time I hope to be more strength balanced going in to be in a better place to hit the ground running again afterwards!

Editor’s Note: Notice that Cindy’s approach included ‘HOW to keep going – not IF she would keep going! These kids will have to work to keep up with their Mom, but at least they have a running start.

•  Cindy Lewis-Caballero is the founder of CL Performance Training. She is an endurance coach, a Chiropractor, a personal trainer, a professional triathlete, and a mom. She works with athletes of all abilities and ages to help them stay motivated and able to go after their personal goals.

Finding the time to train for a triathlon, regardless of the distance, is challenging – especially when you’re trying to do it while succeeding at your full time job, raising a family and maintaining quality relationships with family and friends.   As a coach and an athlete myself, I understand that training is not the only thing on your plate and that every person is different with respect to how that “life balance” is created.

I have raced as a professional long distance triathlete for years, beginning in 2011, and throughout that time I also worked full time as a chiropractor, trainer and coach, met my husband, got married and had a baby who is now a very energetic two year old.   I also saw many of the athletes that I trained and raced alongside who had their own unique situations.  Some of them were able to pursue triathlon full-time.  Some were married, some were single, some had children; some didn’t.  Everyone had their own unique situations to figure out and balance.  None of them had it easy!

As age-group triathletes we tend to have even more things to balance and a different checklist of priorities.  I have coached many athletes of different levels, from those who want to lose weight to those who have qualified for the Boston Marathon and the Ironman World Championships.   In my opinion, every person’s goals are just as important as the other person’s; we are all in this to be the best we can be – regardless of our goals or abilities.

I have learned from my own experiences and from the many athletes I have worked with over the years some tricks on how to fit workouts into your calendar when you have a lot to juggle.  Here are some ideas which may sound like something for you to try:

• – Have a shower at the office or a gym next door with a shower? Get a running backpack and run or ride your bike back and forth to work.

• – Use your lunch break to slip in a short run or a strength/core workout.

• – Get up early! Getting a workout out of the way early in the morning before the rest of your family wakes up means you don’t have to take time away from them later, and you don’t have to worry about that time being taken away and given to something else that has come up in the day.

• – Run immediately after work, from work. If possible, do the same with the swim, go directly from work.  It is often difficult to leave the house again and/or get workouts in once you get home so get them done before you get there.

• – Bring snacks and stay hydrated so you have energy to get those workouts done instead of being derailed by working around a meal.

• – If your work hours are flexible, plan a 90 minute break in the middle of the day to get out and get a workout in. You may feel rejuvenated and ready to take on more of the day once you’re finished.

• – Have small children? Get a good running stroller and take them out with you! Fresh air is good for kids and often they love to be out there with you! Pushing a 30+lb kid in a stroller definitely equates to a faster run even though the watch doesn’t say so!
• – Be willing to exchange some of the ‘shoulds’ (spotless house, styled hair, volunteering for every cause) for training time, and enjoy feeling great about your fitness instead of guilty about not being ‘perfect’.

Think about how you can get creative with your schedule, and build in some discipline.  Try a few things and see what works for you.  Just don’t give up.  Remember, if you really want to do something, most of the time there is a way!

Dr. Cindy Lewis-Caballero is the founder of CL Performance Training. She is an endurance coach, a Chiropractor, a personal trainer, a professional triathlete, and a mom.  She has an intimate understanding of the challenges of work/life/training balance, and enjoys helping other athletes find ways to achieve their goals.

Those of you who have been reading my blog this past 8-12 months know that I went through some issues with overtraining, low iron and life issues that I blamed for feeling tired and not performing as I felt I should have been.  I felt like I was climbing out of that place through the fall and into the early part of the winter.  And then in January/February I started feeling a little tired again, had trouble doing more than two days of quality workouts in a row and finishing long workouts strong.  I thought, maybe it’s my lifestyle now, the fact that I now drive a lot and commute into Toronto and back and therefore have much less time in a day.  Maybe it’s the decrease in sleep that I’ve gotten since moving out to Burlington.  Maybe it’s still the stress that I went through related to business that I haven’t recovered from yet.  Maybe I’ve just been in this sport too long and it’s time to step down from racing at the elite level.  Well folks… none of that was it!! I came home from training camp at the end of February feeling strong and motivated to stay that way and I looked at myself and thought “Hmm, I’m not as lean as I should be…”  My stomach felt bloated all the time after camp and I said to my girlfriend, “I think I’m sensitive to wheat or something, Al and I have been eating a lot of bagels since we got back from Florida.”  She says “Could you be pregnant?”  I said No… and then I took a test.  And it was positive.

We are having a baby!  Parker will be getting a human brother or sister sometime in the middle of September 2016.

Wow.  In a snap of the finger I went from professional triathlete heading into a new season and feeling positive to a pregnant person wondering how to stay motivated to exercise for general health and fitness.

I want to be clear here – I’m happy about this baby.  It wasn’t planned and shouldn’t have been able to happen at all.  It’s a small miracle really.  We wanted it one day in the near future, it came a little early but that’s okay.  I expected it to be hard to get pregnant, at my age, Al’s age, and with my sport background.  So really we are lucky it happened as it did.  But I don’t want to pretend that the physical and emotional changes that come with it aren’t difficult to deal with.  I am a pretty calm person overall.  And in general I feel I am pretty good and dealing with the punches and whatever challenges life delivers.

The first day after I found this out was a Saturday.  Typically on Saturday’s I get up and get on a bicycle for a few to a lot of hours.  Instead I opened my eyes and just laid there.  What was I going to do?  Getting up and sitting on my bike in the basement for the 4-5 hours that were in my training schedule wasn’t at the top of my list.  There wasn’t a race goal anymore.  There was no specific goal to focus on.  So I stayed there for a while and then I got up and made pancakes.   I can’t remember what the rest of that day looked like but I know I didn’t exercise.  I didn’t exercise the day after either.  The first little while was about dealing with the changes, thinking about life and making some very different new goals – short term and long term.

Since then, I’ve gotten myself together and am happily going to the gym most days of the week for an hour or so to strength train, elliptical or spin.  If I’m tired, I don’t go or I cut it short.  Often I will show up with big plans and once I get going I just want to sit down.  I have to admit that a few times I have driven to the gym only to take a nap in my car before dragging myself in there, if I get in there at all.  I sometimes think back to that time when I was training and racing as a pro ironman athlete… and then I laugh and realize that was only 6 weeks ago and I have no idea how I was doing it.  Most of the time I have been feeling good and positive about what is happening and okay about the changes my body is going through, because I know it’s because a baby is growing inside me and the changes my body goes through are healthy for the baby.  But for someone who is used to constantly trying to get lean, constantly training to the extreme to perform at ironman racing, and someone with a history of nutrition and body image issues, it is difficult sometimes.  Aside from the physical changes it’s also hard emotionally.  Pregnancy brings with it lots of changes in hormones which can mess with your emotional stability!  Overall I feel that I have been fairly even keel, but there have definitely been times that I experience huge amounts of anxiety and a low mood and feel like I could start crying at any moment.  The good news now is that I know why and can just breathe and realize that there is a reason I feel this way and it will eventually pass.

So what’s happening with training and racing?  Well, I’m taking this year off of doing this for myself and putting it all into helping my own coached athletes at CL Performance Training (www.CLPerformanceTraining.com) train and perform at their best.  I may not race elite again in the sport but I’m okay with that and excited to make myself into the best mom possible and put even more energy into my business and being the best Chiropractor, Run and Triathlon Coach I can be.  This summer I will be around the races as a professional cheering squad!  I look forward to seeing you out on the race courses.

Stay connected with this site as well as www.CLPerformanceTraining.com to get updates on events that we have planned.  Coming soon is a training camp in Mt Tremblant, a big training weekend in Muskoka and a bike maintenance and swim clinic.  There is a link to sign up for CLPT newsletter on the website if you are interested.

Until next time…

Cindy