Runningmonkeys

Everyone is looking for ways to achieve their goals faster.  If your goal is to increase your running speed, then this may be your answer.
There are only two possible ways to increase the speed that you travel at:

Travel further in each step
Take more steps per minute

Pretty simple stuff really.
The first is dangerous and difficult to achieve.  […]

[Read more →]

This is officially the rainy season here in my part of Japan.  That means moderate to hot temperatures with very high humidity.  On some days the humidity is so severe that it is difficult to tell when it has actually started raining.  I continue to sweat for about an hour after running and there is […]

[Read more →]

The Pose Method of Running is designed to make me run faster.  Gradually it is achieving this.
The VDOT concept (by Jack Daniels) is  designed to compare running intensities.  It does this by allocating a number on a scale to a group of comparable finish times (over different distances). 
What happens when these two principles meet?

[Read more →]

Today I realised another small milestone in the gradual process of mastering the Pose Method of Running.  This evening in the dark, hot and humid streets of downtown Tsukuba, I ran on my forefeet non-stop for 8 kilometres. 
This mightn’t sound too exciting to you, but believe me I am excited.  Over the last few weeks […]

[Read more →]

Evelyn at Homespun Honolulu has written a very balanced review of the 1st Annual Hibiscus Half Marathon in Honolulu.  Her report is a mixture of satisfaction and constructive criticism (check it out for yourself). 
This got me thinking about what a really good race looks like.

[Read more →]

What makes a running habit stick?
Time - As with any habit it is the time that we spend doing it (how long we do it for) that locks in the habit
Intensity - It is how vivid the experience, and how much an impact it makes on us that locks in the habit
Complementary factors - It […]

[Read more →]

There are plenty of factors which determine how fast we can run.  Some are under our control and some seem like they are not.  A lot of people believe that the race you were born into is the penultimate determining factor.  More specifically, there is a lot of noise going around running circles that indicates that you […]

[Read more →]

I love running shoes.  I think it is the whole association thing, but just the thought of running shoes makes me happy.  Does that sound weird to you, or am I not alone?
Anyhow there is a new kid in town in the world of running shoes and they have bought with them a whole new […]

[Read more →]

There is only one way to make achieving your goals 100% certain. 
It is really very simple.   It doesn’t involve clever psychology or superhuman determination.  It doesn’t depend on timing, or strength.  It doesn’t even matter if you really want to achieve the goal, all that badly. 

[Read more →]

When something becomes an obstacle to my running, it really makes me think “what is most important to me?”  If the obstacle is small then I kick it over because my running is more important.  Other times the obstacle is big or important.  Sometimes, then, I yield to the obstacle.

[Read more →]