The wheels on the plan go round and round...

Round and round, round and round...   The wheels on the 5k a day challenge and my general training plan fell off the cart this week.  Kind of unusual because I can't remember ever having a time where I went off plan and did nothing for more than a day.  This week has been INSANE at the store meaning I worked 12+ hour days all week.  As you might recall since I quit my full time job in May, I have been blessed with a part time work schedule so I really can't complain about the hours around Christmas (it has actually been kind of fun).  It sure did put a dent in my ability to get any kind of workouts done much less laundry or any other household chores.  Not overly stressed about it as I can't change anything so am just going to roll with it and hope for the best.  It probably means that the Disney Marathon will become less of a chance at a PR and more of a fun run since I missed a key long run this weekend but if you are going to do a run for the sake of running it might as well be at Disney :)    Work-wise I think we have one more week of crowds and then should be back to normal!

With all that said, shall we talk about what I *did* do this week (besides work...)?  Last Saturday, my team had a run clinic with Kyle O'Day from Continuum Sport Solutions.  He showed us some pre-run drills and then had us practice running form after giving us a few tips.  He was only able to sort of hit a few basics in the time alotted but it was enough to get us started and make us want to beg him to come back for more at another time.  I have never had any sort of coaching so it was nice to have someone watch me run and give a few pointers.

Some basics from the day...

1.  Warm up drills.  We were given a series of warm up drills such as walking lunges, high knees, knee hugs and that sort of thing.  He said that the long stretches where you hold a pose for several seconds don't really serve a purpose before a run but are more for afterwards as part of your cool down.

2.  Running form!  Who doesn't need help with this one?  His main point was that you should try and run tall. If you are working on form, make sure your core is right first and then you can progress to looking at arms and legs to tweak your form.  By running tall, it is sort of the same thing you might hear in a yoga class.  Imagine a string coming out of the top of your head and someone pulling you up by it).  Don't lean forward or backward, just keep your core straight.

Head - Keep it up and eyes looking straight ahead 20 or so feet into the distance.  If you need to look where you are stepping, just glance down with your eyes without moving your head.
     
Arms - Should be bent and should swing between your heart and your hip bone (up and down, not across your body).  Hands should be in a loose fist with thumbs on top.  (not only does this make it easy to give the photographer a thumbs up but also will help you avoid shoulder issues).  I read a quote from Chrissie Wellington this week that you should imagine yourself carrying an egg in your hand as you run.
     
Feet - Your foot motion should be sort of an oval and you should focus on the front part of the revolution.  If you find yourself shuffling your feet, think about bringing your knee up higher for a better foot strike (not like a crazy high stepper but just an inch or so as if you were stepping over a bar).  You don't need to worry about kicking your foot back behind you as the more important part of the revolution is in the front.  

Now go and be a faster runner!  :)    Let's be real, that is a lot of focus on but if you focus on it for a few minutes during your run, it will be habit before you know it!

In other random news of the week, we had a Christmas party on Tuesday followed by people bringing us random snacks all week so I am pretty much cookie-d out.  I threw out a variety of sweets and treats last night.  

Have you all heard of PV Body?  I had seen a few bloggers post about it and it seemed like a pretty sweet deal.  $39.95 for a new running outfit each month (I think it is has now gone up to $49.95).  Seemed pretty sweet so I thought I would give it a try for a month.  Admittedly, I was skeptical of what I might receive.  Some of the posters who had received products in advance had received lululemon products so I was expecting something of that quality.  For those who know me, I typically wear a lot of black to workout in.  The occasional colored top but mostly black and subdued.  It is just easier and apparently I like to blend into the background.  The survey they had me fill out wasn't all that in depth although I think it has since changed.  I was concerned.  It took over a month to get my outfit.  Here is what I got.  L.O.L.  Yeah, so not me.... unless I take up Zumba.  Until then, it is going back.  :)