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Running with Christopher McDougall, Author of Born to Run
As a ChiRunning® Instructor, mid-foot and barefoot running as always been very important in my running practice. You can look around this site and find all sorts of videos where I talk about the benefits of mid-foot running. Now go run barefoot and you will quickly learn that barefoot running is mid foot running. You will eventually stop heel striking. So, meeting Born to Run author, Christopher McDougall was a big deal for me.
Born to Run, soon to become a major motion picture, is one of my favorite books. I have the unabridged audio versions and I listen to random chapters all the time. Why? Because it reminds me of so many focuses in my own running.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012, I got the chance to run with McDougall. I had interviewed him in February 2010 at the LA Marathon Expo but didn’t run with him then. The run was great. A gorgeous evening in Agoura Hills. We had a 3 or 6 mile choice. Almost everyone opted for 6 miles. McDougall is a really cool guy. He took time to run with and talk to each one of us. At the end of the run we went to the The Lab Brewery for some beers.
Like runners do, we shared stories and planned future runs. In fact McDougall was supposed to run with some of us Friday morning. But, Micah True, otherwise known as Caballo Blanco had been missing for a couple of days and McDougall was starting to worry. If you read Born to Run Caballo could go missing for a few days and you normally wouldn’t worry but this time felt different. Many of you know the rest of Caballo story. He was found dead Friday.
Everyone I knew was bummed out. Even though we didn’t know Caballo we felt we did from McDougall’s book. So this video sat on my computer. Well, this Saturday is the Born to Run Ultra in Los Olivos, CA. I have some friends running it. I would be too but I am already committed to the Palos Verdes and Pasdena Half Marathons this weekend. I felt this was the time to put this video together and remembering what a great night we had that Wednesday.
Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Occasional Barefoot Runner
Since I am racing the Wildflower Triathlon Long Course this weekend I wanted to post a video with tips for running up hills. Wildflower is considered one of the tougher half ironman courses. The run portion is almost all up … Continue reading
Here’s a quick video on the benefits of a mid-foot strike while running vs heel-striking. As a Newton Natural Running and ChiRunning® certified coach, I’ve been mid-foot running for the past seven years and it has made a big difference … Continue reading
This is one of my favorite pre-race articles written by Sole Runner Coach, Gary Smith. Gary is overseas traveling and running in Asia. Enjoy, Coach Steve The Body is Just a Vehicle by Coach Gary Smith According to Eastern … Continue reading
RACE DAY CHECKLIST Printable pdf Click on the Picture Above Before the race – before the race expo — Get your stuff together and see what you’ve got. Go through all your stuff, check it off the list (use the … Continue reading
Every Race Brings a New Experience I remember training for my first marathon. I signed up thinking that 26.2 miles really wasn’t that far. I had done long backpack trips with a pack on. I was in decent … Continue reading
Ready to Race I tend to save this note until the last weeks of each season. It is about something that affects all of us, and it can help or hinder your race day performance. It is the notorious PRP … Continue reading
Turkey Day Trail Run 15k in Topanga, CA
2011 05
Watch Running Coach Steve Mackel run while shooting this video of the Topanga Turkey Trot and try not dd it to your list of must do races in 2012. It is part of the Xterra series produced by Generic Events. … Continue reading
In this video I show you how to do the ChiRunning® Body Looseners along with four Dynamic Warm-up exercises for runners. Exercise physiologists and sports doctors showed me these exercises over the years and I have incorporated them into my … Continue reading
Camping at Havasupai Falls – August 2011
2011 09
I talk a lot about cross-training but not enough about getting back to nature. Our camping trip to Havasupai, the Havasupai Falls and west end of the Grand Canyon was as expected, spectacular both cross-training and getting back to nature. … Continue reading
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Meet the Coaches
Steve Mackel
Born a runner but really picked up distance running in the late 90′s, when he started competing in triathlons. Read more
Gary Smith
I have been running for about 20 years and doing marathons for the last five years.
