Krupok Bolet: Still Queen of the Shuffle?

“Has it made a long term difference to how you run or have you slipped back into shuffling?”

This question was posed on my blog today by an anonymous reader. Thank you for your comment, whoever you are. Sorry I can’t respond personally (though I’m guessing you are most probably a family member or an old friend who’s forced to read my blog?!) Regardless, I LOVE knowing that someone is checking up on my progress - it makes me even more determined not to let you, OR for that matter, me down. So please do keep leaving me your comments brilliant blog followers. ADORE YOU ALL, ADORE ALL YOUR COMMENTS.

So today’s post is dedicated to you – lovely inquisitive anon and your conundrum – which I have to admit couldn’t have been better timed.

Today was the day I jumped onto a supersonic speed treadmill in the first of my six Running School sessions. FYI: this simple manoeuvre is really not as simple as people make it look. Particularly as the first four times I attempted it, although I was meant to start running with my left leg as that was first on – physiologically my body refused to begin running until my right leg kicked off (I am through and through right handed at everything – evidently this unconsciously extends to running). This caused a few too many hair raising seconds as I kept having to right myself with seconds to spare. Mercifully fifth time on – {Just as I was about to quit the Running School as the feeling of total dread in the pit of my stomach was getting too intense with each failed attempt. That plus I was starting to completely freak out that if I couldn’t even get onto the treadmill I would never even get close to mastering any of these tricky running techniques they would be showing me.} – I got it. PHEW.

So the interval running started – 1min on – quick recovery then back on the treadmill (going from 8mph to zero mph in a second is another totally surreal motion and a whole other story! Let’s just say I now know how crash test dummies feel!) These short intervals don’t sound like much but keeping up a new exaggerated way of running at a pace faster than I typically even sprint for even just 40-60 seconds at a time, took A LOT of sweat (and internal tears) – believe me!

First priority was practising picking up my heels sufficiently high then following the motion forward only slightly with my knee. Typically your heels should go higher than you would think is decent/ reasonable. On the treadmill adjacent – a pro runner had her heels touching her butt each and every step as she ran. So no you can’t go too high! And yes having her there did raise the bar on me even just getting my heels consistently to knee height! But I managed it – but those 60 seconds felt like an ageeeeeeeeeeee.

Next challenge was the arm motion – ideally your fist should come parallel to shoulder height then back to your hip with your elbow pointing straight out behind at 90 degrees. Simple-ish. That is until you attempt to jump onto a speeding treadmill and then try to put legs and arms together. But I got there – well near enough there for my first session.

This week's homework is as follows:

1. Keep attempting those 1 min running intervals and reverting back to my shuffle style running as my “rest periods” – Superchick training will be perfect practise for this.

2. Focus on picking up my right heel more as it’s a bit lazier than my left heel.

3. Drive my left arm more as it’s apparently lazier than my right arm.

4. Relax my shoulders whilst I’m driving my arms.

{Clearly my body coordination is whack!}

5. Also I have two more stretches to add to my daily SuperChick stretches. These should help strengthen my glutes. Finally my purple fitball from SimplyHealth’s charity fitball bonanza in Trafalgar Square in March this year is coming in handy:

Essentially a squat – start with fitball raised above head – squat – i.e. bend zee knees and stick your bum out without dropping your chest. Simultaneously bring the fitball down to chest height (keeping your arms straight) then holding the squat, lower your arms so the ball touches your knees. Return to standing and repeat 9 times.

Another squat – this time hold the fitball out above the left side of your head and as you squat – bring the fitball diagonally in front of you until it’s knee level on your right side. (Keeping your arms straight and taking care not to transfer your weight from left to right whilst you do this). Stand up from the squat – returning the ball diagonally to above the left side of your head and repeat 9 times. Then swap the fitball to the right side above your head and squat bringing the ball to knee level on your left side- do this 10 times and you’re done. YAY.