Met the team at Palo Parkway 20 minute warm up, stretching, strides 15 minutes at half marathon effort (5:40 pace) 3 minute jog 3X4 minutes with 2 minute jog in between (5:36, 5:38, 5:26 pace) The last one was slight downhill and was also designed to be faster the last two minutes to simulate a race finish. The group was big and fun this morning. Jeff led the group as the De Reucks are in Florida for USATF meetings. Richey (our ART guy) was out running with the group today after a few months hiatus and I REALLY appreciated his observation and analysis of my form as well as his generous willingness to do some Graston scraping on my hip and achilles after the workout. He noticed that when I run fast my left foot angles outwards while my right foot stays straight. He thought it meant that I either have some weakness in my left adductor, a really tight left glut/hip/or hamstring, or just a simple form flaw. Whatever it is, I'm going to work towards correcting it, starting with strengthening my left adductor with pulley exercises in the gym. I am well aware that my left hip and adductor are less flexible than my right and its been that way as long as I can remember. Back in college I almost exclusively hurdled the Steeplechase barriers with my left leg out in front because I could get my right hip into that 85 degree angle position much easier and not have to jump as high to clear the barrier. When I was forced to jump right leg out in front to avoid stagger stepping it, I felt more taxed and awkward because my left leg wasn't as flexible and I had to jump higher to clear the barrier. So what can I do to make my hips equally flexible? Yoga? Steeplechase drills? Walk over low hurdles? Pulley exercises? All of the above? Time to get to work.
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