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Kenyan Marathon Training in Kansas

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Can a marathon runner from Kansas City train like a Kenyan?

         Here are some tips for that cultural transition:

 Workout Recovery 

  • Do extra slow warm ups
  • Do extra slow cool downs
  • Do extra slow recovery runs

 Diet and Rest

  • Eat local fresh food
  • Sleep 10 hours per night
  • Nap 1-2 hours per day
  • Spend lots of time off-feet

 Live Simply with No Distraction

  • No TV, internet, cell phones or technology
  • Read or go for walks
  • De-clutter your mind

Train in Tough Conditions

  • Run on soft ground for strength, flexibility and efficiency
  • Overdress in extra layers of under clothes, also wear baggy clothes and heavier shoes

Mental Outlook

  • Believe you can win and a break world record
  • Don’t limit yourself; dream big
  • Don’t complain about life or a workout

Training

  • Listen to your body, back off if you are tired or something hurts
  • Otherwise work hard, increase intensity or duration to point of exhaustion
  • Practice block training: build up for 3-4 months, then completely rest for 2-6 weeks before starting next block
  • Train in groups – ‘iron sharpens iron’
  • Do lots of lower leg drills and stretching with little to no upper body, do some basic core work
  • Add uphill running drill with resistance band 1-2 times a week. 
  • Take Sunday off for studying the Bible, going to church and completely rest

Workouts

  • Run up hills and stride back down
  • Do tempo runs: conservative start, pick up pace to finish at fast pace
  • Do ‘Fartlek runs’ (Swedish for ‘speed play’) http://runners-resource.com/training/fartlek/
  • Do interval workouts, adding repeats
  • Do periodic long runs at a progressive marathon pace
  • Do two runs per day with a recovery run

Kenyan’s Stance on Shoes

  • They go barefoot by necessity, not by choice. 
  • Those in Kenya will wear ANY pair of shoes without complaining, preferring shoes to going barefoot.
  • Those who have run outside Kenya prefer a simple, lightweight trainer given their well-developed feet.

For more details, read:  http://www.runnersedgekc.com/pdf/how_to_train_like_the_kenyans.pdf

Photo source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/sports/iten-a-kenyan-town-made-for-marathoners.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

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The Feet of the Torah

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‘Simchat Torah’ is an exuberant dance performed while holding the Torah wrapped in its mantle.  The Torah wants to dance but as it has no feet; a Jew must become ‘the feet of the Torah’. 

Think of it this way:

“The foot is utterly nullified to the will of the brain, as we can see from the fact that a person’s thought-impulse to move his foot is instantly obeyed. A foot that does not heed the command of the brain is not healthy.

Similarly the dancing of Simchat Torah expresses complete acceptance of the Heavenly yoke and submission… the Torah’s commands are fulfilled without hesitation or deliberation.”  (Likkutei Sichot, vol. 4, p. 1169)

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/template_cdo/aid/4538/jewish/The-Feet-of-the-Torah.htm

Each week in synagogues around the world, a portion of the Torah is chanted. Over the course of a year, the entire Torah is recited.  The final reading of this cycle occurs on Simchat Torah, a Rabbinical festival celebrating both the completion of the Torah’s reading cycle and the start of the new cycle.

 http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Simchat_Torah/simchat_torah.html