Learn how to run? That’s silly. Running is something you just do. Right? It’s not like swimming or riding a bike.

To some extent, yes. Although as a child, it did take you some time to learn how to crawl, then stand-up and balance and finally, to get those feet moving in a walk.

Even though you’ve been running since you were a kid, running efficiently and running comfortably while minimizing your chances of getting injured is something that many people need to be taught.

Fortunately, running better isn’t a difficult thing to learn. And thanks to our good friends at Altra we give you these fours steps to better running.

Watch how all this is done.

• Balanced Forward Posture
• Compact Arm Swing
• Proper Foot Strike
• High Cadence

Come by our stores anytime (that we’re open) and let us know what questions you have. We’ll be happy to talk to you about proper running technique and form as well as the best shoes for your foot type and running style, terrain and goals. And if the shoe that fits happens to be Altra, so be it.

Heck, we’ll even help you do this stuff if you join us on some group runs from our downtown store (833 N. Tejon). We’re into that kind of thing.

• Wednesday nights at 6 p.m.
• Friday mornings at 7 a.m.
• Saturday mornings at 7:30 a.m.

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This past wednesday I took a bit of a risk and jumped my long run distance up by ten miles. I have a 50 mile race coming up, and although it might seem unorthodox to do this long of a run prior to race day, for me it is a matter of confidence. If I can run 40, I know I can make it 10 more.

But back to the trails. For this run I got to hit up some great mountain trails just west of Colorado Springs. I went through the Garden of the Gods, caught Rampart Range Road up to the Williams Canyon turn off, added on the Waldo Canyon Loop, then met up with some friends for a loop of Red Rocks and Section 16. Here is the map for anyone interested in trying out some of the trails: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/169798632#. Once again my garmin lost signal a few times so the map is actually 2.25 miles short of the true route.

This is the standard view on Rampart Range Road. I normally get washed over with dust on the weekends, but today was a pleasant vehicle free morning run up the road.

The climb up Rampart is always a good one, not too steep but pretty solid the whole time. It also offers up some great views of the city and the mountains to the south of Manitou.

At just under 8000 feet I reached to Williams Canyon turn off. This small trail starts just past a radio tower. I find it to be one of the more rocky and technical trails in the area, but if you can get past that it also gives you some of the most striking views of any trail around.

About halfway down the Williams Canyon Trail there’s another turn off to the west. This connection will take you up a short single track where you can then catch the Waldo Canyon Loop. Waldo is one of the more popular loop trails in the area so I always try to run it on weekdays when I don’t have to worry about passing hikers on the narrow trail.

After finishing up the waldo loop and heading back down Williams I cut back through Manitou to meet up with fellow runners Dan Kraft and Peter Maksimow, they agreed to keep me company while the miles piled up in my legs.

We took a circuitous route through Red Rocks in order to catch the Paul Intemann Memorial trail. I’ve always been a big fan of the trails in Red Rocks. It’s really fun to wind through all of the big red stones and deep valleys.

After running south on the Intemann trail the three of us took the steep route up the Palmer Red Rock loop.

For me the climb up that loop was final big effort. After that it was mainly smooth sailing down high drive and then back the way we came through Red Rocks.

Although this run is too long to do on a regular basis it did allow me to link up a lot of really great trails with barely any street running. And for anyone who hasn’t run in these areas hopefully these pictures will be enough to entice you to check them out. If you have any other questions about the trails I ran on this week’s long run feel free to stop by the Tejon store. I’m always game to talk trails.

I’ve signed up for the Pikes Peak Marathon this year, which I think is a good idea. In order to get a jump start on training for the Peak I tried to follow the marathon course on this long run. For those of you who don’t know, the Pikes Peak Marathon course is pretty much just an out and back to the 14115 foot summit, starting from memorial park and ending right by the Mate Factor on Manitou Ave. Here’s my route: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/163958451. Once again I had a bit of an issue with my Garmin loosing signal, so the distance isn’t quite right.

Barr trail might be one of the most popular trails in the area, but for most people it’s only the way to get down off the incline. For that reason starting at 11 am on a Sunday morning might not have been the best idea. Sure I got some great views and amazing weather, but I also got some not so great views (namely JT).

After weaving my way through the W’s I got a bit of relief on the first few flat sections of the trail. I also like to take my first gel during this section. It’s a nice place to take in the view of Cameron’s Cone and the first few brief glimpses of the summit.

After getting past No Name creek and the little steep section just beyond it I was treated to some more flat areas before arriving at Barr camp. Even up until this point there was no noticeable snow.

After Barr camp I was greeted by the first sections of snow on the trail. The three miles after Barr camp are always my least favorite.

I’m not sure why, but they are. And this time I had to deal with long stretches of snow, luckily the warm weather has given them a nice soft crust to run on. It didn’t really slow me down too much.

After climbing out of the dreaded final tree section my view of top was a sight for sore eyes. It also proved to be much less snow filled, at least for the first mile above timberline.

Once I passed the 2 miles to go sign, things got a lot slower. This picture gives you a good idea of what the trail was like. It was about 50/50 runable trail versus shin slicing post holing. I managed to move along fairly quick, but any time I hit the post holing sections I was forced to walk.

I kept on going despite my slowness. The last mile was especially treacherous, with the 16 Golden Stairs turning into a kind of ice staircase.

I made it! It’s always great to make a quick stop to get some more water, or donuts if you’r so inclined, and take in the surroundings.  At least it’s fun until the next train full of people shows up.

The way back down was much of the same, except faster. I took a few spills on the snow, but not much more then a bit of butt glissading.

By the time I got back down past the W’s and onto the pavement my quads were feeling it. I try to think of other things, like the wonderful assortment of beer I might have when I get home.

And finally, after about a 4:43 Pikes Peak marathon, I returned home. The sight of Olga, my van, has never been sweeter. It’s amazing to think that this run is even possible in a day. I am used to seeing Pikes as a part of the horizon but very rarely do I think of it as being something that I can reach the top of and return in just one day. I guess it’s just another reason why living in this part of the world is so amazing.

Once again I have the garmin data to share or those who are interested in repeating a similar loop: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/160692705. Depending on which way you go through the Garden of the Gods you can add or subtract at least a mile or two. On this run I took the long way.

The snow has left the Garden these days. The only issue for runners now is avoiding tourists and horse trains. But seriously who can blame them? When you can get to this kind of stuff from your front door who wouldn’t take advantage of it.

For me the garden was the first stop on this long run. If you’re starting from the downtown area you would hitting this area around the 7 mile mark. After my jaunt through the rocks I made my way through the balance rock exit and down to Manitou in order to catch the long but gentle climb up Crystal Park Rd.

I always do this loop counter clockwise to avoid having to run down the longest paved stretch of the loop, which is of course the section of Crystal Park Road. On this occasion I even got a bit of a rest when I stopped by to pick up my Inov8 team member Peter Maksimow from his house. We continued up the rest of the road before turning off on the Intemann trail southwards.

Even though Peter and I started to gain some elevation on the surprisingly technical Intemann trail there was still no snow to slow us down. The warm weather as of late and the lack of precipitation has left the mountains dry and dusty.

From the Intemann trail Peter and I headed through the section 16 area, added on a small loop of the newly created “Stephanie’s Trail” then started the quick descent into Bear Creek and the city. This picture is a good representation of what Bear Creek is- the boundary line between urban and wild landscapes.

Here the route took us full force into the city. Fortunately this section is also the flattest and fastest section of the loop.

My old starting place, the fields and apartments of wonderful Colorado College. If someone were to start at the Colorado Running Company this would be your first landmark.

From Monument Valley Park I like to cut though Sonderman Park. This small park, just west of the creek on Fontanero Blvd, is a trail runner’s dream. It’s close to downtown and yet it has some of the steepest, rockiest trails you can find. I highly recommend heading over to this area any time you’re looking for some hills and solitude.

For me, this was the final view of the run, but if you’re coming from the Colorado Running Company downtown this would be your gateway to the garden and the rest of the run.

Back in the day, when I did the loop for the first time, I didn’t bring anything with me. These days I like to carry my hand held water bottle and a couple gels mixed with some water in my flask. I’ve found this set up to be pretty ideal for long runs. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, it doesn’t bounce around, and yet it helps me keep the pace strong. Just like all of the stuff I use on my runs, these two little essentials are always in stock at the CRC.

As for next week, we’ll see where the trails take me, but rest assured I’ll have some sort of new route for anyone out there to try out.

A few weeks and a lot of questions later I stuffed a camera into my shorts and went out for a run in the mountains. This week’s long run took me on a few of my favorite trails in the Bear Creek Canyon area.

Here’s my trusty (?) Garmin Forerunner 210’s data from the run (it timed out for the a bit of the palmer trail):

The climb through red rocks is looking pretty dry these days. Not even the sticky mud out there to slow me down.

That’s where I’m headed for the first big climb!

The newly opened trail through “the white area” is bone dry.

The lower bits of section 16 look like they could have been summer time.

After a thousand feet of climbing I started to hit a little bit of snow on the Palmer Red Rock loop.

The view from the top of the loop. Across the canyon is high drive, my eventual descent. It’s beautiful but daunting. The rest of the loop stayed pretty dry and I was able pick up the pace. It seems like the Red Rock loop is always a safe bet in the winter time. I like to go up the steep way and down the more gradual section in the off chance that there is ice on the trail. I’m always thinking about my safety when it comes to trail running…

My next big climb is one of my favorites, the 666 trail. Although there is a lot of ice on the lower sections of the trail right now the higher areas are clear enough to run almost uninterrupted.

Here’s one of the interruptions. A steady foot is needed to avoid a tumble into the valley below.

Another place worth stopping: the high point of my run on the Cap’n Jacks trail. Both Cap’n Jacks and the Mt. Buckhorn Trail are currently in really good shape. The Mt Buckhorn descent to goldcamp road was dry and fast.

The upper parking lot of Cheyenne Canyon, as seen from the Mt. Buckhorn Trail. Almost looks like summer, if you ignore the snow in the shadows.

The final climb up and over high drive was surprisingly good. There were a few snowy and muddy patches but nothing my Inov8 X-Talons (available at the CRC) couldn’t handle. I chose this loop because of it’s accessibility in winter time. I feel like Colorado Springs is one of the few places where runners can be on dry trails in big mountains year round. I had to alter my route a little bit because of the snow, but as the 4000 feet of climbing can attest, it didn’t stop me from hitting some great trail running. Next time you’re in the Cheyenne Canyon/Bear Creek Canyon area make sure to hit up some of these iconic Colorado Springs trails. I’ll let you know what kind of condition they’re in next week.

Have you always wanted to get into running? Or maybe you used to run, but the last time you did a 5K, Pikes Peak was just a sandy beach on some prehistoric ocean.

The Colorado Running Company wants to help you get started (or start back up), with our Couch to 5K Training Team!

We’ll have group runs, information clinics, and a discount shoe night to get you started off on the right foot (pun intended). Our program will finish with the Take 5 In The Garden of the Gods, Saturday, May 5.

The 411

Weekly Group Runs: Wednesday nights @ 6:00PM, Saturday mornings @ 7:30AM

Sign-Up Deadline & Training Start: March 1, 2012

Race Date: May 5, 2012 (8-week training program)

Early Bird Registration: $40, Feb 1 – 22, check or cash

Registration Fee: $50, Feb 23 – Mar 1

What’s included:

• A technical CRC Couch to 5K Training Team shirt.
• A training program tailored to where you are at with your running.
• Access to team activities (group runs, gait clinics, etc.)
• Exclusive Discount Night at CRC.

Registration does not include the cost of registration to the Take 5 In The Garden of the Gods. More information about the race can be found at http://take5inthegarden.eventbrite.com/.

To register, you can do so online by clicking here, or download the form, fill it out, and bring it to either CRC location.

A few months ago, I ran The Pikes Peak Ascent, and for those of you who don’t know, that’s a grueling half marathon from Manitou Springs, all the way up Barr Trail to the summit of Pikes Peak. Just over 13 miles of “running”, gaining 7,815 feet and ending up at just over 14,000 feet of elevation, where oxygen is as rare as birth control in the Duggar family.

Overall, I had a fantastic day, and most runners would agree that the race staff and volunteers put on one of the finest endurance events in the world.

I finished. But I finished in the bottom 10. 6 hours, 24 minutes and some change.

“The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare.” - Juma Ikangaa

Now, don’t get me wrong. Just finishing this race is something of an accomplishment. Most people take upwards of 8 hours or more to travel up Barr Trail. And I passed (and was passed by) several people with hearts of steel that wouldn’t let them stop when that’s all their bodies begged them to do. So, I’m proud of finishing, yes…

…but I’m not satisfied. Everyone has their own level of fitness, their own level of health, and their own level of ability. The beauty of this crazy sport we call running is that personal challenge – that quest to improve ourselves and do better, always using our past successes (and failures) as benchmarks. I did not live up to my personal level of ability. I didn’t even come close to my own PR!

I succeeded at finishing the race. I failed at preparing for it. I simply did not perform at my best because I did not prepare at my best. And as Juma Ikangaa famously said, “The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare.”

I was complaining about this fact to John, manager of The Colorado Running Company, and he nodded his head understandingly. John coaches some of the most prolific Pikes Peak runners in the world. Hell, he’s married to one of the most successful female runners Pikes Peak has ever seen. The Colorado Running Company even maintains a 2-mile stretch of our beloved Barr Trail, and John sits on the committee that puts on the Barr Trail Mountain Race (BTMR). If anyone understands what it takes to compete on that field, it’s John.

I proceeded to tell him that if I’d just taken training more seriously, I wouldn’t have had such a terrible trip up the mountain. After nodding,John looked at me and said, “You know what? I dare you.”

“Dare me to what?”

“I dare you to take it seriously this year. Instead of just talking about it, actually train for it.”

This intrigued me, because I thought I’d considered this before. I mean, I’ve been running on Pikes Peak for years, and I signed up for the race this year, right? But when the words left his mouth, I realized that I hadn’t trained. Not really. I’d sold myself short, and my finish time reflected that.

So I asked John if he’d like to make this interesting. If I take training seriously this year, and take John up on his dare, would he give $10 for every minute I am under 5 hours in 2012 to Friends of the Peak? (a local non-profit organization dedicated to Pikes Peak and its preservation) I thought that this might be an easy sell, since CRC and the BTMR already contribute financially and in other ways to Friends of the Peak.

Much to my annoyance, he took me up on it.

Over the next 8 months, I’m going to train. Not just for the race, but I’m going to work on improving my health, fitness, and overall mental outlook through running on America’s Mountain. I’m going to take training seriously, approaching it with intensity (and with intelligence…no point in hurting myself, because then how much money could I earn for charity?), and I’m going to see just how far under 5 hours I can get in one year.

And just to make the pot even more sweet, if I fail to prepare, for every minute OVER 5 hours, I’m personally going to give $10 to Friends of the Peak.

Oh, and I’m going to blog about my progress here at CoRunCo.com. If you’d like to keep up (or, you know, help me figure this out), visit here or like us on Facebook. So I’m not just going to aim for an ambitious goal, I’m going to let anyone who visits this website watch: whether I rock it…or fall flat on my face.

So here’s to another exciting year on my running adventure, and to making John dig deep…into his pockets!

C’mon…who didn’t think this was one of the FUNNIEST THINGS EVER around the age of 8 or 9? Who still thinks it is? You’re in good company; there are many who would argue that a good pun never goes out of style. But in all seriousness, is there a better pairing than cheese and salty, carb-y deliciousness as a reward for a great run? Salsa Brava dares you to try it and find out. And, of course, we’ll understand if it takes you several trials before you can make a clear evaluation…

The club kickoff is tonight, Wednesday, July 13th at 6pm at the Rockrimmon location. If you hurry, you can still make it! Your choice of a 5k run around Hp or through the Ute Valley…and chase that with Salsa’s special runner’s menu…the all important rehydration process can be helped along by $3 Fat Tire drafts. There will also be prizes and giveaways from Fat Tire and the Colorado Running Company. And if you thought this couldn’t get any better, the first 50 runners to show up will get a t-shirt from Fat Tire!

These runs will be weekly. Tuesdays at 6pm at the Briargate location and Wednesdays at 6pm at Rockrimmon. Hope to see you there!

(click here for addresses/directions.)

In response, the forensic psychiatrist Dr. Huang casually says one of the best things I’ve ever heard.

“Well, there’s always moderation.”
There is no perfect running style or perfect running shoe. But there’s probably a running style and running shoe that’s perfect for you.
Some barefoot entusiasts would have you believe that wearing barefoot-style or minimalist shoes is the only way to run. That not striking mid-foot or on your forefoot is detrimental to your health, makes you grow hair on your knees, and forces women and children into sweat shops the world entire.

And even though the running shoe industry is starting to embrace these trends (probably based entirely on demand), all you have to do is Google “barefoot running”, and you will find no shortage of heated debates wherein one party feels that the minimalism trend is a dangerous hippy fad that will only break people’s feet completely off and create an entirely new generation of runners for the Paralympic Games.

At CRC, we choose a balanced, informed approach to both running in minimalist shoes like the ubiquitous Vibram Five Fingers, and shoes that provide maximum stability like the Nike Structure. If you want a good discussion on the topic, stop by the store and ask anyone who’s working their position on the “barefoot running thing”.

I run longer distances, and a couple of years ago, I was in a shoe that was in the “motion control” vein, because I had an over-pronation issue. I was over-extending my stride, and the lack of stability in my heel was contributing to some serious arch collapse, and ultimately, injury. I was plagued with peroneal tendonitis, achilles pain, and ITB problems. Not all of this was caused by my over-pronation, but that certainly contributed to exacerbating the injuries.

So, I came to CRC (then a customer), and had someone check out my gait. As it turns out, I was over-supporting my foot, and this was causing some problems. A more neutral shoe was recommended, and I tried it out.

My injuries started dropping like flies.

I slowly switched to more minimalist shoes, with a flatter ride. I adjusted my gait to strike more mid-foot. Over time (it took me over a year to make these adjustments), my injuries improved drastically and my running efficiency even improved.

Did all of my injuries go away? No. I still get hurt from time to time, and I rehabilitate appropriately. Did I get faster? No, I actually got slower at first, and I’m working on speeding back up. Did I get in touch with my primal self? Yes, but that’s another topic for another time and has nothing to do with my shoes.

Currently, I run longer runs (15 – 20+ miles) in the Montrail Mountain Masochist, which provides me with a cushioned, stable ride that’s just right for my gait, my foot, and the distance I’m running. I run in the New Balance MT 101 for my mid-distance runs, and anything that’s 3 miles or shorter, I run in the New Balance Minimus Trail. This is the only “barefoot” shoe of the bunch, and yes, as a training tool it has indeed strengthened the muscles in my foot and ankles.

My point is this: There is no perfect running style or perfect running shoe. But there’s probably a running style and running shoe that’s perfect for you. Rather than just diving right in to the barefoot running trend, come by the store for a gait analysis. We’ll talk to you about the style of running you’re doing, how far your running, and we’ll analyze your gait. We’ll work with you to find the right shoe for you…and if you really want to break into the barefoot running thing, we’ll even tell you the right way to do that (that won’t result in a broken calcaneus/heel bone…yeah, it’s happened).

Come Run With Us

Have you always wanted to get into running? Or maybe you used to run, but the last time you did a 5K, Pikes Peak was just a sandy beach on some prehistoric ocean.

The Colorado Running Company wants to help you get started (or start back up), with our Couch to 5K Training Team!

We’ll have group runs, information clinics, and discounts on shoes and gear to get you started out right. Our program will finish with the 11th Annual Alex Hoag Run for Sunshine 5K on July 16, 2011.

Click here to download the application, and bring it in to either CRC location.