Randy, in his spare time, relaxing. 

Randy is one of the original athletes to start RUNSMART and he continues to get faster and faster. Recently he took on the 3M Half Marathon this past Saturday. 

Initially he was planning on running the whole thing with a weight vest and had been training as such incorporating a few 8+ mile runs with a vest on the weekends. However after seeing his speed in class we discussed ditching the weight vest and going for a PR….and HE DID…by a whole 9 minutes rolling in at 1:59 Which in a half marathon is alot! 

GREAT WORK RANDY! 

I’m convinced that we can get Randy to ~ 1:51 half marathon, which would place him in that magical 180 BPM cadence range. A little bit more specific work in that cadence range and just getting the mind set on it should do the trick. 

She graduate into the GGRX class that is!

Leah has been CrossFitting for about a year now and ~ 10 months of that has been at CrossFit Central.

One of my youngest athletes (19), Leah expressed interest from the start in competing and joining the “big kids” (my words) at GGRX - our program for advanced athletes.

Coming in with decent strength and a background in track, Leah understands intensity. Which is a double edged sword - especially with “raw” athletes who know how to 3.2.1.GO! …. this can lead to quickly unraveling into an injury if proper and safe form is not drilled and enforced. Daily. 

In addition to her 3/x week classes with me and Coach Flores, we did a few months of additional small group training to refine her general athleticism (smoother triple extension, not hyperextending in overhead positions, proper pacing etc. etc. ) and sharpen skills (kipping HSPU, DU, Muscle-up progression, Toes to bar etc. etc.).

Skills refined. Athleticism improved. A few competitions under her belt ….and now like a proud papa handing off his daughter to her husband (Hopefully this is by far the most hyperbole I will use today) I pass off Leah to Coach Winchester to study in the Outlaw Way at RedBlackGym. 

Leah “Coach Cianci” Cianci.  as she prefers to be called. moving through a TGU with ease. 

Are you looking to bridge the gap (I categorically refuse to say “take it to the next level”)  between indoor classes and GGRX like Leah?. Shoot me an email benjaminpalmer@crossfitcentral.com 

Full text from Lisa, an athlete from the first RUNSMART camp….

I set a goal for myself when I first started crossfit, a year and a half ago, that I would run all runs during every wod (including the warm-up). I wasn’t a runner, I never liked it and it physically hurt me. I thought the runs would just fix themselves through losing some weight, getting into shape and building strength - but still a year and a half later I found myself walking, still in pain and I dreaded the moment my coach said “400-meter run” and was only slightly happier when he said “200-meter run”. Despite my strong dislike for running, I knew I needed to fix this problem to improve my workouts. When I heard about the RunSmart Camp, I reluctantly signed up but knew I had to. I was the only person in class not training for an actual race but rather just training for a 400-meter run! Every week running got a little easier and I started feeling a lot better. I even started to enjoy myself. In 8 weeks I did something I didn’t think I was capable of- RUNNING! I set a huge PR and took an entire minute and a half off my mile and 30 seconds off my 400-meter run! I now run every run in the workouts and even look forward to them and I loved the program so much that I signed up for the RunSmarter class. 

Her results speak for themselves.  

Yes. Yes I do. 

The first session of Run Smart Camp has wrapped up and my athletes walked (ran?) away with some awesome PRs all across the board!!!

Feedback from athletes and analysis to come soon. 

Next session of RunSmart Camp begins Jan. 12. 

#letsmakerunningsexy

 Least favorite, running, anything over 100m I hate it - it’s terrible.” - Rich Froning 

Compare the champs run form with his sentiment to running. 

Not to discount Froning’s athleticism or even his running speed. He posts solid 400m, mile and 5k and even did pretty good on the run part of the triathlon in last years game. 

HOWEVER. 

If he improved his run form  (heel strike, hips closed, lateral twisting) perhaps he would be a little faster but even more likely he wouldn’t hate it so much. Maybe even …..like it?  Big strong dudes can be fast and have good form. don’t give me that. look at this picture of the champ vs. Matt chan. 

#letsmakerunningsexy 

Just wanted to give a quick shoutout to two of my athletes. David and Leah are both in my 7:30 class where they rip it up on the regular. 

We began doing some small group training as well to clean up skill work and increase athleticism in preparation for the duo to take on the Godai competition - their first! 

Without breaking anything down they did respectable and are excited to continue to compete - great job y’all and ONWARD! 

I received a note from one of my athletes, Lisa Horwitz, who missed one of our Saturday session due to travels. Lisa joined RunSmart Camp because she is NOT a runner and found running the most difficult part of WODS. The below note is made worthwhile b/c of that fact. 

Also: The nascent Run Smart Camp will be re-testing their 400m and 1600m this Saturday. I’m expecting Lisa (and everyone else!) to see some BIG pr’s!!!

This is an infographic that floated around earlier this year and I just saw it again.

Interesting how close my stat’s parallel to the “average” elite female. 

• Age: 25
• Height : 5 ’ 4
• Weight: 139
• Snatch : 135 
• Clean and Jerk: 195 
• Deadlift: 345
• Back Squat: 270 

Tough Mudder came and went a few weeks ago in Austin.

We had alot of athletes complete the event. From Austin  Firefighter and CrossFit Central athlete Richard Smith -

“ It was a 12 mile trail run, with part of it on an old motocross track. The obstacles ranged from crawling in mud under barbwire, electric shock obstacles that sent 10,000 volts through your body(that sucked), and climbing or scaling walls, hay bails, spider walls, monkey bars, logs etc. while wet and muddy” 

I haven’t personally done any of these “obstacle course races” but my boy Daniel Vitalis has been writing alot about them lately - check out his last few blog post series “Obstacles as Metaphors”. Good Stuff. 

The process of “deep practice” and myelination in action 

There is a reason Run Smart Camp is called Run Smart. 

Run Smart Camp’s primary focus is reprogramming (or refining) efficient movement in running via a linear progression of skill acquisition and instruction. This is done through practicing drills and putting theory -> practice on the track. 

I’ve been reading “The Talent Code” and the discussion of Myelin and “deep practice” comes up often. 

Essentially myelin is a cover that wraps around brain neurons. Skill development and practice prompts the growth of Myelin and hence you become more efficient at a movement, skill, language etc. etc. For more fancy science details on the process of myelination, check it out here.

The reason I created Run Smart Camp is b/c most avenues for learning proper run form took place in a “shotgun blast” of information and practice over the course of an weekend or afternoon. The need for a more more structured perpetual practice was there.

Perpetual practice improves run form. Perpetual Practice builds myelin.