On Kung Fu and Running

I got a tweet the other day asking me this question. “Does running help Kung Fu or vice versa?”

This got me thinking. I have been studying Wing Chun Kung Fu for approaching eight years now and I got back in to running after many years away from it at about the same time. I was 32 years old and had spent pretty much all of my 20’s partying, smoking and drinking and doing virtually no exercise.

Other than a short spell of Judo as a young child I had never trained in any martial arts, although I was a fan of Bruce Lee and Kung Fu films in general. I always wanted to take up a martial art but just never got round to it. I kept promising myself it would happen and putting it off and putting it off. It was during an evening drink in a pub that I got chatting to an old friend, who was raving about this new Wing Chun class he had started that the opportunity presented itself. Serendipity at work I believe.

My first class was hell, just the warm up nearly killed me. Push ups and burpees in sets of 50 – I hadn’t done a single push up for years – but I loved it and I was hooked. Almost 8 years later and I feel privileged to include my Sihing and classmates among my good friends and running partners.

Back to the question “Does running help Kung Fu or vice versa?”. The short answer is yes and yes.

So what are the common threads? The key link between both arts is simplicity. Running requires nothing more than getting your shoes on getting out the door and doing it. Similarly with Kung Fu, specifically Wing Chun, with a little training and practice one applies a basic set of principles and you just do it. Whilst many of the drills in Wing Chun require a partner, it is combat training after all, the forms (think kata) are practised alone  (like running) and these become  a form of moving meditation (also like running). In this sense both arts offer the practitioner opportunities for self transcendence or mastery over oneself.

Both of course require practice. In running we focus on breathing, rhythm, cadence , footfall and form. With Kung Fu there are endless repetitions of techniques and principles, always seeking some incremental improvement.

A side benefit of both is fitness. This was the primary reason for taking up running again. I initially started by run walking with my dog over short distances of less than a mile. It was hell, painful and I could never see myself being able to run a full mile non stop. It is incredible how quickly fitness improves and that first non stop mile, then 2 and 3 then 5 feel like such an achievement.

One of the key principles of Wing Chun is relaxation, defined in this sense as the absence of tension in the muscles. The concept of ‘dynamic tension’ works on the basis of holding no tension at all in the muscles throughout the range of a strike until the point of impact when you apply tension to the muscles (squeeze) and immediately relax again post strike. It’s hard to explain but imagine trying to throw a cricket ball or pitch a baseball with tension in your biceps. It doesn’t work. The name of the game here is efficiency and economy of motion. The more tension you hold the more quickly you get tired and incredibly to weaker the strike. We can apply this principle to running – relaxed running seems counter intuitive but next time you are out there running you might be surprised to see how much tension you are carrying in your arms and shoulders.  Relax, let it flow and ensure your energy is not being wasted.

Is it any coincidence that many of the runners and martial artists I know are also some of the most highly motivated and driven people I know? Why is that? In both cases there is a link between hard painful training and the achievement of personal goals. I ran my first ½ marathon in St Albans in the UK in June 2006. The weather was unseasonably hot, almost 30 ◦C, people were dropping like flies and at mile 11 I stopped sweating and got cold,( I realise this is the onset of heatstroke and highly dangerous!)  but I carried on. I was going to finish that race or die trying. I am certain that without the tough training (Kung Fu spirit) I would have given up. This approach, this strength of character is common to both runners and martial artists. The ability to keep going at mile 20 in a marathon when your body is screaming “NO!”, or to continue fighting when pumped full of adrenalin and exhausted,  these skills I believe spill over in to normal life and enable the practitioner to better handle unpleasant situations and conflict in work, personal relationships and all sorts of other areas. Two quotes spring to mind  “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”  (from ‘What I talk about when I talk about running’ by Haruki Murakami) and you will often hear martial artists quoting “Pain is just weakness leaving the body” (Source unknown) I think they sum up the essence of what I am driving at here.

Are there any conflicts? I think not, some professional MMA trainers advocate short sharp runs at high intensity rather than long slow distance for conditioning reasons but most of us are not training to fight competitively anyway and regardless it’s still running.

In summary for me running and martial arts go hand in hand. Each complements the other, they are interrelated not interdependent but my life would not be the same in the absence of either or both.

Race Report – Adidas Thunder Run 2011

I ran 30 miles last weekend, what did you do? It’s nice to be able to ask that question, I’m sure many people will never be able to say that and maybe that is part of the attraction of this kind of event.

What an absolutely amazing experience this was. My first outing at the Adidas Thunder Run started on Saturday morning at 04:45 when the alarm went off and that was when it dawned on me that lack of sleep would be a key feature of the next 24 hours.

I met up with the rest of the Team Kamon Wing Chun guys at 05:30 and we headed north up the M1 to Catton Park in Derbyshire arriving some time before 09:00. First job was getting tents pitched and settling in before registration.

The Team Kamon campsite: Rich and Steve

As you can see the weather was amazing, clear and sunny although later on I think most people would have preferred cooler and cloudy!

Once we got setup we took a wander over to race registration to sign in and pick up race numbers, timing chips and goody bags. The freebies were pretty good; a few pouches of SIS nutrition products, a copy of Runners World and a decent Adidas technical shirt amongst other bits and pieces.

We had chosen the running order on the journey up. Me as the newbie in number one slot, Jim Hiatt 2nd, Susan Mansfield 3rd, Richard Harris 4th and Steve Barson 5th.

Once we had signed in we moved on to breakfast and the start of the all important nutritional and hydration strategy. By now it was 10:05 so I had just under two hours until race start at 12:00 to get breakfast down and digested. Therefore I opted for the lighter option of a full english breakfast and coffee.

Team Kamon: Me, Rich Harris, Jim Hiatt, Susan Mansfield, Steve Barson, Mini Steve

Having eaten the breakfast of champions I headed back to get changed in to running kit for my first lap. By now the temperature was approaching 26° C, far too hot for all that running malarkey. We attended the race briefing at 11:30, which covered the usual rules, procedures etc and then it was time to get out to the start for my first lap.

Start / Finish

At that point my stupid Garmin 405 decided it had a flat battery regardless of the fact it had been fully charged the night before. I wish I had never sold my 201, which seemed to keep its charge for weeks. I had to switch to Runkeeper on the iPhone which does have the benefit of announcing stats every 5 minutes. I was feeling the usual mix of pre-race nerves and excitement at this point and keen to get cracking. I was also feeling the heat but then looking to my left saw the Royal Marine Commando in combat boots and trousers with a 40 kilo Bergen on his back, his only concession to the heat being a T-shirt! Hardcore, he was running solo!

Finally the klaxon went and we were off. This is a really nice course, all cross-country with some pretty challenging technical sections in the woods, with exposed tree roots, switchbacks and very narrow pathways. Difficult for overtaking and treacherous in the dark, especially when tired. The first 5k is mostly climbing, with the first climb in a fairly steep and narrow wooded section. This takes you past the 1k marker with the course then opening out as you double back on yourself and head back down towards the campsite and 2k. It was really hot and I was cursing my choice of breakfast by now. The 3k marker was a welcome sight after a nice twisty little section then yet more long slow hill up to the 4k.

Me just completing my first lap

TR24 Course Map

The only water station is at the 5k point, which is at the bottom of pretty much the end of the hilly section and is followed by a couple of  very technical  bits and nice downhills through 6 and 7k. Still too hot though!

You run along a ridgeway for 1/2 a kilometre or so with great views out over open country and the River Trent, then loop back on yourself heading downhill to 8k, with the final 1.5k back on the level running through the camp site .

The last stretch takes you up yet another hill, just a short one and then back across the start / finish timing mat to the changeover pen.

I finished my first lap in about 59 minutes, by no means anywhere near a PB but good enough for me given the course and the heat. I absolutely hated it!

There were some absolutely storming performances, Richard Harris ran a 52 minute or so 10k and Steve was Mr Consistency averaging about 53 mins except for a 1:03 in the middle of the night. Jim was running with a nasty neck injury and still pulled out 4 laps. Susan and I did 5 each and our overall total was 220k (137.5 miles) in the 24 hours.

The official results aren’t out yet but my times were approx 59 mins, 1:03, 58 mins, 1:07 and 1:08. I ran at 12pm, 5pm, 10pm, 3 am and 8.45 am. The second lap at 5pm was worse than the first, the temperature had got up to 28° C and it was pretty horrible. I loved the 10 pm lap, it was really cool and the technical sections by torchlight were awesome. I made it back to my tent for approx 11 pm, refueled with chocolate and a small whisky and went to sleep (for a little while).

Dragging myself out of my sleeping bag at 2:30 am after 2 hours sleep to run again at 3:00 am is one of the worst things I have had to do in my life. It was cold and miserable, getting started on that lap was a real struggle, but there is something pretty special running by starlight and finishing felt great. It was a nice bonus to catch dawn breaking at about 04:30 and I particularly enjoyed the bacon sandwich and cup of tea before bed.

Dawn breaking over the TR24 camp site

I actually had a reasonable kip, all 3.5 hours of it until it was time to wake up and run again at 08:30 the next day for my 5th and final lap. I’m not really sure how I got my legs turning over but it was very tough as the 1:08 time would suggest. Finishing and knowing there was no more running for me was amazing and although I had to queue for an hour for the shower it was well worth the wait.

I met up with a friend who I follow on Twitter so I think that counts as my first Tweetup. Steven Wright is, as his Twitter handle  @Runningthetube would suggest, running the full length of the London Underground (Tube) system to raise money for a charity called Sands! Well done mate and it was good to meet you.

I collected a nice selection of blisters with one massive one between two toes and one just under the nail of each of my second toes. I woke up yesterday morning, absolutely exhausted,  after a solid 9 hours sleep, got out of bed and promptly collapsed in a heap on the floor, well almost. My legs were pretty sore, and I was having to do sideways  walking going down stairs! Much better today, ready for a Kung Fu class tomorrow night and back out and running at the weekend after a little rest.

Will I do it again? Definitely, no doubt about it. I want to come back next year and go faster and longer.

Finally I just want to say a massive thank you for support and well done to my team mates, a fine bunch of people if ever there was one, and an absolute privilege to race with.

Related articles

• Adidas Thunder Run 2011 (kungfurunner.wordpress.com)

Back to reality

It’s always nasty getting back to work after a holiday. Particularly so this time around as I had a 5:30 am start my first day back and a presentation to deliver to fifty people. England is cold and wet and particularly dark at that time of the morning, nasty!

Tonight was Wing Chun night and I really did need to train. I felt tired and jet lagged most of the day but after an hour and a half of fitness, pad drills and a bit of Chi Sao I feel a million times better. I found out today that I can now apply to start training for my brown sash grading which is quality news and will be a good focus for next year. It was cool a couple of weeks ago that I got to take my first Wing Chun class, it was a real experience and maybe something to consider for the future. It’s amazing how much you have to examine your own Kung Fu when trying to teach others.

I need to get back out on the road now for a run, I didn’t manage much on holiday only about 15 miles over the two weeks but it’s time to start building up some long slow distance towards the end of the year and get some quality speed and hill sessions built in to the program. I am lucky enough next year to be joining the Project Jericho team for the 24 hour Adidas Thunder Run so lots of goals to aim for next year.

I bought myself a little present while on holiday; I replaced my trusty old Garmin Forerunner 201 with a nice new 405 so I am looking forward to taking it for a test run tomorrow night!

Good luck for WUMA

Good luck to all representing Project Jericho tomorrow at the WUMA open event . The last outing was hugely successful so bring back some more silverware guys! I will be with you in spirit and hopefully I can be part of the team for the next competition.

Virginia Trails

I don’t have a lot of time for long blog posts on holiday but very briefly my early morning trail run in Prince William Forest Park on Tuesday morning was lovely. The drive down was amazing about 10 miles on winding forest roads lined each side with dense forest and truly stunning autumn colours. 

The park itself is an unspoilt protected area with over 30 miles of accessible trails and you could run all day without seeing another person although I only had an hour.

I set off down a trail and spent probably the first five minutes going downhill, which I knew would make for fun on the way back. If I had more time I would have tried to find a circular route as I hate retracing my steps.

A couple of other Virginia running pics below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations

Congratulations to my Kamon Wing Chun Kung Fu brother and sister Steve Barson and Susan Mansfield on being awarded their brown sash last night at Covent Garden by Sifu Kevin Chan. The culmination of a year’s long, hard training. Well done guys!

Henley 1/2 Marathon

So the Henley half is done. The weather was good on Sunday, a little cloudy and a bit chilly at the start. I arrived with Kenny with what I thought was a 1/2 hour to spare until we realised we were being sent to park at the very end of the car park with  a half mile walk to the start. We got to the start with minutes to spare as the 10k race was kicking off and somehow we managed to end up at the front which made for a good start.

Henley is a nice little town on the Thames in rolling Oxfordshire countryside and we set off out of town on a country lane that ran parallel with the Thames for a couple of miles. The houses we passed were stunning, oh how the other half live!

At mile three we doubled back on ourselves on a riverside path passing motor launches and university rowing boats out for training. Early pace was pretty good and I felt OK, the Thames path took us all the way back in to town and miles 4 to 6 passed quickly and pretty uneventfully although I was starting to get a bit of pain in my right knee and hamstring and was slowing a bit.

Looking at my split times on the Garmin the pacing is definitely a bit better, maybe I set off a bit too quick but it was all nice and even up till about mile six where I lost 15 seconds.  It always happens at lease once in a race but I completely missed the 6 mile marker.

After crossing the bridge over the Thames we headed out of town and I was starting to feel a little tired. Some time after the 7 mile marker we started heading up for over 1.5 miles of hill, which was pretty steep at times and seemed to go on forever.  I slowed right down and really paced it, clearly not enough hill training! It was amusing when I heard three guys coming up the hill behind me giving it the large one that ‘we own this hill’ and they went hammering past me. About 5 mins later I passed one of them walking and looking knackered and I didn’t see him again. By now I was repeating the mantras ‘All hills come to an end’  and ‘what goes up must come down’.  The agony was finally over just before the 9 mile marker when it leveled out a bit. I was really tired by then and it was time to get some music on so I got the Prodigy album ‘Invaders Must Die’ on at full volume on the iPod, which along with another carb gel really gave me a boost.

Downhill was awesome, I just let gravity take it’s course and kept the legs turning over and hammered it down passing a load of people who’d belted up the hill past me. Definitely not great on the knees but necessary after losing so much time up the hill. Interestingly I did 7 to 8 in 10.06, slowed right down to 11.52 in 8 to 9 but did 9 to 10 in 7.56.

Once we were back on the flat it was time to dig in for the last three miles, I just kept focusing on trying to maintain a reasonable pace and pick off the next target in front of me. It is so frustrating when people seem to be gliding effortlessly past you. The last two miles were pretty evil; it had started to get a lot warmer, the sun was out and I was hot. My legs were really hurting and the tiny, rational part of my mind was requesting an immediate cessation of activities. This is where I believe the martial arts training plays a big part in my running and it’s all about the psychological strength and determination.

Finally the end was in sight and I crossed the line in 1:59:52. Not a PB but I was determined to finish in under two hours and I did (just), although that is way off my original target time set back in June. For the first time ever my chip time and Garmin time were identical to the second, weird.

Post run nutrition came in the shape of a lovely roast dinner cooked by my wife washed down with a few beers and some red wine, and I think I ate enough for about three grown men.

Let’s be honest now, I did not do anywhere near enough good quality training, but it’s nice to be able to finish under 2 hours without following a training program religiously all the same. But nowhere near good enough! There is an awful lot of work to be done if I am going to rise to and meet the challenges ahead and changes will have to be made!

As my Kung Fu instructor delights in telling us with a smile during ritual torture (Fitness Training) Remember pain is just weakness leaving the body, and no one cares!

I have thrown away both my old pairs of running shoes and will be replacing them with one pair of minimal shoes and some trail / fell shoes for the hills and muddy stuff.

I’ll do another half in January, and then I have to decide if I do another marathon in May or if it’s time for my first ultra?

Henley 1/2 Marathon

So race day is finally here and I’m really looking forward to running by the Thames tomorrow. Have I done enough hills and speedwork in training? Probably not but no point worrying about that now, it’s all about what happens tomorrow.

Pre-race preparation has started this evening with Birds Eye poatato waffles with baked beans and fried eggs, all the major food groups covered there. Tomorrow morning is all about porridge and coffee and bananas and lots of water.

It’s strange how the night before a race things start aching, it’s clearly all pscyhological, a bit of the old mind playing tricks but really annoying. I went for a little 3 mile shake out this morning just to stretch my legs a bit, get the lungs going and get rid of some of that pre race tension.

I’m looking forward to getting tomorrow done so I can start to plan my next event! I’m going to buy myself a new pair of running shoes as a reward and motivation.

Related Articles

• Kaveri Trail Marathon 2010 (swaroopch.com)
• Chicago Marathon – 6 Tips For This Week! (chicagonow.com)

Fun on the Fells

So I had my first fell running experience on Saturday morning and it was pretty amazing. The weather was good, cool and clear after rain and I set off with a spring in my step. The spring lasted  approximately five minutes until I realised just how tough running straight up a Lakeland hill is. I have done a lot of walking in the mountains over the years but I had forgotten the effort required to lug my (now not inconsiderate) frame upwards.

Going Up!

I should point out I was not wearing the right shoes having to make do with a pair of old Saucony road shoes with no grip so traction was a problem. The surface was a mixture of damp sheep shorn grass, loose wet scree and wet slabs of  rock and was by no means easy to run on, coupled with the sheer exertion of running up hill it was very tough. You have to find your lowest possible gear and of course accept that small distances will take a lot longer to travel for far more effort. I still can’t work out if my legs or my  lungs were burning more.

It's tough up there!

There was no real path as such except a sheep track and there were a lot of sheep, including this poor one in the picture! The views even at a few hundred feet of elevation are ample reward for the effort. I got to about 1000 feet in 25 mins or so and was exhausted but exhilarated. I only had an hour to spare for my run and it was with sadness that after a brief traverse across the slope I headed down again, I could have spent all day up there.

Going down is when the fun really starts. Gravity is, in one sense, on your side and theoretically makes it easier but control is a major problem and I either fell or slipped at least three times on my descent. The strain on knees and thighs on the way down is immense. I almost turned an ankle slipping on a rock, broke my Garmin strap in another fall and funniest of all lost my footing on scree and managed to sit backwards in a gorse bush; not recommended! My wife spent ages removing gorse splinters from my palms on Sunday night and it’s ridiculous how much things like that hurt.

I am very much looking forward to my next trip to the mountains although for the next few months I will have to make do with Hertfordshire hills.

View over to Hopegill Head and Ladyside Pike

Going Off Grid

I am heading up to the Lake District for the weekend with my eldest daughter to visit my Mum. She lives in a tiny village near Keswick and there is no mobile signal and no broadband connection so I will be effectively off grid from about 6pm today for a couple of days.

I’m really looking forward to tomorrow morning’s run, there are fells right behind the house and tomorrow I am going vertical, time for a bit of proper hill training! The plan is 30 minutes straight up and 10 mins back down again. I will be interested to see which gives out first legs or lungs. More and pics to follow next week when I plug back in. I’m looking forward to some of my mothers home cooking no matter what happens.

I have just passed Preston on the train and the views are just starting to get nice now out of the window, starting to get hillier and a lot greener and the weather is improving the further North we go.