The SAS guy ran me into the dirt and then...

So there I was back in the day, 1988, in southern Germany, attending the ILRRPS Basic Recognition Course, while assigned to the 3rd Armored Division's Long Range Surveillance Detachment. 

The course taught Soviet and Warsaw Pact vehicle and equipment identification to the LRRP / LRS / SOF elements of NATO. 

One of the fun filled events in that course was a 5K recce run. Over the 5K course, there were multiple stations setup where you and your running buddy had to momentarily stop and identify different vehicles and weapons. 

At one station, you even had to look at scaled models of vehicles across a pond through binoculars. 

The goal of the team building, competitive run was to finish with the fastest time AND the highest score on the identification stations. 

Normally, you were paired up with a soldier from another country to maximize the interaction between the NATO members. 

It was actually a very cool thing and fun.

I got paired up with a British SAS (Special Air Service) guy. Brits are known for their love of running and the SAS is well known for being real good at most things, especially endurance events. 

So as my crappy luck would have it, this SAS guy loved to run and was real good at it. Like scalded dog, gazelle or cheetah good at running.

Now back then, I was a young, highly motivated LRS soldier. I could run pretty good, I thought.

This SAS guy, however, showed me how not good at running I was.  

The idea was for it to be a buddy team event. You know, like buddies who complete the event together as a team. 

Well, this SAS guy tells me to try to keep up as he does not slow down for slackers. The cadre yelled "go" and off we went. 

I hung with the SAS guy for about a 1/4 mile at a sub 6 minute pace. Then I died or at least I thought I did. 

I slowed down without choice and watched the SAS guy blast down the road. Lumbering along at a 7 minute per mile pace, I finally met up with the SAS guy at our first station. 

He was fully rested and ready to go as soon as I arrived.

I asked him if he got all of the vehicles? He said no, in fact he didn't know what any of them were. 

Naturally, I knew all of them so I jotted the answers down on our scorecard. 

Then the SAS guy took off again and boom, like the flash, he was gone from sight. 

We played this game until the end. He crossed the finish line by himself and was one of the first ones back. He impatiently waited for me to cross the finIsh line (with all of the answers on our scorecard).

I turned in the scorecard and got 100%. We still placed in the top 3 even though we scored at around 21 minutes for the 3.1 mile run. They counted the time the last team member crossed the line. 

The overall score was a combo of time and test answers. 

The SAS guy didn't get one vehicle, not even the easy ones, like a T-55.

Now to me, finishing a 5K around 21 minutes with 100% on the identification test was an awesome job. I was proud of myself. Until the SAS guy gave me his 2 cents on our dismal failure because of me. 

He scolded me up and down in the most authentic British accent ever heard. I failed the team due to my terrible physical conditioning. I would get people killed because others would have to pull my slack. 

Unbelievable, coming from a supposedly elite warrior of the elite SAS. He got there quick as all get out  and then couldn't do the job at the objective. He didn't see it that way.

I told him that he was the failure and didn't have a clue about team work and that if anyone would get someone killed, it would be him. Needless to say that we didn't see eye to eye. 

At the end of the course, I got honor grad and he failed out and got dropped from the course. 

Now in all fairness, I attended 4 more courses at ILRRPS after that and I worked with numerous other British SAS and PARAS and they were some of the most high speed dudes I ever met. 

There is always that one bad apple.....

So did that add to my dislike of runners in general? Why yes, yes it did. 

I don't care how far or fast you can run. If you can't execute the mission when you get where you are going, it is useless. 

I'd rather it take me a few more minutes or more and then be able to execute a high level of proficiency on whatever the task was, rather than get there super fast and be useless. 

So that is my version of the tortoise and the hare story. 

Over the 25 plus years that I was involved with endurance training and challenging cardio events, I went through many experiences similar to this one with the "runners". 

So regardless of how fast or far you can run, make sure that you can bring the thunder, when you arrive at the objective. 

Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired
NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Specialist
Masters Degree in Exercise Science from Cal U.
Dempseys Resolution Fitness
www.dempseysresolution.com

Running - The Hype Of The Foot Strike

           One of the websites, that I came across while researching foot strikes for a paper I had to write, for one of my Graduate school classes was The Science of Sport. The authors at the Science of Sport apply sports science concepts and insights to the sports news that a person is exposed to every day and to the training and performance challenges that people face, regardless of the sport, or the level that people compete at. Great site! I recommend checking it out. 

            In the article, Running technique – The Foot strike, Tucker (2008) points out that there is no evidence that heel-strikers are injured more, no evidence that mid-foot runners are faster and perform better than heel-strikers. Tucker (2008) argues that most people are not elite level runners and therefore, should not try to mimic elite level runner’s foot strikes.

            “If a runner were to change one thing in their running technique, they should not focus on their foot strike, but rather on where their feet land relative to their body. If you are over-reaching and throwing your foot out in front of you, that’s a problem, but what happens when the rubber meets the road is less relevant” (Tucker, 2008).

             In the study, Foot-Strike Pattern and Performance (Kasmer, Liu, Roberts, & Valadao, 2013), it states that foot-strike classification (forefoot, midfoot, heel, or split strike), gender, and rank (position in race) were recorded at the 8.1-km mark for 2112 runners at the 2011 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon. A significant difference between foot-strike classification and performance was found using a Kruskal-Wallis test (P < .0001), with more elite performers being less likely to heel strike.

             In Running technique – The Foot strike, Tucker (2008), it states that science simply does not know the right answer, only the possibilities in regards to the best foot strike. I believe that foot strike techniques are relative to the individual. Tucker (2008), states that “most of us are nowhere near the elite level, and we’re often told by experts and coaches that the elite are landing on the ball of the foot or the mid foot, and so we should too”. 

I think this is an issue because as the studies show, most runners are heel strikers. Injuries can happen as a result of rapid changes to foot strike, without properly timed adaptation training. What works best for elite level runners may not be suitable for the average person. I support Tucker’s opinion that people should work on where their feet land relative to their bodies first and then worry about the foot strike.

            When science can prove without a doubt, that mid foot and/or fore foot striking techniques are superior to the heel strike, then people can aspire to mimic elite level runners. Until then I will continue to teach my clients all of the techniques and let them choose which is optimal for their running style. 

Proper form and technique are vital for optimal running performance. This includes the total body concept from head to toe. Posture, alignment, hand and arm swing, stride rate and length, foot strike and breathing are all parts of a runner's training focus. Clothing and shoes should be discussed and reviewed as well. The foot strike is just one part of a much larger animal and there is way too much emphasis put on it now.  

I was an avid runner for 25 years. A bad parachute jump landing ended my regular running days. I used the heel strike out of necessity, due to flat feet. I could not use the other techniques. Fore foot and mid foot strikes during distance runs, hurt my knees. In my prime, I managed to pull off a PR of a 5 minute mile. That was sonic boom stuff for my over 200lb ass. And that was using a heel strike and a wide stride. 

Some people do better with one technique over others. I believe that foot strikes are relative to the individual runner and that they should use the technique best suited for their body type and running style. Just because the fore foot, mid foot, bare foot and minimalist techniques are popular now, it does not mean that they are the best choice for everyone. Use whatever works best for you.                                                                                                         

References

Kasmer, M., Liu, X., Roberts, K. G., & Valadao, J. M. (2013).  Foot-Strike Pattern and Performance in a Marathon. International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance. 

Tucker, R. (2008). Running technique: The Footstrike. The Science of Sport. http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/04/running-technique-the-footstrike/

Eric Dempsey

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Dempsey's Resolution Fitness 

Why You Need Endurance AND Strength

No sh*&, there I was, 1994, about a mile off the coast of Waikiki, Oahu, finishing the PADI Rescue Diver Course. We were on a large boat, finishing our open water rescues. I was the last one to go. The dive instructor told me to do a headcount, so I did and I came up one person short. Oh geez, I thought, here we go.

The seas were getting rough and choppy and the wind was picking up as the clouds grew dark. We had one person missing. I knew I was screwed. The instructor said "ok rescue diver, where is the missing person?" I took the binoculars out and scanned the seas around the boat, gradually looking further out in a circular pattern around the boat. About 500m out from the stern of the boat, I saw something in the swells. Yup sure as shi*, there he was! I thought surely they are gonna drive the boat closer to him so I can get him. Nope! Ok big sarge, in you go. Damn!

I had to strip down to wet suit, fins, mask & snorkel and my weight belt - thanks. I jumped in and began finning my way to the body which was face down and lifeless bobbing in the growing swells. It was a helluva swim as the waves were getting big and I was getting nervous and smoked in the current. I made it to the diver and went through the drill. Fortunately, the scripted act for the diver was for him to be unconscious with no assistance. Thanks again. I flipped him over and began rescue breathing while towing him back to the boat while shedding his equipment. This was far more difficult than the swim out to him obviously. This guy was about 6'4 and must have weighed 250lbs plus.

After great effort, we made it to the diver platform on the boat. Ah another dilemma! The waves were lifting the tailend of the boat out of the water and smashing the boat back down. So there was a real possibility of me and him getting squashed by this huge boat. Never mind the big propellers whizzing past my head with each rise and fall of the boat. So timing was everything! When the boat smashed down in the water, I rolled old boy onto the platform and jumped back avoiding the next smash of the stern. Then I quickly climbed up onto the boat and continued rescue breathing while moving the diver to the rear deck.

I finally got the ok signal from the instructor that the drill was over. He said he was pleased with my performance and that I did very good under the harsh circumstances - which I wasn't pleased about, seeing everyone else did their drill 20 feet off the stern, in sunny, calm seas. So needless to say - I was smoked and exhausted. But I was happy that I did the hardest rescue drill with the biggest dude and made it. We returned to the dive shop and I was awarded my rescue diver card and certificate. I was glad that was over. But I started the Divemaster course the next day, so it was only temporary relief.

That was one of the most physically tasking events of my life and I have been a couple places and done a couple things in my time. The only way I was able to do it at all was because of my fitness program. I was on a vigorous 2 part endurance and strength & conditioning program. My endurance training allowed me to go the distance and complete the swim, the strength & conditioning training allowed me to manhandle the body and move him up onto the boat, while dealing with his scuba gear. Had I been lacking in either area, I would have failed the drill. Aside from the swim itself and towing the man back to the boat, I executed swim sprints and about a dozen exercises while getting him up onto the boat. Deadlift, squat, row, curl are a few examples.

So while it's popular to do the endurance stuff, it's only part of a complete program. That's why I am a supporter of having total body power, strength and endurance as part of any program. It's the only way to truly achieve operational readiness for any physical encounter, in a functional environment, based upon daily life / real world activities. Lift heavy and run fast and you'll always be successful.

Eric
Dempsey's Resolution Fitness