Flow Running with Patton Gleason

The CrossFit Endurance run performance workshop earlier this year was fun and informative, and I also enjoyed the refresher on natural running technique at the recent MovNat Fundamentals session in Palo Alto. But it wasn't until today's Flow Running seminar that everything finally felt like it clicked into place for me.

The man behind Flow Running is Patton Gleason, an experienced ultra-marathoner and trail runner. (He's also the founder of the Natural Running Store, a fantastic source for CrossFitters and runners looking for Inov-8s, Altras, and Vivo Barefoots.) After getting acquainted with Patton on Twitter, I finally got to meet him a few months ago at the CrossFit Games; every time I passed his booth, I stopped to chat him up. Not only is Patton an expert in natural running techniques (and a Paleo eater!), he's a warm, funny and charismatic guy. It's impossible to not like him.

Patton traveled up to the Bay Area to lead a couple of two-hour Flow Running seminars at CrossFit Palo Alto this weekend, and I'm glad I got a chance to attend. The time flew by as we learned how to run efficiently and stay injury-free. I was amazed at the amount of information Patton was able to pack into just 120 minutes, but by putting us through a number of short running drills, he gave us a ton of firsthand experience that'll likely stick with us for a good, long while.

If you're familiar with minimalist running techniques (e.g., POSE, Chi, MovNat, CrossFit Endurance), Flow Running won't be foreign to you. Patton emphasizes many of the same foundations of running: proper posture, focusing on firing hamstrings rather than hip flexors, a quick stride with feet landing directly under the body, heels kissing the ground, leaning forward from the ankles to generate forward momentum.



But today, I also learned a bunch of new things that helped me tie all of these lessons together. Patton showed us the connection between jump-rope and running technique. He emphasized breathing techniques, and maintaining consistent inhalation and exhalation throughout a run. He explained the benefits of keeping one's center of gravity lower to the ground, and the importance of keeping our feet loose and relaxed. Patton taught us to focus on just one or two things that are within our control when we run, rather than struggling to keep everything picture-perfect.

And best of all, we learned by doing. Many of Patton's lessons were taught through easy, fun drills that reinforced the nuggets of wisdom he was imparting to us. After each running drill, we had opportunities to watch demos, ask questions, and soak in Patton's responses.

My favorite line of the day: "We are not broken." If we listen to our bodies and run in a way that's consistent with our physiology, we'll be just fine.

CrossFit Games Recap: Part 2

[Previously: CrossFit Games: Recap Part 1]

The marine layer burned off soon after the finish of the WOD at Santa Monica Pier. By the time we arrived at the Home Depot Center for the rest of Day 1's events, it was starting to heat up. I lingered for a few seconds in front of the Big Ass Fan booth before moving on to check out the rest of the venue.

The Reebok CrossFit tent was situated smack-dab in the middle of "Sponsor Village," the cluster of makeshift stores set up next to the stadium. Early on the first day, Reebok still had plenty of CrossFit-specific gear for sale, though merchandise appeared to be flying off the shelves.

Of course, as an admitted shoe whore, I was drawn like a moth to the blindingly shiny yellow Reebok CrossFit shoes. I was so entranced by the pair in the display case that I failed to notice that REEBOK WAS SELLING THEM FIVE FEET AWAY. (Only a limited number were offered for sale. Reebok had brought a few hundred pairs with which to outfit the Games athletes; the "extras" were then sold to fans at the Games.)

Like a big dummy, I wandered off to check out the stadium. A rope-climbing rig was already set up, but the competitors were elsewhere at the moment.

So Tim, Joe and I strolled around Home Depot Center. We checked in on the Master's competition, where the male athletes were grinding through a grueling WOD:

• 21 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 21 hand-release push-ups 
• 150 yard shuttle run
• 15 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 15 hand-release push-ups 
• 100 yard shuttle run
• 9 overhead squats (95lbs)
• 9 hand-release push-ups 
• 50 yard shuttle run

Tim's buddy Ken Clark was competing in the Master's 45-50-year-old division -- in this particular workout, he placed 8th out of 19, with a time of 5:05. In other words, he kicked ass.

Next, we moseyed on over to the track to watch the individual competitors tackle Event 2 -- a three-part skills test consisting of:

• Max L-sit for time (1 attempt)
• Max distance softball throw (2 attempts)
• Max distance handstand walk (1 attempt with 1 mulligan if less than 5 yards)

After the excitement of the beach WOD, this one wasn't nearly as much fun to watch. A static L-sit for time is incredibly challenging, but as a spectator sport, it's less fun than watching pro bowling.

Jason Khalipa won the L-sit portion of the event with a 51-second hold -- but not too long thereafter, he completely muffed the softball throw. For all his athletic abilities, Khalipa obviously never learned to throw a ball; each of his throws were inaccurate, short, or both.




He wasn't alone. Plenty of the other guys (including Austin Malleolo)  were clearly uncomfortable throwing a softball.

Spencer Hendel, a former baseball pitcher, won the softball-throwing contest with a screamer that traveled almost 260 feet. But of the male competitors, 13 failed to record a single successful throw.

The women didn't fare much better with the softball throw, though a few -- including Michelle Kinney,

Jessica Pamanian and Angie Pye -- bested many of the men.

After watching a bunch of people try to throw a ball (some apparently for the first time), we got antsy, so Tim, Joe and I wandered back to the Sponsor Village to check out what the vendors were selling.

At the Steve's Original tent (where I loaded up on PaleoKrunch bars -- they're made of crack, I tell you), I had the pleasure of meeting Liz Wolfe of CaveGirlEats. I've been reading her blog for a while now, so it was great to finally meet her in person. (Plus, we're having dinner with Liz and a bunch of other Paleo luminaries in L.A. next weekend, so I definitely wanted to stop and say hello.)



Liz was just the first of many Paleo and/or CrossFit weblebrities I met at the Games. Next door to her tent was Patton Gleason, the founder of Natural Running Store, who was working at the Altra booth.

Patton's a great guy, and his online store offers lots of great options for runners and CrossFitters alike. (Natural Running Store also happens be the sponsor of Tim's wife, ultrarunner and fellow CrossFitter Kristen Dymmel.)

Next, we dropped in on the SICFIT crew. For all of our online interactions, this was the first time I'd met the gang face-to-face. Over the course of the weekend, I got to spend time with fellow shoe-geek Ben  Flores...

...Aaron Arehart, Diego Centeno...

...the mighty Ruben Rojas...

...CrossFit Central owner (and former Games competitor) Jeremy Thiel...

...and, of course, the brains and hustle behind SICFIT (and husband of Lindsey Smith), Web Smith.

It was a little overwhelming to finally put all these faces to names (and Twitter handles), but in many ways, it was like meeting up with old friends. Maybe it was the atmosphere of the Games, or perhaps it's because almost everyone I met turned out to be a friendly, warm and enthusiastic conversationalist, but we all got along famously. The closeness of the CrossFit community clearly reaches across state borders.

Okay -- I'm rambling, it's late, and I still have a crapload of stuff to cover. I'm not even done recapping DAY ONE yet, but I guess it'll have to wait 'til tomorrow...