Bionic Running at Sunrise

Mike here.
I'm still trying to figure out how to exercise old dog (10-year old Riley), young dog (2-year old Shasta) and old man (me) on a daily basis. In our morning routine, if I leave me to last, I may or may not ever get around to working out. Yesterday it was 100* in the afternoon and that discouraged me from hitting the road then.

Today, however, I got the workout in first. I attached a flashing lamp to the back of my bike helmet and took off before sunrise, planning to go farther than ever before.  Before I chronicle today's ride/run, here's my BR history. The BR has 8 speeds. At speed 4 or 5, it feels like a typical one-speed bicycle.

Week 1: In my first week on the BR I tried the 5th speed and managed to pedal about 50 yards before the pain in my quads became excruciating. I found that if I got it to 7th or 8th, the turnover rate was slower and my quads could handle it farther, but I was still coasting some part of every block in the neighborhood. The last time I ran was a half-marathon in March of 2013. I take 5-mile walks regularly, but the quads just were not in running shape.

Week 2: Finding it nearly impossible to start from a stop in 8th gear, I get started in 6th and then as my quads tense up, I shift to 8th. The slower turnover rate was tolerable. Still, I didn't go farther than 2 miles. There was less gliding.

Week 3: Three miles. That was my personal record on the Bionic Runner which I reached early in the 3rd week. Keep in mind, I haven't been really motivated. I only use it every other day and I'm squeaking it in between other chores and projects. Today, however, I got my run/ride in early, the air was cool and I easily put in 6 miles in 8th gear at an 11mph pace.

Advantages Experienced: Most importantly, the heart rate is up compared to a long walk. It takes less time than walking. Like hiking, it doesn't hurt my degenerative knee condition at all. We're a mile from the countryside and I'm seeing it from a new perspective. The Bionic Runner makes me over 7 feet tall---much higher than autos, bikes, and motorcycles. I have great visibility and I stand out in the little traffic we have here.

A Conversation: This morning, with an "On your left...and good morning" a bicyclist pulled up alongside me at about 2 miles into my trek. "You look like you are running," he said.
"That's good. It should look like that," I replied.
"I've seen it out here and wondered what it was," he said.
We chatted for about 3 minutes as I answered his questions about the Bionic Runner. I noticed my head was considerably higher than his and his turnover rate was twice mine. I was breathing harder than he but conversation was doable. He moved on and I pulled over to get these photos of the BR at sunrise.

Motivation?  This week I did inadvertently create a significant reason to really put in time on the Bionic Runner. I didn't realize the condition I will have to be in just to take some scenic photos in February. That story will fill my next post.

The Adventure Begins!

After two weeks of regular riding, it's time to make my first report on the hits and misses, successes and failures, and pros and cons of our Bionic Runner.  While Mike and I both use it, it is clear that I will be doing the bulk of the riding.  I ride more often and for longer distances, since I am an injured distance runner. I am essentially substituting mileage on the Bionic Runner for mileage I would traditionally get while road running.  

A little background.  I have always loved distance running, but I took my running to a new level when I joined the Fleet Feet Racing Team in Sacramento in 2008.  While I had been a decent runner before, with Fleet Feet, I trained for higher mileage, and did speed workouts.  In the next few years, I set PR's in every distance (while in my early 40's!), including a 3:22 marathon.

In 2010, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Because it was early stage, the cancer was removed with relatively few issues, and after radiation and six years of anti-cancer drugs, I am officially cancer-free (yay!).  The surgery, however, took a toll on my training.  In addition to removing the cancer, I also had lymph nodes removed from under my right arm.  The secondary surgery proved more harmful to my body, throwing the right side of my torso all out-of-whack.  I have been out of balance ever since, and as a result, I have imbalance injuries when I run.  For years afterward, I simply ran through the injuries.  I can run while in pain - in fact, I can't remember the last time running didn't hurt.  So this summer, when it got so bad I had to stop for a break every mile because the pain was unbearable, I knew it was also time to take a break from running, and try to let some of those injuries heal.  I spent all summer inside, in the gym, because the elliptical trainer didn't aggravate my injuries.  So I was getting my workouts, but inside, in a gym.  

Mike knew I wasn't happy inside the gym (except for that one kickboxing class!), so he did a bunch of research (as he always does), and found out about the Bionic Runner.  I liked that it had a 60/40 swing/stance timing, which gives it a feeling that is more like running than any other cross trainer on the market, most of which are 50/50.  When Mike bought it for us for our anniversary, I was incredibly excited.  It meant that I could get out of the gym, and back onto the road.

The first two weeks of training have had some challenges, but have ultimately been more positive than negative.  Here are some of the challenges:

1. Learning not to lean on my shoulders.

At first, I couldn't ride without putting enormous pressure on my shoulders.  Part of that was because I wasn't relaxed yet, and part of it was because I was leaning too far forward.  Each time I ride now, I am a bit more relaxed than I was last time, and riding my Bionic Runner is downright comfortable.  I do also tense up in traffic, so it's better for me to ride in less populated areas.

2. Riding in wind.

I am not particularly aerodynamic as a runner, but on my Bionic Runner, I am even less so.  On my windiest ride to date, I tried to lean forward and push through the wind in a high gear.  It didn't work very well, and ended up being exhausting and demoralizing.  On the next windy ride, I realized I could just downshift and not lean forward quite as much.  This meant I wouldn't go quite as fast, but you have to pick your battles, right?

3. Flat tires.

The tires are small and made for the road.  We have had two flat tires so far, in two weeks, caused by the prickly Star Thistle that is prevalent in our area.  We tried to order thorn-proof liners and tubes, but they don't exist for this wheel size.  Mike's solution was Slime, a sealant that can be added to an inner tube to keep it from leaking.  So far, so good.

4.  Finding the right shoes to stay on the pedals.

The pedals have little spikes that are supposed to stick into the bottom of your shoes so your feet don't slip off.  I have 8,000 (maybe a slight exaggeration) pairs of old running shoes, which I thought would be perfect to use on my Bionic Runner.  The problem is, many of them have plastic plates across the bottom of the shoe, which actually made my feet slip while on the pedals.  Additionally, high-profile, max-cushioned shoes don't allow leverage on the pedals.  So I had to go through trial and error to find shoes that didn't slip.  Shoes that DO work - my ancient Nike Vomeros, and a relatively recent model of the Asics Nimbus.  Shoes that DON'T work - any model of Hokas, and my first generation pair of Adidas Boosts.

Here are some of the positives:

1.  My heart rate gets up there!

I haven't felt like I've worked out this hard since I stopped running.  Granted, it all depends on how much effort you put in it, but when you're traveling forward, it's a lot different than being on a stationary elliptical trainer in the gym, and my instinct is to go faster and work harder.

2.  It doesn't hurt!

This one is self-explanatory.  I have had debilitating ongoing pain in my hip flexor and high hamstring, which I feel in just about everything I do - but not when I work out on the Bionic Runner!  The no-impact workout allows me to crank out a tough workout without pain.  Such a relief!

3.  I feel like an athlete again!

One thing I miss about running is feeling like a serious athlete, rather than a gym warrior.  Doing my daily workout on the Bionic Runner gives me the sense that I'm training again.  I'm on a mission, and I'm trying to get faster with less effort.  Just like running.  

4.  I'm back out on the road!

Another thing I missed about running was simply being outdoors.  The Bionic Runner gets me back out there, feeling the freedom that comes with being on the open road (along with the occasional bugs in my face!).  I crank my tunes and even sing along sometimes, since I am riding in a mostly unpopulated area.  In just two weeks, my speed and distance has increased, and I'm more comfortable with shifting and turning.  

I've also begun tacking on a mile of jogging after every other Bionic Runner workout. It is my hope that I can start to increase the distance and speed of my short runs, with the goal of being able to do a complete running workout, but I'm not even close to being there yet. When I do get to that point, I will alternate my running workouts with my Bionic Runner workouts.

In conclusion...

Two weeks in, I'm very happy with our purchase.  I've ridden over 100 miles already, and look to be able to increase the distance.  I also plan to do a longer ride each week, the way I would do a longer run.  So far, it seems as though a 50-minute ride is equal to the calorie burn of a 50-minute run, so I get the same benefits in the same amount of time. I can say, without hesitation, the positives far outweigh the negatives.  

I do get some strange looks from passing cars and cyclists, but I figure it's because I look so cool.  Until next time....

In the beginning....

#BionicRunner

This blog is about our experience with the Bionic Runner by Run4. As you can see, it looks like a bicycle without a seat, but it is much more.

First, about the Bionic Runner, which we call around our house, BR:

"The patented Bionic Runner mechanism has a timing and motion based precisely on running. This sets the Bionic Runner apart from old school cross trainers and ellipticals. It specifically recruits and stresses the same muscles as running, improving running-specific fitness and stride economy. The Bionic Runner is able to reach maximum heart rate achieved on an elliptical in half the time, making it perfect for both Fartlek and High Intensity Training.The unique, dual-action of a non-impact landing and a closed kinetic chain combine to protect you from the two major causes of injury: impact fatigue and over extension." --http://run4.com/

Our wedding anniversary is September 1st. We ordered the BR 5 days earlier and it arrived the day before. It was a big gift for the two of us. It comes at a time when Kathleen is an injured runner and I, Mike, just don't really like running even though I've run a few marathons and a couple of half-marathons and many 5K races.

The photo above, from the Run4 website, shows the basic unit. Actually, there's only one model and it comes in any color as long as it is black.

You: "It looks like an ElliptiGo."
Me: "Right you are. But there are major differences."

• It folds (unlike the ElliptiGo). 
• It has 8 speeds (like the Elliptigo's most expensive model).
• The patented Bionic Runner mechanism has a timing and motion based precisely on running.
• It costs about $1,000 less than Elliptigo's most expensive model. 

It arrived by FedEx and required an adult signature.

Assembly took 45 minutes. I did it myself. After pumping up the tires, I was on the road an hour after arrival.

Here's a 3-minute video of assembly and first rides.