only for the non-runner runner type

30Jul07

I practise what I call effortless running.

I keep my face placid – very important – and my arms with unclenched fists close by my side, just above the hips – some say swing it, but I don’t.

I experiment with forward-leaning – some believe to let the gravity do the work of bringing your weight forward; or with an upright back – what Graham says to be the correct posture.

I focus my kinetic energy on forward motion, and minimize bouncing up and down, I lift my feet – indeed my thigh, for that ought to be, I think, the origin of the movement – from the ground the minimum possible distance, I don’t know how orthodox this is.

It’s just like how I theorized you ought to pedal the bike with the strength of your hip flexor muscles, and let the motion follow through your thigh, then your calves and finally, the feet on the pedal. It’s physics, it must be. Again, I’m not sure how orthodox this is.

On an aside, if I weren’t writing, I would like to be a sports psychologist, to tinker with people’s brains to make them do what I can’t do, or won’t put myself through. I’m a firm believer in the power of visualization.

Anyway, y’know, it works – effortless running, that is.

It’s how I run my four point I dunno how many kilometres even though I run with the frequency of a blue moon’s appearance.

I think I could do this more often. I shall go visualize it.

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