This Is How Records Are Broken

Above is a picture of Perry Newburn who just ran across the country from New York to Los Angles in record time. He turned 60 years old during the run.  How did he do it?  That is what I wondered today. I didn’t just wonder in a general way about how much humans can do. I wondered specifically what was he doing with his self organization, his running form. I watched video on youtube of Perry running. There is an overall sense of efficient movement over the ground when you watch him. Then the details – He was great movement in the shoulders, hips, and spine, no over striding. My impression is that he moves like someone who is comfortable with himself and what he is attempting to do. He looks like he comfortably rotates gently down the road (yes, I know he must be tired) but like all masters, he makes it looks easy. Thank you Perry, by expressing your gift you have inspired on a basic human level and have also spoken to points I would like to improve in my running. 

Let us all give a big congratulations to Perry on his accomplishment!!!!!  

Try this:

Have a friend read this to you or do this by yourself. Pause at times to notice more.

I have mentioned this basic movement before, but let us go back to it afresh. Stand upright and relax. Now swing your arms in a loose, relaxed arc around yourself, to the left and to the right. Pay attention to doing this movement in a loose easy manner. Now notice that this movement can be felt throughout the entire body from head to foot. Make the motion smaller, lighter, easier. Can you feel that the movement starts in the shoulders and arms?  Can you notice what happens in the feet? Can you notice that there is a different movement in the left foot than the right foot as you swing your arms lightly? Most importantly can you notice the movement in your spine, in your waist, in your hips?  Can you lessen the movement in the arms and shoulders and bring more awareness to what moves in the middle of you?  Whatever you feel in the spine and waist, can you make that easier to do by letting go of whatever rigidity you normally hold here. Now most importantly can you make this an integrated movement with no one part of the body being emphasized more than any other?  Now bend your arms to 90 degrees or more. Begin a gentle rotating movement again. Of course the arms will not cross the midline. Make this more and more integrated from head to foot.  Experiment gently. Remember it is easy to overdue things we are giving new attention to. Play with this movement. Now watch the video of Perry below and then take it for a run. Have fun! J

Watch the youtube video here:

http://youtu.be/oVO5JkvK_Is

Being Skeletal:The Secret to Power and Ease

 

Yesterday I was back on the Pacific Crest trail hiking and running. It was a great opportunity to get reacquainted with my skeleton, my support framework. Without a skeleton in would be impossible to move the way humans do. Without gravity it would be impossible to propel ourselves over the ground. Notice the alignment of the entire skeleton from head to toe in all of the above pictures. In the first picture of the skeleton above it is even possible to see the spiral motion that happens throughout the skeleton in good running alignment and movement. 

We could think of pushing off our feet to propel us forward, but the feet are not designed to be the source of propulsion, they would quickly be overwhelmed if given this task. We could think of pushing with the legs to propel us, but even the legs would tire quickly and overuse of the leg muscles removes fluidity and can promote injury. We could think of using the core musculature, but even this cannot be done efficiently unless we have an understanding of how to use our foundation, our skeleton. Without a skeleton we don’t run. Without gravity we don’t run. The skeleton and gravity combined connect us to the ground or surface we are running on. When we transmit the forces involved in running in such a way that they make good use of the skeleton and the ground, we run well, using no more muscular effort than is necessary. Running this way is not just a case of good alignment but good alignment in motion, which is a coordinated use of the skeleton throughout the running stride. 

Here are two things you can do to prepare for a run and to get in better touch with your skeleton.

      1.      Walk around and get a general sense of your walking.

      2.       Now stand in place and think of your bones. Go slowly and notice how your bones support you. How much muscular effort does it take to stand? Scan from head to foot, notice each vertebrae, your pelvis, you legs and feet. Take your time, don’t rush through this. Where could you let your skeleton support you more? Where do you feel your muscles working hard? Walk again and compare to the first time you walked. 

      3.      Lie on your back on the floor. Have your knees bent and your feet hip width apart. Take both knees a little to the left. Can you notice that one knee travels farther in the direction of your feet than the other? Keep your feet hip width apart.  Don’t let them stack one on top of the other as you move them to the left. It you wanted to take the knees farther to the left, go very, very slowly and notice what happens in your pelvis, then in your low back, then in your ribs? What happens in your shoulders? Turn you head to the right a bit and notice what happens as you do this movement. 

      4.      Keep doing the movement very gently bringing the knees to point to the ceiling and then bringing the knees to point to the left. What is your right shoulder doing as you go a bit farther to the left? What is you upper back doing?  Can you feel a spiral developing from head to foot?  It is important to notice if you are getting longer as you do this movement. Do you have an overall sense of lengthening? Rest when you want to. Doing the movement more gently will hasten the learning process. Can you feel how the running movement might move through you, through your skeleton?  Repeat these movements on the other side. Remember there is no magic in the movements. The magic is in where your attention is while you do them. If your intention is to feel better alignment of the entire skeleton then that is what you will begin to learn. 

 

5    5.      Enjoy! Remember, keep it easy, keep it light.  And may your running be fun and rewarding. 

       

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