I was out with my dog yesterday walking and running along
the Platte River trail and off leash dog park areas and I had a chance to
observe a couple of different people running.
The first one was an older runner probably in his fifties or
sixties. The two pictures below contain
parts of what I observed in his running form though the pictures here
exaggerate what I saw a bit. Notice the
forward head in the picture at the left below and notice the misalignment of
the foot, knee and hip in the photo below on the right. I thought to myself that this man was doing
what he loved. I gave him a great deal
of credit for that. That is what it is all about. Do what you love and what
makes you feel alive. One of the most
powerful things in life is deciding to do something and then doing it
consistently.
But then I saw a second runner. Yes she was younger, but the
way she moved looked so much more comfortable, and sustainable, not only over
the course of her run on that day but over a lifetime. Notice the forward head again of the man in
the first photo. This man looks very active. Yet it is possible that he could
improve what he is doing. What do I mean by improve? I am not promoting the
“perfect”. I know that many people have
had injuries and that everyone is doing the best they can today. But please look at the example picture that I
have given of the second runner.
I was so taken by the difference, the good skeletal support,
the ease, the pleasure that I had to write this post. Look at the level hips, the lack of over
striding, the level of comfort. The
foundation for being able to do what we want is learning. Learning is a process. I encourage you to make way for the process
of improvement as well as the goals you have in movement. Improvement is seeking more comfort, more pleasure,
less injury, stronger alignment.
Can anyone improve,
or do only younger runners run well with skill?
Look at the pictures of Ed Whitlock below. He is in his eighties. He
does what he does partly because he does it well. Seek improvement, devote time
to the process, seek answers, they are out there.
Keep seeking improvement and not just movement. Enjoy the day , be inspired by the beauty of
the run – Scott
p.s. Remember there are thousands of lessons in the
Feldenkrais Method
If you have questions or would like to have help with your
running contact Scott at:
Transcendent-running.com
On facebook -
Transcendent Running
541 536 4822
