4
June

Is your jogging style, the plodding sack of potatoes or smooth as pomme puree…

7 miles woohoo, apparently we are all Natural Born Runners, even tho’ for the last 40+ years I didn’t think so. Thanks to my hub’s Marathon mission, he came across Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall, protagonist for bare foot running, which coupled with body awareness discovered thru’ yoga, made today’s 7 miler as smooth as, pommes puree instead of my typical sack-o-potato plod…

B2R sound bites, cos I admit I haven’t read the book yet:
1) Ball strike instead of heel strike

  • Ball strike = bouyant & shock absorbing due to bent knee
  • Heel strike = impact f/ankles, knees & hips due to out-streched legs

2) Short, quick steps i/o long strides
3) Lifted core
* lighter running style, literally lifting the body with each stride
4) Relaxed hands fore finger & thumbs touching and forward arm swing

Plank AAPPs collaboration with B2R sound bites:
1) Ball strike i/o heel strike

  • The flexibility of joints assisted in shock absorption. My knees were starting to feel it from my 1st 2 runs of  the year, however today’s run. Nothing, so far joints are as happy as Larry…

2) Short, quick steps i/o long strides
* Could definitely feel the weight impact difference b’tween a longer powerful stride, than a lighter, shorter      gait.
3) A lifted core
* HUGE, so many poses benefit from a lifted, strong core. I accessed my whole lung capacity & every time I felt like the sac-o-spuds on my back, I lifted my core which immediately lifted my spirits

4) Expansive chest for fuller breaths

4) Arm swing & relaxed fingers
* Moving meditation c/o article in Runners World. Altho’ not ready to leave iTunes at home yet, I made a mental note just to focus on running & breathing…

Ezra Dyer of The Improper did case studies on 2 areas dear to Plank in a recent edition. Firstly, Hot Bods, yet another editor tries hot yoga & recounts his findings & in light of the Boston Marathon Season, Run Free, his wear test on Barefoot running using the Vibram shoe. Trends, synchronicity or just plain coincidence…

Conclusion:
We are not taught how to run or taught how to relax.

A bit of insight & guidance in both areas & we could all find the Natural Born Runners inside of us all…

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Tags Posted under My Yoga, Plank AAPPs, Plank Life by wellheeledguru