Form & Pace

This week was so informational.  Homework went pretty well.  On Monday, a new friend and Mentor, Pina joined me. We met up and ran through the campus of Roberts Wesleyan College.  The sun was shining and it was a new and beautiful scene to workout at.  The race last Saturday gave me so much energy and excitement that I was more pumped to knock out this week's workouts.  

On Wednesday, I joined the Westside Group at Ridgeway for our Group Run.  Another sunny day, and 6 intervals of running for 5 minutes, walking for 2 alongside the canal.  It was beautiful.  At times I was on my own, in the long line of runner's just like me, trying to find themselves, pushing to the next walking interval.  At one point, Coach Kate jogged up next to me.  She said she was watching me run and wanted to know if I felt tension on the tops of my shoulders. It took me by surprise, since the only thing I wasfeeling was the burn inside my body,  while hearing my inner voice chanting "You can do this".  

My shoulders? Not really, but it's not like I was concerned with "checking in" with them.  Especially, since in my opinion, there are many other (NON-RANDOM) things going on in my head.  However, the second I concentrated on my shoulders, I felt a sharp pain and tension in them.  It was crazy!  How could she see something that I never thought about, even though it was happening INSIDE my body???

Coach Kate explained that the way I held my arms was making my core and the rest of my body work way harder than it needed to. She explained that my body was using strength to keep them where they were, instead of just letting them fall, relax and "go with the motion". 

"Drop the shoulders and focus on opposite hand and opposite leg. Over exaggerate your arm movements and extend them more than you are currently doing"

I'll admit that it was so hard to think about at first.  I felt so weird trying to get my arms and shoulders to do what she was explaining. It took a little bit, but once I got the hang of it, I really focused and determined to stay with that form. Towards the end of the workout, I think I achieved what she was talking about. My arms felt like they were helping me way more than I was allowing them to! They were almost like wings, without sounding too corny, pushing the air behind me and making my stride a little longer.  

On Thursday, Pina joined me again.  She met me at the house and we went running around the neighborhood and in the back of the Industrial Park my house. I told her about how I was trying to keep up with Coach Kate's advice about running with better form in my arms.  Then, there was another tip she offered. She said that I seem to haunch my back forward while running.  She said that I should stand taller while I run so the air will get into my lungs better and breathing wouldn't be so labored. Hmmm.. so now I have my Armsand Back to think about. Great!  Up until now, all I thought about was putting one foot in front of the other, pushing myself to the limits and NOT STOP... even if it hurt!

After taking in these great tidbits of information, I began to practice. Practice makes perfect, right?  Pina left and I decided to practice for a short run down to the corner and back.  WOW, things seemed to be falling in place.  Another reason why NO Boundaries is just the best. Coaching tips like this can make all the difference.

Okay, so one last thing... PACE!  If improving your FORM can help, PACE, (I've come to learn) makes it or breaks it with this whole running thing. From the beginning, each coach or mentor has uttered these words... "Go Slow.  Start off slow.  Don't over do it, especially in the beginning".  You get the point, right?  Over the past few months, I've realized that this is another item I need to focus on. 

It's hard, especially when I'm feeling great in the beginning of a run and am just so excited to go fast.  But then I seem to over do it and regret it in the middle of the workout.  OR, I see that hill and just wanna push myself harder and faster to get up it, so it'll be over with!  Those hills get me EVERY TIME!!

Yesterday at our Group Workout, we advanced to SIX minutes of running, ONE minute of walking for 6 intervals.  If I was going to survive, I needed to tap into the words of wisdom those mentors and coaches tell us every time we see them. "GO SLOW".... what do you know? That was the key!  Despite the cold weather, hail and wind (in Spring, mind you) I needed to make sure that I didn't over do it in the beginning. 

All I can say is that I think I'm finally getting the hang of this.  I know I've said it a million times, but running with the group, with people just like me, allowed me to control my pace and stay at a great speed.  Those 6 minutes were MORE than do-able and I felt so accomplished by the end. I could still hold a conversation AND I didn't feel like I was going to crash and die!  At the last running interval, I ditched my friends, and pushed myself faster.  I pretended it was the last leg of the race and the finish line (The Armory and my car) was in sight! It felt awesome and I'm so happy I could show myself how much I've truly progressed in this program.  I'm getting stronger by the end of each workout, and I'm just truly grateful for everyone who has played a part in it!!!

Pina, Christine, and all the mentors and coaches have given me more than just the ability to show myself that I can achieve this. They've given me something deep inside I never asked them to give. Something I never thought they could.  The confidence and strength I feel about myself, INSIDE, is because of them. I know it's easy to listen to them say "You can do this", but  hearing them and allowing yourself to absorb these words to the areas inside your body that need them is INDESCRIBABLE!  

Sure, the No Boundaries Learn to Run program has been proved time and again to work... but for me, I know it's the people involved and not just the workout schedule that truly makes it Successful.