I’m convinced that every improvement I make in this sport as an athlete and a coach is a result of constantly trying to learn from those around me.  I try to take all the bits of information in, no matter where it comes from and no matter how big or small, and put it all together into my own witches brew that fits my style.  Here are just a few examples that relate to the story of one of my runs last week…… The UNC Track and Cross country coach once told me that “you can’t drive a car fast if the brakes are on.” My awesome massage therapist and team mate, Jessica Gumkowski, taught me how to fall asleep easier by focusing methodically on relaxing my muscles from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. My good friend and training partner Craig Greenslit imagines that his legs are incredibly long.  “Your upper body is about 2 inches tall……you are just all legs.” My good friend and team mate Kristina Freisem explained to me how she runs down hill nice and relaxed letting gravity take over by imaging herself as being made of rubber band material.  “Run like a Rubber band Man!” One of my coaches, Neal Henderson, speaks of running in an almost meditative state by shutting the mind down.  “No thoughts…..just be right in the moment and tune out.” 

My swimming coach talks about finding a “calm center” like you are right in the eye of a hurricane.  “There may be chaos all around you, but you are relaxed and at peace in the middle of it all.”

THE RUN…..Last week I headed out the door for one of my overdistance runs.  I had really gone to the woodshed the day before with some monster intervals on the bike and the run so it would be an understatement to say I was cooked.  I started the run very slowly in Z1 as I always do and as usual my mind started doing the full body scan from head to toe to see how the things are running.  OUCH!  I was definitely getting some rough signals.  My chest and lungs felt tight, my neck and shoulders felt like I had been working at a computer for 8 hours….rightly so……my feet were sore, and my legs felt very heavy, sore and sluggish.  “okay,” I told myself, “these are the days when you really earn it.”  It’s times like these that I’ve learned to play a little mind game to try and get myself into the zone.  It’s fairly simple.  I just try to see how relaxed I can possibly be.  I started at the top of my head and slowly began relaxing every muscle from top down.  I realized I had been grimacing.  My eyes were squinted.  My mouth and lips were tight like I was about to yell at someone.  My shoulders were shrugged up like I was expecting a blow in a fight.  My hands were clenched.……the list goes on and on…….Slowly, I relaxed more and more.  I kept playing the game.  Can you relax more? Finally, I was most definitely in the zone.  My heart rate told me I was in Z2 but suddenly I was light, relaxed, and flying.  To anyone passing by, I probably looked like some kind of stoned zombie with a running death wish!  My eyes were glazed.  My jaw was slack. My upper body was so relaxed that my hands were bouncing around lifelessly off my chest.  No wonder people think I’m a weirdo!   

As I neared the end of my run I was sort of snapped back to reality as I realized it was time to cool down and jog the last kilometer.  Now I can see why the best endurance athletes in the world have that absent, stoic, slacked Jawed look as they fly by everyone.  What appears to be the ultimate in concentration is quite possibly the ultimate in relaxation. 

Until next time, shop at trisports.com using my discount code chowie-s, eat more powerbar, and tell your endurance family you love them.