Week 7 Recap

Notes for the week:

1. In the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, he quotes ultra runner Caballo Blanco as saying…

Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don’t give a shit how high the hill is or how far you’ve got to go. When you’ve practiced that so long that you forget you’re practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won’t have to worry about the last one – you get those three, and you’ll be fast.

When I read that quote years ago, I thought "Yeah, right." Well…it's happening. During one of my 45 minute runs I realized that despite the heat and humidity, I felt "Easy, Light, Smooth." I trust the "Fast" will come. Truly an awesome feeling!

2. Something else I've noticed is the complete change in my running form. Coach MK requires that you "lock your cage" before running. Basically, shoulders down and back, chest out. I feel taller, for sure, but didn't notice how much that also changes how I run. I learned that smaller steps are easier than long strides when your cage is "locked." Smaller steps also mean lower heart rate, in my case. Quicker turnover = faster pace. I honestly feel as though after seven weeks of hard work and perseverance, things are starting to change. It's kind of exciting.

The numbers: My best pace last week was at a 11:32. This week, a hot and humid 11:49.