How to running Information

Running in The Zone has to be one of the most satisfying experiences. When it all fits together it can seem effortless and intensely rewarding. But why are some runs better than others? Is there anything we can do to help ourselves get into The Zone? Here is a personal account of one of my most memorable runs.

I hadn’t intended to go for a run following a ten miler the day before. But it looked such a beautiful summer’s evening I was tempted to get out for a three, maybe four mile jog. Following a warm-up I headed out at around eight o’clock. I wasn’t disappointed. It was perfect evening for running with a light fresh breeze, warm air and the birds singing.

I headed off down the hill and started my checklist - jaw is free not tight; I’m aware of my skull sitting on top of my spine and I’ve not stiffened my neck; my shoulders are relaxed and my arms swing freely from their ball and socket joints; I’m allowing the air to enter my nose and letting the ribs move into the gap between my torso and arms. I think ‘light arms’ to open up the muscles in the upper back to keep my upper body poised. Next I apply awareness to the space where my hips joints are and allow the legs to swing freely from these points. I maintain all of these thoughts as I allow my lower legs to fall and bounce back from the road giving me a lift right back up to the top of my head. That’s it! The hand break is off. A sudden lightness and simultaneous feeling of release and elation tell me I’m there. I’m now in the zone. I pass the first mile mark - a turn in the road.

I have consciously reached the zone by removing all the obstacles that prevented it happening. Because it was a conscious process that brought me here I am able to consciously maintain it.

Seemingly without effort, the hedgerows begin to flow by faster as I get a lift from the road’s surface. I keep up with my thinking, I call it ‘interactive awareness’, but it’s easier now as once there it requires no effort to maintain - its all encompassed in one thought.

Another two, three then four miles pass by and my pace is good. Perhaps slow by some standards but for me its fine; in fact it doesn’t really matter at the moment. I turn off the main road and start a climb of about half a mile. I consciously check for signs of my old habit of getting set to climb the hill. My face is free, no facial expression required to try harder in anticipation of this fairly steep section. I allow my arms to open up a little to increase the swing and imagine my head is releasing forward and upwards to lead my body up the hill. As the gradient gets steeper I become aware of a greater push (ground reaction force) and allow it to propel me up the hill as I keep my knees released so my lower legs stay swinging. My breathing has increased but I maintain an ‘upness’ and soon see the top of the hill.

Once over the brink I slow my pace a fraction and let the air flow into my lungs. With the hill out of the way and my breathing recovered I start to think about increasing speed. I hold this thought for a moement to prevent any inappropriate effort building up. Not too long ago this action would have brought my shoulders up and my head back as I pushed the pace. Now I just keep my shoulder and hip joints free and become aware of the direction my elbows and knees are moving. Even though I have followed this procedure thousands of times before, I still get a lift from seeing it in action. With little perceived effort I am now moving much faster. I have about a third of a mile to go downhill. I check that I’m not braking in fear of falling over - again another old habit. Letting go of my legs and keeping the hip, knee and ankle joints free I release and let gravity bring me down the gradient.

Dark clouds are gathering but the evening sun is still peeping through a slit in the horizon bringing a reddish tint to the cornfields on either side of the road. A warm light rain begins to fall and I get a picture of Gene Kelly singing in the rain. I feel his joy and there is ‘a smile on my face’. I pass the old barn with the rusty green tractor and know that’s seven miles. In another half-mile the road forks; the right one takes me home in about a mile; the left fork opens up more options. On some of my previous runs there would have been no debate as the short route home is very tempting. Tonight there is no question of ending it so soon and I head left taking me away from home. I don’t care about planning out any directions because at the moment I feel I could run all night.

I guess I’ve now covered about ten miles and start to feel the first signs of fatigue. I run though my checklist again to find my shoulders have lifted a fraction and I have collapsed a little in the torso. With this realisation I am able to release the shoulders, release my arms and return to a lighter state as my breathing opens up again.

I reach a crossroads and know it is three miles from home if I turn right; five miles if I go straight over; and God knows how far if I turn left. I make an informed decision and turn right, after all I don’t want to spoil this evening my pushing myself too far. The last three miles are a joy, partly due to maintaining an efficient style but mainly because I know I’m nearly home where a well deserved cool drink and bath are waiting. The rain has stopped and I can just see the sun starting to sink below the horizon. I arrive home and stay on a high until I go to bed.

This is why I run. Not for glory, not for achieving personal bests, its for times like this when everything comes together creating a feeling like no other. I’m fully engaged, being in the moment, enjoying every moment. This is living consciously in the here and now where I have total control and nothing can stop me.

Roy Palmer is a teacher of The Alexander Technique and has studied performance enhancement in sport for the last 10 years. In 2001 he published a book called ‘The Performance Paradox: Challenging the conventional methods of sports training and exercise’ and is currently working on a new project about The Zone. More information about his unique approach to training can be found at Running Technique

Share This

There are many things I truly love about running. It’s a long list.

But the pleasant and sometimes unexpected smells, odors, aromas and fragrances that I inhale on my common route is one that’s pretty high up on that list.

In our normal daily lives we live trapped either inside our cars, our homes, offices, or shopping malls. It’s not too common that we are exposed to the natural ambient smells of the world without the intervention of walls and air conditioning systems which deaden our sense of smell.

When I run around the 5K loop in my neighborhood there is nothing that comes in between the world as it is and my olfactory bulb.

The warmer the air, the more smell particles find their way to my grateful nose.

It’s always an experience of comfortable recollection (”ohh, yes, fresh laundry!”) or a puzzling inquiry (”after shave? or burnt grass?”).

The game of olfactory hide-and-seek never ends.

Here are some of the odors and fragrances I encounter on a fairly regular basis on my running route:

I took up running in my late 40s after looking hard and long at a picture taken in New York City during a family vacation, a picture in which I truly did not like the way I looked.

Out of shape. Tired. Overweight. Neglected. Dark rings under the eyes. No juice. And that big belly which I didn’t notice before hmmm

Clearly, dieting and exercise was the only way out. But dieting has never been something I was very successful at. So that left me with the only other option available - exercising.

But what kind of an exercise? I felt too old for a lot options and almost for all team sports. I didn’t have too much spare time either.

It had to be something that I could start doing right away without much preparation or driving around and would then allow me get back to my daily routine with the same ease.

As I was meditating on the issue, as luck would have it and as it usually happens by divine arrangement in situations like this, my eyes happened to fall on this very elderly gentlemen, easily in his 70s and perhaps even more, RUNNING past my window with a stilted but comfortable gait!

I pressed my nose to the glass to take a second look just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating or anything.

Nope, the white haired gentleman was slowly but surely inching his way up the street where I lived, looking smart in his great looking sweat shirt and pants and matching jogging shoes.

I was embarrassed in a way. If this guy could run in that very advanced age, what excuse did I have for self-pity and inaction?

So that very same evening I did what I always do before embarking on a new project - I hit the bookstore.

While perusing the racks of books and magazines I found what I needed. The latest issue of the Runner’s World magazine which had a 10 week startup program for the absolute new beginners. I checked it out while still standing there in front of the magazine rack - it was built around a “walk 2 minutes and then run for 2 minutes for a total 10 minutes” type of idea.

Certain that I could walk and run in 2 minute intervals, I purchased the magazine right there on the spot.

While driving back home I almost ran a red light because in my mind I was already off and running like a cheetah up and down gorgeous hills and mountains and across all over God’s green earth. Boy, was I ready for some glory.

The next morning, with my old plastic watch strapped to my right wrist, and wearing my almost brand spanking new running shorts and jogging shoes, I was out in front of my house, feeling really nervous and excited like a little kid about to join a new game.

The first 100 yards I thought I was doing fine until I was stopped in my tracks with an excruciating pain that stabbed me on the side. And that was the end of my first “run.” I walked back home holding my side and cussing at myself for failing in my grandiose “becoming a runner” project.

Was this for me really? Was I going to be able to run, ever, for 2 MINUTES straight for god’s sake?!

The next morning I did not feel any better when I saw the same old gentleman cruising past my house, this time in an even better-looking jogging outfit.

In ten minutes I was out again, making it past the 100-yards mark and welcoming the familiar side-stab at about 200 yards. But I felt I was doing it. At long last, yes, I was exercising, one killer side-stitch at a time.

Let’s fast forward to a year later

My runs were now always over the 30 minute mark and I was running like 3 or sometimes even 4 times a week. I was feeling great, lost some weight (not a lot though) but in general I was really feeling charged the way someone throws off a switch in a dark room and turns on the lights. The sensation of renewal was really remarkable. The fact that my wife also commented on how better I looked and how she was also inspired herself by my new routine made the rewards even sweeter.

Since then running became truly an addiction for me. I can now run for over an hour at a slow comfortable pace and easily do four or five miles at a stretch. When I feel rested and especially energized, like perhaps once every other week, I also combine some after-run sit ups and bicycle-kick crunches for some extra conditioning.

Within the past few years I’ve even participated in a 5K and 10K race with mediocre times nothing to write home about (33″ and 72″, respectively). But I feel peaceful, strong and about 20 pounds lighter. I know I probably have another 20 pounds to go but it is a process. An up and down process that I’ve learned to manage.

Some days I feel tired and ragged, and I’ve learned how not to force myself on days like that because, thanks god, my body does not care for my ego.

I’ve learned to respect my limits and not to injure myself. So I never got injured so far, knock on wood.

On those magical and rare days when I feel this inexplicable energy roaring out of nowhere in the third mile of a 5 mile run, I’ve learned to let it rip and open up downhill like a child while praying inward that my knees would hold up and not let me down for one more day.

I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of running and all runners young and old, fast and slow. I’ve learned the proper form to run efficiently and how not to be arrogant when I saw fellow runners with bad-form, and how not to be upset when those same runners with bad-forms easily left me reeling in their dust.

I know what a privilege and blessing it is to be able to run. I cherish it with an almost religious reverence. I’m truly grateful. I remember all those who cannot run even if they wanted to for one reason or another and I send them all my heartfelt silent prayers. I hope they are accepted.

If you are already a runner, I’m sure you’re already familiar with my experience. And if you are not, first of all let me slip in the obligatory caution that I’m not a doctor and I strongly recommend you see your doctor before undertaking any exercise program, including running.

But having said that, I heartily recommend running for everyone, within their own limits and capacity. Take it very easy at first. Walk a minute, and then “run” for 30 seconds, if you need to. There’s nothing wrong with that. Who said you need to run like Alberto Salazar as soon as your New Balances hit the ground?

It’s all about circulation and sweating out the toxins. I think running is unique in revving up our circulation to its maximum and that’s why it’s got so many health and psychological benefits. But that deserves another article of its own.

Do it and you’ll like it. And the more you like it, the more you end up doing it, no matter how old you are. That’s how this positive addiction grows on you and becomes a new friend.

Oh, by the way, I later happened to learn the name of the same white-haired gentleman that unknowingly became my inspiration and silent mentor because I ran in a 5K with him. For the first 4K he was ahead of me. It was only within the last klick that I pulled even and passed him.

If I did not pass him in that 5K race I might seriously consider quitting running altogether because I also learned his age from another fellow runner that knew him pretty well.

He was 84 years old and he is till running up and down my street. God bless him.

Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials. While at it, you might also want to check the latest book he has edited:http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

Share This