The Take and run Thursday topic today at the Runner's Lounge is to image what super power we would have if we could.

Super twins power activate…Make as a time traveler and a super runner! Wouldn't it be cool to be able to go back in time to run anywhere and with anybody regardless of your running ability. Image going back to 490 BC to run with the Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens. Maybe I would suggest that he slow down a little so he could deliver the news of victory without dying. I would check out the first Boston Marathon in 1897 then first Olympic marathon in 1908. I would do the Chariot’s of Fire thing in the 1924 Olympics with Harold Abraham. I would run with my grandfather and suggest that he stick to 100 and avoid the hurdles. He injured his knee cap on a hurdle and wasn't able to participate in 1924 games in Paris. Then I would run with Clarence Demar during his 7^th Boston win, with John A Kelly while winning his first Boston in 1935. It goes without saying I would be in Berlin just to see the look on Hitler's face when Jesse did his thing. I would be there in 1954 on that cold blustery day in Oxford, when Sir Roger Bannister ran 3:59.4. How about checking out the 1964 Olympics for the greatest upset EVER when Billy Mills came from nowhere beat the world’s best in the 10,000 meters (watch the video). I would run with Frank Shorter in 1972 Olympic marathon as he wins gold. I would run with any of Steve Prefontaine's races and I would definitely call him a cab on May 30, 1975. Billy Rodgers, Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, Grete Waitz would be fun to run with. I would like to be there when Joan Benoit won the first gold medal for an Olympic woman's marathon in 1984. I would run with Haile Gebreselassi as he runs the world's best marathon 2:03:50 in Berlin last month.

Finally, I may go back run some of my races again to correct some tactical errors. It would be interesting to see what kind of results I would have if I made those post race what ifs during the race.

On Sunday I went on my last trail run in Michigan for the season...see ya next spring...

Hip strengthening/ Clams

Clams:

This is a great exercise to work runner's weak gluteal muscles. The athlete will lie on their side, knees together and bent at 90 degrees. They will rotate their upper leg upward, keeping their feet together. After 15 slow repetitions, a low grade fatigue will be felt in the glut region.

The Bridge

This is a simple exercise that will help to build functional strength in your gluteals and core.


Start with the level one bridge. Both feet are on the ground with knees bent. Toes up to minimize the activity of the hamstrings during this exercise. Contract your gluteals or buttock muscles and tighten lower abdominals simultaneously. Push through your heels and lift pelvis off of the ground slowly and under control. Lift until your pelvis in line with your thighs. Do not arch back. If you are arching you're probably going to high. Lower your pelvis back to the floor under control. Remember are to keep both sides of pelvis level as to not let either hip drop during the movement.



Once you are able to perform level one with minimal fatigue and with good form and control, move on to level two. This level is performed using a single leg. The same principles apply. Use buttock muscles or gluteal to lift pelvis off of the floor. It is important to remember while performing this movement to maintain a level pelvis. Weakness can be seen if the unsupported side of the pelvis drops during initiation of the movement or throughout the movement. Keep core tight and perform slowly to maximize gluteal activation.

This exercise along with clams and standing band exercises are a great functional warm-up before a run. We also recommend doing these exercises on off days/strength training days to increase functional strength and prevent many lower extremity injuries.

Core strength/ Lower abdominals

This is a great way for our runners to strengthen their lower abdominals without further loading their hip flexors (Pilates or full range sit-ups).

The runner will lie down supine with their knees bent at 90 degrees. They will then tighten their lower abdominals (rolling the pelvis toward their nose/flattening the lower back toward the floor). This position is maintained as they slowly raise their arms overhead holding a ball. The lower back should not arch away from the floor. The higher the arms are raised the more difficult it is to keep the "core" engaged. They will continue to slowly raise and lower their arms until the lower abdominals are fatigued.












We then have them load their External and Internal Obliques by repeating the same exercise but they start at the side of the pelvis and raise the ball at diagonal toward the opposite ear.












Once this is mastered we advance them to a more difficult position. They repeat these exercises but with the legs straight out. In this position it is much harder to keep the core engaged as the hip flexors are in a relatively lengthened position. This is a sneaky way to work on lengthening tight hip flexors and back extensors while strengthening the muscles that oppose them.

XC motivation

Take and run Thursday


On this post you will find a couple of my favorite quotes. Hopefully they will provide some motivation for you cross country runners approaching gut check time!

"It is simply that we can all be good boys and wear our letter sweaters around and get our little degrees and find some nice girl to settle, you know, down with...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race black Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!"
Quentin Cassidy, fictional miler in running cult classic, Once a Runner by John Parker


"A runner is a miser, spending the pennies of his energy with great stinginess, constantly wanting to know how much he has spent and how much longer he will be expected to pay. He wants to be broke precisely the moment he no longer needs his coin." -John Parker, Once a Runner


Wail on fellow animals and misers!

Ultra-Motivation

When you think about giving up on anything....