The date for the 2012 Dam Race is July 21. Let’s be
ready, team Mantua!
“ Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. ”
― Thomas A. Edison
DDR (Dear Dam Racers),
I have let you all languish in repose long enough! It is
time to begin your Dam Race preparations.
Perhaps some few of you have kept up your training, and you
are to be commended. However, even you noble ones need some instruction to be
fully prepared for the intense competition that will soon be at your doorstep.
We begin with the first of the four Chi-skills written about
by my good (unilateral) friend Danny Dreyer who wrote Chi Running. And that skill is:
Focusing Your Mind
Your mind instructs your muscles to start working or
relaxing. Your mind orchestrates the perfect run, the perfect form, starting
out slowly, finding the perfect tempo, and taking in the beauty and chi of your
surroundings so that you finish relaxed, empowered, and full of energy for the
day ahead.
When your mind is focused and your body is responsive, you
have y’chi (ee-chee), a full mind/body focus. It’s the unbreakable focus of a
cat when it stalks a bird, or a tennis player awaiting a serve.
Like a meditation practice, the training of the mind and
body in ChiRunning is more relaxing than letting the mind wander. Studies have
shown that watching TV is not as relaxing as sitting quietly. A focused mind is
more relaxed than a mind that wanders aimlessly through the details and
minutiae of the day. When you are focused on teaching yourself something new,
the benefits to your body and mind will far outweigh the effort it takes to
focus. Eventually as the ChiRunning form becomes second nature, your mind and
body become as one.
PRACTICE EXERCISE:
Focus on your posture, whether sitting, walking, or running. When in a standing
position, pay attention to your upper body alignment, your lower body
alignment, and pelvic tilt. Imagine a line running downward through the middle
of your head, right down through the middle of your ankles to the floor. Keep head
and chin straight. Now focus on your feet. Your feet should be parallel and hip
width apart. Make sure the feet are parallel and not turned out. Imagine a yard
stick lying flat and straight out in front of you on the ground (or put one
there), then align the inside of one foot along the straight edge. Do not let
the ball of the foot rotate outward. FOCUS!
When you begin your daily run, keep your mind gently focused
on your posture.
Off and running,
Coach Rebrah
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