I BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT WORK

One of the unpleasant jobs of growing up on a farm was killing a chicken when company came. We kept a lot of chickens all the time; but we seldom ate one of them except to entertain company. Killing one of them was not as easy as it seems. You could take off their head by wringing their neck or by cutting it off on the chopping block. But, surprisingly, they didn't die quick. Even with it's head gone, a chicken can still run. Some will jump almost as high as your head. Others will flop in circles on the ground. (Incidentally, that is where the description of an aimless person "running around like a chicken with his head cut off" comes from.) As you can see, it can be a messy business. We learned, however, that when the head came off, if you would lay the chicken firmly on it's back and pull feathers from it's breast, it would not flop at all! Don't even ask me why it had this result, for I can assure you that I don't know. I only know that it worked every tine; and prevented an otherwise undesirable outcome.

I have found many similar situations in running. I believe in things that work. Sometimes I may be totally in the dark as to why they work. I have just found that they do; and I cling to things that bring good results. Aren't you the same way??? HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE THINGS THAT WORK WELL FOR ME:

1. Deliberately determine to arrive early at races. My suggestion is a minimum of 45 minutes (and preferably an hour) before the start. Few things will make you more uptight than thinking you do not have adequate time for registration or warmup; and the more uptight you get the less chance you have of running well. Make allowances for bad weather or heavy traffic. You'll he glad you did.

2. Use your warmup time to look over the last half mile of the race course. As you loop back toward the finish line be sure to notice your landmarks. This will give you a lift when you get to this point in the race, in knowing when to sprint etc.

3. By the tine you begin your second mile of the race be sure that you are in a glide mode, with long smooth strides and deep breathing. Try to run hard but without strain.

4. Decide what part of your body becomes the most tense and force it to relax. (In my case it is the lower jaw.) You will find that if you relax that one part, the rest of your body will follow suit. You may have to repeat this process a number of times in the course of a race; but running with great pressure will almost always cause you to run slower instead of faster.

5. Run only the mile that you are on at the time. Letting your mind get too far ahead of your feet will lead to discouragement. Thinking about how far you have to go may just make you want to give up. Run this mile well and the rest will follow.

6. Stop forcing liquids about two hours before the race time. Taper off from this point so that you are only taking sips in the last twenty minutes, determined by what you have found on training runs that your body will tolerate.

7. Tie those shoes securely! If it takes three good knots to be confident, then that is exactly what you should do. Having to retie a shoe during a race cannot only be time-consuming; but can even be dangerous for both you and others. Thus I recommend one "insurance knot" after you think they are fine.

8. Determine to finish every race as strongly as possible. Whatever you have left, use it up in the last 600 meters. This may well prevent your being beaten by seconds; and will always leave you feeling good about yourself. It also leaves no room for regrets regardless of how you have placed.

9. At some point in every race try to feel the joy of running and the gratitude for being able to compete. That within itself places you in the upper 2% of the population; and gives you a special kind of victory.

10. Take time at every race to commend others who have done well. This may be the organizers, the helpers or those who have beaten you. This is not just for their benefit; but for yours as well. Bragging about what you have done never really sets well with anyone. You'll be a better winner, if you know how to he a good loser.

Remember: you are unique. What works for others may not work for you. The principles of running are universal; but the specifics are for you to judge and apply for yourself. Try these if you will; and use only what works for you. BUT DO KEEP RUNNING!