Kara Goucher’s Running Style
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A friend of mine sent me this article in the Wall Street Journal about Americans losing ground to Kenyan runner’s in the International running scene and how Kara Goucher’s different approach to training is helping her get back into the International competition. She’s just gripping it and ripping it. Like Hanzel in Zoolander said, “For me, it’s just the way I live my life. I grip it and I rip it.” Very well thought out words Hanzel. That is essentially what Kara Goucher is doing. Kara doesn’t run for distance or time when training. She just goes for a run twice a day and runs as fast and as far as she is feeling that day. She just grips it and rips it.
I honestly don’t understand all of the heart monitor, pace setting, caloric in-taking regulation people have in their training. I want to run as fast as I feel I can run, why do I need to have a heart monitor? I know how my body is feeling. Likewise, why would I want to shoot for a certain pace in a run? What if I’m feeling better than usual, do I have to hold back to stay at that pace. I start all of my races a little faster than I think my overall race pace is going to be just in case I’m able to hold that faster pace. Maybe I’ll be able to hold it the whole time or maybe I’ll get tired, so I’ll slow down a bit. And why would I watch all of the calories I intake? I eat enough to fulfill my hunger. My hunger is based off of how many calories I have burned in relation to what my body thinks it is going to need to get it to the next time I eat. I’ve been judging how hungry I am my whole life! Why would I want to track it now? However, I do know that I have to eat healthy, but “healthy” is a broad term. Whatever it is you do to try to “pace” yourself or not “over do it,” try not doing that. Just grip it and rip it, rock with the feel, and go with your own flow.
When racing you want to race like the Kenyans who “enjoy the battle” or Kara who says, “Sometimes we get obsessed with time. You can’t win a race like that.” She’s right, you can’t, because the race is not about time. It’s about you against the other runners, all you need to do to win is run faster than them, it’s that simple. As far as your race against the course, you should know the route and know what to expect, but you shouldn’t think about specifics, just what the overall layout is in relation to how you are feeling. Remember, it’s all about feeling.
So be like Kara Goucher and feel your run. It feels good don’t it? Oh yeah.
Tags: marathon