Distances, The (1947)

la [Music] any event from the mile to the marathon is distance running most track competitions are reserved for youth but distance Runners often improve with age these college athletes at this National meet are near the beginning not the end of their potentialities to excel in this sport start young and build your speed and stamina gradually over the years style is important to the distance Runner one mistake in stride will be multiplied thousands of times during the course of a race style flaws create fatigue and put drudgery into the distances constant practice sessions build stamina begin with the middle distances and work up to the longer runs style is determined by the course but whether on a track or cross country each stride must be a complete effort planned to get the most out of your body distance running need not be exhausting it can be fun distance Runners should use calisthenics that prepare muscles and joints for stride action this exercise teaches a circular stride its movement is like pedaling a bicycle correctly used it encourages ball of the foot pressure and develops front thigh muscles strengthen stomach muscles and increase lung power by this type of exercise the Troublesome pain in the for leg called the shin splint suffered by many Runners can be helped by this basic foot and knee exercise while the balls of the feet remain on the ground the heels are lifted as high as they will go now the body starts down to a full squat the heels must touch the ground this calisthenic is difficult for some adults through exercise and proper running you may develop a muscle alongside the shin which may eliminate shin splints here the runner is using the heel and ball roll style while not recommended for the track it is proper for CrossCountry running where the footing is uneven the shock of Landing is taken up primarily by the knee Bend distance Runners should pay more attention to spe feed they work hard coming out of the marks then relax to a degree that causes more fatigue than it saves many distance Runners defeat themselves through a mistaken conception of the value of relaxation the body needs controlled tension to bind it into one compact unit by loosening the body and preventing one unit action over relaxation in running causes not lessens f faue these Runners also try to use the heel and ball roll instead of ball of the Foot Action as they perform it however a slight shock marks each Landing the foot roll should coordinate with the knee Bend always apply foot pressure progressively the progressive action starts when the body is passing over the foot as it lands foot pressure reaches its highest point here to create a forward knee reflex continuing pressure would create an excessive kick up start with a light Landing for more push the chalk Mark circles the ball of the foot which acts as a cushion and a spring the foot should always land here distance Runners should Master the two recognized foot techniques the heel ball roll as used here is good only for distance and is superior only over rough ground the ball of the foot style is good for speed and distance through opposition balance the left leg balances the right arm and vice versa some of these runners use additional movements of the hands and elbows in an instinctive effort to make the arm action match the leg action it is easy to synchronize thighs and shoulders more difficult to time hands and feet this demonstration proves that lifting the knees vigorously upward does not produce forward momentum but as the knee Drive shifts forward as well as upward our athlete can't be held back foot pressure flows up through the calf to the strong front thigh muscle depend on the front thigh for Drive the circular stride is rare among distance Runners the few who have learned it have had great success the circular movement becomes elliptical or egg-shaped as the stride length progresses run on the balls of your feet to master this effective style this is the start of a circular action note the power line from foot to front thigh a secondary bicycle knee lift and a gravity fall to the foot should have been used a four- leg kick defeats the stride follow the foot marked with the handkerchief as it leaves the track it kicks up and swings downward this is the Orthodox pendulum action when exaggerated it is wasteful here is a perfect example of straight line running it stimulates correct hip action in straight line running as the hip goes forward with each stride it is opposed by the backward shoulder action opposition arm movement is an aid to breathing the runner should breathe normally with no attempt to influence this automatic action both the nose and mouth should be used to take in oxygen forget about breathing it will take care of itself this Runner shows undue neck strain it's seriously handicaps proper breathing relaxing neck and shoulders permits the arms to swing freely allows natural breathing and reduces fatigue in running the upper body twists in One Direction while the lower body twists in the other the constant change does not affect the head this plan demonstration proves that the head is not a working part of the body by using the spine hinge these Runners look in all directions without disturbing the equilibrium of the body without breaking stride they can look down to avoid collisions and anticipate strategy these athletes are trying to work with the front leg as well as the rear this makes them pull and push at the same time don't kick the for leg forward keep the front knee slightly bent and let gravity take the foot downward when the counterbalancing arm action is used the shoulder blades cooperate with the elbows biceps and shoulders here is the pendulum swing performed at its best the moderate kick up is accepted as a necessary reflex action this Runner avoids the overstride pitfall and its resultant fatigue common to this St style this demonstration proves that running can be effective even with the arms out of action the shoulders carry on the necessary opposition movement in summary ball of the foot circular action can be used for all distances from 100 yards to the marathon this highly recommended all round style takes care of both speed and distance from the start to the Finish there must always be sufficient tension to allow the body to work as one unit think in terms of control tension not relaxation two common mistakes cause fatigue in distance running one is the tendency to over relax after the start the other is an overstride with an overstride you overpay and fatigue for the slight gain and stride distance a correct automatic stride is the basis of running efficiency and ball of the Foot Action is the key to it with scientific style a runner can finish first and still remain fresh in the distances [Music]