Rhythm Running

When I talk about rhythm running I’m not talking about listening to an ipod during your run, or trying to keep up with the beat of the stuff they pump out down at the gym. I’m referring to a term I use to illustrate that feeling of running when everything is in synch, your legs move fluently with your arms and your breathing, and your mind is totally focused on where you are going. Others may well call it something else but this is how I describe it to my clients, because it’s how I feel when I’m running well, I run rhythmically.

I have a number of clients that I run with, in order to make them better runners I don’t just take them out for a run I talk them through how to run better and I put them through various tests to get them to practice what I tell them. I try to teach them how to move their body better, how to relax and how to pick up the pace and push without causing stress to the cardio-vascular system. What I’m aiming to do is to get them to run to a rhythm that suits them. 

It sounds like it should be simple, and it is, but lots of people don’t appear to run rhythmically. I do and I’ve been very successful with it. Naturally I never used to think about it being rhythmical until I tried to find the best way to describe it to my clients. The only time I really struggle to run with rhythm is during cross country races, with all the twists turns and thick mud it’s difficult to get into a rhythm which is probably why this still proves to be my weakest discipline. Even so, I have had successful races over the country, so there are obviously some occasions I’ve managed to use it.

I was recently trying to help a client pass the bleep test but as we rehearsed we kept falling short of the required mark. As I was running alongside her I was observing her and it was clear that she wasn’t getting the rhythm, we were running at the same pace but she wasn’t relaxed and she wasn’t moving her legs properly plus at every turnaround I was pulling away by about half a metre. I spent some time trying to coach her into using the rhythm and there was some improvement, but by the end of the last session we were still just short of the required mark. There wasn’t much more I could do so I gave her one last run through of how I wanted her to run and told her to rest over the weekend. Come the Monday morning, the day of the test, she smashed it. Sometimes it takes a while for teaching to sink in but if you persevere you get there in the end.

Last week I realised that my Achilles was flaring up, I’d been doing a lot of client running up tough hills with uneven surfaces. Probably not the best thing to do whilst I’m still in recovery mode but sometimes you don’t know until it’s too late and I don’t like to let people down. Luckily it wasn’t too late to react, I took a sight seeing week in the hope things would improve. It took a long time but eventually things did improve and I was ready to start my quality runs last Saturday, not really ready for a parkrun at Delamere, but some faster intervals. I also ordered a McDavid ankle support, suggested by one of my Surrey based running friends. I wasn’t altogether convinced that would be the answer but nothing ventured…. This arrived just after my quality run on Saturday, once again Amazon set their expectations low (delivery was actually due today) to exceed your expectations, and I’ve been wearing it ever since (obviously only for runs, I don’t sleep or shower in it. Still not sure if it’s going to help, though the Achilles is not as sore as last week and I’ve done some good running.

My quest is now on to run a 10k, I finally feel ready and realise, with the lack of speed work (or rather my inability to do speed work fast), I’m not going to make huge inroads into my 5k times this year. I’ve been working on my sustained pace, using my rhythm running method. I’ve accepted that I will never have moves like Jagger nor a sprint finish like Tudor so my best bet to beat my mate Rob is to lure him into a 10k and make my move when he’s least expecting it, mind I might have to get him drunk the night before too. Anyway Rob it’s on my ‘Too Do’ list and it’s going to happen so you might as well start accepting it now.

Here’s two pictures of me from last season’s cross country season, can you tell which one has more rhythm? And a picture of me totally concentrated on bringing Herne Hill home first in a relay.  

The chasing pack sensing a damaged man at Stockport

Well clear of 30th place at Wythenshaw

My kind of surface and a 1st leg winner in a road relay championship. Eyes totally focused on the prize and keeping some of Britain's best Masters behind me.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk