Changeling...

Can it be, so soon after my previous blog, that I am suddenly faced with having to change my fancies and notions? I pride myself that in my mid 60's, I am still not set in my ways and that I can be open and responsive to new information and understandings; notice that I said, 'can be'. Even so, to have my running identity challenged so soon after confirming (mainly to myself) that I am a runner and not an athlete is rather alarming to say the least! Perhaps after some examination, I won't have to go as far as saying that following certain recent revelations, I must now accept that I am an athlete rather than seeing myself as 'just being a runner.' It might be easier though for me to broaden my self-view and accept that there is an athlete in me somewhere and that recently this athlete part of me, after some 20 years of just running, manifested itself quite strongly on both a cross-country course and running track somewhere in Portugal. What happened? Well, I guess that 'it' just didn't materialise on the XC course and track of its own accord. 'Its' materialisation was really just the end result of a process that had been going on for sometime - the process being subtle changes going on inside me vis a vis sorting my diet out, losing weight and coming out of a long period of injury recovery. This athlete in me then, manifested itself - I use the term 'itself', as it was nothing to do with me, at least not in a conscious way - through the phenomena of me actually changing up 2 gears and doing a sprint finish in a 6K handicap race (my coach said that he had 'never seen me sprint before') and in so doing becoming the first person to cross the finish line. I was aided mind you by the very close proximity of two much younger and faster runners than me; it's just that under the terms of the race, I started before them and I had just enough power left in me to make sure that it stayed that way - at least for the last 50 metres or so. This athlete part of me also manifested itself again (much to my consternation) while training on the local 400 metre track a few days later. The session consisted of a 10 minute threshold run, 6 x 200's at 5km pace and another 10 minute threshold run. I actually don't know what my 5k pace is, so I just ran a bit harder round the track and this led to Andi from Brighton, my running companion at the time, complaining that I looked as though I was not really putting much effort into the session. We decided - and I've heard this before - that my running style didn't really help matters, as it looks as though I'm just cruising along when in fact I am working quite hard. After some discussion, we agreed that this illusion was down to me not raising my arms high enough, so for the remaining 200's, I worked at using them properly. Of course, what happened? I ran faster and in a more upright position and suddenly the athlete in me was free and everyone on that track saw it happen. What happened? Well, I'm not sure really but I do remember running tall; shoulders back, head up, chin in, arms punching forward and suddenly, without warning, my leg speed/turnover - call it what you will - dramatically changed and there I was running sub 6 minute miles. Okay maybe only for a 100 metres or so but sub 6 never the less... and it was nothing to do with me! What's worse, is the fact that I actually enjoyed and got something from this track session. So much so, that I mean to seek out a running track local to my home so that I can do some more of these quality sessions... for that is what they are.

Thanks a bunch Andi.