Relax your cacks and improve running performance

ThebitterLemon

https://www.mcmillanrunning.com/the-90-rule-and-how-it-can-boost-your-performance/

Might give this a lash at my next race!

TbL

RayCun

I don't think it's so much about relaxation, more about expected future effort.

When you're running a distance race and you think, "oh god, I've still got x far to go", it is hard to maintain the effort, your body wants to slow down and stop.

When you think, "great, I've only got x far to go", it is easier, you can convince yourself to keep working because you'll be able to stop soon.

Itziger

RayCun wrote: »

I don't think it's so much about relaxation, more about expected future effort.

When you're running a distance race and you think, "oh god, I've still got x far to go", it is hard to maintain the effort, your body wants to slow down and stop.

When you think, "great, I've only got x far to go", it is easier, you can convince yourself to keep working because you'll be able to stop soon.

That's all very well, Ray, but if you're at 5km in a marathon and you tell your body there's only 37 and a bit kms left, you had better hope the brain doesn't hear you!!

El Caballo

RayCun wrote: »

I don't think it's so much about relaxation, more about expected future effort.

When you're running a distance race and you think, "oh god, I've still got x far to go", it is hard to maintain the effort, your body wants to slow down and stop.

When you think, "great, I've only got x far to go", it is easier, you can convince yourself to keep working because you'll be able to stop soon.

Thats definitely true but I think the message in the article was different to the central governor theory where you can pick it up at the end of a race. It was using those last few seconds of the run to demonstrate how tension affects your economy. The central govenor theory revolves around your mind letting your body use more energy towards the end of the race but more energy doesn't equal better economy.

You'll often hear people say "run fast, not hard" which is what this article is poking at in my opinion. When you try to force the pace, you tend to tighten up which uses up more energy for a given pace (economy). You see this all the time on another level with people running intervals really hard and way above race pace. The idea isn't to destroy workouts but to teach your body to run fast and efficiently at a given pace (think rhythm workouts) which improves your economy.

El Caballo

Here's sub-4 miler and 2x Olympian Anthony Famlegetti demonstrating it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zrscSvTkcM

Lazare

RayCun wrote: »

I don't think it's so much about relaxation, more about expected future effort.

When you're running a distance race and you think, "oh god, I've still got x far to go", it is hard to maintain the effort, your body wants to slow down and stop.

When you think, "great, I've only got x far to go", it is easier, you can convince yourself to keep working because you'll be able to stop soon.

I don't think that was the point of his findings. Noakes' central governer theory explains what you've described. The kick being the most obvious example of it.

What he's found though is that form and economy improve. That is really interesting.

I've found that myself during all too brief periods in a race, your face relaxes, your form improves, you feel like you're gliding. Need to figure out how to make it happen more than briefly though.

Don't recall feeling that way during a kick though, although it's hard to recall much of them, other than roaring like a crazed animal.

Lazare

Need to refresh pages before posting.

RayCun

Yes, but I don't think it's as simple as "decide to relax and your form will improve". The sequence is "you realise the effort is almost over" -> "you relax" ->"your form improves". It's an unconscious thing.

Lazare

RayCun wrote: »

Yes, but I don't think it's as simple as "decide to relax and your form will improve". The sequence is "you realise the effort is almost over" -> "you relax" ->"your form improves". It's an unconscious thing.

Oh it's definitely not as simple as just deciding to relax. Maybe it happens as part of the CG theory, in the sequence you describe but there are times mid race when it happens. Well before there's light at the end of the tunnel. It seems so elusive though.

I've experienced it a few times, at Terenure during DCM, lasted about 3 minutes, 3k into a parkrun a couple of times. This feeling of absolute effortlessness and relaxation that goes as quick as it comes.

Need to figure out how to harness it.

RayCun

It would have been much more interesting if the experiment had come up with some cues that got the runners to relax - "think of fluffy bunnies! FLUFFIER!", "Cue pan-pipes! And cowbell! More cowbell!"

El Caballo

RayCun wrote: »

It would have been much more interesting if the experiment had come up with some cues that got the runners to relax - "think of fluffy bunnies! FLUFFIER!", "Cue pan-pipes! And cowbell! More cowbell!"

Haha, you're just taking the mick now Ray:). The idea of running relaxed is as old as the hills and definitely holds validity. Take a 400m runner for instance, a cue that probably every sprint coach in the world uses is not to force the last 100m but to focus on staying relaxed. The second 100m split in the 400 is also called the float with the emphasis on fast and relaxed running.

It's important to stay relaxed in any distance and of course it's going to be important to limit wasted energy as it all adds up, that should be self explanatory that remaining relaxed is more economic. Are you going to be more economical with clenched up fists and your shoulders wound up to your chin soaking up extra oxygen or by keeping the muscles relaxed?

It's not fairy dust that will make you bound along like Eliud Kipchoge or as supple as Nadia Comaneci but that doesn't mean there is nothing to it. Many people will benefit from identifying when they are starting to tighten up and focusing on relaxing more. Ever have a stressful day and do a few stretches after on your posture? See how much lighter and energetic you feel after them. That's because you are using less energy tensing muscles that should be relaxed.

Itziger

El Caballo wrote: »

Haha, you're just taking the mick now Ray:). The idea of running relaxed is as old as the hills and definitely holds validity. Take a 400m runner for instance, a cue that probably every sprint coach in the world uses is not to force the last 100m but to focus on staying relaxed. The second 100m split in the 400 is also called the float with the emphasis on fast and relaxed running.

It's important to stay relaxed in any distance and of course it's going to be important to limit wasted energy as it all adds up, that should be self explanatory that remaining relaxed is more economic. Are you going to be more economical with clenched up fists and your shoulders wound up to your chin soaking up extra oxygen or by keeping the muscles relaxed?

It's not fairy dust that will make you bound along like Eliud Kipchoge or as supple as Nadia Comaneci but that doesn't mean there is nothing to it. Many people will benefit from identifying when they are starting to tighten up and focusing on relaxing more. Ever have a stressful day and do a few stretches after on your posture? See how much lighter and energetic you feel after them. That's because you are using less energy tensing muscles that should be relaxed.

In my last marathon I remember trying my darndest to relax. Even at the time I thought, "lad, trying really hard to relax is a bloody contradiction in terms" And sure enough I failed to get everything under control. Cramped as I hadn't done in the previous 2 or 3.

El Caballo

Lazare wrote: »

Oh it's definitely not as simple as just deciding to relax. Maybe it happens as part of the CG theory, in the sequence you describe but there are times mid race when it happens. Well before there's light at the end of the tunnel. It seems so elusive though.

I've experienced it a few times, at Terenure during DCM, lasted about 3 minutes, 3k into a parkrun a couple of times. This feeling of absolute effortlessness and relaxation that goes as quick as it comes.

Need to figure out how to harness it.

I think you may be talking about "flow theory" or being in the zone lazare. At least that's my interpretation of what you are saying. I've had that feeling a good few times during races and workouts. It sounds like witchcraft and most people will laugh at it but your body does strange things when it dumps a load of painkilling and pleasure chemicals like endorphins. Drugs like opiates do the exact same thing and act of the same mechanism of triggering natural chemical responses and receptors in the brain which dull pain and increase pleasure.

I'm not saying saying to go out and take a load of opiates:) but just to illustrate my point that this isn't something that is psychological hocus pocus.

El Caballo

Itziger wrote: »

In my last marathon I remember trying my darndest to relax. Even at the time I thought, "lad, trying really hard to relax is a bloody contradiction in terms" And sure enough I failed to get everything under control. Cramped as I hadn't done in the previous 2 or 3.

Try different cues like "run fast, not hard". It's also something you should probably practice in training before racing. All muscle groups are part of a chain, when one is not used to being used in a different way, it affects how everything along the chain works thus making all muscles work in a different way, it takes time for your muscles to adjust to this.

RayCun

El Caballo wrote: »

Haha, you're just taking the mick now Ray:). The idea of running relaxed is as old as the hills and definitely holds validity.

Oh, I agree! It is more efficient to run relaxed at a given pace than to run tense at that pace.

It's just I think telling yourself to relax is of limited use. If there are specific things you can do - swinging out the shoulders, for example - that could help. Or in training, you can get people to focus on a combination of effort and relaxed pace - like I often tell the kids to sprint at 70/80% effort, because if I tell them to sprint at 90% they work too hard.

That's why I think the opening article says more about the central governor than relaxing to improve running economy. The experiment wasn't able to change relaxation levels directly.

BeepBeep67

RayCun wrote: »

Oh, I agree! It is more efficient to run relaxed at a given pace than to run tense at that pace.

It's just I think telling yourself to relax is of limited use. If there are specific things you can do - swinging out the shoulders, for example - that could help. Or in training, you can get people to focus on a combination of effort and relaxed pace - like I often tell the kids to sprint at 70/80% effort, because if I tell them to sprint at 90% they work too hard.

That's why I think the opening article says more about the central governor than relaxing to improve running economy. The experiment wasn't able to change relaxation levels directly.

I think it was Steve Jones that said in an interview before and his coach noticed that when under pressure he would scrunch his eyebrows or forehead in a race which would lead to chain reaction of tension.
So Jones used to focus on keeping his face relaxed and let the rest of his body do what it needed to do.

When I'm under pressure in a race (particularly track) I hear the distance voice of our club coach from 35 years ago, hands up, heels out, which temporarily at least gets me focused on form and not pain.

RayCun

and Eliud Kipchoge smiles