Hats off to all of those who ran this year’s race!  Especially our locals Erin and Jill!  Just to qualify is spectacular.  Cheers to you for setting the goal and going the distance.  With the Marathon news this week I decided to reflect on my first one…

I decided that I would like to apply the Alexander principles to running a marathon, as a bit of a moving dissertation to my nearly 4 year Alexander training. This was inspired by attendance at several holiday parties in December 2002, where my husband and his colleagues shared a plethora of “war stories” from running the Honolulu Marathon. The theme was that running a marathon is a masochistic ritual which requires an immense amount of training and effort. Having run track and x-country in high school, I did not have much distance built up, but thought, “It is really not about the distance as much as the awareness of the quality of motion while running.” Thus, I decided to run The San Diego Marathon with my doctor’s permission in January 2003, only a few weeks later.

When I signed up I had to choose a time frame in which I thought I might finish to be placed in the starting line-up. Having run a bit with my husband, I thought that I might complete it as he had, in around five hours. I began the race with the only real clear intention that I would just continue to analyze the conditions present as I ran and include my Alexander Technique directions modifying efficiency motion accordingly. As I ran, I found myself completely surprised by the whole presence of the race. I enjoyed observing all the people in motion and myself in relation to them. At mile twenty two a spectator shouted at me and said, “Come on, you’re supposed to look like you just ran 22 miles.” I thought to myself, “What does that look like?” and continued with my awareness and direction in my form, function and flow.

Before I knew it, I was approaching the finish line and noticed my husband amongst the spectators with his camera in hand for that final moment. He was in complete shock though as he saw me and looked at his watch, “How could Christie be here in just over four hours?” He wasn’t expecting me for another hour or so. In that moment, he was so excited that the thought of taking a picture passed while I crossed the finish line. Human efficiency prevailed. I learned that a marathon did not have to be about an exhausting effort. Paying attention to the means whereby worked beautifully. I was hooked on the Alexander Technique principles applied to the marathon moments.

The ultimate in Form, Function and Flow is head forward and up.  See this year’s winners and notice the direction that each has.  Sometimes near the end there’s a tendency to tighten neck muscles more and pull the head back and down.  Take a look and let me know what you observe…  If you are a runner and want to learn how not to tighten please find and Alexander Technique teacher near you.

http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do=view&video_id=10549

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j4Jr6wl5NHjXf-N3Q_slWXFSlOAAD97N43EG4

Free your Form, Function & Flow… www.FormFunctionFlow.com

flag