Conscious competence, running and cultural differences
Hit the Ground Running, Thrive in Tough Times on Monday, August 27, 2012 at 10:01AM by Trisha Carter I ran 14 k yesterday. Mindfully.
I’m training for a half marathon, which is approaching way too quickly. Two weeks ago I ran in the City to Surf, a Sydney event with over 85,000 competitors running and walking 14k to Bondi Beach. In that event I developed back pain and last week visited a physiotherapist for advice. She showed me how tight the muscles were around my ribs and how immobile I held my upper body while running. In addition to some nifty stretches and a good massage she encouraged me to move my arms more freely and rotate through my upper body while running.
And so to yesterday’s mindful running with each step and arm movement something I was consciously observing. It feels weird to try to change something you’ve been doing for years. Something that has become natural and second nature.