Running is art…
And music, singing and dancing all at the same time.
Call me crazy but I see it all connected. Let me ask you a question. When you run in that “slug it out” fashion, doesn’t it feel hard? Really hard actually. But if, instead, you tap into a feeling, a song, an artistic expression of sort where you imagine yourself as part of something bigger, something other worldly, the pain goes away and you feel like the miles just don’t even matter. All that matters is you gliding, flying, floating and so much more. You’re a powerhouse, a superhero, a speeding train, a wild horse, or a butterfly, depending on the mood. You become the artistic expression of the mood you’ve tapped into. I can tell you for a fact that others will the difference. When you run inspired, it touches others in that unseen to the physical world way. It creates a connection where you end up inspiring others to experience it as well.
Maybe it’s because I used to play the piano and sing for many years or maybe it’s because running taps into that same part of my brain that I see how interwoven it is. It’s a physical expression of your inner being. The more soul you put into it, the more breathtaking your art becomes. Just plug in favorite song as you run and you can almost feel yourself being lifted off the ground and into another dimension. Music helps us visualize an alternate reality. One that’s full of glory and success. Chariots of fire.
Running form can be so graceful and mesmerizing when done by some top level athletes. We can watch them for hours. Their beautiful and graceful yet powerful movements perfectly synchronized and appearing effortless leave us speechless. We are drawn to that perfect display. Art in the running form. Masterpiece.
The connection of arts and music to running doesn’t stop there.
We sing and run using the same breathing mechanism, our diaphragm. Both, singing and running, can technically be done using short shallow breaths but that is not what you ultimately want. Oxygen utilization is optimal when we take deep breathes and learn how to control exhaling.
I am sure those of you who have ever learned how to play an instrument, had to learn how to play the drills. They are boring, uninspiring, repetitive and feel like a waste of time. You’d rather play a fun song instead. But you need to learn how to move those fingers with ease and flexibility. They are learning muscle memory and movement adaptation. Loosening up in the process.
With running, it’s the same. You need to do the drills. They serve the same purpose. Get in the habit of doing a few of these “boring” drills a few times a week to get your muscles to relax and ready for movement without tension and stiffness. Learning how to turnover quickly and lightly will help so much when you’re tired and the body is just going on autopilot.
Drills help teach your body proper range of motion like picking up your knees more or not overstriding. A few of my favorite drills are high knees, butt kickers, ice skaters, skips, and jump ropes. There are literally a million of them out there. It almost doesn’t even matter which ones you do as long as you do them!
So, put in the work, do the necessary boring stuff and then go out there and sing, dance, and run like the masterpiece that you are!