RUNNING PHILOSOPHY
Good Footing X Avoiding Injury
Running by Contrast
Sometimes work, friends, family, or just time in general can escape us. I’ve found myself pushing my runs into the PM, which isn’t always the best idea. In a crunch, I do run in the dark occasionally. This is not a recommendation by any means. During these runs I would slow myself down and take the brightest path possible and avoid stepping in anything dark. A darker patch of pavement, a leaf, a branch, a rut in the road, a large rock, you name it, any dark shape was a potential tripping hazard and off limits. Running in the dark is scary, you can only trust what has been illuminated. I called this running by contrast when people asked me how I did it. Find the best footing on the brightest path and steer clear of the dark patches.
Coaching by Contrast
I believe the concept of slowing down and finding the brightest path with the best footing and avoiding what is obscured has a significant amount of crossover in the principles of coaching. Using contrast as a guide, a coach would provide an illuminated path that steers athletes away from potential pitfalls and hazards that can cause injury. These dark areas can be represented by many of the issues runners face daily, overtraining, undertraining, poor nutrition/fueling, etc. Good coaching will shed some light on how to avoid or manage these issues. Depending on the landscape around the athlete, the pace at which they move down the path will vary. Some may have more dark areas to be wary of and need a slower more methodical pace to build themselves up. Together we can find the best path to become the strongest and healthiest version of yourself.