Ozzie Gontang
A look at the form and style of good running in slow motion
On Sunday between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., I did my usual Sport
Psych visualizing and imaging for the Rock and Roll
marathoners in ear shot of my bullhorn as they waited
patiently in the porta-potty lines. I would do my 3 or 4
minutes and then move on two or three lines over and start
again. Figure I reached a thousand or two.
Then along the course I stationed myself at miles 3, 7
and then at
22.75 (Pacific Highway just past the CHP HQ) Figure I
reached another 4 or 5 thousand runners. Great with
the bullhorn as it saved my voice and speaking in a
normal relaxing voice I slid in the suggestions of
Relax shoulders, Relax Jaw, Crown of the head up, Toes
Relaxed and other appropriate feedback. This was
helpful especially at Mile 22.75 as the furrowed
brows, clenched jaws, squinting eyes, clenched fists
were open to relaxing with no effort as the trance
state of the runners were open to any suggestion that
relieved the tension.
For the first time, I was able to see the front runners just
before Mile 3. Also I have just bought a Kodak 6490 with a
10X optical Zoom.
Sitting on the median on Park Blvd, I put my camera on movie
and was able to get the front runners in flight.
Check out:
http://homepage.mac.com/ozziegontang/iMovieTheater8.html to
see them in slow motion.
All the stuff we've talked about regarding form and style
can be visually observed. Lower the sound first as it is the
slo mo sound of the helicopters overhead.
If you use your forward arrow, you can get a sense of the
form. You also get a realization that even if their leg
looks like it is going to land in front of their center of
gravity, on impact, the knee is bent and the center of
gravity already moving over the planted foot.
Watch the minimal vertical move. Watch the runner behind the
red truck fender. He's the leader. The first pack of runners
are actually the pack following the lead runners.
The runner in red following the red truck fender lands with
less vertical displacement than the runner following him.
The runner in the blue shorts/white tank on landing has more
give...almost a slight harder slapping down of the foot than
the runner in red in front of him.
Play the movie backwards with the backward key to observe
the constant lean of the body and the how the leg moves
through its cycle.
In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Director, San Diego
Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Maintainer - rec.running FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-
faq/ Mindful Running: http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp
On Sunday between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m., I did my usual Sport
Psych visualizing and imaging for the Rock and Roll
marathoners in ear shot of my bullhorn as they waited
patiently in the porta-potty lines. I would do my 3 or 4
minutes and then move on two or three lines over and start
again. Figure I reached a thousand or two.
Then along the course I stationed myself at miles 3, 7
and then at
22.75 (Pacific Highway just past the CHP HQ) Figure I
reached another 4 or 5 thousand runners. Great with
the bullhorn as it saved my voice and speaking in a
normal relaxing voice I slid in the suggestions of
Relax shoulders, Relax Jaw, Crown of the head up, Toes
Relaxed and other appropriate feedback. This was
helpful especially at Mile 22.75 as the furrowed
brows, clenched jaws, squinting eyes, clenched fists
were open to relaxing with no effort as the trance
state of the runners were open to any suggestion that
relieved the tension.
For the first time, I was able to see the front runners just
before Mile 3. Also I have just bought a Kodak 6490 with a
10X optical Zoom.
Sitting on the median on Park Blvd, I put my camera on movie
and was able to get the front runners in flight.
Check out:
http://homepage.mac.com/ozziegontang/iMovieTheater8.html to
see them in slow motion.
All the stuff we've talked about regarding form and style
can be visually observed. Lower the sound first as it is the
slo mo sound of the helicopters overhead.
If you use your forward arrow, you can get a sense of the
form. You also get a realization that even if their leg
looks like it is going to land in front of their center of
gravity, on impact, the knee is bent and the center of
gravity already moving over the planted foot.
Watch the minimal vertical move. Watch the runner behind the
red truck fender. He's the leader. The first pack of runners
are actually the pack following the lead runners.
The runner in red following the red truck fender lands with
less vertical displacement than the runner following him.
The runner in the blue shorts/white tank on landing has more
give...almost a slight harder slapping down of the foot than
the runner in red in front of him.
Play the movie backwards with the backward key to observe
the constant lean of the body and the how the leg moves
through its cycle.
In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Director, San Diego
Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Maintainer - rec.running FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-
faq/ Mindful Running: http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp
