Excellence out of Simplicity
Elite athletes are different.
"The better their shape and fitness, the less healthy they look." Davor Savija. Elite athlete agent.
That
is a notion that I've come to understand more and more over the years,
particular of times recent. Having the opportunity to work with some of
the best over a range of sports is a rare privilege and something that
satiates my inquisitive and observant nature. Being a fan is one thing;
observing and gaining insight into the realities of life as a pro
something completely different, often at odds with the seeming glamour
and flash of our own assumptions and premonitions.
This
past weekend afforded me the opportunity to work with some visiting
marathoners. Predominately East Africans (with a sprinkling of Japanese
and Americans), these guys and girls travel far and wide to race their
guts out for a living. When not abroad racing, they are at home
training, leading a simple and monastic existence in pursuit of the
perfect day.
"They can run under an hour for a half marathon but can't do ten push ups," muses Davor Savija
as the invitational athletes mull around the dining area the afternoon
before the 2015 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. As an agent to several
international marathons, Savija is more than qualified to comment. Like
any sport, long distance running is wholly specific, requiring a narrow
focus in order to succeed.
"Running a fast
marathon is all about forward momentum; any sideways movement is
unthinkable. When an athlete is in great shape, they often look
terrible. I once saw Chris Froome before just before Le Tour and he
looked like an old man."
While the athletes in
question are indeed gaunt, there is no lack of rhythm. Sure, they walk
slowly for a reason, but it is with a distinct ease and grace that is
only surpassed when they are actually running.
Many
of them are tight as hell, particularly with regards to hip flexion.
The stretching and flexibility evangelists might disagree, but a middle
or long distance runner almost needs to be "tight-hipped" for
self-protection. There are exceptions of course, with one athlete I
treated having a range of motion of a ballet dancer. When I inquired
whether she was a yogi, she confirmed this going on to add that she
actually battled with hyper-flexion and tended to keep her posing
practice on the quiet to her coaches.
The African
athletes tend to walk around and socialize in groups, something which
extends to their training when at home. The Kenyan towns of Iten and
Eldoret are well known for the ubiquitous sight of large training groups
in and around the local rolling hills.
"The training groups are big, sometimes too big," explains Gladwin Mzazi,
a South African hopeful for the marathon in Rio 2016. Having spent an
extended period living solo in Eldoret, Mzazi recounts his time in the
Rift Valley with glee.
"Sometimes there is not enough
room on the local track. But it is a good thing, training in groups. We
need more of that in South Africa if we are to improve."
Take
note of the East African athletes in the warm up area the next time an
IAAF Diamond League is on television; you most likely will see slow
jogging en masse. That's right; the faster the athlete, the slower they
warm up.
Seeing Abraham Bekele leading his Ethiopian pals in warm
up early Sunday morning was a sight to behold. Jogging in a group of
around half-a-dozen, the steps were small and the strides totally
rhythmic. Circling a small car park in Green Point, Cape Town, there was
no aggressive arm swing, contortionist moves or box jumping - just slow
jogging in full tracksuits while the masses fumbled with their Ipods
and GPS' strapped to their arms.
So what can we all learn from elite runners and athletes in general?
Possibly
that we as amateurs participate in sport for different reasons (read:
leisure). It is easy to compare oneself to the pro's but at the end of
the day, their motivations and subsequent sacrifices are a career
pursuit.
That said, if one takes elite marathoners as an example,
there is a marked simplicity and specificity to their approach. They
want (read: need) to run fast, so they run (and eat and sleep) a lot.
Very little else in there and lower tech than most weekend warriors. I
suspect that many wouldn't know what a mobility or Pilates practice
would be but then again, sideways movement detracts from forward
velocity.
If I think back to my best marathon results,
they were always off a simple rhythm and routine of daily running, with
almost zero fluff (mobility, gym, yoga, Pilates) in the days leading up
to the event itself. Sure, these modalities are beneficial and I are
something that I do practice, but as soon as I started incessant single
leg squats and side planks in race week, my results suffered. Why?
Because over-emphasis on the fluff indicates lack of confidence of the
greater goal, in this case running fast.
Deep breathing poses on race morning or read a book?
Take the book option I say, if there is sufficient lighting of course.Keep it simple.