Dooley Noted: 9/1/2014
I’m going to admit it: In the past, I loved to jog.
I would pull a 14 hour day, just to speed home so I could change into Mizunos.
It’s been about 5 years since I’ve run more than 5 miles. So, last night, I wanted to go on a long run, to see if I still loved jogging.
What I found myself doing was sprinting.
Every time I saw a hill of any proportion, I sprinted. And it’s Grenada. So, you don’t find much flat land.
I found myself sprinting a solid mile and stating to myself, “What am I doing?!”
Let’s face it. I’m in the homeland of one of the world’s fastest men, Mr. Kirani James. He won the 400 meter dash in the 2012 Summer Olympics, making him the first and only human to ever win Olympic gold for Grenada.
You can watch him win gold here:
And he grew up running on these hills.
They are serious. They are challenging. And they are fun.
I’ve spent the last two years seeking strength. Jogging is quite the opposite of any goal I’ve set since then.
When I slowed myself down to a jog, I felt myself fall into the following lazy motor patterns:
– Heavy heel strikes
– Arms that didn’t propel me but just hung out at my sides
– Faulty, heavy inhales and short exhales
– Heavy legs
– Hunched posture
But when I sprinted, I felt exhilarated. I pictured myself running like Kirani James, a human jaguar of speed and efficiency.
Sprinting is hard work. Walking briskly is, also! But jogging? That’s one of the easiest things I can do.
I chose it in the past because it was easy.
But my priorities have changed.
Jogging never made me strong at anything but more jogging.
Strength has carryover into life and makes me resilient to injury. Strength actually permits me to do more activity on a solid platform of a body.
So, try this experiment, if you are healthy and cleared by your medical team of experts:
Hit the road or a treadmill.
Walk at a very brisk pace.
Then sprint at utmost speed.
Then jog.
Tell me which one is easiest.
Then consider your goals and which combination is most appropriate for you.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley