Weather - 28 degrees, clouds, snowing. Ran an easy 8 miles in more fresh snow. The first 2 miles were against a stiff wind, and since I was not warmed up I felt weak and sluggish. When I got to the golf course at mile 2 I felt better, and I ran a few accelerations on the fairways. As I went from fairway to fairway I practiced lifting my knees high, and then, began to bound. I have never tried bounding before, one reason being I felt I didn't have the leg strength for it. With the knee-ups I have been doing the past 3 weeks, and the new bike intervals, I feel I have found a piece of the puzzle to running faster - leg strength. Hitherto I have felt that running should be enough to build sufficient leg power, but perhaps certain muscles need extra work through other means. As I attempted to bound through the snow, an image of a black and white photograph of Zatopek bounding in snow came into my mind. Soon after I discovered the correct technique, and as I bounded joyously through the snow - the peculiar pause in the elongated steps, the swinging of the arms in a new rhythm, the toes pushing the body up and forward - a wide grin came over my face. It felt like learning to ride a bike, and once the skill is learned, it is there for good. I ended the run at Cardinal and did 5 sets of strength exercises, stretching, and 15 minute walk home. Tomorrow a hard session, hill repeats. I will concentrate not so much on speed up the hill, but rather on a form which will allow my legs to strengthen further. #102 z.m. - #16
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