I’m down in the pristine wilderness of southwestern New Mexico with Nancy for the week. We’re keeping ourselves strong, doing chores here in the land of enchantment, digging ditches, tending gardens, chopping wood and mixing concrete. Our morning runs are the easiest part of the day.

I’m reading The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Adharanad Finn, getting psyched about our upcoming “Save Your Running” Workshop with Jae Gruenke. Jae specializes in applying the Feldenkrais Method to running and the therapy is a good fit for The Way of Running and how I coach.

Changing it Up

When I talk about consistency, I actually mean not just doing the same thing over and over again in the same way. Runners who train without focusing on learning tend to wear down. Whenever we inevitably experience lapses in motivation we make an extra effort to change our routine, try a new workout, seek the company of other people or venture into the unexplored countryside. Then we make it our goal to learn something new, on a sub-conscious level. Rather than push too far beyond our comfort zone, we let our bodies explore new, more efficient movements in a way that feels safe and comfortable. We make our share of mistakes but we keep on doing it, paying attention to the little things we become aware of. This approach is very easy to communicate and we can readily adopt the new movements that make sense and feel good.

“I have to admit it, I feel great”

When an award-winning author journeys into the heart of today’s ultramarathon world, he keeps hearing about an exercise therapy called Feldenkrais. So he books himself a session with practitioner Jae Gruenke on a sunny day in London. He tells us all about the positive effects of Jae’s form analysis and his many encounters with the extreme, colorful characters he meets and runs with on this storied quest to find Ultra. I think I really needed this book. I can’t put it down!

That’s why I’m hosting the workshop with Jae, who Runner’s World recognizes as one of the 70 most influential people in running. If you want to see what Feldenkrais can offer, this workshop is for you.