Yin, yang. Pro, con. Plus, minus. Success, failure. As we
leave the form change part of Paige’s preparation for the ING New York
City Marathon, these contrasting words define how I feel.
On the
one hand, I saw a glimpse into the runner that Paige can be. I saw a
strong, powerful stride with great arm action and more optimal cadence. I
saw her basic speed increase to the point that she was close to her PRs
for 200m and 400m. The exercises described in the first few
installments of this series worked and any runner can apply them.
On
the other hand, I don’t think any of the form change techniques had a
lasting effect (though I’m hopeful that I just can’t see the
subtleties). In the two videos below, you can see Paige’s pre-technique
work form and her current form. In both instances, the major issues
remain. Her arm swing continues to be across the body and her cadence is
still over 200 even when running at an easy pace.
