Well it occurred to me that I've been training the wrong body parts. Why is it when I make my 3 to 4 weekly trips to the gym that I lift barbells and do push ups and develop my upper body? All the sort of manly stuff you see guys at the gym doing - I suppose I just saw everyone else doing it and assumed I should as well. But a developed upper body doesn't help a runner at all.
I knew this and yet somehow it didn't register until I volunteered at a half marathon this weekend and closely observed the top 5 runners: they were all quite fast, and they all had great big quads, flat stomachs and no upper body to speak of. Gazelles not Grizzlies.
So there's a lesson there. If I had a personal coach I'm sure this obvious truth would have dawned on me much sooner, but I don't, so I've got to make the best of the realization now that I've finally grasped it. Speed = strong legs, core and wiry build.
From now on at the gym, it's all core, abs, and legs for me. No more pushups, bench, or barbells. I've got to put the emphasis on the parts that are going to get me results. I've got to carve a runner from the block of marble, not a wrestler.
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