May 10, 2009 Isaac Newton knew a little about running, too There was a nice turnout for the May Day 5K Scholarship Run last Saturday out near Hernandez Middle School. It was a different course from the well-used River Ridge course; a few more hills to challenge the runner and a worthy cause to run for, as well as to get a nice T-shirt. I have not seen all of the results, but the San Marcos Runners Club web site listed Daniel Chidester as taking 1st place in the male 20-29 age group and a second place overall with an 18:24 time. Ed Mendoza gathered in a 1st place in the male 30-39 age group with a 20:24 time, and Jessica Diaz placed second in the female 30-39 age group with a 27:26 time. Eva Sanders took the Female Masters Championship with a 29:09 time. Ronnie Murphey managed a second place in the male 60-&-Over age group with a 30:06 time; Teresa Medina had a 1st place finish in the female 50-59 age group with a 31:58 time and Charlene Martinez followed her in 2nd place with a 34:20 time. Brigitte Payne had a 2nd place in the female 40-49 age group with a 36:45 time. The weather is warming up, and it looks like it will be a hot summer for runners. A few tips on running cool are always welcome, such as running early in the morning and drinking plenty of water during the run. Wearing cool clothing and a hat to keep the sun off the head helps. One thing that is not mentioned is running style. The less energy a runner uses, the less the heat build up from the extra motion that often takes place on a run. Since hot weather requires running shorter distances and with a little less speed, practicing efficient running style is something that will pay off in the long run with faster times and longer distances. A guy that most of us probably read about in school has a direct impact on running. Most of us know that Isaac Newton discovered the Law of Gravity when an apple hit him on the head while he was sitting under a tree (or so the story goes). Newton also had a few other laws that relate more to running than gravity does. One is the Law of Acceleration, which states that the more force you put into something, the faster you will move; and if you are heavier, you will probably move more slowly. That is why runners try to lose a little weight; and if they want to run fast, they need to move the legs faster. Another of his laws is the Law of Inertia, which states that an object (the runner) will want to keep moving in a straight line once it gets moving, unless something moves it in another direction. Runners get used to this in the sense that, once they get to feeling how good it feels to run, they just want to keep going every day. It really feels good when you run down a slight downhill fast with not much effort, and that Law of Inertia kicks in. The one that makes a runner efficient or inefficient is his Law of Action/Reaction, which states that for every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. Here is where efficient motion keeps a runner cooler by using less energy during a run. Little things make a big difference. If a runner lets the hands and arms cross the midline of the body, the reaction is the legs swinging outward in the opposite direction (right arm moves counterclockwise and left leg moves clockwise). The best movement for the feet is called “tracking” where you picture the feet moving along two parallel lines like the tracks on a railroad (no swinging outward or inward of the feet. Any action by the arms will lead the feet in an opposite reaction. A straight movement forward of the arms results in straight backward force by the legs. Pointing the feet close to straight ahead when you run helps, in that a slight outward turn of the foot results in anywhere from one inch to two inches less distance with every step. Add all the steps in a mile and you lose a good distance; extra distance to be covered and more energy used. Also, landing on the outside edge of the foot has the foot supported by the bones of the foot, and that lets the lever action of the foot produce more force. Landing and pushing off over the arch of the foot has a negative force, in that the arch gives slightly and results in less force needed to be efficient. To start with, concentrate on where your arms move when you run: straight ahead or back and forth. If you want to run straight ahead, that is where your force should be directed. Think about which direction your feet are pointed, and how much outward flare you have, and what part of the foot are you pushing off with: inside arch or outside bone structure. It is a start to becoming a more efficient and cooler runner this summer. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!