The Lost Art of Running: A Journey to Rediscover the Forgotten Essence of Human Movement

we run a marathon, we are undertaking around 35,000 strides. That’s 35,000 x two-and-a-half times our bodyweight coming back at us. We can either use these 35,000 opportunities to load our body well and create elastic energy to propel us forwards or we can suffer all of that impact, which will in turn slow us down and potentially hurt us.

every movement you make invests in the next one.

‘We must remember Schleip. Our fascial system is constantly rearchitecting itself and, in as little as seven months, our whole system could be completely renewed.’ The bulb brightened as I considered the consequences of this statement. Fascia is fluid. It moves and contracts. It also suffers if we let it be stagnant.

beautiful movement is not all about power. Balance and symmetry win every time.

Concentrating on something so intensely increases our perception of effort.

If you run, you already understand what it’s like to crave that feeling over and over again. To want to get back in touch with that version of yourself. The one you relate to more than any other.

Our fascial system creates a sea of tension that holds our body together. As we have discovered, this amazing system is constantly rejuvenating and it will rearchitect itself based on how it was broken down.

Don’t think of yourself as mechanical. Think of yourself as elastic, fluid, connected and synergistic.

Imagine a long train of elastic running up an invisible centre line in your body (from your navel to the top of your forehead) and adopt a tall posture that keeps it pulled tight, bringing your hips forward and your pelvis into neutral, thus optimising the resultant elastic energy.

If you’re worried about it being too hot, he warned me, the worry itself will drain your energy tanks and increase your perception of effort long before the heat actually gets to you.