I love watching runners who seem to ‘float’ when they run. It is as if they possessed the winged heels of Mercury. This is especially more so with lighter runners, who may be less muscled in their torso, however have dynamically efficient legs with high turnover. You recognize the style: small strides yet large cadence. This morning, at the East Coast Park I witness a few runners with such running prowess and abilities.
Last weekend, I observed that all the elite runners at the New York City Marathon 2011 were frequently floating over the challenging five-borough course. Excellence in long-distance is measured by economy of movement, finesse, and a distinct gracefulness that hard training and frequent racing creates. Such ‘fleet-footed’ and ‘light-footed’ runners seem to skate over invisible ice, and move like fast animals. Think of the gazelle, horse, fox, panther and cheetah – functional muscles that move with power and certainty.
In the FINA Swimming World Cup 2011 held in Singapore last weekend, the top swimmers were skimming on the surface of the water. Singapore’s Tao Li lost to the world-record holder by half a second, and she was certainly floating over the dense and splashing medium.
Our body’s ability to sense ‘floating’ can be attributed to many conditions. Being on cloud nine, being in love, having a sense of recognition, and enjoying a sense of achievement can be a heady feeling. The sense of euphoria that comes from the ‘runner’s high’ or the sense of ‘winning’ can be addiction-forming.
Leadership Lessons: When was the last you floated on a splendid performance? What do you do to create natural moments of euphoria? What have you done for your staff that created a shared sense of accomplishment? How often do you celebrate your team’s success? Do you often catch people ‘doing right’?
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