I'd like to be a more consistent starter. I'd like a smoother transition from crouching to running. I have to learn to relax during a race and how to breathe.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Practice being in the moment when you are running, whether you are on your own or in the race.
Experience has taught me how important it is to just keep going, focusing on running fast and relaxed. Eventually it passes and the flow returns. It's part of racing.
For me, I always think about keeping my upper body relaxed, my hips level, and my right side down on the turn. If I work on nailing those three things at every practice, I hope that by the time I get into a race situation I can stay completely focused on the task at hand, and the rest will happen naturally.
When you have good runners, you always run fast. That's the motivation for me. But I have room to improve in my technique and in the start.
In running, I can internalize that intensity. I can handle it because it's me and I'm coming back in the next race. I'm always ready for the next race.
Many track and field people know that if I stay relaxed and run my race like I'm supposed to, I will be the winner at the Olympic Games.
When I have an easy run, I like to listen to music and relax. When I have to train hard, I try to simulate race conditions, and in a race, you can't listen to music.
I have been running since I was 7. I was trying to restructure the way my body was made instead of trying to master the way I ran. I would get so frustrated with my starts in practices that I would just cry. When I ran, I wouldn't even try to get out of the blocks, I would just run.
I can't really do the running on hard ground that I used to do. Instead I go swimming as often as possible.
I don't generally like running. I believe in training by rising gently up and down from the bench.