How important is your head while running and riding? It plays a really big part in success. Illustration by my son Evan Cudworth, 1998.

Running and riding are not mindless activities. We should all know that, but it is easy to forget.

Doing a little thinking before you set off on a 50-mile ride can, for instance, help you prepare for the inevitable challenges brought on by each ride. Rather than let the ride dictate to you what you want from it (which sometimes still happens…) it is far better to consider the route you are planning to take, what riders you might be accompanying, and how you plan to respond to pulls, surges and hills.

Set the tone

Setting the tone mentally––and thoughtfully––helps the mind avoid “panic mode.” That’s the state in which you are riding or running along and an increase in pace throws you for a loop. You drop off the back before you are ready and have to ride like made to catch back on. Suddenly that surge of fatigue races through your legs and the group is not letting up. You’re in desperation zone, riding just to stay with the group rather than riding in control and with thoughtfulness.

Runners can fall into a similar mental slump during training or a race. It is easy to let the mind grow slack, particularly on a longer run. That is when your form gets lazy and you begin wasting energy. This can be costly during any length of run, but it is absolutely wasteful on runs of 15-20 miles when you are trying to teach your body to be more efficient.

What to do, on the bike

Rather than go into a run or ride without a mental plan for form and consistency, it is better to rehearse what you need to do to maintain efficiency.

For cyclists, thinking about cadence is the secret to better riding. Fortunately most riders equip their bikes with cadence meters so you can glance down and check how many RPMs you are doing. That is a quick key to whether you are pedaling efficiently. The rule of thumb is to maintain a pedaling cadence between 90 and 110 rpm, which means finding a gear where the pedal stroke is not about resistance, but enables you to pedal quickly and smoothly while driving the bike forward. Thinking in advance about your cadence and even paying attention to the rate being used by riders around you can provide constant clues about your efficiency. Why ride dumb when you can ride smart?

Special dynamics of a group ride

I recall a group ride in which there were about 20 riders involved, all torquing along at 20-25 mph. It is easy to grow slack in your mental state when you are riding in a group like that. Letting the draft do most of the work for you is smart, but can also lull you into a lazy, and too heavy–pedaling cadence. I took note of several of the best riders in the group and how fast they were pedaling. Mimicking their cadence and tucking into their draft stream, the ride felt effortless for long periods. Note: It also helps to be “light” on your handlebars, using your core strength to “perch” on the seat of the bike and not hunch or lean too heavily on the bars. That leads to fatigue, especially in the lower back, which takes away critical riding power. Be mindful of that!!

Then when the faster-paced pulls came along toward the end of the ride and the pace line pumped me to the front, there was energy left to do my share of the pulls and ease back into line. Instant respect.

When the pace really picked up with four miles to go, topping 26-28 up short inclines and down the backside, it felt great to be sticking with the group. As a bonus, one of the better riders in the group came up toward the end of the ride and said, “Way to keep up the high cadence. I was watching you the entire ride. That’s the way to stick with the group.” What a nice bit of encouragement!

But it all started with thoughtfulness at the start of the ride. Cadence. Pedal stroke. It’s simple stuff if you don’t forget about it.

What to do, while running

Running with a group is an entirely different dynamic than cycling. For one thing, the draft effect is relatively minimal on days when the wind is less than 10 mph.

For another thing, there is no coasting downhill to recover like there is in cycling. You’re propelling yourself with your own two feet the entire way. And good luck with that if you’re wasting energy with bad form or unmindfulness along the way.

Notice the placement of Dave Wottle’s foot. The toe-off is key to fast, efficient running. That hasn’t changed in 40 years. Nor will it ever.

Paying attention to foot strike in running is the equivalent to riding cadence in cycling. You should know your foot strike pattern well enough to know whether you are overstriding or running efficiently. Generally the overstriding runner is reaching so far ahead with each step their heel is striking the ground with force almost like a brake. And guess what? That’s exactly what is happening with so many runners.

It does not mean you cannot use a heel strike pattern while running. Many world class runners do. But their stride at that point is almost like a cyclists in that their feet are rotating through each stride almost in a circular fashion. They are pedaling over the ground rather than reaching-landing-lifting with their feet.

You can hear the difference if you run on a gravel trail. When you are overreaching with your stride the heel will literally crunch into the ground. Your stride goes —–scrinch scrinch scrunch—–because each time you hit an uneven part of the surface your stride is not in control. The entire weight of your body drives your foot into each little hole and your foot is literally pushing surface material forward underfoot.

Running over the ground

An efficient runner by contrast is running over the ground, and that takes some serious thought to practice and perfect. Good running form is real, rehearsed and mindful. The entire CHI running movement is based on this mindfulness. Many CHI runners use a midfoot stride in which the pattern used by the runner is almost a flipping motion of the foot forward, yet the ground surface is not contacted until the body weight is over the point where the foot strikes the ground. The best description of this type of stride is that you are “pawing” the ground, much like a cheetah running over the African savanna. Your foot should always be headed backwards when it touches the ground. The forefoot under the balls of your feet is your contact point, and the heel comes in contact with the ground almost like a spring mechanism is installed in the achilles.

Practice your midfoot stride at a higher speed than your normal training pace. Go to a neutral surface like a running track and be mindful of how and when your foot strikes the ground. You do not need to go all “CHI” on yourself to learn how to run efficiently. Mindfulness of your footstrike and the correct, slightly forward-leaning trunk position is all you need to move more efficiently over the ground. Some runners practice the flip stride by kicking their own ass with their heels. It’s a good exercise but won’t happen for most runners while racing except at top speed.

Remember: don’t let your arms rotate to the sides if at all possible. That throws energy out at all the wrong angles.

Mindfulness reminder

So there you have it. Some mindfulness and thinking about what you are doing out there on the roads and trails can really make you a better rider and better runner.

Now get out there and kick some ass. Your own, and others.