Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Need to Learn How to Run? Try Slow Jogging

Dr. Hiroaki Tanaka of Fukuoka University in Japan has popularized the concept of "slow jogging." 

One of my favorite books on running. 

He calls his method of easy, relaxed running "niko niko running," or "running with a smile." 

How do you do it? Begin slowly. As in really slowly. Jog in place, and then move a bit forward. Breathe slowly and then move your body through a full range of motion. Dr. Tanaka's program led him to run an amazing 2:38 marathon at the age of 50. As Eliud Kipchoge, the world's best marathoner (who will race Boston for the first time in 3 weeks), says, "A smile is what actually ignites my mind to forget about the pain. That's the beauty of a smile." 


Running your best is all about relaxing and harnessing the inherent efficiency of your body. Enjoy the process!

Slow jogging on Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg, July 1, 2022.