I'd like to run like this woman, please

No, I'm not proud.

This morning I was waiting in the clinic of Mark Plaatjes, world marathon champion turned world-class physical therapist, for treatment to the lumpy Achilles on my left foot and sprained ankle (again) on my right foot, when I picked up this old copy of Running Times.

I was stunned, then mesmerised by the cover picture. This is Meseret Defar of Ethiopia, possibly the world's greatest 5k runner. Wow! I couldn't put the mag down and it was an effort not to "absent-mindedly" make off with it. This picture says it all: poise, balance, speed, grace, power...freedom... that's a running style, gait, whatever you want to call it, that I want to copy. (Click on the image to see it a bit bigger -- it's worth it.)

One of the things that struck me about the picture (and others inside) is that although she is obviously small-framed and lightly built, she emanates strength. There's something to emulate there, too - her power-to-weight ratio.

Inspirational.

* It was the June 2007 Running Times: cover image and the full story are online here.