Uncover your inner athlete!

Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be eaten.. Each morning in Africa a lion awakes - it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve.


No matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up you had better be running!



Monday, May 16, 2011

The runner/sloth relationship

A dynamic that always interests me is the runner/sloth relationship.

I know that opposites are said to attract, but personally I am more attracted to those ladies who are like me and have a strong interest in sport and running. It just makes more sense to me to have a couple who are able to do the same things together and who share a common love for activities.

One of my FFFs (fit female friends) is going out with a bloke who is the complete opposite of her. He loves his fried food and unlike her would not win any races in the near future. This may sound horrible to some, but it is really just the truth by all accounts. They seem to have found a way of making things work despite having such vastly different outlooks and interests. Proof that love can overcome even massive hurdles.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The final long run

Today was a fantastic start to the final two weeks prior to Comrades. I took in the Sydney Half Marathon which was taken at a very leisurely pace and resulted in a better than expected finish of 1.40. The thing I was most proud of was covering the last 2KM in 7 minutes.

I was loving being out and about in our beautiful city along with the 13000 other people who had entered. Although this is normally a run that I enjoy taking part in, I shall evaluate carefully whether I will be back again. The price just seems to increase and increase and you never get much more in exchange for your money and the field just seems to grow and grow making conditions more and more crowded.

Next stop some large periods of rest over the next two weeks and then Comrades.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Racism in running

This morning I witnessed something even more deplorable than drug cheating or cheating. Racism.


One of the mums who brings her daughter to the track where I train to receive private coaching was saying that her daughter was destined to represent Australia but that she was not keen for her to compete against people of colour in Australia. I was shocked by this and found it odd at the same time as I proceeded to inform her that although her daughter does have talent, for her to become a world or Olympic champion, she would not only have to work hard, but also compete against people from other countries and races. I also informed her that it was a well known fact that some of the best runners in the world were black African runners and again to claim a world title, you inevitably have to compete against and beat these runners to.

It annoys me that in 2011 we still have people thinking about such things in life and in sport. The youth don’t need to be exposed to such ideas even if the parents hold them- let them be kids and develop and grow to their full potential.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride. – Sean Muller

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Cheating in running

On Sunday at the Mother’s Day Classic, I was shocked to see some blatant cutting of the course or plain cheating going on. My attitude is that if you can’t legitimately finish a race of any description then you should just not bother to enter.

I am not sure what is worse really – cutting a course or taking drugs to enhance your performance. On second thought I think that cutting a course is actually worse – at least those taking drugs have the intention to complete the entire distance even if they are not doing it in the most legal fashion.

Either way though cheating is cheating and is something that we should be discouraging from all forms of sport. Competition should always be pure. There will always be a winner on any given day, but no winner will win forever and the greatest winners are those that are also the most humble.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Running faster to run faster

I was having a good chat with a young lady today who was down on herself as she felt she was not now running to her full potential. Her times are far from bad, but when we looked at her training in depth, it turned out she was only doing loads of one pace running and not varying things up abit.


The best advice I have ever been given is that if you want to run faster then you have to run faster in training. Getting your shorter stuff faster over 5 and 10KM and the rest will unfold itself along the way.

I have followed this advice and seen my times improve in accordance and you can to. Those 400s and 200s are the keys in my view and not something that you should just do every so often.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Going pink for a good cause!

Three weeks to go until the Comrades Marathon and this morning I dragged myself off to the Mother’s Day Classic 8KM run in the Domain. This year the weather was very kind to us and good to see so many people turn out for a race that benefits a great cause in Breast Cancer.

I was a tad emotional at the start thinking about the people that I have known who have passed on from this terrible illness. But at the same time it was pleasing to know that so many people were united in assisting with trying to find a cure.
Started right on the start line as I did in previous years and this again proved to be the correct decision to enable me to get away from the bottleneck that is the start. I have to commend the organisers though as this year was far better run than in previous years. Alot more crowd control and no strollers crossing the road as they did in years gone by.
Even my time was not that bad at just under 31 mins.
Good to catchup with some old friends to and meet some new ones.

Running together – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Monday, May 2, 2011

The no watch runner

I have stopped wearing a watch on many of my runs of late and have just been feeling the pace through how I have been going along.

It seems strange that since I started doing this a few weeks back, I have seen quite a few runners doing similar. Not that I claim to be any kind of trendsetter at all – or maybe it is just that I have been more aware of other peoples timepieces. The liberation at not having to look at a watch all the time is amazing. Just running as hard as your gut and internal central governor will allow.

Time is of course such a relative concept and many people never seem to have enough of it nor do they seem to enjoy it all that much either.

Stop, revive and survive your life. Take the watch off on the weekends and see how much more fun life is.

Running together – with no watches – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller

Sunday, May 1, 2011

A new level attained

This morning the rain had finally cleared here in Sydney (it has been raining for days and days nonstop) and I headed out for a nice little 16Km run. Normally I really try and focus and get in touch with the earth under me even if I am running on road and this morning was no different.

The feet just rhythmically move over the earth and with each step one feels reinvigorated. This morning was different and for a short while – probably only about 15 minutes I was able to completely detach and it was as if my body was moving, but my mind was above my head and looking down on things – weird to try and explain and not sure if I could replicate it (but will sure try) but it felt great – so much more focussed and in tune with things around me. Immediate feeling of calm and serenity.

Running together while embracing peace and serenity – stride for stride on a life changing ride! – Sean Muller