Runningmonkeys

Since I have been practicing the Pose Method of Running, I have had very little chance to think about anything except, the pose, the fall and the pull (which anyone who has tried the method will be thoroughly familiar with).  I have had my time fully occupied, concentrating on my form. 

When I am able to return to a more normal mind-space (when my running once again becomes instinctual), I am considering changing my running visualisations.  Up until now if I have tried to visualize while running I have had a fairly limited repertoire of images to choose from. 

Often I would picture a steam train charging down the track.  Pistons pumping, lurching forward with each blast of steam.  This has been successful for me in the past in so far as it reinforced the rhythm of my old style.  It subconsciously triggered off  the familiar tempo of my stride and linked the feelings of power and velocity to each other as I ran.

At other times I have visualized myself as an eagle.  Effortless flight seemed to be an appropriate stimulus for relaxed running and high speeds.  To some degree this worked but I always found it hard to combine the image of three dimensional soaring with the two dimensional struggle of running.

Now I am looking for more effective images, and attitudes.  I am adopting a style which relies on free falling, balance, high cadence, but relaxed muscles.  I am practicing using the spring lever that is hinged at my ankle (by landing on my forefoot), and I am lightly tapping the ground with each step. As soon as a foot lightly taps on the ground, my hamstring fires once and pulls it off the ground again.  All in all it is a drastically different style to how I used to run, and so it requires very different imagery.

I have considered visualizing a kangaroo, because they land on their forefeet and immediately spring onwards, but I am not happy with the image of my body (which should be staying nearly motionless) bouncing all over the place.  I have considered visualising the cartoon character Road Runner.  The Road Runner is able to keep his body 100% relaxed and level as he flies along exceptionally fast with his feet just a blur.  The problem with this is that I can’t seem to relate to his blurred feet.  I find the image of cartwheeling legs simply too hard to latch on to. 

So I am left with nothing at the moment.

Any suggestions?  What images do you put in front of your mind to help you perform?  Is there an animal, or a machine or in fact anything that you visualize to help you run like you can?

Any help would be much appreciated