The author initiated a daily running commitment on January 1, 2024, with the objective of completing 12 consecutive months of running. As of June 5, 2024, this daily streak had reached 156 days. The author, aged 46, previously identified as sedentary and obese, and adopted daily running as a health improvement strategy.
To sustain motivation and gather insights, the author planned to engage with various experts and public figures through interviews and shared running sessions. On June 5, 2024, one such session occurred at the Collingwood Harriers Athletic Club with Hugh van Cuylenburg.
Van Cuylenburg is known as a resilience educator, co-host of “The Imperfects” podcast, and founder of “The Resilience Project,” an organization active in education and sports. He has a background as a sprinter, a sport he resumed recreationally at age 36 after a hiatus, eventually seeking coaching to refine his technique.
During the session, van Cuylenburg emphasized the fundamental differences between sprinting and distance running, highlighting that sprinting focuses on generating maximum force against the track in minimal time. The training began with a cautious 400-meter slow jog, followed by a series of dynamic stretches and drills. These exercises were designed to teach proper sprinting technique and build muscle memory, including “spinal engine” work for trunk rotation and “thoracic activation” exercises like “cat-cows” and “reverse nordics.”
Further dynamic drills included forward skips, side-to-side movements, “A skips” (driving the knee upwards), and “B skips” (driving the knee upwards and flicking the leg forward). Van Cuylenburg explained these exercises aim to foster communication between different muscle groups and establish correct postural alignment.
After approximately 45 minutes of warm-ups and drills, intended for injury prevention and muscle activation, the session progressed to actual sprint efforts. The author participated in the final 100 meters of van Cuylenburg's 200-meter training efforts. Van Cuylenburg articulated that sprinting provides an “incredible feeling” and represents a state of heightened presence.