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Some higher power wanted me to blog about running. Within the last 48 hours a friend lent me Christopher McDougall’s “Born to Run” and I cannot put it down; another pal told me the vibram 5-fingered running shoes are a must-buy; and as if that weren’t enough, yesterday I tripped (somewhat literally) into a race.

As I set out for a humble jog in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, fumbling with my ipod’s tangled earbuds, I noticed a lithe man sprint past me. Before I could even press play, three others flew by. Suddenly I was engulfed by a sea of runners–turns out I aimed for a mellow jog but accidentally planted myself in the middle of the ‘Snowflake 5K’.

It was fascinating to watch these racers: the funky gaits; the way their feet negotiated the road; their ropey hamstrings; the intensity in their eyes. I ended up walking the entire loop of the park, soaking up the sun and simply observing these people, wondering how Pilates might be able to help them.

Check out the video below for a sequence to help you improve your running performance. If you’re a runner, I care primarily about 1) having you develop greater awareness of your alignment (from pelvis to knee to ankle) 2) having you develop balance in the musculature of your butt and legs and 3) improving the quality of your breath. If you’re able to memorize the sequence, you can then focus on maintaining an even flow of breath. If you can become an efficient breathing machine, you will not only be my hero, but your experience of walking, jogging, sprinting will be vastly more productive….and….dare I say…fun?