The running study being, conducted at Arizona State University (ASU) is ready to begin. The pretesting of the three groups of ten subjects is completed. There will be a control group, a group receiving ten massages, and ten subjects being Rolfed. The thirty participants will all be elite runners, some of whom have qualified for the Olympic games. Basically two tests will be performed on these runners: one for running efficiency — V02 Max and one on the structural changes relevant to the runner’s biomechanics – gait filming on a treadmill. Because of the Research Committee’s generous donation of their operational budget to the project, the study can begin. Now the remaining funds must be generated for it to be completed.

We are pleased to report that the running study has recently received favorable media coverage of some significance. On the 10:00 p.m. News, October 6, Channel 10 in Phoenix aired a segment featuring Owen Marcus & Associates’ involvement in the running study being conducted at ASU. The piece contained interviews with Dr. Christine Wells, the researcher in charge of the study, and also with me doing a demonstration on Ray Wicksell, an Olympic runner. Jim Walker, an elite runner and former client of Jeff Maitland was seen on this program demonstrating one of the tests to be used in the study.

On October 22, the local NBC 10:00 p.m. news program included an excellent piece, on Rolling. Also focused on the running study, the spot began with an interview of myself describing Rolfing. The latter half of the segment included Jim Walker again reporting how his running has improved after Rolfing, and there was an interview with Dr. Wells. The station was so pleased with this story that they have produced it nationally. Los Angeles is expected to air the spot in the near future.

With the running study, we have an unprecedented opportunity to enter into the human performance, sports medicine arena. Here Rolfing has the possibility of being seen as a process that produces unequaled results. Rolling changes function and performance; there is no better place to demonstrate this than with athletics. It is with athletes that Rolling will be understood and acknowledged for what it is.

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When I had Rolfing, it changed the colors of my day. At first I felt the sadness of when I was a little child. Then the rage and rioting of when I was 18. And when I get the spiritual massage–ah, I feel as if I had been touched by an angel!”

-a quote from a TIME magazine article (September 14, 1987, p. 10) entitled “In California: Being 25 and Following Your Bliss”.Olympic Runners Being Rolfed