Running is simple isn't it? Just like that old Christmas cartoon says, "put one foot in front of the other... and soon you'll be walking out the door..." And, of course, anyone can do that. In fact, we often refer to the joy children seem to take in running, and assume they are doing it correctly. And as contagious as their joy is, their form may be far from perfect.
But, as we grow up and run more regularly, whether simply for exercise, or training for specific races, running form becomes a more important issue than most of us ever consider. This came up for me a few weeks ago when I got together for a run with my friend, Dave Zimmer, from Fleet Feet Sports.
For the last few months, Dave has been holding clinics for staff, customers, and running groups, on 'Good Form Running.' On our run he shared some of the basic elements with me. A recent article I ran accross in Running Times magazine filled in some more of the blanks for me. So let me share.
For years, people have made comments to me along the lines of, "Oh you have such long legs, you must have an advantage as a runner." I've stopped trying to explain that long legs do not make a fast runner. But let me give you an example. Who do you think is the faster player on the Chicago Bulls: 6'3" Derrick Rose, or 6'11" Joakim Noah. Most people would guess Rose, and I'm sure they would be right, despite the fact that noah's legs are much longer.
In fact most world class distance runners are not tall. Perhaps the best distance runner in history, Haile
Gebraselassie (the marathon world record holder) is 5'4" and 117 lbs. It's about quick, efficient leg turnover, not length or stride. A tremendous VO2 max, and killer training schedule are also important.
But back to form. The coaches interviewed in the Running Times article all agreed that the most common problem they see among runners is over-striding. And that often means landing on your heels rather than mid-foot. Think about it for a second. If you are landing on your heels, you are braking to some extent with every stride. That not only slows you down, but it puts a tremendous strain on your knees and all your muscles, bones, and ligaments.
Dave's Good Form Running seminars have a few basic points to remember. The first is to land on the center of the foot. You develop speed by pushing off from that front foot. Second, you want to make sure you keep your body centered over your feet. You don't want your body too far out in front of your feet, or behind. You want to be centered, and upright. Next, your arm swing should be closer to your waist than your chest. Many runners carry their arms too high whey they run. Ideally, you want to have your thumbs be able to touch your pockets on the down swing, and each arm should reach about the middle of your body moving forward, but should not cross that imaginary axis.
Finally, the biggest issue I have to deal with is the forward lean. It is relatively common for runners to lean forward at the waist as they try to push the pace, or as they tire. But it's counter-productive. Leaning forward can produce more speed, but you need to lean forward from the ankles, keeping good, straight, posture through your back and waist.
These are all good basis tenets, and Dave can offer much more in the way of details. And there is another important reason to pay attention to improving form that really got my attention. I'll quote the Running Times article "Why Form Matters" by Scott Douglas. According to running great and coach Pete Magill, "this belief system that just doing over and over is somehow going to make us better is really crazy. Longtime runners actually suffer from the body's ability to become efficient. You become so efficient that you start recruiting fewer muscle fibers to do the same exercise and as you begin to use less muscle fibers you start to get a little bit weaker." Then, he says, you put too much pressure on the fibers you are using and that often leads to injury. Some of that is a result of getting older and quitting some of the other sports and activities that use some of those other muscles and encourage balance. I felt like I was getting a personal lecture as I read it.
All is not lost however, The magazine has a good website that offers several videos with core workout routines that can help engage other muscles, and improve form. Here's the link: http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16625
And Dave suggests this link for good form running. It's imaginatively titled: http://www.goodformrunning.com/
By the way, I saw some incredible examples of great running form over the weekend at the USATF outdoor championships over the weekend. I was a total track geek/fan, and I'll share some of the highlights with you in my next entry.
Til then, see you on the roads......
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