We are born to run. The human body has evolved over time to include many aspects that make us adept at running long distance.
Running is a skill. It is something we can learn to do well and perform more efficiently.
If you play tennis or basketball, you would train and practice different aspects of the game to improve your overall capability. Like practicing a tennis serve to make it fluid and effective, we can break down the aspects of running to build strength, stability and skill.
Every year 70% of runners will get injured. To prevent these injuries we need to improve the efficiency of running to decrease the load on our body and improve how we absorb that load with every step. The majority of running injuries come from the body’s inability to manage the cumulative load put on that muscle, bone or joint. When running, every step can create the force of up to 3 times the weight of your body. If you can’t effectively control a single leg squat, how can you control three times that force in under three hundredth of a second for tens of thousands of steps?
Focus on technique, not strength. Put down the weights and focus on how you are moving. This does not mean training will be easy, it will take time and focus to help you effectively train to improve the efficiency of the overall movement.
Keep Your Shoulders Down
Don’t hunch your shoulders. Focus on keeping them down–and away from your ears! Pull your shoulders back, like you are imagining squeezing a pen between your shoulder blades–this also helps maintain endurance.
Get Your Head Straight
Set your gaze straight ahead of you, looking around 20 to 30 meters out. Don’t look at your feet unless you’re doing a short drill (more about that later in this post).
Looking down can cause tension to build up in your shoulders and neck–and we want a relaxed neck and jaw for proper running form. Furthermore, don’t jut your head forward–your ears should be in line with your shoulders.
Relax Those Hands
This comes more naturally for some people rather than others. Personally, I have a tendency to run with my hands clamped up in a fist, so I have to be intentional about relaxing them–it can create tension in your shoulders and back. I remember my high school cross country coach always telling me to run like I was holding a potato chip between my thumb and forefinger.
Go for a Mid-Foot Strike
While every runner has a natural strike, trying to nurture a mid-foot strike is the best way to land. A heel strike and forefoot strike are common–but focus on landing on the middle of your foot regularly.
Control Your Knee Lift
If you lift your knees too high during your run, your running will be bouncy and your body will absorb more impact with each stride. Run with a slight bend in your knee to limit your the impact of training on hard surfaces. There’s a place for high knee action in running drills, but during your run, keep it low and lift your knees forward, not upwards.
Lean Forward Slightly
Don’t ever lean back or stay completely upright while running. Lean forward slightly, hinged at the hips.
