Cool, I need all the help I can get.

I'm trying to work on this stuff at the moment, it feels wierd, but I definately see the benefits. Anyone who has perfected this, does it take a while for this to become second nature? I can currently only do it all for about 1k at a time before my muscles get tired (I guess from using different ones to what I am used to running).

Brian

In the same boat - trying to improve the run efficiency. Not an easy thing to change - easy to lose that proper form when get tired. Have quite a ways to go - but that is what the off-season is for - right?

Good stuff!
I have read conflicting articles about what position your head should be in though.
This one said look at the ground in front of you 3-5 meters ahead while I have read others that said eyes straight ahead. Which is right?

I am definitely going to look into some run coaching this off season. I have never been a very strong runner. In addition I had ACL reconstruction about 13 years ago from playing too much soccer. Any suggestions on good books / coaching?
Thanks, T

:eek: Doh! I read this post before reading the article it was about and wondered why my thinking on the matter was "what are they going on about? my cheeks always bounce when I run!!". Read the article and realised you're all discussing a whole different kind of cheeks!! heh heh - definite blonde moment :p Would have had so much fun during my next run focussing on my bouncing cheeks...

The previous poster maes several excellent points. My research disagrees with the article on three points.

First, all efficient runners land with the weight almost entirely on the forefoot. This is important both for economy and injury resistance. How people do run and how they should run are two different things.

Second, efficient runners (of any speed) lean forward about 6 degrees in a straight line from the ankle, definitely not bent from the waist. Bending at the waist puts excessive strain on the muscles and connective tissues of the low back and prevents optimal hip extension to generate propulsion.

Third, head position is critical because of how it affects torso position and balance. Runners tend to look down, which shifts the head forward, requiring the torso to lean backward to some degree in order to counterbalance the weight of the head. Efficient runners tend to maintain a head position looking up at the horizon and glance downward with their eyes, not their whole heads. This enables the 6 degree forward lean and greater efficiency.

Anyone interested in learing more about running tehnique, go to EvolutionRunning.com

Thanks for posting this article to generate a great discussion,

Ken

I read the post and when I read the "cheeks bouncing" I was thinking the same cheeks you were. That is a perk of doing tri's observing the cheeks of other in skimpy spandex .

I really like Ken's comments.
I have made some improvement by picturing a string coming out of the top of my head pulling up and just a tad (for about 6 degrees foreward from the ankles actually) ahead. Then as I learned in mountain biking- however far down the trail you are looking, look farther.
I used to feel like I run like a wrestler. I've improved to running like a rugby player. Soon like a triathlete.
Garth

I'd love for you guys to see my stride and totally skew it! I do everything the way it "should" be done, and still my stride is a bit... funky... I find that barefoot strides help me out a bit, but i guess its just a result of my weird proportions.

You're now dressed like the guy on page. The one in the speedo.

Are you?? :eek:

Ahhh the secrets I will keep beads. :)
BBB

This is really good info... Wanted to add some of my experience from implementing things I read here and elsewhere. and which delivered pretty astonishing (to me) results. I had never previously thought about honing my running technique like I try to hone my swim stoke... because everyone knows how to run, right? Wrong.

I made the simple adjustment of increasing my stride rate and reducing stride length, initially to get me through brick workouts, and focusing on landing on the midfoot. The first time I tried it, I did a 3m brick run in 19m30 after a 25m hard bike workout and had to recheck my watch since my previous pace for a 3m run without the bike was was closer to 6m45s per mile on the same course.. Having replicated this a few times I was amazed at how I could get a "free" 10-15s per mile benefit just from running smarter.

Now I'm sure my fitness regime helped my times, but I gotta tell ya that before I was scratching my head at how to break 40m for 10K and this has helped me get over my plateau and start to progress again. I found my better economy handy at my last oly tri where I had a hard fight in the melee on the swim which got me tired from the start and I was suffering on the run but was able to keep it ticking over far better this time than when I have had similar experiences in the past.

Don't want to sound too prescriptive but hey give it a try! The thing I like about focusing on cadence as opposed to stride length is similar to the argument for biking technique... i.e. if I train my neuromuscular system to run a high cadence naturally, I feel more able to visualize (and measure) how I can increase my stride length by a couple of inches at that cadence far more readily than the opposite scenario where I run at a set stride length and have to somehow fit in a couple of extra steps per minute.

Here, here!

Anyone woman from this forum want beads? Anyone? Beuller, Beuller..... :D
BBB

did someone say beer ?