Run Run Away

Question:

Hi, I’ve started to increase my long runs. I ran a 15K yesterday. I think I’m probably in need of improving my form. I tend to land on the mid foot but it all seems fairly noisy. Does any one know of any good reading material or web sites on the subject. Dave The Plodder (wishing to be not so!)

Try these two links:         http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/  and http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0122.htm Should keep ya busy for a bit! Denny

Response:

Thanks, I’ll try following the advice. Hopefully Dave the Plodder will transform into Dave the Almost a runner! Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’ve started to increase my long runs. I ran a 15K yesterday. I think I’m probably in need of improving my form. I tend to land on the mid foot but it all seems fairly noisy. Does any one know of any good reading material or web sites on the subject. Dave The Plodder (wishing to be not so!) Try these two links:         http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/  and http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0122.htm Should keep ya busy for a bit! Denny

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Joseph, If you’re clopping and earthquaking, then most likely  you’re overstriding.  If the knees aren’t lifted, then you have to lift your entire center of gravity, which comes crashing back down to earth with a fairly loud sound. Keep describing what you’re doing so that we can get a clearer picture of your running. In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Maintainer – rec.running FAQ Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Mindful Running:   http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-faq/

Didn’t mean to take this long of a break, just had too much work (at work) and too little time. I’ve found that I actually missed running. Strange feeling… <grin Today’s run I was concentrating on my form and trying the ‘leaning without falling’ mentioned by Anne. I caught myself most times on the balls of my feet, rolled back to my heels, then took off again on the balls of my feet. While I was going this, I noticed that my legs weren’t getting as high up as they used to. Is that a better form? I couldn’t hear myself ‘clopping’ along as much, but it felt kinda odd. Thanks, Joseph

Response:

) Organization: blueyonder (post doesn’t reflect views of blueyonder) Hi, I’ve started to increase my long runs. I ran a 15K yesterday. I think I’m probably in need of improving my form. I tend to land on the mid foot but it all seems fairly noisy. Does any one know of any good reading material or web sites on the subject. Dave The Plodder (wishing to be not so!) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Tried a new thing today on my run. I had Ozzie’s words ringing in my ears (along with Y100 FM!) as I concentrated on form as my hubby and I ‘did the loop’ at the local park. I’ve been gradually doing more ‘form stuff’ each time I go. I’ve tried to keep my strides short and not overreached. I’ve tried to run quietly and I do land on the midfoot not on the heel anyway so that’s OK. I’ve been concentrating on kicking my feet up at the back and lifting my knees for the optimum ‘follow through’, shorter pendulum thing and I imagine that I am pushing the ground away from me underneath my feet. "Man is a four footed animal" – I have been using my arms in a relaxed motion rather than holding them stiff and ungainly as I used to do and all of this has helped I think. But the words ringing in my ears today were, "Running is the art of falling forward and catching yourself gracefully" (may not be an exact quote). I tried this just as hubby stopped to take a photograph. I sent my body weight just slightly forward rather than central and combined with all the other stuff I felt like I was scooting along – it was great. OK, I still had people overtaking me but when I got to the end and hubby came in a minute later, I was ecstatic to learn that he couldn’t catch me – and he’d tried. How cool is that? Can’t wait to try this again. <Satisfied sigh Today was a good running day. :0) — Anne

Response:

But this concept of running form still has me completely mystified. I’ve tried it and I still feel like I’m going to fall flat on my face.

I didn’t bend so much as to feel as if I would fall, just kind of took myself out of the inefficient, upright, "braking position" that I was running in (subconscious form rather than conscious form?). This was a lot easier and felt so much better and faster that it makes you wonder why my body didn’t want to do that naturally? and On the treadmill and on the streets, I make the most wondrous ‘clop-clop’ sound. It really sounds like a moving earthquake and that doesn’t match what everyone says.

Yes my husband ‘clops’ too. It makes sense to me that noise means impact and impact means stressed joints. I try to be quiet and controlled but it doesn’t always go that way! As near as I can tell, my ‘running’ form is: ball-heel-ball. Am I mis-interpreting what my actual form is? Any suggestions?

I noticed the difference when I stopped to walk today. When I walk, I use my heels. When I run, I land further up the foot. That’s only a beginner’s interpretation! Anne – great job! I’ve very envious. Thank you, Joseph

Don’t be, I still have a long way to go Joseph but each step nearer makes me happy so I’m content with that. Thanks for the support though! :0) Anne.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ann, You begin to get a sense why when you’re running as you are, there’s no need of thick, cushioned, high technology running shoes.  All my shoes are training or racing flats. Ozzie Can’t wait to try this again. <Satisfied sigh Today was a good running day. :0) — Anne — Ozzie Gontang  Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Maintainer – rec.running FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/rec/rec.running.html Mindful Running http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp I’ve been lurking here for over 9 months now and asked a couple of questions and have also joined the list putting certain others into ‘kill’ files. Perseverance, I can now run nearly 2 miles at a 10 MM pace without getting overly winded and I thank everyone on the newsgroup for that. But this concept of running form still has me completely mystified. I’ve tried it and I still feel like I’m going to fall flat on my face. On the treadmill and on the streets, I make the most wondrous ‘clop-clop’ sound. It really sounds like a moving earthquake and that doesn’t match what everyone says. As near as I can tell, my ‘running’ form is: ball-heel-ball. Am I mis-interpreting what my actual form is? Any suggestions? Anne – great job! I’ve very envious. Thank you, Joseph

Joseph, If you’re clopping and earthquaking, then most likely  you’re overstriding.  If the knees aren’t lifted, then you have to lift your entire center of gravity, which comes crashing back down to earth with a fairly loud sound. Keep describing what you’re doing so that we can get a clearer picture of your running. In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Maintainer – rec.running FAQ Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Mindful Running:   http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-faq/

Response:

But this concept of running form still has me completely mystified. I’ve tried it and I still feel like I’m going to fall flat on my face.

My steel sieve memory seems to tell me that if the slightest thing happens in a race, like a little bump with another runner, professional racers do just that – fall on their faces.  Didn’t Mary Slaney get injured that way? Still, the rewards outweigh and seem surer than the risks.  I’m sure I’ll be working on ball/heel striking and other aspects of form for a long time, probably for the duration.  It’s just tempting to say "the art of falling gracefully – all other things being equal."  :-) – Phil Caron

Response:

Anne, Nice post.  I’m trying to better my form as well.  Keep posting.  Maybe I can live vicariously through you until I have a breakthrough day Bill

Response:

Tried a new thing today on my run. I had Ozzie’s words ringing in my ears (along with Y100 FM!) as I concentrated on form as my hubby and I ‘did the loop’ at the local park. I’ve been gradually doing more ‘form stuff’ each time I go. I’ve tried to keep my strides short and not overreached. I’ve tried to run quietly and I do land on the midfoot not on the heel anyway so that’s OK. I’ve been concentrating on kicking my feet up at the back and lifting my knees for the optimum ‘follow through’, shorter pendulum thing and I imagine that I am pushing the ground away from me underneath my feet. "Man is a four footed animal" – I have been using my arms in a relaxed motion rather than holding them stiff and ungainly as I used to do and all of this has helped I think. But the words ringing in my ears today were, "Running is the art of falling forward and catching yourself gracefully" (may not be an exact quote). I tried this just as hubby stopped to take a photograph. I sent my body weight just slightly forward rather than central and combined with all the other stuff I felt like I was scooting along – it was great. OK, I still had people overtaking me but when I got to the end and hubby came in a minute later, I was ecstatic to learn that he couldn’t catch me – and he’d tried. How cool is that? Can’t wait to try this again. <Satisfied sigh Today was a good running day. :0) — Anne

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ann, You begin to get a sense why when you’re running as you are, there’s no need of thick, cushioned, high technology running shoes.  All my shoes are training or racing flats. Ozzie Can’t wait to try this again. <Satisfied sigh Today was a good running day. :0) — Anne — Ozzie Gontang  Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 Maintainer – rec.running FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/rec/rec.running.html Mindful Running http://www.mindfulness.com/mr.asp

I’ve been lurking here for over 9 months now and asked a couple of questions and have also joined the list putting certain others into ‘kill’ files. Perseverance, I can now run nearly 2 miles at a 10 MM pace without getting overly winded and I thank everyone on the newsgroup for that. But this concept of running form still has me completely mystified. I’ve tried it and I still feel like I’m going to fall flat on my face. On the treadmill and on the streets, I make the most wondrous ‘clop-clop’ sound. It really sounds like a moving earthquake and that doesn’t match what everyone says. As near as I can tell, my ‘running’ form is: ball-heel-ball. Am I mis-interpreting what my actual form is? Any suggestions? Anne – great job! I’ve very envious. Thank you, Joseph

Response: