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Anything a taller runner needs to know? (Read 1998 times)

    I'm 6'2" and have not found my height to be much of an advantage or disadvantage.  Being taller generally means you will weigh more, so even though your legs are longer they need to carry more weight.  They will, however, move as fast as you train them to move.  The only time that I would say being tall makes much difference is in a trail race.  Ducking for branches and making sharp turns can be more challenging when taller.  The upside is that you may have a better chance of jumping over fallen trees or puddles.

     

    In the end, your stride length determines how fast you will run.  Don't try to overstride just because you feel like you have to.  Work on getting in better shape and the stride length will take care of itself.

     

    edited: typo

    Thank you for taking the time to read my signature!

    Julia1971


      Yeah, maybe we need to define "tall". I don't think of myself as tall, but I'm taller than average, which for a woman, I think is something like 5'2 or 5'4. So, I think of anyone taller than that as "tall". Above like 5'10, I think of them as "really tall". I'm not as good with height on men, but I do think of 6' and over as relatively "tall".

        The average height for an American adult male is 5'10", so I'd say 6'3" counts as "tall".

        L Train


          I'm 5' 9" and I regularly get my ass handed to me by taller runners.

           

          I'm 6'1" and have never beaten you in a race, so I'm going with the tall=disadvantage theory.

           

            Taller runners are more likely to run into overhead obstacles (low hanging branches) and more spiderwebs. Wink

             

            (Chris's post wasn't there yet when I started to respond.)

             I am 5' 7" and nearly impaled my eyeball on a tree on Saturday, cutting through a parking lot.  This is a hardcore sport. 

            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus


            Rookie Runner

              MTA: Just checked your profile. The above is clearly a post in jest. If I were you I would concentrate on losing a bit of weight rather than worrying about how long my legs were. No offence - but height is not a significant determining factor in distance running.

               

              Definitely my primary goal.  Started my running program a little over 3 months ago and have dropped 22 lbs. so far!


              No run...need sleepy!

                I'm 6'6" and looking down on all you 'tall' people in this thread makes me smile.  Wink

                 

                Seriously though...this subject is interesting to me.  As a noob runner I'm still getting used to a whole variety of factors that impact my runs on any given day.  I've been trying to get used to the 80-90bpm stride and find that the closer I get to 80, the more I feel like I'm Fred Flintstone in a tiny car.  I've basically attributed that to the long legs.  My natural rhythm keeps me closer to 75bpm.

                 

                Any thoughts?

                 

                Oh yeah...I think the Menehune are responsible for landscaping around here as well.

                Purdey


                Self anointed title

                  Good work fella!

                   

                  Definitely my primary goal.  Started my running program a little over 3 months ago and have dropped 22 lbs. so far!

                   

                   

                    The width of my arse seems to affect my running more than the height of my skeleton...

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                      Turnover is important but stride length is important too. Smile

                       

                       

                      My mini-dachshund has great turnover, but I can beat him on distance runs.

                      keeponrunning


                        I'm relatively tall for a girl (5'8"), and I haven't really found it to be an advantage or disadvantage.  Except maybe the tree branches thing.  Joking

                        Sulphur Springs 50km-- Ancaster, ON-- May 28, 2022

                        Tally in the Valley 12 hours-- Dundas, ON -- July 30, 2022 (Support SickKids Toronto)

                        Stokely Creek-- 56km-- Sault Ste. Marie, ON-- Sept. 24, 2022

                         

                         

                        xor


                          My mini-dachshund has great turnover, but I can beat him on distance runs.

                           

                          My mini dachshund had two speeds: 1) sprint and 2) sleep.

                           

                          The beagle was good for distance, but she never quite figured out the whole "run the tangents" aspect.  She had a nasty tendency to change course 90 degrees (while running "comfortably hard beagle effort") to investigate a scent.

                           

                          As for tall runners, I'm 5'7 and I have nothing to add.  Not that this stopped me.

                           

                            Yes this is not a problem to me either, now if there is anything a shorter runner needs to know I am all ears (and eyes).  

                             

                            My one particular problem is finish photos, there is always a tall/big person directly in front of me in almost all of them.  I know one solution is to outrun them, and I am working on it, not much successf so far.

                            MrH


                              I'm 6'6"  

                               

                               

                              Are you some freakish human-giraffe hybrid? I'm surprised you can type with your cloven hooves.

                              The process is the goal.

                              Men heap together the mistakes of their lives, and create a monster they call Destiny.


                              Am I doing this right?

                                Don't buy short shorts.

                                No excuses....

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