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Running Form for Easy Recovery Jogs/Runs (Read 101 times)
Bugs34
Bugs
 posted: 10/26/2008 at 7:46 PM
modified: 10/26/2008 at 7:54 PM
I'm trying to switch to a training plan that permits as many short recovery EASY jogs as you feel up to. E.g. Today was 60 minutes. My legs are enjoying the extra easy activity but my feet are crabby. I usually land on my forefoot, and pushoff with my toes. Today I switched to landing more on my heel-midfoot, and didn't really push-off to much and was able to run without pain. This leads to the following questions...

1. Should the running form for an EASY run/jog be different than your harder fast runs? (If true, I assume what I did today was correct.)

2. Should I be landing mid-foot for all my runs?
Bugs
Run To Win
Blaine Moore
 posted: 10/26/2008 at 9:27 PM
I try not to control my form too much when I run with one exception: where I land.

Your foot goes through 60 different actions to absorb an impact and progress through to the next stride, most of which take place in about a millisecond at the most. You can't realistically control them, and trying to is going to hurt you.

While I'm running, the only thing that I will consciously pay attention to is if I am overstriding. I try to keep my feet below my center of gravity when I land and to have quick leg turnover, but I don't try to control where exactly I land on my foot or how I roll it or anything like that.

If you want to change your running form and improve it, there's a few methods. First, run more miles. Second, run more hills. More miles will break down your muscles and rebuild them and eventually you will become more efficient. Running up hills will give you a forward lean and get you used to keeping your momentum going and it is really difficult to not land beneath your center of gravity when going up hill. Running down hills takes more practice and is much more difficult, but if you get good at running down hill then you will have the proper form. The trick is not overstriding.
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My First 50 Miler!
ShanHas
I'm excited!
 posted: 10/27/2008 at 5:08 PM
Bugs - maybe that's why I'm not faster... nothing changes with my easy/recovery runs... except i go slower.

I don't think about form at all when changing my paces... Now i'm gonna have to pay more attention!
When's the next one?
2009 Goals - Do it up Big!
Bugs34
Bugs
 posted: 10/27/2008 at 8:06 PM
Blaine,
might be on to something. I was probably over striding.

Shan,
When I run easy I don't push-off with toes, well at least not very hard. When I run faster my legs are more stretched out. My easy runs are jogging, my hard runs are RUNNING. That's me, not sure if it is anyone else.
Bugs
ShanHas
I'm excited!
 posted: 10/27/2008 at 11:11 PM
well tomorrow I will try to run fast and see if it changes... I don't actually run fast so I guess I just run slow and slower LOL... but make my run more like fartleky tomorrow and i'll see if it's the same for me.
When's the next one?
2009 Goals - Do it up Big!
EGH3
posted: 10/28/2008 at 1:49 PM
Quote from Bugs34 on 10/27/2008 at 8:06 PM:
Blaine,
might be on to something. I was probably over striding.

Shan,
When I run easy I don't push-off with toes, well at least not very hard. When I run faster my legs are more stretched out. My easy runs are jogging, my hard runs are RUNNING. That's me, not sure if it is anyone else.


I'm wondering if that's what caused the strain in my extensor tendons and big toe during my HM. I ran it pretty hard. Maybe I'm overstriding - it's so hard to tell. I don't feel like my legs are out in front of me or my that my heel's striking hard when I run faster. Is their something that's a true giveaway - something you can feel when you're over-striding?
2009 goals:
Run a marathon or two and run 2000 miles
ShanHas
I'm excited!
 posted: 10/28/2008 at 9:21 PM
ok so this morning I left my keys in the car so I ran fast to the car cause it was cold. on the way back I ran normal. After work I ran FAST and battled gusting wind. The result was all the same. I land mid-foot every step no matter what speed or stride length.
When's the next one?
2009 Goals - Do it up Big!
Run To Win
Blaine Moore
 posted: 10/29/2008 at 1:29 AM
Quote from ShanHas on 10/28/2008 at 9:21 PM:
ok so this morning I left my keys in the car so I ran fast to the car cause it was cold. on the way back I ran normal. After work I ran FAST and battled gusting wind. The result was all the same. I land mid-foot every step no matter what speed or stride length.


I wouldn't worry about it, you are probably fine. Just don't try to reach forward with each step when you go faster; just try to increase leg turnover and lean forward.
Run to Win
I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/RunToWin

My First 50 Miler!
Bugs34
Bugs
 posted: 10/29/2008 at 3:30 PM
modified: 10/29/2008 at 3:34 PM
EGH3,
When I run fast I try to push the ground when I am toe-ing off and get my back leg to stretch out. Like this:


Here you will find one of Nobby's girls running with similiar form:


I am convinced my toes are not conditioned to run all my miles working so hard. This last week I've been focusing to land mid-foot and just any easy toe-off. So maybe you over worked your toes toe-ing off and nothing to do with where you were landing???

My natural form for easy runs seems to be a mid-foot land. My 'unfocused' natural form for fast runs is to be a toe runner. I don't think I'm hardly letting my heal touch the ground. Just a guess, I'm overstriding frequently. I'll probably break down and have a pro review my running form.
Bugs
EGH3
posted: 10/29/2008 at 9:18 PM
modified: 10/29/2008 at 9:21 PM
Thanks for that Bugs. That's helpful. I'm trying to figure it out. The easy running does not seem to bother it but long runs and faster runs do. I can run easy right now. I feel it but it doesn't hurt and is not getting worse.

MTA: I really wonder about the minimalist shoe thing. I'm petrified of trying it b/c I'm just not smart enough to correct my form. I ran in pure neutrals (Asics Landreths) and developed shin splints. Now I'm in lightweight stability shoes. No shin pain at all but a little runner's knee has cropped up on the other leg to go along with the toe thing.
2009 goals:
Run a marathon or two and run 2000 miles
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