Forums >Running 101>Form change help
Hi, I have suffered from shin issues for quite sometime. Some of my running friends pointed out that I lean from my waist and shove my legs into the ground while I run (as opposed to a flowing, hip powered stride). This prompted me to slightly change my running form (a more upright posture with tucked glutes). This new running form change has fixed my shin soreness (the calves and shins feel super fresh post workout), however I develop the lactate feeling in my quads about 10 min into my run (the kind you get in the last leg of a 5k). Couple of questions:
1. Is it normal to have this?
2. Do I have to work on quad strength more?
3. Am I setting myself up for injury again?
Thanks!
#RunEveryDay
When you were dealing with shin splints, did you change your shoes? Form is not the only cause for shin splints. It can also be too much mileage too soon or too much running on very hard surfaces like concrete sidewalk instead of softer surfaces like pavement or better, grass, gravel or dirt. Are you a new runner or have you been running for a while? How much are you running?
How hard are you running in that first 10 minutes? People more knowledgeable than me about form will post after me, but you shouldn't be running so hard that your legs hurt. Mostly easy, sometimes hard. Your average run should be at an easy enough that you can speak in short sentences. That lactate feeling you refer to is something I would associate with hard effort. Regardless of form, slow down and stop racing every run. See how you feel.
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Thank you for the reply! I am a fairly new runner (5' 11", 205lbs, easy pace 7:55-8:00 per km) I don't run too much (I had shin issues when I was running 35-40k per week).
I must add that the feeling of lactate buildup occurs on my easy runs (I can maintain a 3-3 breathing pattern, and can speak full sentences).
I run in the Pegasus 38.
Hope that was enough information to help you analyze the possible flaws in my technique
Thanks again!
Issues with shins for newer runners is almost always one of two things: too much too soon, or the wrong shoes to support your gait. Or both.
Shoes matter. A good running store will have the ability to determine your gait characteristics and get you in 'more correct' shoes. You may over-pronate, over-supinate, or have other characteristics that lend themselves to a specific type of shoe. When I was first starting out I learned the hard way that I was over-pronating. I suffered peroneal tendinitis and it was recommended that I run in motion-control shoes (Brooks Beast, back in the day). It hurt like hell until I got past it. Over the years as I improved and ran more I became less dependent on shoe type. The Pegasus 38s are a neutral show which means there is no gait correction. You may need a different shoe with some motion control and slightly higher heel drop.
Can you give us an example of what your typical week of running looks like? How many days, how far, etc?
be curious; not judgmental
The human body is pretty good at self preservation, and will naturally go to a "form" that is least painful and provides the most efficiency (not instantly, but the more you run, the more the body will adapt this way). Trying to drastically change running form/gait will often result in other injuries. Shoes can mask some types of pain/discomfort that are the result of form. Many people have helped their body adopt a more self-preserving form by adding barefoot/minimalist runs 1-2x a week.
anecdote: When I've started runs in minimalist shoes, the first 50-100m HURT until my body figured out how to land and position itself over my legs. After that, everything was fine. I would do this as a 1 mile warmup on the track, then switch into race shoes for intervals, and noticed a big difference in form as the barefoot gait carried over and continued when I put on more cushioned shoes. I would run taller, and land more midfoot, and knee drive was upon toe-off was higher. Without trying.
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