Back in high school I was on the track team. I wasn't very fond of running so I stuck to field events that only required running 50 ft tops before jumping or throwing something. During my brief career as a hurdler (my darn knees ended that) I picked up on the concept that running is almost as much about form as it is about strength/innate ability. Sprints require a different form than distance races, so I have been learning how to properly run long distances. There are two main reasons to run with proper form. Most importantly, when you run correctly you reduce impact on your joints and reduce the risk of injury. Secondly, running with incorrect form uses your energy inefficiently so you end up running more slowly and you wear out faster.
While learning proper distance running form, I couldn't help but notice some universal truths/life lessons. So, here I will endeavor to share with you these nuggets of wisdom I've learned over the past 35 miles.
1. Run Tall: Keep your head up and your eyes on the horizon. Be sure to keep your eyes on where you're headed, not where you're at. When your head and eyes are looking at the ground immediately in front of you it brings your spine out of alignment and puts more stress on your whole body. In other words, if you focus on where you are instead of where you're going you will cause yourself unnecessary stress.
2. Take Smaller Steps: It seems counter intuitive, but to run faster you should take more frequent shorter strides. Taking few longer strides to cover the same distance uses more energy and increases the impact on your joints. Lesson to be learned; Doctor Leo Marvin was right about the baby steps. If you try to reach your goals more quickly by taking bigger steps you will just burn out faster.
3. Run in the Grass: I admit, this one really isn't about form. It is recommended that you spend some time training on a soft surface like grass or sand. The squishy-ness of the ground absorbs the impact of your stride instead of returning that energy to your body. Basically, it makes it more challenging to run. While your efforts during these workouts are slower and more difficult, you end up increasing your speed in the long run when you return to a harder surface like pavement. That is to say, when you feel like you're working hard and not moving very fast you are really building strength (character?) that will prove beneficial when you really need it.
3. Run in the Grass: I admit, this one really isn't about form. It is recommended that you spend some time training on a soft surface like grass or sand. The squishy-ness of the ground absorbs the impact of your stride instead of returning that energy to your body. Basically, it makes it more challenging to run. While your efforts during these workouts are slower and more difficult, you end up increasing your speed in the long run when you return to a harder surface like pavement. That is to say, when you feel like you're working hard and not moving very fast you are really building strength (character?) that will prove beneficial when you really need it.
