Thanks to a Facebook post from The Natural Running Center I recently learned of an important new film about running: There and Back and There and Back Again: a Lord of the Rings Recap, in Running Shots. Obviously I’m taking a tongue-in-cheek approach here but the truth is I love looking at images of running … Read more
I’ve just returned from several weeks of travel — not all vacation by a long shot, but there was a break at the end to celebrate Thanksgiving with family in the US. I was surprised to feel how refreshed I was when I returned home and got back to my usual schedule of clients, classes, … Read more
“Run tall” is a recommendation you see often in guidelines for good running form. It probably seems pretty uncontroversial to you – what could be bad about good posture when you run? We should all avoid slouching, right? But there are a few problems with it. First, it’s vague. Vague running form recommendations are likely … Read more
Have you ever been out for a run and found yourself struggling through hip flexor tighness, tight calves, or tight muscles elsewhere? I have a trick for you to deal with the tightness effectively while you’re out on your run, without needing a foam roller, a massage therapist, or any other equipment you’re not likely … Read more
In case you haven’t heard, Priscah Jeptoo just won the New York City marathon and thereby the World Marathon Majors as well. She also won the London marathon this past April, and that’s just the marathons she’s won this year, never mind other distances, other years, and other positions on the podium. In case you … Read more
This weekend brings breaking news in the running world that I feel I must address: David Babcock’s attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the longest scarf knit whilst running a marathon. While I am not qualified to comment on his knitting, I myself was dying to see how he coordinated knitting with … Read more
Let’s talk, again, about pelvic stability. I’ve been reading and really enjoying Anatomy for Runners by Jay Dicharry, but rather than unnecessarily re-iterate all the valuable and insightful recommendations he gives (just go read the book!) I’m going to comment on my point of disagreement with him – namely pelvic or core stabilization — since … Read more
I came across this video clip via Peter Larson. Despite the fact that Bekele is turning through much of it, it gives us an opportunity to look at the running form differences between three great runners: Kenenisa Bekele, Haile Gebrselassie, and Mo Farah. You may have first looked at footstrike, checking whether they heelstrike and/or … Read more
It’s one of the hardest kinds of running. You may think running up the hill was tough, pumping your arms, shortening your strides, and breathing hard. But what’s tough about uphill running is the level of effort, which is the kind of challenge one accepts in exercise. You expect to have to put in a … Read more
It’s rare for us to have a client who doesn’t cross-train. Most runners do something in addition to running, whether it’s yoga or Pilates, kettlebells, working out with a trainer, or even just going for a swim once a week. Sometimes these cross-training activities are beneficial and sometimes they interfere with healthy, enjoyable running. So … Read more
I developed a risky addiction this summer: running barefoot on grass. Why risky? Because all sorts of nasty, dangerous things can hide in grass, only to be discovered when you step on them and start bleeding. It’s happened to me twice. So why have I nonetheless been doing it three times a week for the … Read more
I was recently working with a group of middle distance runners and one of them told me he was having trouble “holding his form” when he got tired. He said he would try to keep his good posture but eventually it would fall apart. I explained to him that posture is an irrelevant concept in … Read more
Brooke Thomas, Rolfer and creator of the bodywork information hub Fascia Freedom Fighters, interviewed me on orthotics, how your pelvis should move, barefoot and minimalist running, and how we help runners. Enjoy!
Do you believe that, as a runner, you should have a tight core? That the sine qua non of good running form is tightening your core? I’d like to propose a different concept: The essence of good running form is directing force in the simplest possible line from foot through head. Since we have two … Read more
