As I worked my way through a series of blog posts on tight quads over the last three weeks, a reader asked me to write about tight/sore calves next. It’s a great suggestion, since the tight-calf-in-running problem is really common and has a massive effect on the entire body. In fact, in my post last … Read more
Data on your running has become easy to get. But it remains hard to act on, especially when it comes to using wearable tech (such as sports watches) to improve your gait. Alex Hutchinson recently wrote about a 4-stage framework for using the training data from wearable tech. The stages are: descriptive–what happened diagnostic–why did … Read more
Get started right and you will avoid SO many problems later! These 4 steps are based on my nearly two decades of experience helping runners from beginner to Olympian improve their form to feel better and perform better. The internet abounds with advice, but this isn’t the usual set of tips for new runners–and it … Read more
The actor Tom Cruise’s running form has been much discussed but little analyzed. That’s a shame because there’s so much to see. If you’ve watched a couple of his movies you can probably close your eyes and picture him running. However if you’d like a little help, this video will do the trick: The one … Read more
As you lace up your shoes for a traditional Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Day race, here are a few tips from a real turkey trot gait analysis that may help your performance. Take a look at this video of three wild turkeys–two hens and a tom, I think–running down a road. (I recommend viewing with the … Read more
Maybe they’re tight, maybe you’ve got a pull or strain, maybe they get really sore. Or maybe they don’t bother you at all but you’ve been told they’re the source of another problem such as back pain or plantar fasciitis. Whatever’s got you looking to solve a hip flexor problem, there’s something important you need … Read more
2021 NYC marathon champs Peres Jepchirchir and Albert Korir both had running form signatures that set them apart from the rest of their elite competitors. Runners of any level can benefit from understanding how their gait strategies worked for them. At the time of this writing there doesn’t appear to be an official race highlights … Read more
Everyone says core stability is the key to running healthy and fast, so like many runners you may do a fair amount of core exercise. That will probably make you feel really strong, but it may not translate to fewer leg and foot injuries, faster times, or feeling good. This is the sort of inconvenient … Read more
Runners need to lean forward when they run. I’ve written before why that is; it’s also a cornerstone of ChiRunning, Pose Technique, and many other running technique methods. But how do you tell if you’re leaning too much, leaning too little, or leaning correctly when you run? For most runners, learning how to lean at all is … Read more
Back in 2009-2010, as the barefoot running movement picked up steam, I was excited. I thought I was going to see a world full of healthier, happier runners with better running form. But that’s not what happened. The reasons it should have happened are still solid: running without cushioned soles causes runners to reorganize their … Read more
The Tokyo Olympics Women’s Marathon was exciting for more than one reason. From a running form perspective it was a treat to have the top three women–Peres Jepchirchir, Brigid Kosgei, and Molly Seidel–all running with such different form. Take a look at this brief highlights video to see what I mean or find a highlights … Read more
This week’s guest blog post is by coach Gary Reynolds. He shared these ideas with me over lunch this past spring, and I found them so helpful I asked him to write about them to share with you. I’ll be back to blogging next week, sharing some observations about the runners in the Commonwealth Games. … Read more
It’s not an accident we can run so many different ways, including leaning forward and running upright. Some ways of running are generally better than others, and well-coordinated athletes will find they gravitate towards a fairly consistent set of gait characteristics I call The Balanced Runner Keys. But because truly excellent form is organized by … Read more
There’s no running form “rule” that’s always true and no running form “mistake” that doesn’t serve a purpose in the right situation. So even though leaning forward is virtually always the right thing to do (get the details here), there is one circumstance when a distance runner might spontaneously run upright for a good reason. … Read more
