Running Form Basics

So I really liked that clip not because it's the best "running form" video I've ever seen, but mainly because it was done with Claymation! And, I mean, it does have good information too (the ensuing discussion is pretty funny)... and is much shorter (ooo shiny) than the video I posted a while back.

I would like to throw my own two cents into that discussion. First off, they are right, you can't change your form over night. Initially, your calf muscles, Achilles, etc. are going to take the brunt the transition to mid-food running (if you have traditionally been a heel striker). So, your lower legs will be tight (as well as the rest of your leg... because we all know that the pain in your left ear is eventually going to screw up your IT Band). Make sure to stretch... ice... compression... the whole normal routine of "things to keep you running". To avoid moving from tight to injured, try easing into mid-foot striking on easy runs (and not necessarily the whole run either)... or on your cooldown after a hard run. I wouldn't recommend trying new things on interval days or tempo runs just because, in my opinion, you're more likely to tweak something at a faster speed. One of the easiest ways to transition to mid-foot striking is simply to increase your cadence... it's hard to land on your heel when your legs are moving faster.

Moving on from this disclaimer, mid-foot striking is better than heel striking from a mechanical standpoint. No matter what the structure (you), you want to keep the center of mass (somewhere in your torso) over the base (your foot) because it is more stable and eliminates large moment arms (which torques your bones/joints in a way that they were not meant to be). Having said that, as the distance increases, most people are going to heel-strike. It's ok... your calf muscles aren't huge... and they're going to fatigue after a while!