Run Form

I have been getting many ideas from Pinterest lately. There are some great inspirational sayings that are on top of some great shots of people running and working out. However, there are just as many that have horrible shots of people running in ways that will cause injury.

These images are all over the place. They've been repeatedly modified with great catch-phrases like "Limitations only exist if you let them." or "The only workout you'll regret is the one you didn't do."

However, a real look at the images will kill all motivation the phrases might have inspired. What is that first woman doing with her right arm? Is she scratching her back? Adjusting her bra? Why is she reaching out so far with her leg? I know that hurts.

The second woman is a little bit better, but only because I don't think she's supposed to be running. I think the problem occurs when people post this picture with quotes specifically about running. I think she's frolicking or jumping. If she is running, she's going to break her leg.

There are many more pictures like this out there. Do a Google search on "Woman running" and there will be more pictures of overreaching and heel landing than pictures of actual good runners. I think that photographers like the picture right when the heel makes contact, because that is a really popular image. Don't be these women. Check out what real runners say about good form.

Running Form

Last night, I attended a Good Form Running clinic at Fleet Feet. I have been trying to be very careful with my form, but wanted to get more information and have my form looked at. It may feel good to me, but that's no guarantee that is is good. In fact, no one looks as good as they feel running. It's one of the things runners say.

I can't recommend the clinic enough. If you're a beginning runner, it will give you information you're never heard. If you've been running a while, it will show you how to improve and avoid injury. Injury prevention was my main reason for attending. I do not want to go through a season of training to sit out the event on crutches again.

The insights into running were really helpful, and I will be trying them out this afternoon. I don't want to play telephone with the information they provided. Please go to their site and read for yourself. If there is a clinic offered near you, please sign up. Seeing yourself run on camera is very helpful and not as horrific as you might think.

You don't want to be the person in this photo or any of the other people in the online images showing horrible running form. Sadly, many of the pictures of runners show bad form. That's including pictures in running and fitness magazines.






UPDATE: I just finished my run. It was the exact 5K route I ran on Wednesday, only I ran each mile 29 seconds faster than I did a mere two days ago. It was faster than I've ever run this route and 15 seconds faster than my 5K last April. I can't wait until I have used the information for a longer time so it's more comfortable. I really think it will improve my speed a ton.

Bad Information

I love the internet. I use it to get information about everything. I look up words for precise definitions all the time. I use it for this blog, too. I find that at least 90% of the information is accurate and verifiable. You can usually find several independent sources with the same information.

Unfortunately, there is plenty of bad information out there, too. Some of it comes from sources and sites that would be considered reliable, too. Yesterday while looking for a decent couch to 5K program, I came across a plan on Fitness Magazine's website. The plan itself wasn't horrible, it was similar to most other plans I found. However, their "Quick Tip" at the bottom is horrible and injury inducing. They recommend runners land heel-first. Never do this. NEVER.

There are top runners who do land heel-first, but they're not reading this blog, so the rest of us should avoid that and try to run like Ryan Hall who many consider to have the best form in the US. Here's a video that explains good running form in the way that numerous reliable sources have explained it to me and is basically step-by-step instructions to achieve Ryan Hall's stride.