Running slower not exactly "easier"......

During my last two workouts at NIFS, I took a few moments and watched other runners on the indoor track. And I noticed one glaring difference in the running form between slower runners and faster runners.

The slower runners tended to have a two types of movement going on: forward momentum, and also a bobbing", or up and down motion.

The forward momentum of faster runners eliminated or greatly reduced the "bobbing", or up and down motion. They basically were just moving forward.

And in almost every case, it looked like the effort was more difficult for the slower runners, and I believe that PART of the reason is they are working too hard because they are litterally running in two directions!

Now, I know it is far too simple to tell someone who might not like running, or who is struggling to find their form, to "just run faster". I do not think that is the answer.

But I DO think one answer to improving your running form, and therefore your running time, is to really pay attention to your form. Are you wasting energy by bobbing up and down? Or are you using all your energy to move in the direction you want, which is forward!

Remember, if your goal is to run a mile, you don't give yourself any credit for the distance your body bobbed, you only count the forward momentum! So my suggestion is to get rid of that darn bobbing! And PART of that might be playing around with a slight increase in speed and also in your forward stride. I believe that if you can improve your stride (slightly increase your gait forward) you will soon find your mile time improving AND MIGHT FEEL LIKE YOU ARE WORKING LESS-HARD!!!

My two cents for the day.

Peace,

Rob