Runners, please come in.....question

[GApeach23]

I have one question. Is it best to run heel to toe? That's what I would think, I'm running my first 5K on May 23rd. I've been walking daily for 3 weeks, now will start running. Truth is I haven't really ran since I was a teen, except on a treadmill and I probably ran heel to toe.

So, I google it and came up with "It's best to run heel to toe"......."It's best to run "toe to heel", "it's best to run on the "balls of your feet".

So I got all three answers. I don't think I could run that far on the balls of my feet.......my legs are really skinny and calves pop out and burn with long distant walking.

HELP............times a wasting..............

[GApeach23]

Bump

[GApeach23]

Well, no answers.......hmmm.

I did my first mini run. I definately run heel to toe. Ran/brisk walked 1.2 miles....on my way.

[westside]

I wouldn't worry too much about your mechanics right now. Some people are heal strikers and roll off the mid-foot, ball of the feet area. I happen to be a mid-foot striker.

[stephanie34]

I say if you go to a runners store . thay can tell your allignment. I would make sure keep your shoulders up and back, look down the horiazon, keep your shin up. I try and hit my foot in the middle.

[GApeach23]

Originally Posted by stephanie34

I say if you go to a runners store . thay can tell your allignment. I would make sure keep your shoulders up and back, look down the horiazon, keep your shin up. I try and hit my foot in the middle.

Thanks. As for a runner's store, the closest we have are places like Sports Academy and Sports Authority, etc. They have high school kids working at ours that don't seem to know anymore than I do.

I have researched some, and read not to "lean" forward that it was called "lazy running", that makes sense. I've been trying to walk with a better posture so when I went out for my "test run" yesterday I was really mindful of my posture.

[westside]

Originally Posted by GApeach23

I have researched some, and read not to "lean" forward that it was called "lazy running", that makes sense. I've been trying to walk with a better posture so when I went out for my "test run" yesterday I was really mindful of my posture.

That's not quite correct. What you don't want to do is to bend forward or pivot at the waist/hips, slouch over. Sometimes this happens when a runner becomes tired or some just pick this up as a habit because it feels natural to them. For one thing, it takes more energy to lift your leg from this type of pivot. Try standing up straight and lift your leg up and down, a few times and then slouch over and do the same.

So runners may need to develop or work on core strength. Except for the natural motion of your arms, your upper body should remain relatively quiet while your run. Moving your upper body around while running just causes a lot of muscle fibre to fire off, using oxygen and fuel that should otherwise be used for running.

As for bending forward, a fairly natural style of running has a forward lean with a pivot at the ankles and the rest of the body remains more or less straight. You should be able to pick up a line from your chin to your hips to your ankles. The angle of the lean will become more pronounced as you pick up the pace from a slow jog to more or less a run. There is a book called Chi Running that you might want to check out. A lot of runners will naturally have this style. Look a pictures of distance runners, marathoners in a race and you'll see that pivot at the ankles. The Kenyans and Ethiopians have it. Little kids run this way. Take a look at kids running around a playground.

I don't believe that for a runner who has been running successfully for a while should all of the sudden change form but for someone starting out, Chi Running might be worth the read.

[GApeach23]

Thanks Westside, I'll definately check out the book. I've already started watching runners to see their "posture" while running.

[geobuilder]

If the way you run does not hurt then keep it. Otherwise you should run from heel then roll to toe. check out this site. http://206.211.148.195/gettingfuncti...s/handout1.pdf

search youtube for running gait

Jim (the runner)

[Suzanne]

Karen, I'm a mid foot striker then roll off the ball of my foot; but as I am prone to bursitis in my toes I use a very stiff inner sole to reduce flex in that part of my foot. See if you can find a New Balance store near you; they usually have pretty well trained staff. Or do research on the internet for supination and pronation to find out what type of foot you have. From there you can find the correct type of shoe. Another thing I've become very conscientious of is how I land--always on a slightly bent knee with only the tip of my toe visible. Landing correctly helps me prevent shin splints. Other than that, arms at a 45 degree angle, hold your wrists straight with hands in loose fists--my cross country coach used to say "pretend you're holding a baby bird in each hand." Let your arms move naturally with your stride. It amazes me the strange things people do with their arms when they run, it can be a huge waste of energy. Good luck on your 5K!