Pre-Season: Optimizing Running Technique for Triathletes and Runners Running a marathon, especially during the final leg of a triathlon, requires more than endurance - it demands efficiency, proper mechanics, and smart technique. We will explore the key points to help you improve your running form, boost performance, and minimize injury risk. A. Key Technical Points for Running
1. Posture and Alignment Maintaining proper posture during a run can reduce energy waste and help prevent fatigue. Ensure your spine is straight, shoulders are relaxed, and your head is aligned with your spine, looking slightly forward. Engage your core to stabilize your torso, and keep your hips level with a slight forward lean from the ankles to use gravity for momentum. Visualization Tip: Imagine a string pulling your head upward, elongating your spine for better posture and breath control. 2. Foot Strike Aim for a midfoot strike, where your foot lands directly underneath your center of mass. Avoid over-striding (putting down your foot too far in front of you), as it creates braking forces that slow you down and increase injury risk. A midfoot strike minimizes impact and maximizes energy transfer. Drill: Practice barefoot running on grass to encourage a natural midfoot strike. Keep intervals short to let your body adjust to the improved mechanics. 3. Cadence and Stride Rate An optimal cadence of 170-180 steps per minute minimizes ground contact time and lowers injury risk. You can tweak it a bit and slowly however, avoid artificially increasing your stride rate too much; it should be a natural outcome of your posture, skill, and biomechanics. Cadence is influenced by posture, running skill, leg length, and velocity. The key is finding a balance between cadence and stride length to optimize speed without sacrificing efficiency. Drill: Use a metronome app set to 170-180 beats per minute to help maintain a consistent rhythm. Start with short intervals and gradually increase as you adapt to the higher cadence. 4. Knee Drive and Leg Cycle Focus on a smooth, controlled knee drive, keeping your movements efficient without unnecessary vertical motion. Proper knee drive helps maintain forward momentum and conserves energy during long runs. Drill: Incorporate A-skip and B-skip drills to improve knee drive and leg cycle efficiency, helping build muscle memory for race day. 5. Arm Swing Your arms play a vital role in maintaining balance and rhythm. Keep your arms bent at a 90-degree angle, swinging them naturally forward and backward. Avoid crossing your arms over the midline of your body, as it can disrupt forward momentum and waste energy.
Drill: Practice arm walks by swinging your arms in a controlled motion while walking, ensuring that they stay within the correct forward-backward plane. 6. Breathing Technique: Locomotor Respiratory Coupling (LRC) Breathing efficiently is key to sustaining energy throughout a run. The locomotor respiratory coupling (LRC) technique helps sync your breathing with your strides. For moderate-intensity efforts (zone 3), use a 3:2 breathing pattern (inhale for three strides, exhale for two). For higher intensity runs, switch to a 2:1 pattern for better oxygen delivery during faster strides. Tip: Focus on diaphragmatic breathing to increase oxygen intake and maintain a steady rhythm, especially during longer races where fatigue can impact your form. You can also increase the effort by breathing in and out through the nose. B. Refining Your Technique: Gravity and Elasticity Running relies heavily on managing gravity and utilizing the body’s natural elasticity. Effective runners manage their center of mass and use the elastic energy stored in their joints, particularly in the feet, ankles, knees, and hips. 1. Elastic Loading & Recoil: Engage the “triple springs” of your hip, knee, and ankle joints to absorb impact and release energy efficiently. This allows for better stride economy and reduces muscular effort. 2. The Role of Leg-Spring Stiffness (LSS) Leg-spring stiffness (LSS) refers to how well your legs store and release energy during each step. Increasing LSS can enhance your body’s ability to rebound quickly after each step, making your stride more powerful and efficient. Increase LSS: Strengthening the muscles and tendons with isometric holds and plyometric exercises can boost leg-spring stiffness, improving stride efficiency and reducing injury risk. C. Visualization: Pushing the Ground Backwards One effective mental cue is to visualize yourself pushing the ground backwards with every stride. This helps increase forward momentum while maintaining proper foot placement and reducing over-striding. Benefits:
D. Addressing Biomechanical Limiters There are several biomechanical limiters that can reduce running efficiency, especially after swimming and cycling. Reduced dorsiflexion (due to swimming) or muscle imbalances (e.g., between the soleus and gastrocnemius from cycling) can impact your running form. Analyzing these factors and working with a coach can help address areas that require specific conditioning or mechanical work, such as:
E. Conclusion Running is not simply a learned skill - it is a primal movement that can be refined through attention to key mechanics. Focus on posture, cadence, foot strike, arm swing, and breathing to improve your running efficiency and prevent injuries. Incorporating these elements into your training will help you reach your full potential as a triathlete. Don't Forget: It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey! BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN: A few months ago I shared a video of running rehab in the water, but it also thought me to focus more on my form. Water is about 800x denser than air, so there are many running techniques issues that immediately show when the water is pushing against you. You can apply some of the techniques in the water while you are learning them. Share this blog/newsletter with your friends, family, and colleagues who are also pursuing a sportier and healthier lifestyle! Add comments on our social media channels (see header)
Comments are closed.
|
Coach Glenn* Founder and Head Coach GR&AT Endurance Training * Ironman Certified Coach Categories
All
Archives
January 2025
|