Running.. ugghh

[Mad Mike]

Sorry if it has been covered before, anyone have recommendations on improving running form?

Fairly new to running and feel there is definite room for improvement

I don't know about form, I doubled my distance and endurance by moving the beer fridge from my deck to a shed in the far corner of my yard.

 

[timtune]

Was told recently that a high percentage of folks getting new knees are either runners or joggers. True?

 

[LePhillou]

Sorry if it has been covered before, anyone have recommendations on improving running form?

Fairly new to running and feel there is definite room for improvement

Running in the grass
barefoot
FROLIC!

I'm not talking distance...just here and there for fun. If you don't feel comfortable just barefoot, there are "barefoot shoes" (this would be ONLY for short jaunts in the grass) or some that come close to it, the cheapest ive seen online are Whitin (on amazon) or saguaro. Maybe if you have a dog run him for a short bit there or play with kiddos if you have any.

Otherwise back on pavement, running up hill at speed (ie uphill sprints) are great for form. But keep it easy as well...
Something else some people do are strides which consist of going from an easy pace and increasing your pace incrementally until you reach sprint speed over say 100m

Obviously don't do too many repeats of that too soon too often as it can lead to injury too if you're untrained.
Another thing that can help build the muscles for running with good form would be skipping. Helps build the calves and feet muscles.

 

[LePhillou]

Was told recently that a high percentage of folks getting new knees are either runners or joggers. True?

If you get to the point of needing to get a knee replacement you did something wrong somewhere. It's known in the endurance sport community overall that pain is often shrugged off and considered as part of the sport. The problem is when people take it too far, don't get it looked at. Sure there are also accidents (just like any occupational hazard lol)

There's a big strength component that's often lacking (and i'm also guitly of that). and that component helps build up the joints, the parts of the muscles that aren't dominant but that help take some of the load off the main muscles. I don't know how true that statement was on your part but between the super high stack shoes that are coming out that disconnect you completely from any ground feel, equipped with all sorts of plates (carbon, nylon, etc) that boost your stride and the mentality that's in the sport of no pain no gain (where pain might be the wrong type of pain, a la David goggins) of course a lot of people are gonna get hurt. We've evolved to be on our feet instead of hands and feet, and we have the same running ligament structure as "running animals". But as humans we also do try to overcomplicate things to make them more comfortable which comes to bit us in the ass lol