http://running.competitor.com/…

Do you just tell yourself to take shorter, quicker steps? Or is there some kind of cue to help this process? I have read that 180 steps/minute is optimal, but right now I can’t seem to keep up more than 165-170 steps/minute (yes, I have counted…)

Changing running style was the best thing I’ve done for a long time.

Happy trails
Mark Cucuzzella MD
http://www.trtreads.org

I honestly don’t think we know the answer to questions like this yet – the
return to minimalist shoes is a relatively new phenomenon, and a lot of
research needs to be done on these types of things. Best I can say is to
listen to your body, and ease up if anything starts to feel off. Rest is key
during the transition.

Anette,

I’d say that if you have been running well and without injury, stride
change may not be necessary for you. It’s a hot topic right now, so
lots of people are thinking about doing it, but as I have no injury
history my main reason for changing was just to see if I could. It
took a long time, but I think things have finally clicked a bit me –
whether it’s better, I have no idea at this point, and it’s still a
work in progress. If you have a digitial camera that will take video
clips, try filming and see what you look like – can’t hurt, and I have
learned a lot from observing myself, and it really helped to make me
more conscious of what I am doing form-wise.

If you have had a history of injury, maybe some form work would be of
benefit. For me, wearing Vibrams once a week for several months really
helped – you can feel the ground a lot better, and you don’t risk
injury as much by running in them less frequently. Short barefoot runs
on a track infield can also help, or if you are brave you can even do
them on smooth asphalt (i have and it’s kind of fun). I also found the
cue to “put the foot down behind you” to be helpful in thinking about
footstrike location – it’s not what really happens, but it’s a useful
thing to make you conscious of form. Also consider migrating to lower
heeled shoes for more of your everyday runs – something like the Nike
Free or Saucony Kinvara are good intermediate choices.

Whatever you do, take it slow, and expect that it will feel awkward at
first. Form change takes time to become ingrained, and I’m still not
sure I’m fully there – need to get my camera back out!

Pete

On Tuesday, September 21, 2010, Disqus

I think he does have a point though when he says that, if speed is your purpose, concentrating on running technique alone won’t make you any faster. At least in part it seems to work the other way around: Each speed generates it’s own gait.

I wouldn’t even necessarily agree with this. If better technique is not
capable of increasing speed (e.g., by minimizing braking forces), then there
would be no reason for Alberto Salazar (or any other coach for that matter)
to be messing with Dathan Ritzenhein or Alan Webb’s running form/gait (the
fact that he is has been well documented in the American media frequently in
recent months). I have to imagine that coaches at Salazar’s level with
access to the research facilities and biomechanical experts at the Nike
Facility are on top of things when it comes to modifying running form.

I would agree that there is far more to speed than just technique (training,
physiology, psychology are all important), but to ignore technique and call
it solely an unconscious process as Fitzgerald seems to assert seems a bit
off to me. How many other sports can you think of where we tell athletes
just to let it come naturally and don’t think about your form?

Pete

I tend to think it’s a case of “ask you favorite expert.” Amby Burfoot just
recently interviewed the scientist from the University of Wisconsin on his
Peak Performance blog (
http://peakperformance.runners…
who seemed to very much think that form change was possible and of potential
benefit. I know far too many people who seem to have clearly benefited from
a change in running form to agree with that article (read my recent
interview with Mark Cucuzzella for example:
https://runblogger.com/2010….

It’s important to remember that changing form to the point where it becomes
comfortable takes a lot of time – I speak from experience. Thus, I don’t put
much stock in any study that compares metabolic efficiency of a new running
form shortly after a change was made – it requires dedication, practice, and
persistent effort. Furthermore, metabolic efficiency is just one factor to
consider – what about impact reduction and injury prevention? Heiderscheit’s
results are pretty clear about how increasing stride rate can reduce impact
on the knee and hip.

Pete

Anyway, great post. There is still so much to learn about this stuff and its fun to analyze and theorize AND be able to experiment on your own.