Proper Running Form
Frequently, runners challenged by discomfort while running will experiment with the endless variety of shoes available on the market today. Though finding a running shoe with a fit that matches your running stride is extremely important, athletes should explore ‘proper running form’ in more depth as well.
I’m of the school that it’s a lot less about the shoe than it is about proper form. For me, at least, that’s been true. In years, even decades past, I was convinced that I had genetically weak knees. What I really had, it turns out, was a lack of discipline and a tendency to do too much, too fast, in an effort to get results NOW rather than over time.
After 2 years of consistent training, during which time I have worked to study and improve my running form, I am amazed at what my body is able to withstand in terms of distance and sustained speed, compared to where I started. I run in a pair of $70 Nike Structure Triax 12′s, inexpensive by all but the most budget concious runner.
‘Jeff Galloway’s Book on Running’ has been a great resource for me and I still use it weekly to keep myself fine tuned. Another useful resource, and the book that I am studying currently, is ‘Chi-Running’ by Danny Dreyer. In a nutshell, it is a book about proper running form and getting into the right ‘mindset’ for efficient long distance running. It features similar principals to Galloway’s book, but describes them in more detail, and from a ‘zen’ perspective.
