Forefoot Running for Ironman Athletes
Almost on a daily basis I meet Ironman athletes or aspiring Ironman athletes who have been struggling with trying to teach themselves to run with more of a midfoot or forefoot strike rather than their previous heel strike. Sometimes they have suffered from achilles tendon injuries from their attempts to change their technique, sometimes it’s just a feeling of tightness in the calfs – but usually there is (or has been) a difficulty of some sort for these endurance athletes in making the change of foot strike.
Now, it’s well worth acknowledging that, there are a small number of Ironman athletes who genuinely do run the whole marathon with a midfoot/forefoot strike. Which is a great example of consistency of form, which I will come on to later… These athletes are few and far between, and it’s such variety between athletes which keeps my job interesting and exciting!
But, I want to take a moment to discuss the situation as it applies to the vast majority.
When a heel striking Ironman athlete approaches me and asks for my help to coach them into a more efficient midfoot striking technique, my first question is “why?”
Usain Bolt Running Form: Sprinting & Easy Running
What We As Endurance Athletes Can Learn From Usain Bolt.
There are obvious differences between the physical demands of running a marathon and performing a 100m sprint. However, as endurance athletes, it’s improtant to note that there are some technique qualities shown by Usain Bolt in the sprinting clip below which are equally desirable across all ranges of distance and pace. In particular:
- The foot landing under his hips – No overstride, therefore no excessive braking
- The lack of rotation through the torso – No wasted energy through rotation
- The way in which he doesn’t “bounce” at all – No wasted energy through vertical displacement
However there are some sprint specific elements which are not appropriate for distance running. In particular the very high forefoot position sprinters adopt (never allowing the heel to touch after a forefoot strike). Even with forefoot/midfoot striking distance runners, we ideally like to see the heel “kiss” the ground after the initial forefoot/midfoot contact and load.
Recent Study: Chronic Training Effect on Ageing
I recently stumbled across a 2011 study named “Chronic Exercise Preserves Lean Muscle Mass in Masters Athletes“. The authors identify that while there have been numerous studies examining muscle loss in ageing sedentary adults, little has been done to investigate whether the muscle loss commonly associated with the ageing process is a physiological result of muscle ageing, or an reflection of disuse atrophy (muscle wasting through lack of use).
The research methods used MRI cross-sections of numerous different athletes to draw comparisons in body composition and Lean Muscle Mass across ages and activity levels. Some of the images collected tell a powerful story themselves.
Marathon Pacing for Optimal Performance
Run Pacing Part 2: The Evidence.
In a previous post we examined Run Pacing and suggested a methodology whereby, dependent on fitness at the time of the race, runners could achieve an even paced race. We discussed this was even pace but effort had to increase to achieve the even pace. It is important to note that this strategy is applicable to runners of all abilities and that optimaldistance performances are usually achieved when the time taken to complete the first half is equal to or greater than the time to complete the second. Looking through the record books we see the World’s best runners are no exception. When Haile Gebrselassie set his then world best time of 12:39:36 for the 5km, the first half was completed in 6:22:78 (ie 50.4% of the total time) and the second half was run in 6:16:58. Similarly when he lowered the 10km record the same year to 26:22:75 he ran the first 5km in 13:11:53 and the second 5km in 13:11:22.
Foot Strike and Injury Rates in Endurance Runners
New research recently (Jan 2012) released by Dr. Daniel Lieberman and his team at Harvard University evaluates the injury statuses of a mixed sex collegiate cross country running squad of 52 athletes, looking back across a season. Researchers classified each runner in terms of foot strike type: “Rearfoot (Heel) Striker” or “Forefoot Striker“, and evaluated the injuries reported in the two groups. Of the 52 strong group, 59% were Heel Strikers and 31% Forefoot Strikers.
It turns out that 74% of the total group suffered significant running injury during the season – which follows figures suggested by injury surveillance studies in endurance running.
The interesting part… the Rearfoot (Heel) Strike group suffered approximately double the number of repetitive stress related running injuries, in comparison to the Forefoot Strikers.
What’s Limiting Your Triathlon Performance?
Performance Limiters and What To Do About Them
If you are training for your first Ironman Distance Triathlon and I was giving you a choice of swim session, would you rather do 40 x 100m with 10s Rest Intervals or would you rather do 4 x 1000m with 1 min Rest Intervals? The majority of athletes generally would opt for the former, and this alone would tell your coach whether you were naturally comfortable with either endurance or shorter sessions/events. Most athletes train the way they like to train whereas the most successful athletes train the way they need to train.
What is limiting your triathlon performance? Is it skill, technique, strength, muscular endurance, power or pure endurance? Sit down and look at all the disciplines in a triathlon: swim; bike; run; transition and nutrition then take each of these constructs, be honest and mark yourself out of 10 for each one. You should start to see where your performance is being limited. Then get your coach or a friend or partner to do the same thing; do the scores match? If you are a novice triathlete who has signed up for an Ironman then it is safe to assume you are limited by firstly endurance and secondly skill, particularly, unless you come from a swim background, in the swim.
Glute Exercises For Runners: Kettle Bell Deadlift
While it’s important to say that an incorrectly executed Deadlift can have devastating consequences for lumbar spine health, a properly coached and executed deadlift is one of the most effective and powerful Glute exercises for triathletes and runners to use to develop Glute strength and muscle balance around the hips. When executed well, the Deadlift is one of the best exercises around in terms of bang for your buck!
The Deadlift exercise it self has a real negative stigma surrounding it in many parts of the health and fitness industry, often due to the tendency for athletes to simply load up an Olympic bar and try to lift as much as they can, irrespective of form. These are the same athletes who will probably end up with herniated lumbar discs…
Glute Inhibition or Glute Weakness?
Many of us who have previously suffered from running and triathlon related injuries, will quite possibly have been told by our sports injury therapist that we have “Weak Glutes” or that your “Your Glutes Aren’t Firing Properly“.
Research indicates a significant correlation between diminished Glute function and athletic injury. For example:
Tamsin Lewis: Glutes and Core Workout
Today we decided to video some of Tamsin’s Core and Glutes Session. During the session we were focussing on improving her pelvic posture in order to improve Glute function, reduce stress on her lower back while running and swimming, helping to restore muscular balance. Thus reducing injury risks for next season.
Running Metronomes to Download FREE
A number of the many athletes we work with have requested that we provide them with a series of running metronomes. We listened and have done just that!
You can join them in practicing running with an increased and a more efficient cadence by downloading the FREE MP3 tracks below.
Running with an increased cadence is one great way to improve running form, maintaining an efficient cadence for a given pace is a skill to be developed in itself.
Here’s a link to an article with more information about running cadence.
