Super Slow-Motion: Elite Marathoners Running Form

I recently came across this great slow-motion footage, shot in the final 800m of the 2011 Boston Marathon. These videos provide a great opportunity to take a look at the running form of some of the world’s top distance runners.

Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) & Moses Mosop (KEN)

These two Kenyan athletes finished 1st (2:03:02)and 2nd (2:03:06) respectively. Mutai is in Green…

Caroline Kilel (KEN), Sharon Cherop (KEN) & Desiree Davila (USA)

Kilel, closest to camera, went on to win the Women’s race (2:22:36). With Cherop finishing 3rd (2:22:42), and Davila 2nd (2:22:38).

Ryan Hall (USA) & Gebre Gebremariam (ETH)

Finishing 4th (2:04:53) and 3rd (2:04:38) respectively in the Men’s race, it’s interesting to note the differences between the two running styles.

Kara Goucher (USA)

Finishing 5th (2:24:52), while Goucher is by no means an example of particularly poor form (obviously a world-class athlete), it’s noticable that she is somewhat more sat-back in her running technique, in comparison to her East African counterparts.

Last updated on March 2nd, 2021.

5 Comments

  1. Thanks for those new videos of marathoners. Great seeing the top runners techniques. Looking forward to the blog on marathoners compared to ironman running.

  2. You can see even though the leaders (m/f) look like heels r striking but they keep them off just barely and Desi is obiously heel striking. And notice the arm carriage is still in control not too high or low. Some heads are way up and others are more even. I think that can be a preference are a signal of fatigue if changed over the race

  3. Really good to see – I was told by a ‘running coach’ that I need to land more to the front of my foot. He filmed me running and it looked like I might heel-strike, but then I landed flat – much like the runners above. I have been trying to run more to the fore, at the expense of my calves!

    I will go back to my normal style, which got me round one marathon in 3hrs46 with no problems!

    Thanks!

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