Indeed, there is a real trade-off between good form and energy expenditure when it comes to running over long distances.

If we take a theoretical model of “perfect technique”, it would require the vast majority of us to expend significant effort to achieve and maintain this form over even a relatively short distance, at a chosen speed. This is clearly not efficient use of energy and effort.

Our sport is all about measured use of energy… there are no prizes for the “prettiest form”!

This is why, as endurance coaches we focus on identifying the elements of an athlete’s existing technique that we need to work on improving, and those elements that we’ll leave alone – based on injury history and distance goals.

We don’t need our Ironman athletes for example, to be striving for text-book form in the same way that we would expect from a sprinter who doesn’t care how much energy he uses over 10 seconds. The sprinter knows he’s going to “empty the tank” over the 100m, while the Ironman athlete has to take the completely opposite and measured approach.

Instead the focus is on optimising the Ironman athlete’s technique to reduce energy wasted and injuries caused through unwanted movements and dysfunctional patterns. This makes far more sense than expending extra energy to achieve a pre-determined form – that would be madness for an endurance athlete!

To answer your question:

Our view is that technique remains important no matter the distance of the race… perhaps even more so as the distance increases. It’s important to address technique as a means to maintain efficiency of movement, avoid excessive impact and prevent overuse injuries, while working at a desired level of exertion, rather than forcing yourself to work unsustainably hard to achieve a certain form.

This however, comes with a caveat. At no point would we expect to see a distance runner forcing themselves to expend more effort and energy to achieve a certain “perfect form”. A sprinter, yes, but a distance athlete no.

I completely agree that for some runners a big improvement in form and efficiency will be found through improved core strength and muscular adaptation, and investing the miles. But so many runners have dysfunctional movement patterns and weak-links, and would simply exacerbate their issues with increased milage. For these guys in particular, subtle and sustainable technique changes and a specific strength / conditioning program will work wonders and allow the milage to then safely increase.

What do you think about the importance of techinque as the distance of the race increases?