But for the biggest speed gains, you should also look beyond your cardiovascular fitness and work your...posture? "People often think of running as a lower-body sport, but running is everything going on between your ears and everywhere below," says Anh Bui, DPT, CSCS, a former collegiate runner, physical therapist, and biomechanics specialist in Oakland, California.
While you probably can't (and shouldn't) transform your running form into the stride of, say, Olympians on the podium, you can incorporate tweaks to make your mechanics more ideal for you. And that can help you improve performance and lower your risk of getting hurt. "There's high variability between everyone's biomechanics based on how you're structurally and genetically built," says Bui. "The key is to optimize movement, not force idealism, and to run efficiently to maximize speed and minimize injury risk."
Each part of your biomechanics, from head to toe, contributes to your speed. Incorporate these form tips into your runs and start doing a handful of drills, and soon you'll be picking up the pace.
4 BIOMECHANICS-BASED FORM TIPS FOR FASTER RUNNING
Posture / It's easier to maintain good posture on a short jog versus a long training run, but focusing on staying tall and keeping your shoulders from slumping is an important part of efficient running form-not to mention it makes breathing easier.
This story is from the Issue 04, 2023 (Fall) edition of Runner's World US.
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This story is from the Issue 04, 2023 (Fall) edition of Runner's World US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Rahsaan Thomas rounded a corner.
100 WOMEN. 100 MILES. ONE HISTORIC RECORD.
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CAN YOUR GARMIN WATCH REPLACE A COACH?
Artificial Intelligence continues to rapidly creep into seemingly every facet of our daily lives. While no amount of computer learning will ever be able to do the actual running for you, there are aspects, like coaching, where AI could have a meaningful impact. In every debate about Al, the conversation almost always includes this question: Is it better than what humans can accomplish? In the case of running, would Coach AI be better than, say, Ed Eyestone, a two-time Olympian and coach of Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, the top two men at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February?
A SHORTLIVED AFFAIR WITH A WALKING BOOT
“Usually, engage in all kinds of activities when start a relationship. With you, Fiking, dancing, and running are clearly of the table.”
HOW TO (NOT) COMPETE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Our first race together was a 5K Color Run. I'm not sure why we signed up, because neither of us was a runner, but in May 2016, my boyfriend of three years, Jonathan, and I showed up to run around the parking lot at Citi Field. It was fun, but I didn't think it would amount to anything.
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Not only would the rice cooker help me meal-prep and pile on the carbs, but it was a badge of honor, a commitment to serious training.
REASONS TO RACE BEYOND CHASING A TIME GOAL
It's the determination, joy, and pride I see shine on everyone-a unique light that seems to illuminate most when running races-that brings more meaning to the miles.
A LIFETIME JOURNEY OF FUELING MISTAKES
DURING THE 2023 New York City Marathon, Runner's World set up shop in an empty storefront on West 57th Street with Adidas and hosted three days of inspiring talks, shakeout runs, and shoe demos.
THE ACCIDENTAL JOY OF RUNNING WITHOUT HEADPHONES
I'M FUMING. I rummage through my work tote, turn my workout bag inside out, lift every notebook on my desk, go through the pockets of every piece of clothing in my zone of vision, then my tote again... It's 5 p.m. I'm standing in the middle of the office dressed for a run, but my AirPods are nowhere to be found-and I can't possibly leave without them!
