How To Properly Run

 How To Properly Run

Running may sound like a simple and ordinary physical activity to do, but in reality it requires hard work and time before you can be an adequate runner. Your unique running mechanics is determined by the strength and flexibility of certain muscles and how your body is built. There are many factors to consider from your running form to how well you're prepared for a run.

Preparing for a Run

Running sounds simple enough, just lace up your shoes and start running as fast as possible and see how much distance you can cover. In reality, not being properly prepared for a run can result in an injury or worse. Every time you run you put the pressure of your entire body weight on your muscles, your leg joints, ankles, and feet. These are some exercises you can do to prepare for a long run.

• Walking: Before you start a run its a good idea to walk for at least 30 minutes as way to warm up your muscles and get blood flowing through all your muscles, especially if have not done any intense physical activities in a while. Walking is especially helpful for runners who are returning after experiencing an injury.

• Strength Training: Lifting weights is also considered a good way to warm-up because you gain more muscle power, especially in your legs, which reduces the chances of being injured while on a run. Weightlifting also makes you a more efficient runner and can make running feel easier. The more efficient you are, the less work you have to do as well as run for longer periods of time.

• Hiking: Just by going on a hike with friends can also prepare you for a run as it improves your balance and leg strength. Hiking will increase your stamina as its an important factor when running, especially if you're planning to go on a long run.

Doing stretches such as calf stretch's, quad stretch's, hamstring stretch, or shoulder stretch is also another good way to prepare for a run as they loosen up your muscles and get blood flowing. Many runners do stretches before and after a run to make sure they don't have any tight muscles that may slow them down. 

Correct Running Technique

Wether you are training for a marathon or simply wanting to run for exercise, running form cannot be overlooked. The better your form is while running, the easier running feels especially when you start to feel fatigued. Here are some things you should keep in mind to ensure proper running form and increase your performance. 

• Arm Movement: The way you move your arms when running can either help you move faster or slow you down. Your arms should be at a 90 degree angle and keep your elbows close to your sides. Not keeping your elbows at your sides means they are crossing your body, this prevents you from getting any momentum and can make running more difficult. 

• Straight Posture: Running does just involve your lower body, but it also involves your upper body. Maintaining the right running posture involves a slight forward lean while at the same time avoiding slouching your whole upper body. Try to keep your head up as having a forward head posture can put strain on your neck, back, and shoulder muscles. 

• Stride Length: When referring to stride length it means how much distance you cover between each step you take while running. Many people tend to over stride as a way to cover more distance, but this only causes your muscles to work harder which can lead to you tiring yourself out faster. You should make sure that your stride length is not too short and not too long. Your stride depends on your height or leg length. Runners with long legs tend to have a short stride while shorter runners tend to have a long stride.

The image above shows what a good running form should look like. A slight lean forward while maintaining a forward head posture. Arms at a 90 degree angle while moving them back and forth, arms close to the sides and not crossing his upper body.

Different Types of Runs

Just like any other sport training with a schedule will make you a more effective runner and increase how much distance you can run. You should consider running at the same time of the day because your body will develop a steady recovery process. By running at the same time of the day you are building your own schedule which your body will eventually get used to. Running in the morning is especially a good time to run as it helps many people feel energized for the rest of the day. These are some different types of runs you can perform to build your own schedule.

1. Base Run: This run is short easy run and is meant to be run at a natural pace. This is a good run for beginner runners as is not meant to be challenging but be done frequently. This is also a good run for those that have never run before. 
2. Progression Run: This run begins at a natural pace, but ends with a fast run towards the end of your workout. This workout is meant to be slightly more challenging than the base run as you're building stamina and strength to finish your run with a faster pace than what you initially began with. This type of run is also good way to warm up for a hard run as its prevents you from feeling fatigue.  
3. Long Run: This run is similar to the base run except it lasts long enough to leave you moderately to severely fatigued. The purpose of this run is to build endurance and gain more leg strength for more fast paced or hard runs. This is a great run for beginners as it helps you build endurance and muscle strength for hard runs.
4. Hill Repeats: This run is a series of short running segments that involves running uphill and jog downhill. Hill repeats are an excellent way for runners to build strength, improve their speed, and build their mental strength and confidence in hill running. 

Where can I go for a Run?

There are many places you can go for a run such as you local park or around your neighborhood so long as you're able to time yourself and know the location well. However, you should take into account the different types of surfaces for which you run on and how they affect your body. 

Note: These are some of the different types of surfaces you can go on a run, but at the end of the day where you choose to go for a run is entirely up to you.

• Concrete: If you are running on a sidewalk you will experience more impact on your feet and body then on any other surface. You could sustain an injury while running on concrete if the sidewalk or route you're taking is not flat or has slight cracks on it.

• Dirt/Gravel Trails: Running on dirt or gravel trails is the most favorable surface to run on as you experience less impact on your feet. Running on gravel trails is also good for anyone that suffers from shin splits or is not used to running at a fast pace.

• Synthetic Track: Most runners prefer to run a synthetic track as they can make workouts easier such as timing and measuring the distance they run. The surface is more forgiving as its less likely for you to sustain an injury; however, the constant turns make your runs seem very tedious. 

• Grass: Running on grass puts less strain and impact into your legs since it's soft and is a pleasant experience. This type of surface also builds strength and compared to synthetic tracks you can do repetitions without having to do tight turns. However, when you run on grass finding a flat surface to run on is difficult and you can trip on some pot holes.