Whenever I run at larger events I always find it interesting to see the way other people run and how much it can vary from person to person. And whilst there are some traits that you might see more often in stronger or weaker runners, there are always people who surprise me by running faster or slower than their style suggested at first glance.
Can you describe your running style? What does it look like? Does it have any quirks or things that make it recognisable to others? Has it changed over time?
Wounded gorilla.
People have always told me my running is very jumpy and that it makes it very recognizable. To me it doesn’t feel jumpy, it just feels like running. It’s always been like this and I have never tried to change it.
Some watches or footpods will measure your vertical oscillation. Lower is better. The more energy you are spending lifting your body vertically, the less energy going into a horizontal speed.
If you want to run more efficiently, try running barefoot. Extra vertical oscillation would be painful without shoe cushioning and your body would adapt to a more efficient form. Then with shoes back on, try to mimic the barefoot form.
I already run barefoot occasionally and my running style doesn’t change and I have no pain when doing so. Well, actually my running mechanics does change but as a function of speed and not if I’m wearing running shoes or not. You’re wrongly assuming that “jumpy” means extra vertical oscillation. This is not necessarily the case. The ideal running form changes with speed and from athlete to athlete. Moreover we can talk about the most efficient way of running overall, which is very slow and with little vertical oscillation, or the most efficient way of running at a certain pace. These are very different questions. Also you probably shouldn’t diagnose poor running form on the internet based on such little information.
I have a feeling we actually agree on many things, but unsolicited advice especially based on unjustified assumptions just bothers me a little.
I got that slow shuffle.
Truffle*
Slow AF
Smooth and like I’m on a gimbal, very little up and down movement, straight back, forefoot strike mostly.
Generally I try to run quietly, whenever I see people stomping holes into the sidewalk while they’re huffing and puffing along I cringe and worry for their joints.
Run slow and light, y’all.
Do you wear normal running shoes? I tend to struggle with the drop they have. But I have enjoyed running in barefoot shoes and even completely barefoot. It definitely makes me forefoot strike more.
Vibram Five Fingers almost exclusively, sometimes Merryl Vapor Gloves (zero drop, wide toe box). I find running in regular running shoes unpleasant, very little ground feel and feedback, feels very stompy.
I think I run like roadrunner. Whether I’m moving fast or slow, I seem to turn over more steps than other people doing a similar pace, which always makes me think of the animation of roadrunner running with her legs spinning around in a blur.
Cagey, smooth, quiet.
walk
I’m pretty light. I’ve been told i run gracefully, but I also over stride a bit so my form is definitely not perfect.
