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Ten Tips To Run Further & Faster

19/2/2017

12 Comments

 
The short-cut to being able to run further and faster, is moving as efficiently as possible. Here are my top ten tips for running further and faster, plus a bonus eleventh tip.
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1. Before you start running, get all of the joints moving and the muscles activated from the tips of your toes to your hips. Walk around on the different aspects of the feet. Squat with your heels on the ground so arse is near the grass. Kneel onto your heels, and sit cross-legged. A simple and fast way to get your body to recognise that the ground will be uneven and to react to it.

2. Start with a proud, yet relaxed upright starting position. Move from your lower body whilst keeping everything from hips to head tacked on top of each other.

3. An efficient stride should happen underneath your centre of gravity. Your stride will become longer as a result of your speed. Not the other way around. Focus on landing under yourself with a relaxed foot and ankle.

​4. You should aim for a high and constant stride frequency (cadence). Count the number of steps you take on one leg in a minute. The goal over time should be to aim for 85-95 strides per leg per minute. This should be constant on the flat, up and down hills and on uneven terrain. It is important to note that this should not happen at the expense of lifting your heels off the ground.

5. Focus on maintaining a proud running position with head up, shoulders back, and arms moving straight forward and back. This is particularly relevant towards the end of a run when people tend to revert to a hunched position. 

6. When going uphill, keep running for as long as you can maintain posture and cadence. When you can't, it is ok to walk. I suggest that you walk in the same upright position with a short stride and a high cadence, this will allow you to seamlessly begin running again once you have caught your breath.

7. Maintain your cadence and slalom your way down the hills in order to maintain control. Having control will allow you to let go of the handbrake, as well as reduce the loading on your muscles.

8. When running on trails, always look for the Line of Least Resistance (LOLR). Keep your head high and look for the obstacles coming up. Always be thinking ‘do I have to go up the stairs or is there an easier option beside them on a smoother track’, ‘do I go over the fallen tree where everyone else has or go around it staying low to the ground’? You're not a sheep, so you don't always have to follow the flock.

9. Eroded parts of a trail will offer the most grip. Erosion happens with gravity, so when in doubt 'stay low'.

10. Use your hands as an extension of your legs. Grab on to trees or obstacles to give support. You’ll have better control meaning you can go faster.

11. When all else fails, smile, and admire the smell, taste, feel and view.

If you found this article useful, i'd love to have you along to one of the upcoming Workshops or Masterclass sessions coming up. Add your details to receive more training articles just like these.
12 Comments
Tatsuru Ito
21/2/2017 12:39:26 pm

Hi, James

It was great to see you in the mid of Tarawera course encouraging people.

This list you posted seems like a list of what I learned once but gradually slipped off from my mind. Among them:
4. Cadence
The last sentence, I don't understand what you mean by "at the expense of lifting your heels off the ground."

Reply
James Kuegler link
22/2/2017 08:54:18 am

Tatsuru, also great to see you at Tarawera. How did the rest of the run go?
In response to your message. Lots of runners end up with a high cadence, but they don't lift there feet off the ground. The cadence should be high, and the foot should be moving in a cyclic action, similar to if someone was riding a bike.

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Tatsuru Ito
22/2/2017 03:10:24 pm

Thanks James
I see what you mean now. I also remember you lectured heel up to knee height. "cyclic action" is another nice phrase easy to remember and image.

If one more question allowed: you are saying always same cadence - flat, uphill or downhill. I tend to apply much higher cadence and shorter steps on downhill, in which I intend dispersing landing shock to joints, also the risk of slip. You may have better theory as usual.

Reply
James Kuegler link
27/2/2017 01:26:12 pm

Tatsuru, you are right, that the cadence will likely be slightly higher downhill.

Dion
27/2/2017 08:13:07 pm

To point 11, I would add, when all else fails, RELAX, smile....

Relaxing helps with the falling.
This is the voice of (my) experience

Reply
James Kuegler link
28/2/2017 11:38:49 am

I think there is a story here... I look forward to hearing it soon.

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Anna
27/2/2017 10:42:51 pm

Waiting patiently on an Invercargill workshop!!!

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James Kuegler link
28/2/2017 11:40:46 am

There is an Invercargill Masterclass on March 11th. Details here http://www.jameskuegler.com/invercargill-training-day.html

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Ben
11/3/2017 06:21:19 pm

Hi James, your technique tips sound very much like the Pose Method. I'm new to your site and have seen some interesting things, is that technique been influential for your coaching and views on running?

Reply
James Kuegler link
12/3/2017 11:43:40 am

Hi Ben. There are definitely some similarities, though I am not particularly familiar with Pose Method. Glad to see that you have read some interesting things on the website.

Reply
Sonia
14/3/2017 08:06:06 pm

Slalom running down the hills this weekend at Riverhead and staying low definitely helped on the muddy bits.

Reply
James Kuegler
14/3/2017 09:43:19 pm

Glad to hear it Sonia.

Reply



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