» The Economics of Running

Running economy is 65% of a runner’s overall performance. But what is running economy? It’s about energy. The goal is to exert as little energy as possible at any given speed. This can be done by analyzing running biomechanics through body posture, joint angles, foot strike and distribution of forces.

Head and Hands
Running correctly starts with the head. Keep your eyes focused ahead rather than down at your feet. With your eyes forward, your shoulders and arms are relaxed. Remember: tense muscles exert wasteful energy. Keep arms loose and angled at no more than 90 degrees. To maintain this tension-free alignment, keep your hands relaxed. Try to imagine you are holding a delicate piece of glass you don’t want to break between your index finger and your thumb.

Torso
Proper posture of the torso will open up your chest for the heart and lungs. If you feel as though you are slouching due to fatigue, take a deep breath to open things up. Your hips will naturally angle slightly forward to help propel your steps.

Feet
Ideally, the foot should touch the ground somewhere between the heel and the ball of the foot, depending on your pace. The step should be light and have an upward, bouncy motion. When it comes to your feet, the key is GENTLE! Avoid slapping or pounding you feet; it wastes energy and increases the impact on your feet.

Direction
Running is sort of like flying; you want to glide over the land and just barely touch the ground with your feet. The momentum of running should be forward (not upward) so that you don’t waste energy. When your foot touches the ground, you naturally drop down closer to the ground. This is the moment of greatest propulsive force. Keep your knees flexible and don’t exaggerate your strides (making them too large or too small).

The Benefits
Good running economy can increase your speed and energy without exhausting you. You will be able to go longer, further and decrease the chance of injury. Talk to the experts at LWI Peak Performance if you think your running mechanics could benefit from personalized analysis.

Written by Michelle Grenier. Michelle Grenier MS, RCEP ATC, CSCS, CES is the exercise physiologist for LWI Peak Performance and Lifewellness Institute. Michelle’s lifestyle is dictated by her passion for running.   She’s been running for 22 years, coaching athletes for 10 years and wrote her master’s thesis on Uphill Running Economy. Get an edge on your training program – visit www.lwipeakperformance.com or email Michelle at elite@lwipeakperformance.com