(re) Learning to Run

Jury’s out: I love to run. And not surprisingly, many of youlove to run as well. But I didn’t always have the correct form when it came to running, and over time my knees were aching and my feet hurt. Does that sound like you?

One day I decided to do proper research and question some top runners who I knew, and much to my surprise, I began to learn the proper form of running. It has seriously changed my running life since.

First things first, just as you should maintain good posture when standing or sitting, maintaining a relaxed, upright posture while running is essential. Good posture will help release tension and reduce strain in the neck and shoulders. Hold your head high, centered between your shoulders, and your back straight. Focus your gaze in front of you; avoid looking straight down or up. Relax your jaw and neck, as well as, keeping your shoulders relaxed and parallel to the ground. Lightly cup your hands and keep or wrist loose. Focus on a mid-foot strike, in contrast to a heel strike. This provides greater shock absorption, decreases strain on the calves and tendons, and may help prevent knee pain. Now I was always a heel striker so this took some focus for me, but once I did it, boy, did my running become 10x better. I not only increased my distance, but my time increased as well.

So MK Team, hit the pavement and perfect your stride!

Xoxo, MK