New Runner Here...

So, sept 15th marks 1 year of running. It will be my 2nd mud run. I have also done 8 5k's since then...10 more to go this year, so far...

Can anybody tell me how to improve my stride? I am running 10min miles right now, not bad for a 44 yo punk rock smoker, so i do not want to change pace, yet

Thanks!

a reply to: theatreboy

20 year seasoned runner here. There is only one sure fire way to increase pace; Interval training! That is how Bannister broke the 4 minute mile.

Look it up. Learn it. Do it. Live it.

As to improving your stride, try to lift your legs off the ground as little as possible, almost like a shuffle. Also try to not swing your arms so much. Doing these 2 things will decrease your energy expenditure. You will run longer, and faster with less effort. Oh ya, also coffee. Drink a large cup of coffee a half hour before you run/train, and train fasted in the morning for best results. The coffee will kill your Central Governor. Look that up.

Also get this book. Best running book ever published:

www.amazon.com...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533248255&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lore+of+running&dpID=51beBb AodnL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

Quit Smoking...

This one act will do more than anything else.

originally posted by: whyamIhere
Quit Smoking...

This one act will do more than anything else.

This is very true. You will see a huge difference in 2 weeks.

originally posted by: whyamIhere
Quit Smoking...

This one act will do more than anything else.

As a former smoker, I can confirm. When you quit you'll quickly start to see improvement across the board.

a reply to: theatreboy


Don't do what My friend Phil did, poor guy. Phil asked Me My advice about using running to shed some weight for His upcoming nuptials. Phil knew that during My fitness days I'd run up to 12-15 miles a day. I advised Him to start off nice and easy and work up to distances. He called Me after 3 weeks and said he was a "new man" I told Him then You can increase your distance to 10 miles a day. He called me again about a month later needing a ride home, He misunderstood what I said and was 300 miles +/- away from home....


Stay Hydrated...

Welcome to a great sport. I have enjoyed running most of my life (52 now). A few years ago while at the running store I noticed a poster on the wall talking about "Good Form Running" or GFR. I watched several videos on the web and decided to look further into this. Takes practice and patience- several weeks. If you try this work slowly at first as you are moving the work from one muscle group to another. Do a google for GFR and look at the pictures. The concept is easily explained with the pictures but I recommend you watch some videos. New Balance has had a hand in the teaching and training of this technique so they have some great videos to help along the way. You will find many Olympic distance winners in the past learned to run this way because they did not have shoes. After watching this you won't worry so much about stride as you will find. You will easily improve your time (if you like), and will find it's all about cadence. You will run to your own beat! Healthy running to you.

My college coach taught us that running was the art of falling forward really quickly.

You're really pulling yourself forward when you run.

Of course, I was a sprinter more than any kind of distance runner, so we may have been taught a slightly different technique.

a reply to: theatreboy

Quit smoking.......

Start listening to better music ......

Stop referring to yourself as a boy if you are over 40 years old......


There, that should help

The US Army expects 2 miles in 16 minutes. Just as a reference point. I did just under 7 minutes back in HS. But that means nothing and im not a runner so.

Good on ya for getting fit and finding a new hobby!

Here's a linky breaking it down by age group.

How fast should you run a mile

a reply to: theatreboy

I used to run 5kms in 23 minutes. 10kms in an hour. Not that bad.

I used to have a coffee and chocolate bar before every run. That might help.

And it's important to figure out how many kilometres your running a month. When your feeling fatigued it's relevant. I used to run 200 kms a month so i changed my day offs. If i was tired i didn't push it cos 2 or 3 days off is fine if your running that much.

Few tips...

Don't heel strike, sure way to shin splints. Mid-foot strike - almost a flat foot strike but not quite.

Speed comes from the rear of your stride, pushing off the ground with the trailing leg.

Don't overextend lead leg trying to increase stride length, you'll damage your knee this way.

What someone above said - floating or gliding will maximize your efficiency.

A sign I notice when running in 5k and 10k is that my foot strike is rather soft/quiet compared to those with bad form around me and generally the super fast runners, marathoners and endurance racers all have a light or quiet foot strike.

Youtube - Run Experience channel has lots of good videos and here's a great video by a body mechanics expert for running faster which I've used and loved - www.youtube.com...

Finished 1 Spartan Race and 1 10k this year (China has few events, authoritarian and all) with an 18k trail run, 2 Spartan Races and my first Half Marathon coming in the fall. Also put my little Spartans in their first Spartan Race this year, will see how they do!