Much of my knowledge about running I have learned from the excellent coaches at Greenwich Runners, so when I heard they were holding one of their popular running technique workshops in Greenwich Park, I jumped at the chance to work on my running form.
The workshop focused on posture, alignment and stability with a lot of fun thrown in. The best thing about going to this or a similar workshop is firstly to have a running expert watch you run and notice some of the habits you have, and secondly to really break everything down into slow motion. We learned the best alignment for pelvis, legs and upper body. We also learned what our arms should be doing and which muscles we should be using to give us the greatest power and efficiency.
For my own running, I had been unaware just how much my arms swing across my body as I run, which has a huge impact on my pelvis and hips. I also rely too much on my hip flexors to pull up my legs rather than driving them from my glutes. As one of the coaches pointed put, if you were going to take up a new sport you would normally take lessons, but with running, people simply put on a pair of trainers and start running. Some people have naturally good form, but many people are unaware of those bad running habits they have developed that can ultimately lead to injury. And these are the kinds of injuries us osteopaths see frequently in clinic. Those overuse sports injuries that have come on very gradually and built up over time.
So after a brilliant workshop, I am now a little more equipped to notice when I am slipping into bad running form. The next time I went out for my run, instead of just filling my brain with mundane day to day thoughts, every 5 minutes or so I turned my focus to a different part of my body and it was amazing what it did for my speed and power, and most importantly the run was so much more enjoyable. So I’d recommend it, next time you are out for a run, give some consideration to your form rather than just your speed. Or even better, get yourself to a running technique workshop and learn from the experts.
For more information on the running technique workshops, visit the Greenwich Runners website.
To book in for an appointment or to discuss any running related injuries, contact me by email.