Running form video, (am I on the right track)

[The Mole]

Hello everybody,

A few of you suggested a while ago that if I uploaded a couple of videos of me running you might be able to give me some advice on whether or not I was on the right tracks...

I did start a new blog, but i don’t think for some reason anybody has seen it... Then I discovered the button to go into all the threads so I think I might be getting a handle on this website a little bit.

Just wanted to put a shout out to TJ who has been helping me, (bet she wants to strangle me now )
Thnaks !!!!!!!!!

Full side view of my running.... felt a lot better today 25 minutes at 6.8 miles per hour with average cadence at 186 spm.

Also, I did notice that I was landing on my right foot slightly on the right hand side too much, but I think I tend to do that when my Achilles starts burning...I think they are getting better though with all the massage and stretching I’m doing.

Don’t laugh at the headband, it’s one of my daughter's old knee length school socks that I commissioned for sweat management .

Running side on

Running rear view

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Your running seems light from all angles. It appears that you are landing gently on the balls of your feet and rolling to the mid foot. You are not heel striking or riding too high on your toes. I notice you may pronate to the outer forefoot, but I believe that pronation and supination are a necessary part of gait to keep the rest of the body inline, such as the ankles, knees, hips, back, neck, and head. I believe when we control that part of our gait with orthotics, etc., then we may face problems up the chain. I’m not a doctor though, but I know many doctors who have gotten “it” wrong time and again.

 

[The Mole]

Thanks TJ xx

 

[Tedlet]

Interesting videos..
First off (& probably most importantly) -I'm not a doc. so these are just my thoughts/observations.
Your form doesn't look too bad to me -postures pretty good I reckon & you seem to be landing with your foot underneath your centre of gravity more or less. I note what you say about your right foot landing on the outside & then rolling in, although I have to say I actually think your left foot does much the same, if anything slightly more so. It maybe this is -as you have suggested -something you do to compensate in some way for what you're feeling in your lower leg. But I'm not sure that in itself is necessarily an issue. I think most people tend to land on the fourth/fifth metatarsals ever so fractionally ahead of the rest of the foot & then level the foot off as they go through the stride (but -like I said- I'm no expert!). So this could be something that's just a little bit more obvious in your form compared to someone else, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. We're all different.
One question I would ask is about the treadmill -it looks as if it's set on a low incline. Is that the case or is that just a trick of the camera?
Obviously an incline will very likely exaggerate the additional work your Achilles & calves are having to do, as compared with running on a flat/level surface. Hence if that's the case it may be worth trying it completely flat to see if that's slightly kinder to your legs. I would expect it to be. -If however the treadmill angle is just a camera idiosyncrasy then you can ignore that!
Hope you're starting to feel like you're making progress...

 

[The Mole]

Interesting videos..
First off (& probably most importantly) -I'm not a doc. so these are just my thoughts/observations.
Your form doesn't look too bad to me -postures pretty good I reckon & you seem to be landing with your foot underneath your centre of gravity more or less. I note what you say about your right foot landing on the outside & then rolling in, although I have to say I actually think your left foot does much the same, if anything slightly more so. It maybe this is -as you have suggested -something you do to compensate in some way for what you're feeling in your lower leg. But I'm not sure that in itself is necessarily an issue. I think most people tend to land on the fourth/fifth metatarsals ever so fractionally ahead of the rest of the foot & then level the foot off as they go through the stride (but -like I said- I'm no expert!). So this could be something that's just a little bit more obvious in your form compared to someone else, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. We're all different.
One question I would ask is about the treadmill -it looks as if it's set on a low incline. Is that the case or is that just a trick of the camera?
Obviously an incline will very likely exaggerate the additional work your Achilles & calves are having to do, as compared with running on a flat/level surface. Hence if that's the case it may be worth trying it completely flat to see if that's slightly kinder to your legs. I would expect it to be. -If however the treadmill angle is just a camera idiosyncrasy then you can ignore that!
Hope you're starting to feel like you're making progress...

Cheers for that mate,

That’s great feedback...
With reference to what you said about the treadmill, do you mean it looks as if its set on a high incline ?
Your write in what you said, I tend to switch between levels 1,2 and 3, any more than that or even to long on level 3 and I can feel it in my Achilles....
I want to get outside and run with the wife but on the treadmill I can just hop off if it starts hurting...
Do you run slightly on the outside of your foot as well then Ted ?
Back to work tomorrow, been off since the 23rd March It’s going to be a real jolt to the system... I’m quite active anyway but since lockdown I’ve been doing loads more exercise what about you guys ?
Thanks again for your advice it’s been really helpful to no that I’m hopefully on the right path.

 

[Tedlet]

Cheers for that mate,

That’s great feedback...
With reference to what you said about the treadmill, do you mean it looks as if its set on a high incline ?
Your write in what you said, I tend to switch between levels 1,2 and 3, any more than that or even to long on level 3 and I can feel it in my Achilles....
I want to get outside and run with the wife but on the treadmill I can just hop off if it starts hurting...
Do you run slightly on the outside of your foot as well then Ted ?
Back to work tomorrow, been off since the 23rd March It’s going to be a real jolt to the system... I’m quite active anyway but since lockdown I’ve been doing loads more exercise what about you guys ?
Thanks again for your advice it’s been really helpful to no that I’m hopefully on the right path.

Ref the treadmill -I just meant any incline really. BF running will put extra load through your calves & Achilles compared to running in shoes anyway. If you add a constant incline to that then the additional workload will, I imagine, be even greater... Just a thought as I say, but maybe zero incline might help with a more gradual & easier transition...
Ref my own foot landing profile: - to be honest I have absolutely no idea! I've never bothered to analyse it. When I started out I used to try to retain all the tips and suggestions I'd read and then apply them all at the same time while I was trying to run. I just ended up running with lots of voices in my head telling me to 'do this' & 'do that' & 'don't do that' etc, etc... =total disaster.
Now I just run how it feels comfortable & that seems to work for me (sometimes simple is the best!)...

 

[The Mole]

Ref the treadmill -I just meant any incline really. BF running will put extra load through your calves & Achilles compared to running in shoes anyway. If you add a constant incline to that then the additional workload will, I imagine, be even greater... Just a thought as I say, but maybe zero incline might help with a more gradual & easier transition...
Ref my own foot landing profile: - to be honest I have absolutely no idea! I've never bothered to analyse it. When I started out I used to try to retain all the tips and suggestions I'd read and then apply them all at the same time while I was trying to run. I just ended up running with lots of voices in my head telling me to 'do this' & 'do that' & 'don't do that' etc, etc... =total disaster.
Now I just run how it feels comfortable & that seems to work for me (sometimes simple is the best!)...

Well said mate, I think that seems to make the most sense... I didn’t run today, just went target shooting and then a nice slow 5k walk with the wife and dog. On it again tomorrow... first day back at work after furlough so not looking forward to it...

 

[Jo burkett]

Your step width might be a little narrow with some possible crossing over of the legs . ( this is not a negative thing as many of the fastest runners also do this ) only thing is it means you will land on the outside of the feet and then have to pronate quickly to compensate. So if you are getting injuries of the lower leg etc it may help to step your feet apart slightly , it may also help to engage the glutes.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Your step width might be a little narrow with some possible crossing over of the legs . ( this is not a negative thing as many of the fastest runners also do this ) only thing is it means you will land on the outside of the feet and then have to pronate quickly to compensate. So if you are getting injuries of the lower leg etc it may help to step your feet apart slightly , it may also help to engage the glutes.

Welcome, Jo!

 

[The Mole]

Your step width might be a little narrow with some possible crossing over of the legs . ( this is not a negative thing as many of the fastest runners also do this ) only thing is it means you will land on the outside of the feet and then have to pronate quickly to compensate. So if you are getting injuries of the lower leg etc it may help to step your feet apart slightly , it may also help to engage the glutes.

Thanks jo,
I’ll give it a go and report back