I took the dogs to a dog park today which is closed in and covered in grass. I started running barefoot around to get them chase after me and for a bit payed no mind to running form at all. I noticed that my foot fall was forefoot but out in front of me. It had a totally different feel (good) than back end of the foot landing first regardless of landing in front or under me. I'm not really sure of what to make of this observation other than I have more fun running when I forget about running.
It may have been the grass, but I think you were using a forefoot landing because you were barefoot. I think it would be easy to forget to "think" about running form when we run on a soft surface, as long as we trust that surface.
The thing is, I have more trouble trying to forefoot land on purpose than when I don't even think about it. I think your right though. The grass did help out.
Grass is nice. I was running on asphalt today, and the temp outside was 98-100. My car's temp reading started out at 100 then by the time I got to where I was going to run, it read 98. When the asphalt wasn't shaded, I would run along side the asphalt, most of the time on the grass. Heavenly!
Our bodies have an incredible ability to adapt for self preservation even when we aren't paying attention to what we are doing. I find that I always run lighter and faster when I'm not overly concerned with my form. Running is always more enjoyable when my head is clear and I'm not hyper tuned into every single step I take. I find when I think too hard on it, my form suffers rather than improves.
You know I saw the title of this and really thought it was going to be a thread on the "dangers" of running in a dog park , I think this is one of places I might just put on shoes actually lol
, I think this is one of places I might just put on shoes actually lol
