Couch to 5K Running Program (C25K)

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where on your feet do you land when running?

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maggiekat7
maggiekat7 Posts: 122 Member
edited June 2015 in Social Groups
i've been experimenting with where i land on my feet while running because as the distance is increasing with my journey in the C25K program i am trying to find the most efficient way to run. i naturally want to run on the ball of my feet, and while i don't think i'm too "springy" i notice that around the 20-minute mark i shift my landing to more of a flat impact. i find landing this way uses my leg muscles differently and i'm curious to know what the most effective landing is for running, or if it is variable by individual.

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  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    What I found was that by concentrating on cadence, rather than foot strike I developed a more efficient gait.

    The main thing to think about is keeping a short pace, as that avoids excessive loads on your lower leg and knee joints.
  • DaveAkeman
    DaveAkeman Posts: 296 Member
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    Interesting question, and I'd love to hear what others with more knowledge and experience say.

    I think I use a fairly flat foot strike; when I have tried to think about running on the ball of my foot, I have found that I tire extremely quickly, or my calves get really, really sore. Sometimes I wonder if I'm 'speed walking' instead of running - I've heard various definitions, including the part of the foot you're using, or whether both feet are in the air at once. (I have heard that some speed walkers can actually move faster than a runner, so I don't think minutes/mile is the differentiator)

    I have also spent a lot of time wondering if increasing my pace means increasing my cadence, or increasing my gait. I think when I run faster I tend to increase my gait, but I have no idea if this is the right way to do it; it just feels more natural.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    I have also spent a lot of time wondering if increasing my pace means increasing my cadence, or increasing my gait.

    Optimal cadence is thought to be about 180steps per minute, regardless of the pace that one is running at, so pace comes from the strength of the push-off, so driving a longer stride length for faster paces.
  • DaveAkeman
    DaveAkeman Posts: 296 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    I have also spent a lot of time wondering if increasing my pace means increasing my cadence, or increasing my gait.

    Optimal cadence is thought to be about 180steps per minute, regardless of the pace that one is running at, so pace comes from the strength of the push-off, so driving a longer stride length for faster paces.

    Thank you!!! I'm around 176 steps per minute (~6500 steps recorded on the FitBit for a 37 minute 5k), so that's right in there . . . I guess I'm right that the stride length is the place to work. And it makes sense that a stronger push-off is what drives that.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    And it makes sense that a stronger push-off is what drives that.

    It places less stress on the lower leg. It's all a bit of a vicious/ virtuous circle in that as short pace length encourages a landing point underneath the body centre. If the leg extends out to the front then it can place quite a lot of rotational strain on the shin and the knee joint.

    Also reaching out to the front leads to greater vertical oscillation, so losing energy bouncing up and down.

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