UKC

My running has come on fantastically this year - multiple PBs in 1/2M, 10K and 5K and all at aged 44...

Anyway, after my local 10K on sunday I saw in the pictures the thing that I dreaded but always thought was likely - I am heel striking.

I've taken slo-mo videos of my running (iPhone - very handy) and this has confirmed the worst. I have also tried a few different styles without really being able to see what's going wrong. Plus I have looked up an awful lot online.

In short, anyone out there been through this and been able to reduce or eliminate heel strike? Or does anyone have any genuine tips that can help me work on this? I truly feel that it is one of the barriers to me getting some fantastic times rather than some good times.

Thanks in advance.

In reply to Rampikino:

Increasing cadence up to around 160-170 will naturally shorten your stride. I've heard as long as you're not 'overstriding' and you're landing below your centre of gravity, then heel/midfoot/toe strike doesn't really matter all that much. I may be wrong about that though.

In reply to Rampikino:

Why do you want to eliminate 'heel strike'.

Do you know what 'heel strike' is?

How can you tell you're doing it from just photos?

There are much more important things to concentrate on.

In reply to Rampikino:

Is it causing you problems, doesn't sound like it is. So why change it?

In reply to Rampikino:

it may not make you any faster, my understanding is that people try and eliminate heel striking when it causes injury or pain. Certainly worked for me, however I dont know if im faster for it, just means i can run happy again.

As already noted higher cadence, shorter stride, sorted.

In reply to Rampikino:

I know a woman that switched to forefoot running. It took her 2-3 years, a few injuries and lay offs, drills and practice, and lots of paid coaching. She's faster than me now but I really couldn't be doing with the faff if I didn't have existing problems (I like the theory). I run to forget about faff. You could try looking for a local Pose or Lee Saxby (patent pending) coach?

In reply to Rampikino:

I wouldn't change things too much, just make sure you aren't leaning back too much, nor over striding.

Otherwise if you aren't getting injured I'd just push on.

Changing your running style risks injury so be careful with any drastic changes. If you are improving without injury I'd be tempted to leave things. The body is very good at becoming more efficient, the more you run the more efficient your gait becomes.

In reply to Curry:

I think I may try to get some side-on video to see where my foot is falling. One reason is that my cadence is great - 170-190 generally.

In reply to Roadrunner5:


This is a really good point - I guess I don't want to make a drastic change, though the heel strike does appear to be pronounced.

In reply to Pesda potato:

I may look at the cadence and shorter stride though as mentioned my cadence is already fairly good. It's certainly true that if it becomes a faff then my appetite for changing it may well diminish!

In reply to Pesda potato:

I may look at the cadence and shorter stride though as mentioned my cadence is already fairly good. It's certainly true that if it becomes a faff then my appetite for changing it may well diminish!

In reply to Rampikino: Have you seen a coach or trainer at all? I know my club have had annual sessions with a coach who has given people lots of individual tips and they found very helpful. It may be that there is something specific you could change, but without actually seeing you run, people can't really advise what you're doing wrong (if anything!)

In reply to Rampikino:


Yes. Just because your heel is hitting the ground first (as it does with practically all runners, ask yourself why this is) doesn't mean you are heel striking.

Heel striking means something different to simply landing heel first.

In reply to DancingOnRock:





Hopefully I can take your rather odd/brusque response in the right spirit.

My heel strike (which I know I am doing from photos and a series of slo-mo videos) seems to be pronounced and is likely to be causing a braking action. I would like to reduce it if not eliminate it to stop this braking action.

As for "much m ore important things to concentrate on", I'm not sure what you mean. This is a running forum and it's a specific running question...

In reply to ceri:

I appreciate this - not easy without looking closely at the runner. I was more looking for hints and tips from anyone else who had experienced it and had tried/succeeded in reducing it. But thanks anyway.

In reply to Rampikino:

I mean like core strength and glutes firing properly.

Heel strike isn't just about your heel hitting the ground first but if you can actually see from videos that the shock is travelling back to your hips then you've probably identified it in another way than from your race pics - which is what I was getting at.

It's just a buzz word banded about by lots of people who are just repeating what they've heard or read but didn't understand what it is.

Leaning forward as Roadrunner says but also driving your knee through quickly will help.

In reply to DancingOnRock:



No - I've suspected my gait has issues for a while, and when I looked at photos from the 10K at the weekend I could see a pronounced extension of the leg and quite a firm heel strike on landing - the videos have confirmed it. So I reached the conclusion naturally.

It might be that some simple adjustments work - the leaning forward may help as well as making sure I land under the centre of my mass.

In reply to DancingOnRock:


P.S. can you explain this last bit? Does this mean lifting the knee up higher then pushing harder off the front foot or something else?

In reply to Rampikino:

No. You don't want to lift the knee as your foot then pendulums through.

Video is better.
youtube.com/watch?v=qUl6C4iWCe4&

In reply to Rampikino:

Interesting topic. While I'm not a serious runner, I do recognise the symptoms you're speaking of... I only ever run for a few months at a time, and never on concrete, as it absolutely cripples my knees. Who knew landing heavily on my heels had a name!?! I'll be reading keenly for all the tips you guys come up with..

Thanks

In reply to ScottTalbot:

It is an interesting topic and I have found so much opinion out there (some of it very contradictory!)

It certainly appears to be that landing heel first is not always a problem depending on a number of factors.

In reply to ScottTalbot:



It's more about the chain than what is happening at the heel. Your foot is supposed to roll from the heel to the toe when you run.

BUT if your knee is straight and your leg doesn't flex, it's like running into a brick wall with your leg straight in front of you.

Your knee and hip take all the force and you stop.

In reply to DancingOnRock:

Thanks for this.

In reply to DancingOnRock:

That seems to be a really good summary of it. My slo-mo seems to show my left leg in particular is quite straight and the heel angle is pronounced.

In reply to Rampikino:

This is covered well in Julian Goater's book (I didnt pay massive attention as I run forward).

Anyway, he is adamant that it is faster. The jist of his advice is:
- lean forward slighltly, head up
- increase your cadence (he suggests some drills to help with this), be light and 'peppy'
- get a feeling that you are 'falling forward' and need to increase cadence to stay upright
- try to get the knee a bit higher and think about the whole cycle and driving through like you would on a bike.

Might be worth a look to see if any of it chimes with you.