How is running more technical than swimming?
Here coach Kevin talks about running mechanics and how running could be considered more technical than swimming. However, we spend so much more time talking about swimming technique and “long runs”. Have we got this the wrong way round?
When most people start taking steps into triathlon, it’s common that either swimming or cycling will be the cause of most concern. Perhaps you never really swam since learning at school, or you’ve not owned a bike for 20 years. However, we all know how to run, don’t we? Well, the answer to that question might not be as straightforward as you think. After all, given that (depending on the stats), up to 80% of runners have had an injury ina. 12-month cycle, do we know how to run?
If you ever get the chance to see young kids running fast, take a look at them and see how they compare to what you look like running. My guess is that if you are starting or have never had a run analysis, they will probably have a better technique than you! Of course, this is a big assumption, but fast kids typically have a naturally good running style (it’s a big part of why they are fast!) and adults tend to make a few assumptions about running that can often be wrong. For example, it’s not uncommon that adults run with their feet quite low to the ground or with minimal arm swing – both of these things save you energy, don’t they? Perhaps you lean forward a fair amount (this is gravity helping us, surely?) These are all common mistakes that could creep into your running style once you have thought about it a little – compare this to the fast kid who is not thinking about style or efficiency at all, just trying to run faster than the kid next to them.
The image above is a picture of my son, who I have never coached or spoken about coaching to running before.
The answer to getting to grips with running technique isn’t about not thinking at all, however, but rather by starting to find out what a good technique actually is (and not assuming that we can all run just fine without any help). So just like you may have done with swimming, look to learn from teachers, coaches, fellow athletes, and of course, the internet. What kind of things might there be to consider with running?
Without going into too much detail (there is a lot to talk about!), some things you may wish to look at include leg drive, hip extension, knee lift, body position, foot position (landing, mid-stride, toe-off), foot stability, core stability, arm swing, foot/ankle/knee alignment…..you get the idea, there is a lot to consider. And as with swimming, there will be at least as many different opinions or styles out there on youtube as there are technical considerations.
This will likely leave you not knowing where to begin, so having a run analysis done by an experienced coach will be a great way to start you down the road of improvement. They should help you cut through to the key factors to be working on and depending on your appetite for detail, either keep it straightforward with a couple of running ‘cues’ or really get into how and why with you.
The issue that people often have with running workshops is that there isn’t a quick fix. Running is a repetitive motion that requires strength and stiffness. Changes made to mechanics need to be backed up by some serious work ethic in the gym and allow some time to see any measurable difference. Unlike swimming, where an immediate reduction in something that reduces drag will see effortless speed improvements, changes to running take an expert eye, and several weeks to see significant change without picking up an injury. Anything else is just superficial. “Lifting your knees higher” won’t make you faster unless your foot, ankle, knee and hip stability can manage the resultant increase of load and create forward propulsion!
Another area that has more recently (and continues to be) developed is run workout analysis. As the advent of power meters for bikes massively expanded the possible analysis of workout files, running power meters have done the same thing. And where bike power measurement is a fairly straightforward engineering problem in principle, running power measurement and the corresponding scope for analytics is not! This means that although you can look at your critical power number (think FTP) if you like, you can also track metrics like leg spring stiffness, form power, horizontal power, vertical oscillation, and running effectiveness, to name but a few.
If you would like to understand some of these metrics and learn what benefits using a running power meter could bring, then the Stryd website is a good resource.
So to conclude, if you’ve never really thought much about your running but have put a lot of effort into improving your swim technique, then you potentially have a lot to gain! For those who relish the detail of doing their own research into the technical subject, running has a lot to offer. If that doesn’t sound like you, then find yourself a coach who can analyse your technique for you and either way, we can start running a bit more like the fast kids.
Kevin opened a B&B for cyclists in France in 2014, & then a year later decided to start a cycle coaching (level 3) qualification. This was mainly in order to be able to better support his guests (but also to make his own training more effective too). At the B&B he runs the odd training camp for cyclists but mainly offers coaching advice while guiding guests. An engineer by background, he happy diving into all sorts of training data, but also understanding that coaching is about much more than just the numbers!
After being introduced to triathlon by a good friend & then taking part in races for a couple of years he decided that a level 2 coaching course with British Triathlon was the way forward, completing this in 2019.
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