Running Economy

Breathing Techniques

Breathing patterns can aid a runner in feeling more comfortable and in control when running at various speeds. One should practice breathing from his/her diaphragm and not from the chest to allow more oxygen to be taken in. Also, breathing from the mouth should be practiced especially during hard workouts and races.

 

Run Type	Suggested Breathing Pattern (In:Out)
Easy Runs	4:4
Threshold Runs	3:3
Intervals	2:2
Races	2:2 down to 1:1/1:2 towards the final race stages

 

The number used in the breathing pattern corresponds to the number of steps.

(E.g. 4:4 pattern means that one breathes in 4 steps and breathes out the next 4 steps)

 

The breathing patterns suggested are just a guideline and you should use a pattern that is the most comfortable for you in your situation.

 

Foot Strike Patterns

Heel Striking is commonly looked upon as the wrong technique for running. However, heel striking may not be bad after all. If one observes slow motion videos of many top marathoners, he/she would notice that quite a number do heel strike. The main misconception for this frowned upon technique is the association of heel striking with over striding. So long as a runner lands within his center of mass, his type of foot strike does not matter. Foot strike will vary from runner to runner.

 

Arm Swing

Arms should be at roughly 90 degrees. Palms should not be closed but not tightly. Ensure that arm swing does not cross over the middle of the body. An important technique to take note of is to focus on the backward swing and not the forward swing. The forward swing should come naturally. Also, practice swinging the arms from the elbows and not the hands. This aids with the trunk rotation and improves energy recycling from stride to stride.

Running Posture

Running posture is crucial for efficient running. Some points to take note: One should focus on relaxing his jaw and shoulders, letting the arms swing in a controlled yet free manner. A common mistake that runners make is to tense up the upper body especially when fatigued. Also, try visualizing a string connected from the center of the body pulling the runner upwards. This is also known as ‘running tall’. Running tall can allow a runner to avoid ‘sitting in his stride’ and lets him engage more of the glutes and hips. Also, the head position should be looking slightly downwards at the ground roughly 30-50m in front of him.

 

Cadence

180 has been the magic number made popular by Jack Daniels. In his book, he observed that the average cadence of elite runners was 180. However, this should not be applied to the average runner. We have to first take into consideration that many of the elites run at speeds of under 3:00min/km, which would feel like a sprint to many. Cadence will naturally increase when going at such high velocities. However, over-striders can look into increasing their cadence slightly to prevent a pronounced heel strike. This will help them land under their center of mass. Cadence will vary from runner to runner, and it is important to run at a cadence that feels comfortable to the individual.