Running in the Right Step

Sports life got 1,000 times better for me this week. I had my last consulting appointment with Coach Bill Leach to collect my gait analysis and go over steps for improvement. He gave me a 15-page report, went over steps for improvement and even had me running again with a corrected stride.

I already went for one short run -- my goal is to start short, frequent runs to get my body used to running regularly -- and it was pain-free. Pain free. I don't remember the last time I ran pain free -- if ever. And this is all from a couple simple exercises. Best $150 I spent (or rather, best gift ever: Brian's treat).

What my running video showed is that I generally have good running posture and excellent heel kicks, head position and arm rotation. The bad part was my gait: my feet begin to cross over when I run, my stride is too long and my hips were collapsing with each step. Actually, they weren't the only thing collapsing: each time I hit the ground, my entire posture would crash down, so I was effectively running up and down instead of straight. Each strike meant I was absorbing my entire body weight on one leg; in slow motion, it literally looks like I'm being clubbed over the neck at each step. It was actually painful to watch.

His analysis of exercises I did barefoot to check rotations and posture and such showed that I have a weaker lower back and abdomen; I've been working on core strength but apparently have not been doing so evenly. He also suspected my calves are tight -- and they definitely have been bothering me -- because my ankles aren't properly rotating either.

It sounds like it's easy to run, but it's not. This analysis has reiterated to me that some people's bodies can take running without proper technique, and others like mine can't. How many people really have proper technique, right?

Going forward, I'm doing exercises to build up my glutes, and I have backward running and pawing drills to do to keep my gait correct. This one backward running exercise he gives you is amazing; for some reason, running backward for about 20 meters and then taking off forward resets your gait and gets you running as you should be. Instant correction -- I love it. I feel like a pansy -- running "correctly" for distances does not look match the virilous postures of die-hard athletes in commercials or even running on the lakefront -- but I'll take that over feeling pain.

Tuck my abs in. Don't overreach. Swing the arms. Go. That's my mantra going forward.

It's exciting to want to run again.