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Run form review

zwubazwuba
in General Training Discussions

Hi all,

Here's a short video of my 5k test run for week1/NOS.

Actually it has been recorded at around 3k. Pace was at 3:40/km (6:00/mi) and at that point the suffering level was still below "inhuman" but I'd give it a Z5 rating though image

Please just take a short look at the video and feel free to add any comment/critic image

5k run NOS 2013 week1 @ km3

Comments

  • Dave TalloDave Tallo

    Stefan - I feel like one of those guys on Slowtwitch who post with a critique of Crissie Wellington's bike position, in that I have no right to comment until I could actually go that fast. But here goes.


    Overall, excellent, imho. What I saw right away was quick light turnover (I counted 90 per minute on the excerpt), very little wasted energy popping up and down or side-to-side, and great flexibility evident on the leg extension. Also great sign of an engaged core - there was some upper body rotation commensurate with the speed you're trucking along, but this was with nice, high elbows and no crossover.



    I actually had to replay and stop the vid playback at random points to find anything that jumped out. In a few cases I see some heel striking on the R leg, which isn't in itself a problem, but the telltale shin was showing some 'braking' going on there. Also, the white bottom/black top helps point out a few points in the stride where the hip "dips," but this might also be due to the camera angle.



    Only other part? Relax! Again, easy to say from behind a keyboard instead of 12' into a z5 session, but it seemed like there was some bunching up in the upper body that might be released. To what end, I'm not sure, but I would see if there is any loosening up that could be done.



    You're one fast dude.
  • zwubazwuba
    Great review Dave thank you very much!!
  • Racing YodaRacing Yoda
    Stefan, I know this is old and Dave hit the nail already....Initially, you have a smooth stride. It almost looks like your are barely trying and just running along. You make it look easy. But I also saw a slight bunch up of the upper body. Your arms seem like you are holding them high. I notice I do the same thing when moving along and after awhile I feel the tightness in my upper shoulders. That may be natural and correct for you but it was just a thought. How is your forward lean? Are you allowing yourself to go/run?
  • zwubazwuba
    Short update here ...
    first of all thx for your input Steve. I was thinking of your final sentence more often recently and I also was focusing on my forward lean a little bit more and I think I really just don't allow myself to run FAST. It somehow feels like as my upper body (shoulder movement and upper body rotation vs hip rotation) is holding myself back ...
    I'm working on this now but it's hard to do on HARD intervals because I loose focus too fast as these intervals are pretty long - maybe these things get better during the very hard Z5 intervals that are upcoming soon.
  • Dave TalloDave Tallo
    @ world: For the rest of us mere mortals, I want to highlight why you should be reading between the lines in this post: Stefan has a stratospheric vdot, has posted (to my knowledge) the 2nd fastest IM finish in EN history, but he's still treating run form as something that's important enough to always be improving ... to the extent that he's taking the time, effort and energy to analyze, critically assess, video record, and solicit input. And he ain't no beginner runner. THIS IS HUGE. As if it's not obvious, form matters. To all of us. All the time. From now until the end of time.

    To make this a PSA, and what you should do:
    -any EP is "brain on, form tuned in" time. if you're running in a group, forfeit a few sessions with the gabfest every week and pay reeeediculous attention to form when you're plodding.
    -video yourself. It doesn't have to be for the world to see, but get on a tradmill, set your iphone or any one of a gadzillion webcam devices out there, and make a movie. Then play it back in slomo. Watch just one leg in slomo. Watch your hips in slo mo. watch where your feet land in slomo. Look at where you are staring. The go back to bullet number 1.
    -dedicate time in every run to thinking form. Better yet, dedicate a minimum 3 minute block to one specific item, and repeat for another item. Why? It's easy to focus for 1 or even 2 mins, but after that, the new (or desired) skill really does demand strong attention and concentration, and what's where the mental money is.
    -video different points and paces of runs. everyone has great form 5 mins in; I want to see you at 60 mins.

    More to follow.




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