Well, sometimes, but not all the time. It depends who shows up that day.
Why, then, do almost all top coaches have their runners spend time working on their form?
Below is a series of pictures captured during the homestretch of a 1 - Mile road race. The lead runner in white led from the start and the runner in black trailed in second from the start. You'll see sound technique in one and not so sound technique in the the other. The winning time was 4:45. Who was it?
In all-out effort against his own anatomy, the runner in white wins the race by 2 seconds. So if the runner with sound form doesn't always win the race, why is it beneficial?
Here are three primary reasons you want sound form despite not winning the race:
- Less energy expenditure to go at the same speed as someone without sound form. The runner in black who exhibits impeccable technique through the finish line walked comfortably upon finishing, looked like he enjoyed himself, and woke up the next morning for 16.5 miles run in preparation for an ultra-marathon. The runner in the white, immediately went to the ground upon finishing the race to recover prone on his back, grimacing with his eyes shut while he caught his breath.
- Less energy expenditure and moving with the anatomy of your body (not against it) equals less stress. Less stress equals less time needed for recovery. Less recovery means more time to do what you enjoy doing. Winning.
- Less risk of injury and burnout. When the systemic systems of the body are taxed with the added stress of unsound movement patterns repetitively, the risk of injury and burnout rises.
If you are unfamiliar with what it feels like to run sound or unsound technique, get on a TrueForm Runner. It will only take a few minutes for you to learn the practical application of technique.
----> For more TrueForm training tips, live-follow-along workouts head to our Youtube page!
---> Interested in immediately improving your running technique!?! Send a 30-second clip of you running (ideally from a few angles) to zack@livetrueform.com for a FREE gait assessment!
Start the journey to a stronger running FORM today
