Have you ever experienced a recurring injury/pain from running? One of the first things to look at is your running gait and how much vertical oscillation is involved when you run. The more you bounce up and down while you run, the more impact you are putting on your joints. For those training for long-distance races, this adds up to be A LOT of repeated impact on your joints. Next time you go out for a run, see if you are able to eliminate some of the vertical oscillation (or “bouncing” up and down) in your gait. Think of a “smooth” foot strike – keep the bottom of your shoe “gliding” just above the run surface. (For those data-driven athletes, this can be tracked with specific numerical data with a running dynamics pod and a smart watch – such as the Garmin HRM-Tri/Pro chest strap and a 900 series Garmin watch). Keep it smooth and keep on running!

Christa Krause is a Swim and Triathlon Coach with Experience Triathlon. As leaders in the endurance services industry, Coach Christa and the Experience Triathlon team help athletes of all ages and abilities achieve success in training, racing and life. Learn more about Coach Christa and Experience Triathlon at www.experiencetriathlon.com