In article <[email hidden]>,
Dan Stumpus said:Here are a few random observations of stride and cadence:
I've run with three elite runners, one a 28 minute 10k'er,
a 30 minute 10k'er, and a 2:24 marathoner.
They all had very short, quick little steps, even to
the point of being choppy. Shorter and quicker steps
than mine.
In fact, whenever I come across someone running with that
quick little shuffle step, they are usually quite fast.
The last guy I met with that quick step turned out to have
run a 32:50 at age 51!
Once I conducted a test with a 31:09 10k friend (I was
in the 33's at the time). We ran together at 7:30 pace,
and gradually accelerated. We had similar cadences of
around 180.
At some point (near 5:00/mile I'd guess), his stride just
extended, while I was maxed out in stride length, and in
straining to keep up, my form deteriorated so that I was
bouncing, while he stayed smooth.
I figured his stride was at least 6 inches longer than
mine when I had to give up.
Another sign of the elite runner is kick height -- at a
given speed, the faster runner will have a lower heel
kick. I remember running a marathon at
2:37 pace and coming up on a guy whose heels barely lifted
off the ground. I asked him if he was fast, and he said
he was a 2:20 guy who was pacing a friend.
--Dan
Dan,
Great sharing and observations. Let me piggyback off
your comments.
The faster the speed, the more ground one is covering if
maintaining the same cadence of a 180 ff/minute that a
slower runner is doing.
So the faster runner keeping the same cadence in order to
cover more ground one has a bigger range of motion to move
through than the slower runner.
Usually the short, quicker steps are possible because the
lower leg tucks behind the hamstring so it can move through
it range of motion faster. Principle of the metronome. The
higher up the weight to the fulcrum, the faster the
mentronome ticks.
If you watched the Boston marathon, the winner even as he
was finishing was still bringing his heels close to his
buttocks as he brought his leg through during his stride.
This is one of my reasons for continuing to tell people to
roll the quads. With the quads strong and elongated, the
hamstring doesn't have to pull against a tighted or semi
tightened quad.
I dislike the image of the shuffle. Because most beginning
marathoners don't know much about running form and style,
their shuffle means they have to lift their entire center of
gravity more than needed to bring their legs through as the
metronome of their leg never shortens because they don't
tuck the lower leg behind the knee (90 degrees) and then
they swing the entire leg forward giving them the
overstride.
I loved to play with peoples' perceptions. I would run with
them stride for stride. Maintaining the same stride I lean a
little from the ankle and gradually pick up my stride length
and begin to pull away from them maintaining the same
cadence as they. They would start to take bigger steps to
stay with me, and I would again lean from the ankle and main
the same cadence while picking up the speed a little more. I
knew I was doing more work because I had to bring my leg
through faster to maintain their cadence.
Once or twice more of this, I'd say, Tough run isn't it. By
that time they'd agree, break concentration and slow down as
I continued to accelerate still at their same cadence.
I'd be interested in seeing the quick little shuffle video
taped as I belive that you'd find that they are able to
bring the lower leg behind the hamstring closer than you
think or perceive.
Nancy Hamilton's research showed that senior runners slowing
is in direct proportion to their ability to tuck the lower
leg in behind the hamstring.
Dan, again thanks for sharing. I'd like to talk more about
your observations of "the faster runner will have a lower
heel kick." Can you explain more what you mean or what your
observations are that get you to the lower heel kick
relationship?
I only have the New York Academy of Science Annals Volume
301: The Marathon: Physiological, Medical,
Epiedemiological, and Psychological Studies. 1976 Peter
Cavanagh, Michael Polloc and Jean Landa did one of the
research papers A Biomechanical Comparison of elite and
Good Distance Runners. Elite 5 middle distance with a 5K
mean of 13:10, and 9 marathoners with a Marathon mean of
2:15. The good runners were 5 with a 5K mean of 15:16 and 3
marathoners with a mean of 2:34). The picture in the
article of an unidentified runner seen from the side
running in his jockstrap and identified as "subject" would
be non other than Frank Shorter.
Interesting to see the diagrams of the differences between
them regarding: Foot Strike Knee Flexion in Support Knee
Flexion in Swing Hip Flexion in Swing
email me and I'll send a copy of the page for you to look
at.
Has anyone see other results from this comparison. I'm sure
it was published in a number of different journals.
In health and on the run, Ozzie Gontang Maintainer -
rec.running FAQ Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est.
1975
Mindful Running: mindfulness.commr.aspOpen ↗ faqs.orgrunningOpen ↗
faq/
