I recently read Christopher McDougall's amazing book 'Born to Run' about the Tarahumara Tribe of runners from Northern Mexico, who run 100's of miles for fun, in nothing more than flip flops! As a keen runner, but one who never seemed to get any faster, I began to question whether my running technique was in fact hindering me, and whether I needed to go way back to my ancestors for more answers....(read the book if you want to know more!)
This weekend, I attended a course in 'Natural Running' which sounds like an oxymoron - after all isn't running the most natural thing in the world? Well according to Mike Trees (miketrees.com) our coach and teacher, running may be natural, but running in big squishy trainers with stacked heels is not what nature intended, and in fact the very trainers we think are protecting us may actually be causing a less than perfect running technique that could lead to pain and injury.
Weighing up the evidence is simple: what he says makes total sense, and our amazing bodies are designed so that we can run (without huge trainers) for miles and miles and miles. We have our own in-built shock absorption system - ankles, calves, muscles, ligaments and tendons, and all we have to do is go back to basics to discover our true running potential.
Eager to try this for myself, I have invested in Newton training shoes which encourage a mid-foot strike and a natural running motion. It is important to build up gradually as you are using your body in a different way, and if you do too much too soon you will be in pain and could end up with an injury. My current training involves running 10 x 100m plus lots of drills such as skipping, hopping and running with high knees to build up muscle and tendon strength. i will gradually increase these intervals over the next 6 weeks, and report back on whether I am transforming from an elephant to gazelle!