Airtel Hyderabad Marathon (AHM) – Are you ready for it? (Part 2)

When it comes to hill running, most runners tend to focus on training for up-hills. After all, it is on the up-hills that one faces significant fatigue and slowdown in pace. Downhill running is perceived to be easy as it doesn’t leave the runner gasping for breath and in many cases actually helps gain pace. However, understanding the right ways to run down-hill is equally important as it can be a source of injury. In continuation of the last month’s article, this article continues to explore key elements of hill running – focusing specifically on down-hill running this time.

When running down-hill there are variations with respect to the correct running form depending on the slope of the downhill. For instance, there are downhills of gradual gradient where one can gain pace and then there are steep down-hills where one may actually need to slow down to be able to maintain balance. The following section describes the essential form focuses for down-hill (while also highlighting adjustments needed depending on the slope of the downhill).

1. Adjust the roles of upper and lower body

In the last month’s article, we had observed that while running up-hill the focus shifts to upper body (with upper body accounting for 60 – 70 percent share of the overall work-load). It is just the opposite for down-hill running with the focus more on the lower body. 

When one runs down a hill there is a greater impact generated at the time of foot-strike (due to added thrust generated by gravity). This force is significantly more than on the flat surface and can reach up-to ten times the body weight. Also, it puts additional load on the knees and quads. To combat this additional impact, lower body needs to almost act as body’s shock absorbers. For this, it is important to relax the lower body (especially quads and calves) by letting them loose and swing freely. Notice the relaxed and free swinging lower body movement of the runner in the figure below.

While the focus while running downhill is to relax lower body, the role of the upper body is help the body maintain balance. This is especially true when running steep down-hills. One should try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not tuck the arms too close to the chest. This allows the runner to use the arm movement for balancing act.

2. Adjust the lean

When one runs down a hill, the natural tendency of the body is pull the shoulders backwards (thereby causing a backward lean). However, this probably is not the right way to lean on a downhill. The challenge is that the tendency to pull the shoulders backwards shifts the weight behind and puts a curvature in the lower back putting additional pressure on the spine. Moreover, it also results in the feet landing ahead of the body causing the body to land hard on heels (which can cause injury). 

According to Chi running technique, when running over a gradual downhill, the runner should focus on keeping the upper body ahead of the foot-strike by maintaining a very slight forward lean. According to another source (www.running.competitor.com), one should avoid the urge to lean back and focus on keeping the body perpendicular to the ground. It’s also important to not lean too forward as it can make the body lose its balance.

The exception to the rule of urging the need to pull back shoulders (i.e. backward lean) happens on downhills with steep slope. 

Notice how the runner maintains the body perpendicular to the ground on a gradual downhill (in the left hand pic) and how Danny gets into a vertical stance in the steep slope (pic on the right hand side).

  

3. Vary your stride length

According to Chi Running technique, when running on a gradual downhill, the runner should try to maintain the same cadence but lengthen the stride length. However, the key question is how should one strive for a longer stride? It should certainly not be achieved by landing the foot far forward. It should be achieved by letting the hip be pulled back every time the leg swings backward. This allows the stride to open behind the runner thereby reducing the impact on knees and quads. (In technical terms, this form focus related to letting the hip be pulled back is referred to as pelvic rotation).

The figure below highlights how a small pelvic rotation can help lengthen the stride without the need to land the front foot far forward.

4. Look down the hill and not at your feet

When one runs on a downhill, there is a natural tendency to look to look down (towards the feet). Looking down can inhibit the action of hip extensor muscles (glutes, hamstrings, back muscles) which help in keeping the body upright and neutral. This can increase the risk of falling down. There are research studies that indicate that gazing few meters ahead results in a better running form.

I hope you find the principles of downhill running captured here helpful in improving your running form over hills. 

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2015, which he completed in 1:31:20.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources:

ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer (Page 180 – 185)

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804

http://www.rockcreekrunner.com/2015/08/27/downhill-trail-running-technique/

http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/training/perfect-your-downhill-running-form_52804#4ROeObWUESQ4hfYY.99

Airtel Hyderabad Marathon (AHM) – Are you ready for it? (Part 1)

With AHM - 2016 just about 3 months away, most of us have started preparing for the hill runs in all earnestness. Rolling hills, after all, are the essence of AHM and make the challenge a little more pronounced than a typical run over a plain stretch. This article highlights some of the simple techniques (as prescribed by Chi Running) which can help one overcome the challenge of hill runs. These techniques differ depending on the terrain (i.e. up-hill vs. down-hill). The article focuses on the important form elements that a runner may follow while running an up-hill of moderate gradient.

What exactly does the AHM terrain look like?

Before we turn our attention to the techniques of up-hill run, here is a simple view of the AHM terrain. The half-marathon profile for the 2015 run comprised of a series of up-hills and down-hills:

As evident from the terrain, more than half the distance of the overall 21.1km stretch comprises of gradual to steep uphill. Clearly, practicing hill run is critical for anyone aspiring to finish strong at AHM.

Simple principles of efficient up-hill run

One of the key features of ChiRunning is that it lays emphasis on the specific roles of upper and lower body in efficient running. The principle states that on a plain stretch, the body should be thought of as a team of two – upper body and lower body – and each part should ideally take up 50%-50% share of the work load. More interestingly, ChiRunning principle states that over a light to moderate hill, the share of workload between upper body and lower body should shift to 70% - 30% distribution. This may sound counter-intuitive; however, deploying right technique may actually reduce the workload on legs when running up-hill.

Here are some simple principles that one may keep in mind while running up-hills.

1. Lean into the hill

When one runs into a hill, the natural tendency for the upper body is to feel ‘thrown back’ (due to the incline of the hill). To counter this, the runner may need to lean into the hill in a way that the upper body feels ahead of the feet. The key thing to note here is that the incline should come from the ankles and not from the waist.

2. Shorten the stride length

Maintaining the same stride length over a hill (as the one on a plain stretch) can put undue pressure on the hamstrings. To counter this, the best remedy is to shorten the stride length till the feeling of fatigue in hamstrings fades away. A simple heuristic to follow is that while running up a hill, one should try to keep shoulders ahead of hips and hips ahead of feet (again, without bending at the waist).

3. Relax the lower body

Trying to maintain fast pace over an uphill may exert additional pressure on the calf muscles and result in a feeling of fatigue. A good rule of thumb when one is running over rolling hills is to maintain the same level of effort across the entire stretch (this would obviously imply switching to a lower gear over the up-hill and increasing the pace over plain or down-hill stretch). We have already seen one of the ways to keep the lower body relaxed (i.e. to shorten the stride length). The other important technique that one may use over a hill of moderate gradient is to keep the heels down on the ground during the support phase of the stride. There is a natural tendency to land on the forefoot when one is trying to run fast over an up-hill. Overcoming this tendency may help alleviate the build-up of fatigue in lower legs.

4. Adjust the arm swing

We started the discussion by observing that ChiRunning propagates an increased use of upper body while running up a hill. We have already seen one of the ways in which the upper body plays a key role (i.e. by leaning forward). The other prominent form focus that one may need to adjust while running up hill is the movement of arms. While running on a plain stretch, the ideal movement of arms is back and forth. A good mental image to keep in mind on a plain stretch is to imagine that with each arm swing one is trying to hit someone standing behind with the elbow. This changes when one is running up a hill of moderate incline. Out here, the runner should try to focus on swinging the arms forward and upward. A good mental picture to get this form right is to imagine that the runner is trying to punch his / her own chin with each forward arm swing.

I hope you find the ChiRunning principles of up-hill running captured here useful for your preparation for the AHM run. Do note that just like there is a proper way to run an uphill, there are principles that one needs to follow while running down-hill (but that’s for another blog).

Sundeep Singh

+91 - 98181 19794

About the Author: By background, Sundeep Singh is a Mechanical Engineer from IIT Delhi and holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode. Given his flair for mechanics and passion for running, he loves to analyze and write about the finer nuances of running techniques / strategies. Sundeep’s best run till date is ADHM 2015, which he completed in 1:31:20.

------------------------------

Sources: 

• ChiRunning Book by Danny Dreyer and Catherine Dreyer (Page 175 / 176)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XmHrYkobkU
• http://running-sundeep.blogspot.in/2015/09/ahm-2015-all-it-takes-is-all-you-got.html