Long distance running can be the culprit behind many enduring injuries, but changing your stride will go a long way to keep you on the road.
Your stride, or cadence, is the length between your footfalls. Traditionally, runners try to lengthen their stride – or take fewer, longer steps. In theory, that translates into fewer steps per mile, but it increases your chances to injure your hip or hamstring.
I experienced this firsthand when I first started running. As a 5′ 7″ runner, I thought I should take as big a stride as possible…and was soon sidelined by injury. Instead of focusing on a long stride, which forced me to have a heel-first footfall, I tried to hit with a mid-footfall. While this shortened my stride, I started running faster and felt better.
Keep these tips in mind as you continue training for your fall run. If you haven’t signed up for one yet, we highly recommend the Honor Run Half Marathon that benefits Honor Flight Tri-State to help send local veterans who have served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam to Washington DC to visit their memorials. Make sure you sign up before November 4. The race is on Sunday, November 15.
Think you may need to fix your stride? Physical therapist Stacey McConnell explains how to find your stride in the video below:
