The Balanced Runner

I had a great time talking with the Runegades! @altramarathonman instagram.com/p/DJJYhFBNKwf/…

Running smoothly, Abdi Nageeye beat Evans Chebet to win the 2024 NYC Marathon. Here’s the unusual thing about his form, why he’s so smooth and fast, and what you can learn from him. youtube.com/watch?v=aSW4P9…

I'm betting you could use some stress relief. Even if running is your main way of dealing with stress, it might not be enough or you might even risk injury if you run in a stressed-out state. Try this unusual technique to relieve stress quickly. balancedrunner.com/deep-relaxatio…

Ruth Chepngetich changed her movement in specific ways to set a new world record in Chicago. By analyzing slow motion video and comparing her form to slow motion footage from her last two marathons, we can see how she did it. youtu.be/pwO3oZ7Ymao #chicagomarathon2024

Did you see the “tell” in Kotut’s form in the last few km of the Berlin Marathon that showed he wouldn’t win? It’s in my analysis of the top 4 elite men–Mengesha, Kotut, Alew, and Kiprop–using slow motion video from 39k plus broadcast footage. youtube.com/watch?v=6fFTX9…

Some of the best sprint coaches in history are slow white guys who can't sprint. Some of the best endurance coaches in history look like they couldn't jog a mile. There's a difference between coaching & doing If you judge a book by its cover, you may miss out on brilliance.

@zbitter I've had two clients run that race--one was the women's winner a couple of years ago. There's a method to it, of course. Are you considering it?

100 miles on a track feels super reasonable now.

I'm thrilled to be a presenter at the FGNA 2024 Conference Series! Join me Friday 9/6 for a transformative experience. Use code 'Sense24' to save on registration. See you there! Register here: feldenkraisguild.com/events/EventDe… #FeldenkraisMethod #FGNA2024

@MountainRoche ...fit together with your leg action to reduce your effort when running on the flat. Cue might be to always use your arms like you're running uphill. (Cheeky to suggest an improvement on your performance, but having something to be curious about keeps life interesting!)

@balancedrunner I have thought about form a lot over time! Here is the tip that helped it all click for me: trailrunnermag.com/training/trail…

Back in January when Megan and I charted out the year, the dream of the Leadville 100 course record was overwhelming. But big dreams should be overwhelming. It was time to get to work. Our plan started from 3 principles: 1. I’d need to be capable of running a 13:xx 5k at altitude, or around sub-4 min mile fitness. 6-minute mile pace would need to be a jog on race day, and that all came from improving my running economy. 2. I had to get stronger to handle the unknown distance, both in terms of threshold climbing and actual muscular strength. 3. I’d have to run every step of the race, including Hope Pass. Most interestingly, none of those goals required lots of training volume. I did 8-12 hours of aerobic training most weeks with very few doubles given life constraints, usually around 60-75 miles of running and 1-2 bike rides (pulsing up and down for adaptations, with some bigger weeks and a longer down period for my accident). You don’t need to do consistent 100+ mile weeks to be good at this sport. I have been building endurance bricks for 18 years, and every brick counts. With that time, we applied 6 ideas: 1. Most weeks had a speed workout (often pacing Allie Ostrander ahead of the Olympic Trials 🔥), culminating in 12 x 400 on short rest in 63-64 seconds at altitude in June 2. I’d do threshold sessions approximately every other week, often on the uphill treadmill at 8% or 15% grade, culminating in a massive 12 x 5 minute session a few weeks before race day 3. I did uphill treadmill runs in Z2 at 20% grade all year, including for 10 min after as many aerobic runs as I could 4. I did 3-4 days of strides every single week. My strength is my speed. 5. I biked once per week in place of a run, often using Zwift races for hard sessions (A+ racing category in Zwift!) 6. Every week, I did Ultra Legs strength + squats and took a rest day, plus did heat training Big takeaway: you don’t need to do wild volume to have success in ultras. Get fast, stay fast year round, spend time in Z2, and stack some fun bricks in the context of your life. The record may have shocked the ultra world. But as Megan said, it only shocked people who haven’t been following my Strava for the last decade 🧡

@MountainRoche ...misusing the hamstrings to intentionally lift the feet. Keeps the flexors active and keeps the legs from lagging and creating a glider gait. With all due respect, keeping your hands always close to chest and elbows bent acutely, as you did in the last mile, would...

@MountainRoche Thanks! Your article sent me down a rabbit hole about Hackney horses and their distinctive gait, lol. Have now dragged my brain back to humans... love how that cue works for you, lifting the feet and accelerating the knees forward but avoiding the pitfall of...

This is the only time all year that I offer a discount on coaching. Book a video analysis or a free Discovery Call by Monday to get the discount (even if we talk later than that). All courses are 20% off as well. balancedrunner.com

I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.

The Evolution of Running Form Principles with guest @JaeGruenke

Episode 400 with Jae Gruenke is up! For this episode we unpack a few topics related to pain free running. They include: - Pros/Cons of Feldenkrais Method - How shoe type can impact running form - The role of forward lean, arm "swing", foot strike, and cadence for proper running.

Looking forward to teaching clinics at the Salt Lake Running Company's Sandy and 700E locations tomorrow and Thursday. Come learn the Six Keys to Healthy Running form. Clinics are free, sign up here: balancedrunner.com/work-with-us/w…

Olympian Clayton Young credits his success to an increased emphasis on the running culture in Utah, and a big part of that is the Elite Run Program. Link: ksl.com/article/510440…

Here's my full elite running form analysis from the #LondonMarathon, including comments on Peres Jepchirchir's record-setting run. balancedrunner.com/london-maratho…

Here's a compilation of my slow motion video of the first 13 women to pass the 21 mile mark in last week's London marathon. No analysis here, just footage for you to analyze. Let me know what you see! youtube.com/watch?v=xQLk6t…