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The equations of motion of the runner: efficiency increases with increasing...
The story so far In my post of 16th Jan I presented results of a calculation of the work required between mid-stance and the achievement of peak height in the subsequent airborne phase to elevate the...
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Further reflections on running efficiency: limb repositioning , conversion of...
My posts on the equations of motion of the runner on Jan 16th and Feb 6th led to an intense discussion which included some very thought provoking comments by several readers, including Ewen, Simon,...
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Does Usain Bolt run Pose style?
The contrast between the muscular torso, arms and legs of a sprinter compared with the slight frame and skinny legs of a marathon runner tell us that the requirements for effective sprinting are not...
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Training to increase sprinting speed
The issues raised by Klas in his comments on my recent post on Usain Bolt’s sprinting style have led me to wonder just what it is that determines peak sprinting speed and what a runner might do to...
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Natural running
The word ‘natural’ invokes images of wholesomeness but also carries a hint that we are in danger of being hoodwinked by a snake-oil merchant. In contrast, the word ‘technological’ has overtones of...
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Is there a magic running cadence?
The six posts in my recent discussion of running mechanics, starting with my presentation of the equations of motion of the runner on 16th of January, have elicited 372 comments (including my own...
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Running naturally using sense and science
A few months ago I had a fairly clear idea about the content of my next few blog posts: my debate with Robert over the New Year period (recorded at length in the comments section of my Dance with the...
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The Enigmatic Benefits of Pose
My post ‘Natural Running’ posted on March 29 has so far elicited 157 comments, which at first sight might indicate that it was a topic of wide popular appeal. While I hope there is some truth in that,...
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Mary Keitany, a muscle named Lady Dorothy, and the future of the women’s...
The past decade has seen an astounding increase in the standard of marathon running, at least in the men’s event. Not only has the world record continued to tumble but the event has become a race from...
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Gazelles v gliders: Mirinda Carfrae v Chrissie Wellington
As described in a recent post, my attempt to recover some of the speed of my youth by engaging in a lifting program to re-build my leg strength was only partially successful. I exceeded my...
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The five big debates of the past 10 years
The past decade has seen a continued growth of distance running as a mass participation sport. The major city marathons continue to attract many thousands of entrants with aspirations ranging from...
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The big debates of the past decade: 1) Running style
In those distant days when I was a fairly serious athlete, we did not think much about style. Emil Zatopek’s three gold medals in Helsinki a few years previously had suggested that training mattered...
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The big debates of the past decade: 2) shoe design
For almost a decade many runners have been captivated by the issue of running shoe design – a preoccupation fuelled two opposing factors. On the one hand padding is expected to provide protection and...
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More reminiscences and the science of running injury free
The New Year is a time for looking forward, but in the past few days several things have also prompted me to take a backwards glance. One of these things was the summary of the previous year’s...
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More reminiscences and the science of running injury free
The New Year is a time for looking forward, but in the past few days several things have also prompted me to take a backwards glance. One of these things was the summary of the previous year’s...
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Cadence, stride length and Mo Farah’s finishing kick
To run faster you need to increase cadence, stride length or both. The question of which it is best to increase is not easy to answer. In particular, the question of the optimum cadence has long been...
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More reminiscences and the science of running injury free
The New Year is a time for looking forward, but in the past few days several things have also prompted me to take a backwards glance. One of these things was the summary of the previous year’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cadence, stride length and Mo Farah’s finishing kick
To run faster you need to increase cadence, stride length or both. The question of which it is best to increase is not easy to answer. In particular, the question of the optimum cadence has long been...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The dream of capturing the force of gravity for forward propulsion:...
The beguiling dream of capturing the force of gravity to assist forward motion when running has re-emerged in recent months. There have been two recent re-incarnations of the dream. Both attempt to...
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