Proper Running Form
Feet: Land on the middle part of your foot, then quickly roll through to the front of your toes and try to spring off the ground. With each step, your foot should land lightly and quietly. Your feet shouldn’t slap loudly as they hit the ground, good running is springy and quiet.
Entire Body: Run with a slight lean forward (entire body, not just from above the hips). No lean forces you to land on your heels which increases the risk of injury. Leaning forward slightly also helps you harness the power of gravity as you move forward.
Arms/Shoulders: Arms, shoulders, and hands should be loose and relaxed. Elbows should be bent 90 degrees. Your hands should be between your hips and lower chest as your arms are swinging. Shake out your arms and shoulders every once in a while during a run to make sure you are relaxed.
How To Run Hills
Uphills: Shorten your stride, run more on your toes, lean into the hill, and pump your arms.
Downhills: Stay in control, avoid over-striding. Take short, quick, light steps. Relax more, and “fall into the hill.”
NOTE: It’s okay to run slower on hills, but keep the same effort level. Tune into your breathing level: it should be the same on hills as on level ground.
Cramps
Stomach Cramps: Often food related. Try different food choices, or leaving more time between eating and practice and/or races.
Side Cramps: Often breathing related. Make sure you are taking deep breaths in and out while you are running.
Leg Cramps: Often water related. Make sure you are drinking enough water during practice, and during the day of practice and/or meets
Nutrition Tips
What time should I eat?
The ideal time to eat a pre-race meal is about 3 -4 hours before race time. This is early enough to digest and store large amounts of energy, yet late enough that this energy won’t be used by race time. A full meal can be eaten this far ahead of race time. The closer to race time, the smaller the meal should be.
What Should I Eat Before a Race?
Tortillas, oatmeal, bread, pancakes, waffles, bagels, yogurt, and juice are all easy-todigest options. Many fruits are high in carbs but are also high in fiber – and too much can cause stomach trouble mid-race. You can peel apples, peaches, and pears to reduce their fiber content. Wiite bread and baked potatoes without the skin are both easily digested. Steer clear of high fat foods, like creamy sauces, cheese, butter, and oils – as well as too much protein. Both nutrients fill you up faster than carbs and take longer to digest. Pick jam – not butter – for your toast, tomato sauce – not alfredo sauce – for your pasta, and frozen yogurt – not ice cream – for dessert. You cannot completely fill your muscles with glycogen from just one meal, which is why you need to start carboloading two or three days before your race. You aren’t necessarily eating more calories, it’s just that more of the calories are coming from carbohydrates.
THE NIGHT BEFORE: Dinner should be relatively small but carb-heavy. Eat on the early side so you have lots of time to digest. You want to wake up hungry on race day.
RACE MORNING: Several hours before the start of the race, eat something like a bagel and yogurt, a sports drink, banana and oatmeal, peanut butter toast…. Don’t try new food choices on race day, stick with what is familiar to you.
Nutrition Tips from Olympic and World Famous Marathoners
- Wesley Korir from Louisville. KY (Winner of the 2012 Boston Marathon)
Pre-Race Ritual: I always eat a six-inch Subway tuna sandwich and give another one to a homeless person. - Kara Goucher (11th jn 2012 Summer Olympic Marathon – 2:26:07)
Night Before: Simple white foods – rolls, rice, chicken and grilled vegetables Race Morning: Banana, instant apple cinnamon oatmeal - Alissa McKaiq (8th in Olympic Marathon Trials)
Night Before: Spaghetti, broccoli, chicken, potatoes
Race Morning: Dry cereal, a banana and peanut butter - Ryan Hall (Set the American World Record for the Marathon – 2:04:58)
Night Before: Brown-rice pasta with olive oil and muscle milk Race Morning: Protein shake with a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio - Shalane Flanagan (10th in 2012 Summer Olympic Marathon – 2:25:51)
The night before: eat chicken, a sweet potato and bread – really simple.
After a race my go to meal is a burger and fries.
Dunn Cross Country 