Cardiff Half Marathon

How to improve your running form

When you’re at your local Parkrun or taking part in a running event, such as the Principality Cardiff Half Marathon, you’ll notice that people run in lots of different ways.

Maybe they’re taking big strides, have a bounce in their step or perhaps they seem a bit hunched over.

If you haven’t been coached and have simply learnt to run by lacing up your trainers and bounding out the door, it can be difficult to know how to run most effectively.

Run 4 Wales Race Director, and double Olympic marathoner, Steve Brace, shares his advice when it comes to trying to perfect your running form.

He says: “Being relaxed in your running action is the key to being a more efficient runner. Undue tension and poor technique can cause injury over a long period of time, no matter how good your shoes or how soft the running surface is.”

He advises: “Try running tall with your head up and a pronounced chest. Keep shoulders as low as possible and your elbows close to your side, swinging back and forth with no shoulder rise. Opening your fingers, rather than clenching your fists, can help with keeping your upper body relaxed.

“Your rear leg should drive the pushing leg away so it’s important to keep the foot in contact with the ground as much as possible.

“All of these little adjustments can help make you a more efficient and economical runner, so try practising these tweaks in short and fast runs until it feels natural.”

To practise this, Steve suggests you can carry out these tweaks to your running style as drills to improve your technique over short distances as first – running 60m at 60-80% effort.

While it may feel abnormal to run in a different way at first, getting used to these adjustments over time will help to make you a more efficient runner.

Back to news