The Running Thread - 2026

[PrincessV]

I quit supporting Nike a long time ago for different reasons. Just another on a long list to keep it that way

Same. And I switched to wearing Altras a long time ago because they just work better for me than other shoe brands… but their clap-back at Nike was a solid reason to keep giving them my money!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Plus 1 for New Balance customer service.

I ordered DS3 new track spikes just over a month ago (because middle school boy feet just keep growing!) from joesnewbalanceoutlet (which is overstock or last year's stuff) and today was his first meet. He ran the 1600 and the 3200. And after the 1600m one of his shoes looked like this:

My first instinct was the he had sliced it with the spikes on his other foot somehow during a step/legswing, but this is on the outside of the shoe, so that's really unlikely.

I went onto their main website, hit the chat button, and told CS what happened. They sent me a return label, and will give me a full refund for the shoes once they receive them. Doesn't solve the problem that he doesn't currently have useable spikes for next week, but I can hopefully order new ones to have in time. *SIGH*

 

[The Expert]

Thanks everyone for the feedback on The Feed. I just took advantage of the 25% sale to order a few singles and sample packs of different things to try out.

 

[FFigawi]

I keep saying they need a ghost runner that is going "average runner" pace alongside the lead pack, kind of like they do the 40s at the NFL Combine. Without the perspective of someone NOT doing 4-5mm it's hard to see how spectacular this is.

One year I ran Comrades, they had a treadmill set up at the expo going at the previous year's winner's pace. It was somewhere around 5:30-6 per mile. I managed to hold on for longer than I expected and walked away in disbelief that they averaged that over 90km.

Thank you. I am super curious about Skratch as it seems like EVERYBODY uses it. I appreciate all the suggestions.

Skratch is fantastic! Their chews, bars, and recovery mix are always at home. I don't like their carb fuel as much as Tailwind though.

 

[GollyGadget]

QOTD: How much do you focus on your running form? What cues do you use to keep your form strong? What other tips do you have for keeping good form throughout a run?

ATTQOTD: I do not usually focus much on my form. If I noticed that I was being particularly slouchy, I'd remind myself to pull back my shoulders but that was really it.

As I'm not training for anything at the moment, I figure it's as good of a time as any to work on my form instead of just plodding along. I watched a yt video the other day that advised pretending I was trying to rub gum off the bottom of my shoe when I pushed off. I gave it a try on my last two runs and it feels like I'm getting a lot more power out of each stride without any additional noticeable effort. My easy pace also improved 20-45 seconds per mile.

It kind of makes me feel like I've been running wrong for decades so I'm looking for more tips or resources.

 

[nancipants]

QOTD: How much do you focus on your running form? What cues do you use to keep your form strong? What other tips do you have for keeping good form throughout a run?

ATTQOTD: I do not usually focus much on my form. If I noticed that I was being particularly slouchy, I'd remind myself to pull back my shoulders but that was really it.

As I'm not training for anything at the moment, I figure it's as good of a time as any to work on my form instead of just plodding along. I watched a yt video the other day that advised pretending I was trying to rub gum off the bottom of my shoe when I pushed off. I gave it a try on my last two runs and it feels like I'm getting a lot more power out of each stride without any additional noticeable effort. My easy pace also improved 20-45 seconds per mile.

It kind of makes me feel like I've been running wrong for decades so I'm looking for more tips or resources.

Have you ever tried Galloway's acceleration gliders? It's mostly to help transition between run/walk, but I also find it helps with form.

We also do cadence drills, where we count our steps and try to increase every interval.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it - I’ve not had any issues indicating I need a change in form, so I try not to focus on it at all. The less in my head I am, the more relaxed my body becomes, and the better I run.

 

[SheHulk]

QOTD: How much do you focus on your running form? What cues do you use to keep your form strong? What other tips do you have for keeping good form throughout a run?

ATTQOTD: I do not usually focus much on my form. If I noticed that I was being particularly slouchy, I'd remind myself to pull back my shoulders but that was really it.

As I'm not training for anything at the moment, I figure it's as good of a time as any to work on my form instead of just plodding along. I watched a yt video the other day that advised pretending I was trying to rub gum off the bottom of my shoe when I pushed off. I gave it a try on my last two runs and it feels like I'm getting a lot more power out of each stride without any additional noticeable effort. My easy pace also improved 20-45 seconds per mile.

It kind of makes me feel like I've been running wrong for decades so I'm looking for more tips or resources.

I've gotten two pieces of advice that seem contradictory, but maybe not:
Imagine a string coming out of your belly button, pulling you along. This helps me to run tall. Along with that, Billy has said to run like I'm pinching my shoulder blades toward each other. I don't come close to doing that, but having that goal keeps me from slouching.

The other thing I've read is to lean forward like you're pushing a shopping cart up a hill. It's not contradictory to the above, because they don't mean lean at your waist, they mean more like make a line from your ankles to your shoulders and imagine leaning forward a little. I do run faster when I remember to do this.

 

[MissLiss279]

ATTQOTD:
I don’t particularly pay attention to my form, except for when running downhill. Lean forward, don’t brake, but stay in control.

 

[Dopey 2020]

ATTQOTD The last few months I have been really concentrating on my form, 2 things in particular. Stand up straight, head and shoulders back, chest forward. Increasing stride length behind me by pushing off harder instead of reaching and over striding. RWR helps a lot to check and reset form at each interval and I have noticed substantial gains in the form of decreased effort and HR. Just need it to become natural so I don’t have to think about it.

 

[The Expert]

ATTQOTD: When I started with my coach, she encouraged me to pay more attention to my form -- to tweak little things one at a time to recognize where I was fighting myself. As others have said, standing up straighter, leading with the hips and chest, leaning from the ankles, but also thinking about pulling your foot UP at the end of your stride rather than focusing on the downward motion and where/how you are landing.

This has helped me immensely with over-striding (especially as someone with short legs). I was very much a heel striker and over-striding trying to go faster, but now I find myself landing mid-foot with far less ground contact time. In fact, I can SEE it in my rD race photos -- almost all of them have flying feet now.

My pace is faster at what feels like the same effort, which is kinda fun! I do have to be mindful of expending too much energy by too high a bounce (especially on the treadmill), but my current training has a lot of speed work that helps me recognize that and reel it in.

 

[michigandergirl]

ATTQOTD: The only time I think about form is when there's a photographer on course and I don't want to look like I'm dying.

 

[Fenway1970]

In fact, I can SEE it in my rD race photos -- almost all of them have flying feet now.

That's my goal lol, to not look like I'm standing still in race photos because I sure don't feel like I am.

In my mind I look like a gazelle. And then I see the race photo and I'm like, "what the hell animal is that?!"

So I guess my ATTQOTD is: I think about it all the time but my brain has never figured out what "good" feels like.

 

[jmasgat]

ATTQOTD: I tend to think more of upper body/core form than lower. Part of that is due to a chronic cervical disc issue that I try to keep at bay. So I am definitely in the “pull your shoulders back” camp, keep your chin retracted, eyes forward. I tend to look down, and drop my head forward—not good. So I tell myself “look with you eyes, not your neck”.

Also, especially for going up hills, I have a mantra of “breath, buns, bhandas”, i.e. breathe to support the effort, use your big old glutes to move your legs, and keep you core engaged to “lift” your body (I’ve convinced myself that keeping an engaged core makes me “lighter”)

Finally, when I get tired, I remind myself to pick up my feet. I have no desire to trip an fall.

 

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I don’t know about running form, exactly, but I pay a lot of attention to my posture on runs. To the point where I’ll say to myself “stop slouching, idiot”

Not only does it help me feel physically better, but it helps me mentally. If I’m slouching during walk breaks, it tends to turn into trudging, and that just makes me feel miserable, even if I’m actually doing fine otherwise.