Progressing Towards Improved Posture


Admittedly, I do not have the best posture. It’s always been an issue. I had a small wake-up call in 2017 when I had a bulging disc causing spinal stenosis. It got to the point when I could not hold a paper plate in my left hand. The remedy was a cortisone shot and physical therapy. They both helped, but I have not been good about keeping up with the exercises. I have been conscious about my posture when working on the computer, and thankfully, the pain has not returned.

After my last marathon, I was working to get my base mileage up to 40 miles a week (MPW). As I built up the mileage, I noticed my quads and glutes showing signs of fatigue. I’ve seen that when I get tired, I start “sitting back in the saddle” as I run. I wanted to get up to 40 MPW at my easy pace from my last training block. However, for once, I decided to listen to my body and take a step back to focus on form, not speed or distance.  Since I was recovering, I kept it in zone 2 for my base runs and have become more aware of using my quads and glutes.

I have been trying to stack my ears over my shoulders and my shoulders over my hips as I run. This has helped to move my hips forward when I run, which means my glutes are more likely to engage, and I can avoid being back in the saddle. I have also tried keeping my elbows further back. This has opened up my chest and helped me land with my feet under me compared to landing on my feet in front of me.

I believe my form is now better. I feel the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) in my quads, calves, and glutes, so they are working harder currently than before. I have regained some marathon fitness for the first four miles of a run, but I don’t have my marathon endurance back yet. Running with better form will pay dividends as I prepare for my next event so I will wait for the endurance to return.

What mantras do you say to remind yourself of your running form? What rules of thumb do you use for posture checks? I would love to hear about them in the comments below.

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