Running

Last update: 2023-07-24

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Tips & thoughts

Running tips, experiences, thoughts and research that I’ve compiled along my running journey. (Thanks to the fellow anonymous long-distance runners for their feedback)

Running Form

  • Stay tall. Imagine a string pulling your head to the sky. This will also help improve your breathing.
  • Incline your body forward. Running is like controlled falling. The forward incline comes from the ankles, not from the hips. The degree of the incline also changes with speed – the faster you run, the more the incline.
  • Shoulders and back are relaxed. Keep your shoulders down, not tight.
  • Move your arms. Keep your arms bent at 80-100 degrees, parallel to your body. Swing the opposite arms and legs in sync, this will propel you forward. Move your arms forward, in the direction of movement. (As opposed to moving your arms sideways). A common problem is asymmetrical form in the arm movement which can be generated by the weight of what you carry in your hands or arms (for example, a smartphone). Running pouches, running vests or clothing/apparel can help you carry that stuff and free your hands and arms.
  • Keep your torso and hips stable, facing forward. Avoid rotating them if your body allows it, tilting the hips can often be due to weak glutes/tight hamstrings.
  • Feet fall below your center of gravity, not in front of you.
  • Foot strike pattern. Landing on your fore-foot or mid-foot is a more natural way of running.
  • Short strides. Shorter strides will help you land below your center of gravity, go faster, and your feet will be less time on the ground. Longer strides can make you land on your heel and we want to avoid that. So, avoid heel-strike and over striding.
  • Running research: I’ve compiled this running research repository, it’s a work in progress and it includes topics like foot strike patterns, coffee consumption, running shoes, arthritis and muscle memory.
  • Daniel E. Lieberman gives a nice picture of the human body with an evolutionary lens in the book The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease. It made me aware of little things, from what happens when we breath through the nose and why is that important to the effect of the external environment in our body. Some lessons learned from the book, that help me in my running journey:
    • Many body symptons are actually adaptations.
    • Fever helps your body fight infections, joint and muscle pains can be signals to cause you to cease dooing something harmful, like running incorrectly. (page 166)
    • We inherited from early Homo a projecting external nose to keep cool when trekking. The outer nose plays an important role in thermoregulation by generating turbulence in the air we inhale through the inner nose. When you inhale, the path in the nose increases contact between air and mucus membranes that line the inner nose, so when you inhale hot dry air through the external nose, the turbulent flow enhances the inner nose’s ability to humidify the air. Such humidification is important because inspired air needs to be saturated with water to prevent the lungs to dry out. (page 81)
    • Although natural selection has not ceased to act, its effects on human biology have been limited. There are other ways in which humans have evolved over the last few thousands and hundreds of years, that is through cultural evolution. Cultural Evolution has altered crucial interactions between genes and the environment by altering environments, not genes. (page 163)
    • Numerous cultural changes have altered interactions between our genes and our environments in ways that contribute to a wide range of health problems, these illnesses are mismatch diseases… mismatches are caused by stimuli that are too much, too little or too new. (pages 168-169)

Breathing

  • 👃 Use your nose to inhale and exhale. If you can’t, exhale through your mouth. Some people find the process of playing around with breathing patterns more useful than using a specific breathing technique. Test various speeds so you can become aware of what’s most efficient for you.
  • Breath slowly, pace your breathing.  
  • 🔑 Breathing properly is key to good running.
  • Here’s an easy book to read about breathing that help me become aware of what happens in the body when we breath and also showed me different breathing techniques.

Sleep

  • Research suggests that sleeping enough hours (~8) every night helps improve skill memories in the absence of any further practice. The brain helps automate movement routines, bringing an effortless feel to movement.
  • In the context of injury, chronic lack of sleep predicts a higher risk of injury.
  • Check Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker for deeper evidence-based knowledge on the importance of sleep.

Pacing

  • Start slow, let your body warm up, then increase your pace if your comfortable with it. Be consistent with your pace.
  • Pacing is the secret to good running and not getting tired.
  • To pace yourself use a simple watch, a running watch, an app or even music.

Audio

  • Music, audiobooks, and podcasts can make the running experience more enjoyable. The negative side is getting distracted while listening to a song, developing a strong attachment to the experience of listening to something, or feeling uncomfortable while running in silence.
  • If you like running in silence, amazing.

Shoes and Clothes

  • 👣 Find shoes that are comfortable for you. My opinion is that there’s no perfect shoe in the market, however, I believe it’s important to find long-lasting and durable shoes that can be used for more than the ~600 km average that is generally shared by content creators specialised in running. The main reason is to reduce your garbage footprint. I recommend finding shoes that last double or more than the above mentioned average. In my experience minimalist and barefoot shoes last longer than the typical running shoes. I’ve used vibram shoes that last more than 2000 km, and I still use them for shorter runs. If you don’t like minimalist shoes, find a typical shoe with a durable sole, as the sole is one of the main parts that wears out.
  • Some runners, like me, prefer minimalist shoes / barefoot shoes. If you decide to switch and use barefoot shoes , the body needs time (6 months to 1 year) to adapt to this style of running. Be mindful, your body may need more time to adapt, so have patience.
  • The clothes you wear will affect you while running. Find something that you’re comfortable with.
  • The weather will affect the type of clothes you select. Running in hot weather will require a different set of clothes than in cold weather. For example, in colder weather I recommend using layers and to start your running feeling a bit chilly because during running your body will warm up.

Nutrition

  • 📖 Scott Jurek has an interesting book called Eat & Run. I recommend it.
  • 💧Drink water before and after running. If you’re doing long runs (>1 hour) or it’s very hot bring water with you to drink during physical activity.

Location

  • 🌳 I always try to find parks, or locations near nature. In my opinion, this makes the experience much more enjoyable. Research suggests that outdoor activity which is conducted in a natural or green environment causes greater feelings of revitalisation and positive engagement.
  • I prefer to avoid cars, noise, a lot of people, and buildings, which can be a distraction while running. 

General health

Always consult with a physician before engaging in intense physical activities. Get a comprehensive annual health check-up if you’re practicing long-distance running.

Injuries, recovery and rehabilitation

If you have recently been injured, rest and recovery are key. If you suffered a more serious injury, follow your physician’s guidance, and most importantly take physiotherapy seriously, half of the battle is recovery the other half is rehabilitation.

Awareness

Being aware of how everything affects you is key: from the environment, the local weather, your body and how it moves, how well you sleep, what food you eat, the clothes you wear, your mind, your feelings and emotions, the thoughts that accompany you, the location where you are, the pace you run at.

Happy Running 🏃🏾‍♂️

My running journey

This is and will always be a work in progress…

When I was 2-3 years old, mi abuelo used to take me running. He introduced me to the world and habit of running. We ran 3 km. together, when my family and I visited him in San Luis Potosí. My mother says that I was an active and restless child – I guess running was a good solution to calm me.

my grandfather Félix de los Santos

My grandfather left a great deal to me. As a human, kindness and a passion for running. As a medical doctor, he taught me the value of helping others and supporting the local community. As a musician, I acquired his passion and learned how to play the guitar later on in life. He passed away when I was 5. Growing up, I ran during sprint competitions in school & outside school, I ran some more while playing football, and at 16 I started running 5-10 km every other day for the joy of it. It gave me energy and it kept me positive.

For me, running is not a sport, I don’t focus on the competitive aspect. Running is an ongoing process to learn about myself, to become more aware of myself and my environment, to bring me joy, and to train my mind to break mental barriers. Running is about acknowledging our inner struggles and acknowledging the struggles of others, recognising that we are together, interlinked.

Beim Laufen geht es darum, unsere inneren Kämpfe und die Kämpfe der anderen anzuerkennen, zu realisieren, dass wir zusammengehören und miteinander verknüpft sind.

I started running long distances in 2014, it was my first year in Berlin. Here is my race archive. My first ultramarathon was in 2019 and I’ll let the below video share my experience (subtitles in english available).

Recently, I’ve organised a couple of long-distance events called Runnerona, an invitation to run, walk, cycle (or a little bit of everything) through the beautiful Berlin Tiergarten. 

I ran my 2nd Ultramarathon in 2022 and it was an amazing experience. Here are some lessons (and reminders) from the experience:

  • Always be kind and grateful with yourself and others.
  • Eat when the body-mind needs food, rest when rest is needed. Run and enjoy in the present moment.
  • It’s not about enduring or withstanding pain. It’s not about controlling. It’s not about attaining. It’s just about being, as it is.
  • You can always begin again, in every moment. This mantra was helpful to periodically reset my running form and mindset every time I would become unaware or I got lost in thought (eg. hunching my shoulders instead of being relaxed and upright).

Rest and recovery are the other side of running. Taking time to recover after a long run is not only important but an essential pilar of running, and even more so with injuries. I have had some experience with injuries, which include braking my arms twice as a child and one time as an adult, countless ankle and foot sprains while playing contact sports, and a stress fracture on the foot; so having a leg or arm cast and physiotherapy are no mystery to me. I also have a mild degree of osteopenia, so being thoughtful and mindful about my body, nutrition, sleep and recovery has been essential for me.

What are some of the lessons that I’ve learned by practicing long-distance running?

Running can help you reach a state of flow, most importantly, running is a road to awareness, this road helps you identify, acknowledge and break the barriers – both within and without – that limit us. It is a journey into yourself, into the no-self. Also, running is fun 😄.

“The right way to run is to dance, to dance across the countryside” Alan Watts, The Self, Pursuit of Pleasure.

“In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.” Haruki Murakami,  What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

“In order to become someone else – achieve the full potential of my being, I have to engage in new imaginative acts. Running is one such act for me, a bonding with the world through the soles of my feet” Noé Álvarez, Spirit Run.

Running Coaching

If you have running questions, if you are interested in getting guidance & support for your next race, or if you want to improve your running form and technique, you can check my training programme www.runnerona.com or you can contact me at:

✉️ info[@]daviderubio.com

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