Heels or toes?

[Dee2609]

The Japanese slow running man says to run on your toes but when running W6R1 just now Sarah Millican told me to heel plant. Now I’m confused and ended up doing a bit of each 🤪. Advice gratefully received oh wise ones!

[John_W Graduate]

Several of us here on the C25K Admin team cannot fathom the heel-first advice and we wish it was changed.

They'd be best off saying nothing - there is no right or wrong way for your foot to land - in fact, it depends on how quickly you're going. Think of the difference between someone walking and someone sprinting.

Yes, there are situations where you'd be advised to change how you foot-strike, but in the first instance, do what comes naturally.

[Dee2609 Graduate]

Thanks John, I think I mainly toe plant but it’s more obvious on an incline when I seem to want to speed up. I’ll just ignore that bit of advice from my “coach”!

[John_W Graduate in reply to Dee2609]

Yes, please ignore it.

If I think back to our works C25K running groups , which we've done 8 times and had about 100 people through it, I can think of only 1 person who had the most awful running gait - it was more of a lollop - huge strides, almost kangaroo-like etc, and I advised her to change completely, which she did successfully. That's 1 in 100. So the odds are that doing-what-comes-naturally, is probably fine for now.

For further info , have a look at the likes of Chi and POSE running - very popular !

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to John_W]

I don’t think I run like a kangaroo, sloth maybe 😂

[Hidden]

Having listened to running trainers on YouTube, they advise to run so that your foot lands flat on the ground directly beneath you, and that you run as if you are a puppet on a string attached to your head, i.e. vertically.

A heal strike seems to me to indicate you place your foot in front of your body, I did that 15 years ago on a 7 1/2 mile run and my Achilles’ tendon went and I had an extremely painful hobble 3 miles back to the training ground and changing rooms.

I have run on the balls of my feet before, years ago, but prefer to run as the whole of my foot huts the ground directly beneath me. I cannot advise what you do, but listen to your body and stay safe. Happy 🏃‍♀️

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Ouch, that sounds painful! My Achilles felt a bit tight heel planting so went back to what comes naturally. Happy running to you too Dave and thanks for replying 🏃‍♂️🏃🏼🏃‍♀️

[Hidden in reply to Dee2609]

Thanks, thinking about it, the only time I run on the balls if my feet are going uphill, and we’ve got lots of hills in Wales! But at my age I listen to my body every time.

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Sounds sensible, a fair few inclines here in the Surrey Hills too but probably not quite in Wales’ league!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Just run it...Your way..🎵🎵🎵🎵

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I will! Thanks 🙏🏻

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Heel striking imparts more impact stresses onto your bones, joints and muscles and is generally considered the least beneficial form of footfall.

The majority of recreational runners heelstrike.

[Dee2609 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks Ian, I won’t aspire to it then