Running Downhill - Favoured techniques?

[Greg_M]

I have been experimenting with downhill ever since reading about fell runners - allow me a hero worship moment........

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Ok I am back, and am now solidly in the camp of 'going for it' downhill. I find the easiest thing to do is to just relax into it, lean forward and go as fast as gravity wants me to go. It seems to put much less strain on the quads and calfs.

The difficult bit is to not overstride short fast steps until you get to the bottom otherwise you get a really accentuated heel strike which spoils the rhythm and can be a bit sore.

It's easy on roads but cross country can be fun and sometimes I completely run out of 'bottle' . However it isn't half exhilarating charging through the country side like that.

[Anonymous36 Graduate]

I'm usually too busy thinking 'hallelujah a downhill' to be concerned with anything I'm doing

I did read somewhere that you should lean forward and take small steps but I can't say I've put much thought into what I do.

[AliB1 Graduate]

i've bee told to lean very slightly back and just let your body go for it...works for me!

[deadasadodo Graduate]

whhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Is my downhill technique

[AliB1 Graduate in reply to deadasadodo]

really want to like this!

[Greg_M Graduate in reply to AliB1]

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Thats all very well but there is one very important point you have missed out - - - - - - you have to go up the hill before you can come back down!!! I don't do little ups very well let alone big UPS and big DOWNS!!

[Greg_M Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Being able to go wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee though is your reward for the effort for going uphill.

You can even stretch out your arms and make aeroplane shapes

[sfb350 Graduate in reply to Greg_M]

I've done that !

[PatButcher Graduate]

You're as mad as a box of frogs, Love it! :*

[Minuette Graduate]

My favourite downhill technique is running with a big smile on my face because here comes the easy bit!

Seriously though I've been told to run slowly downhill rather than bomb down it, with smaller steps than usual.