I apologize for not knowing what POSE method is and what this toe striking is all about. In addition, I haven’t read about this issue lately. What I’m gonna tell you is my personal experience. I was running for a year, when I reached 10K in 50’. Then, my former coach told me after one race: “There’s nothing I can do to improve your running technique.” Six months later, after having changed my coach, I was running 10K in 42’ over a hilly course. We’ve been training the ability to first touch the ground with the middle part of the feet, instead of with the heel. Stretching the proximal muscles of the tights also helped my steps to become larger. Training with light bars in the hands also helped to correct my arms movement and position, improving my leg power and speed. Specific corrective exercises were used too. And we’ve been trying to run in perfect straight line, with one foot almost in front of other by rotating the pelvis, diminishing the lateral loss of energy. I haven’t reached the 10K world record, but this helped not only me, but also Luiz Eng (we have the same coach) and the other people that train with us. Hope this helps you too. After correcting the running technique, then I think that cadence may become a more important issue, although we’ve seen pretty rapid people running as they were “walking fast”.

The POSE method is not toe striking, but forefoot striking, which is really the ball of your foot.

Have you checked out the POSE website (www.posetech.com)? There is some more info there, although the video would probably help more. Changing to the POSE style of running really is more than just increasing your cadence, although the increased cadence is a big part of it. It's also about getting a forward lean to give you forward momentum, and reducing your movement to simply picking up your foot (no push-off or reaching out with the front leg). Sounds easy enough, but it's difficult to master (at least for me.)

     I agree with Carol that you should take a look a the Pose website to get a better idea of what it's all about. I would also suggest getting the book Explosive Running by Michael Yessis and checking out www.gordonpirie.com. These sources also emphasize forefoot striking, but, as Carol points out, that is only a part of the biomechanics. Striking directly under your body is equally important. I would venture to guess that your arch pain is caused by forefoot striking out in front of your body, i.e. overstriding. Good luck!

P.S. You can also find some great info on this forum and on Gordo's forum at http://www.coachgordo.com/cgi-bin/config.pl. Just search for "pose" or "running technique"

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Dave in WI
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"What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore" - Wilco

'soreness in the arch' is a potential problem, most likely precursor to tearing something. For marathons, the best form is the most efficient form: the most efficient form is dependent on your particular biomechanics: the best way to develop efficient form is to run a lot. That's it. Technique is very nearly irrelevant for marathon runners.

Increased cadence work probably won't do any harm and maybe some good, but I don't think POSE has anything to offer. I can't find any theoretical or practical justification for the POSE theory. In fact some of the statements are demonstrably false. For example, from the website: "In the Pose MethodTM it is assumed that running technique is the same for all athletes regardless of speed or distance." ASSUMED ? Why is an entire training theory based on an assumption ? Look at Tim Montgomery running 100m and Haile Gebrselassie running 10 000m and see if their technique is the same - I don't think so..

Gebrselassie said in an interview once:"No, no, I listen to coaches, of course I do," he says. "I will always listen to my coaches. But first I listen to my body. If what they tell me suits my body, great. If my body doesn't feel good with what they say, then always my body comes first." Which is a good starting point for mere mortals like us as well..

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"It is a good feeling for old men who have begun to fear failure, any sort of failure, to set a schedule for exercise and stick to it. If an aging man can run a distance of three miles, for instance, he knows that whatever his other failures may be, he is not completely wasted away." Romain Gary, SI interview

When I first started running I was a very heavy heel striker. After I started accumulating some serious mileage I'm now a mid-foot striker. I think my increase in speed has more to do with the mileage and the more efficient stride I have developed as a result. I will never be a world class runner but do think I'll run well enough to qualify for Boston.

Just curious. If I started running using the POSE method, will I become a poser? :-)