I’ve been getting into a little running lately and would like to know the correct technique for running downhill. After being a heel-striker, I’ve just changed to a ball/heel/ball style. Whiile running downhill I need to slow myself down, so that means my foot has to land in front of my CG, which seems to be quite hard to do while maintaining a ball/heel/ball style.
Bear in mind that I’m quite slow, and not used to running at all (avg. run length 3.5km), so the “just turnover really fast” approach will probably just lead to me falling flat on my face.
The best thing I can tell you is to hold back only as much as you have to, and no more, but, towards the bottom of the hill, try to practice “turning over real fast” and really running. The more you practice this, the sooner you can begin to really run down the hill. Eventually, you’ll get better at it. Your footstrike will be pretty much the same when you are really running downhill.
Of course, there will always be hills too steep. I just try and keep my feet close to the surface and stay smooth, at least it minimizes the shock.
I wanna second what yaqui said about the high turnover. That’s probably the single biggest thing you can do to help your downhill running. I used to run with this girl who had this big lunging stride and was terribly slow downhill. Once I got her turnover up, there was no keeping up with her. You just feel much more secure at speed since your feet are on the ground a bit more.
The other tip that really helps is to still your upper body. Normally, upper body, elbows, etc… are all working in some kind of oppostion to the lower body. But when you’re going downhill, it feels like all that movement makes you less stable. So, I kind of hold my abs and my arms in and resist moving the upper body. I feel very stable and can go much faster that way. Try it, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Speaking of injuries and running downhill…that’s how I ruptured a plantaris tendon. It REALLY hurt, kept me from running for a couple of months. I ruptured the other one on purpose when it started to act up enough to hinder my running. What can I say? I recognized the prodromal symptoms, it was the off-season, and if it was going to rupture, I wanted to get it over with. So, I jumped off of a weight bench onto the ball of my foot 7-8 times until it popped. It’s like someone shot you me the calf, the nausea afterwards was at least as bad as the pain. Sometimes (like in my case) you can actually hear it when it ruptures. At least I don’t have to worry about THAT injury in either leg any more!
“There are two downhill sections on my normal run, each of only about 100m, so it’s not too bad. Probably about 6% grade.”
100m at 6% you should FLY. Lengthen your stride on downhills.
Downhilling is my specialty. I suck going up, but usually pull back all the people that passed me when we go back down. The trick is to let yourself go, and flow with it. Unless it’s loose gravel, I can get flying on downhills.
Your heel should never strike the ground, only the ball of your foot. Don’t leave it down there long enough to absorb your forward energy. Also, take care to NOT push off with your calf muscles, but bound forward using your quads and use the hamstrings to pull your heel up high (see Posetech.com). You can’t do both, if you push off the toes (calf muscles) then you can’t get your heel to come up the way it should. It’s largely counterintuitive, and when you first get it working it will feel hard, but once your muscles get used to it, it’s much faster. You can basically tell when you’ve got it working, because your downhill running will improve about 300%.
I’d like to say I understand your post…but I don’t. You WANTED to rupture it? For the love of God man…why?? Wouldn’t rest and ice have been better - unless of course the rupture of the discussed tendon brings on orasmic feelings. 'Cause then it’d be ok.
jsivvy wrote: You WANTED to rupture it? For the love of God man…why?
Yep, it was just a matter of time before it ruptured…according to the Orthopedic surgeon that checked out my first one. He said it’s a common “middle-aged runners” problem. He said he could go in a surgically cut it, but, we both agreed that didn’t make good sense in a recreational athlete (and insurance certainly wouldn’t cover that!). The problem is, you never know when it’s going to go…so, when it gave me the sign that it was ready…I assisted it. Since it was the off-season, healing time wouldn’t interfere with any races! That’s the only reason I did it. Old age ain’t for sissies, as my Grandfather was fond of saying.
Another downhill technique is to lean into the hill. That is trying to stay more or less perpendicular to the surface. THe fast turnover only works for me going up. I use a longer stride going down.