Running Up That Hill

Fed up with constant hamstring and knee issues, I decided to try a new running style - barefoot, landing on the balls of my feet (not striking with the heel first as most runners do), knees slightly bent and legs never fully extended, and always making sure my feet land directly below my hips.

This running style was awkward at first, and I got some strange looks from fellow gym members, but after one session I felt a remarkable difference - my knees and lower back didn't ache, I was able to run 2 miles at a 10:30 minute clip at a 2% incline, but my calves feel like they have gone through a wood chipper...but that is to be expected.

Running in this manner is what makes the Tarahumara Indians of central Mexico (State of Chihuahua, actually, where my mom is from) some of the finest long-distance runners in the world...we are talking ultra-marathon runners, 100 mile long foot races over brutal terrain.

I'm planning on a follow up run today, but my calves may need another day of rest. All I know is that I am pleased to have run 2+ miles at an incline with no knee pain...