Run-Down Forums

Shaun Fox · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2002 1:48 am Post subject:

Is it true that running on your toes is faster than heel to toe running especially for shorter distances like 100m to 1500m.
I ask this because i heel strike and have read that toe running is faster, so is it better to run on your toes?

Conway · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2002 11:35 am Post subject:

The faster one runs the more the tendency to rise to one's toes .. Unless a person is flatfooted .. Runnng up on one's toes creates a driving motion which is what sprinting is .. It shifts the bodies center of gravity and forward ..

On the other hand running on one's heals shifts the body backwards into a non driving , more shuffling motion ..

Is one better than the other .. Depends on what you are doing .. Heal/toe strike is definitely more economical and conducive to distance running .. However at some point in the race if you are going to kick would be nice to be able to get up on your toes .. At least I would think so ..

Dan · Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2002 6:00 am Post subject:

"Toe" running is definitely faster. Technically, it is better described as being on the ball of your foot. Some people look like they're in ballet when trying to run on their toes without proper instruction...

Some people can stay up on their toes over rather long distances, but most people are limited to sprint distances (and speed; I can't stay on my toes above about 70 seconds per 400m without prancing).

Shaun Fox · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2002 8:49 am Post subject:

yep ive tried running on my toes but find it difficult after a couple of mins im focusing on the 800m this season and would like to be able to run it all on my toes as i think it will improve my times, as it has over 400m in training. Will practicing running on my toes lead to being able to run on them longer?

Dan · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2002 12:03 pm Post subject:

This is from a piece I wrote a couple of years ago on the Training pages:

"My first year at Oregon State, I decided I really needed to learn to run on my toes if I wanted to get faster in the 800m. Early in the track season, I spent a week running at least a mile continuous on my toes EVERY day. Remember now, before that I could hardly handle 50m! Obviously the pace had to be kept slow at first. I spent the next week being afraid of stairs, my calves hurt so bad. After the initial week I did not force the issue, toe running only on intervals. Around mid-season I ran the 800m and lowered my PR from 2:18.0 to 2:11.2, not too shabby for a mere style change. Also, after that first week of toe running, it became completely natural to run on my toes for the entire 800m, and throughout most intervals of 400m or less."

If you're going to try something like this, make sure you clear a week on your schedule with no hard training and no races, otherwise you'll most likely injure something. It *will* burn, but the payoff for me was very immediate. I often got the mile of toe running in during a road run or on the track afterward.

Dan

Shaun Fox · Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2002 3:29 am Post subject:

Thanks Dan that was helpful i think i will do something similar.

Shaun Fox · Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2002 4:57 am Post subject:

I went for my first run in 3 months yesterday. I ran for 22mins only slow though and managed to run on my toes for about 18mins and it felt good like i was floating along i felt so flat footed and sluggish when i ran the last 4 mins heel to toe. My calfs are acheing a bit today though but there not to bad.

Dan · Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2002 10:34 pm Post subject:

Wow, that's a long time for the first day. We'll see how it works for you, but I'd be a bit cautious starting out that high. There's a difference between necessary soreness and full scale blowouts, and it's often hard to tell where that dividing line lies on a new exercise...

Dan

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