RUNNING TECHNIQUE

I like to show the last non-African holding the world record for the 10k, Arturo Barrios.  Technique is the key.

27:22.4     27:22.47     Henry Rono (KEN)      June 11, 1978    Vienna, Austria[4]

27:13.81    -        Fernando Mamede (POR)    July 2, 1984 Stockholm, Sweden[4]

27:08.23    -        Arturo Barrios (MEX) August 18, 1989 Berlin, Germany[4]

27:07.91    -        Richard Chelimo (KEN)       July 5, 1993 Stockholm, Sweden[4]

26:58.38    -        Yobes Ondieki (KEN) July 10, 1993     Oslo, Norway[4]

26:52.23    -        William Sigei (KEN)    July 22, 1994     Oslo, Norway[4]

26:43.53    -        Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)     June 5, 1995 Hengelo, Netherlands[4]

26:38.08    -        Salah Hissou (MAR)    August 23, 1996 Brussels, Belgium[4]

26:31.32    -        Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)     August 4, 1997   Oslo, Norway[4]

26:27.85    -        Paul Tergat (KEN)      August 22, 1997 Brussels, Belgium[4]

26:22.75    -        Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)     June 1, 1998 Hengelo, Netherlands[4]

26:20.31    -        Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)       June 8, 2004      Ostrava, Czech Republic[4]

26:17.53    -        Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)       August 26, 2005 Brussels, Belgium[4]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres

1)   His cadence is above 200 steps per minute.

2)   He runs with the ball of his foot.

3)   Leaning forward, with his weight always in front of him.

These three steps should be perfect before going to the second part:

4)   Knee should work as a pendulum to increase the momentum acquired when touching the ground.  If we do not have the first three steps. it is impossible to take advantage of the gravitational force using the knee to keep the momentum.

5)   The momentum is also kept by the hip that follows the knee.  Watch this video:

6)   Fear of falling is the main reason why athletes cannot take advantage of gravitational force.  They tend to stop the body from falling by touching the ground in front of them to avoid falling; and most of the time, the only way to do it is with the heel.

Running well is not natural unless we have good examples like the Africans and walk barefoot. If you used shoes as a child, you already have a handicap.  Unlearning takes longer than actually learning how to run well.