Jacky Ledeboer, a phsyiotherapist from the Netherlands, recently alerted me to a video she shot at the CPC Loop Den Hague half marathon in the Netherlands. The video, posted on her YouTube channel, is shot at 210 frames per second and provides a great sample of the variation in foot strike patterns seen among fast recreational-level runners in a road race.
One thing to notice in the video is that although most of the runners are heel striking, there is quite a bit of variation in the position of the foot and leg upon initial contact within this category. It’s for this reason that I personally don’t think all heel striking should be lumped together as an evil that runners need to banish from their form (for more on my thoughts about this, read my “Facts on Foot Strike” article in the June 2012 issue of Running Times).
Anyway, here’s the video – enjoy!
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