Half-marathon champion helps Airmen relearn to run

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. David Tolson
  • Health and Wellness Center
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  To help runners at Kirtland improve their efficiency and increase power, the Health and Wellness Center hosted a clinic July 19.

About 100 runners turned out to get instruction from Dr. Antonio Eppolito, an Air Force physician and five-time Air Force half-marathon champion.

The first half of the seminar focused on injury prevention, by relearning proper biomechanics and techniques, and choosing the correct running shoe.

"Depending on the shoe, the additional cushion in the heel creates a six- to 14-percent ramp angle shifting the body forward and tilting posture off of our natural balance," Eppolito said. "We compensate for this with increase joint forces in the knees and hips, and unnatural shifts in our pelvis and back. Studies have shown that slowly transitioning to a lighter, flatter, more flexible shoe while implementing efficient running techniques will help and in most cases eliminate bodily discomfort experienced in high-heeled shoes."

The clinic then transitioned from classroom instruction to hands-on training at the Fitness Center track, where participants were taught drills and running fundamentals.

Eppolito focused on several strategies for running more powerfully:
  • Land with bent knees, with feet landing softly under the center of mass. Resist hard heel striking or reaching out in effort to lengthen stride. This is a high-impact braking motion that slows momentum.
  • Touch down quickly and pick up the foot or heel.
  • Use shorter strides with quicker cadence and less vertical movement. The ideal cadence is about 90 steps per minute. Build up to it gradually.
  • Focus on the core and perfect posture. Teach your core muscles to lift your legs, as opposed to pushing off with the small muscles of the feet.
  • Practice running down a gentle hill. Harness the power of gravity by allowing yourself to relax and lean gently while maintaining good posture, and let your feet land under you to avoid braking.
  • Bend elbows to 90 degrees to shorten the pendulum, and relax breathing and movements. Respiration occurs in the lower lung area, so learn belly breathing.