...that brief contact with the ground makes you run faster?

One can only watch in wonder when seeing runners at the top of their game. They seem to almost hover above the ground. While running at a high frequency (approx. 200 steps per minute), their feet only touch the ground for a short moment before returning to the flight phase again. Despite this, their body's centre of gravity barely changes.

It’s a different story for us amateur runners. We take around 150 to 160 steps per minute, have contact with the ground for around 35 hundredths of a second and spend only 5 seconds per minute airborne. We're practically “stuck” to the ground while the fast runners seem to defy gravity.

What can we learn from this?

• Running is more than just putting one leg in front of the other. 
• A refined technique is required in order to propel ourselves forwards.
• Brief contact with the ground forms the basis for a fast running technique and is a stark contrast to our everyday habits that involve increasingly less exercise, a heavier body weight and less muscle flexibility.
• Good stamina helps to maintain this technique for longer.
• This can be achieved with simple exercises: rope skipping, jumping exercises or ABC running drills.