Ken Schafer

Should I work on my running technique? Most runners do not have good running technique, although not everyone pays the same price for running with bad technique. I ran injury-free with terrible technique for decades. Eventually, the accumulated stress on my body resulted in a lot of injuries.

About a decade ago, when barefoot and minimalist running were big topics in the running community, the most common advice for improving your technique was to shorten your stride and land on your forefoot. While it is true that people with good running technique will usually have an apparently shorter stride and will usually land on their forefoot, it is not true that simply adjusting your stride length and landing on your forefoot will result in better running technique.

People often ask me about which running shoes I recommend. People are often disappointed when I tell them that I recommend fixing their technique so they don’t have to worry about running shoes.