The Importance of Foot Movement and Elastic Energy Storage in Running

My guest on the podcast this week is a coach who takes a holistic view of endurance training and considers himself a problem solver for endurance athletes. Keith Mueller is the founder of Higher Ground Athletics in Boulder, Colorado. His understanding of the details of movement patterns - including pronation and supination - will help you get a better grasp of this essential running mechanism.

Keith and I met a few months ago on a group run, and we soon found ourselves deep in discussion about performance and training theory. He has worked with an array of athletes, ranging from weekend warriors to state champion cross-country teams. Keith’s view of training is comprehensive, exposing athletes to the gamut of trainable qualities to make them better prepared for all the demands that running places on the body.

Our conversation today will help you think differently (and likely in greater depth) than ever before on pronation and supination.  We discuss:

• The relationship between pronation and supination
• Why flat feet and high arches matter less than you might think
• The important role of rotation in pronation
• Your range of motion: use it or lose it
• Whether barefoot running helps retrain your movement patterns
• How variety gives your body the ability to improve
• The importance of moving away from idea of “good” or “bad” movement patterns

Keith’s ability to communicate complicated concepts make this a podcast that all runners will enjoy and benefit from!

Links & Resources from the Show:

• Learn more about Keith and Higher Ground Athletics
• Follow Higher Ground Athletics on Instagram
• Watch more from Higher Ground Athletics on YouTube
• Need help with injury prevention?

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Since you can add or remove fill to get your alignment right, it’s a great way to optimize the most important way you can become a better runner that isn’t training: sleep. We all know how important sleep is. It’s the best recovery tool that you have at your disposal - better than compression, ice, heat, massage, or anything else you can think of. Sleep is when the magic happens and your sleep quality matters.

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A big thanks to DrinkLMNT for their support of this episode! They make electrolyte drinks for athletes and low-carb folks with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or colors. They are offering a free gift with your purchase at DrinkLMNT. And this does NOT have to be your first purchase. You’ll get a sample pack with every flavor so you can try them all before deciding what you like best. 

DrinkLMNT's products have some of the highest sodium concentrations that you can find. Anybody who runs a lot knows that sodium, as well as other electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, are essential to our performance and how we feel throughout the day.

My favorite flavor is watermelon salt, but citrus salt is also a banger. I’m drinking one a day now to help me get enough fluids in our dry Colorado air. It’s tasty and delicious and I find that I’m not peeing every 45 minutes throughout the day, which might be an indication I wasn’t eating enough sodium.

There’s now mounting evidence that higher sodium intake levels are not unhealthy – and athletes need substantially more than your typical sedentary person. Of course, ask your doctor if you’re worried. But for those athletes running outside in the heat, an electrolyte replacement makes a lot of sense. So check out DrinkLMNT to try their new flavor or get a free sampler pack.

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