Not Everyone is a Marathoner, But You Can Become a Better Runner

As the NYC Marathon nears, a SHU exercise specialist shares tips and resources for aspiring racers

This coming weekend, more than 50,000 runners are expected to participate in the 53rd New York City Marathon. They’ve trained for months, but how many of them will demonstrate proper running form?

Whether you are a longtime runner or are new to the sport, a marathon, half-marathon or race of any distance can be an aspirational goal. At Sacred Heart University’s Pioneer Performance Center (PPC), state-of-the art testing and monitoring helps everyone from recreational to elite athletes learn how to improve their running. While SHU athletes and students can get help to attain their personal best, members of the surrounding community also can gain better running strategies.

Running can be a great way to improve your health, as it can relieve stress, provide pain relief and improve sleep. We spoke with Richard Marcello, a sports scientist at the PPC, which is a training ground for students studying in SHU’s exercise science program. Marcello shares some of the ways aspiring marathoners—or just casual trotters—can improve their running form.

Is there one proper way to run?

There is no “right” way to run, but there are ways to prevent injury. While proper form depends on your body type and typical distance, running gait is integral to experiencing less pain and discomfort, as well as increasing speed and distance.

The PPC, which is located at SHU’s Center for Healthcare Education, has cameras, high-tech treadmills and other instruments that measure movement and provide biomechanical assessments, including motion and gait analyses to help recreational and elite athletes improve performance, and recover from and prevent injury. The center is a training ground for students in SHU’s exercise science program, who aspire to enter the fields of athletic performance, sport nutrition, applied physiology and biomechanics.

“I’ve coached track and field and cross country for a little over 10 years at the high school and NCAA (D1, D2, D3) levels. Being consistent is the number one factor for running improvement,” Marcello said. “The more you can string together multiple weeks of training without little injuries or breaks, the better you will get. I would tell the athletes I worked with: ‘Try to hit singles, not home runs.’” 

Here are two other tips:

• Strength training is a vital part for any athlete, Marcello said, including distance runners. Weight training, plyometrics and preventive exercise keep runners free of injury. “There are also large performance benefits to strength training specific to running,” Marcello said. “For example, we see an overwhelming consensus that strength training and plyometrics improves running economy.”
• Recovery efforts, such as sleep, nutrition, mobility work and foam rolling are important aspects of training. “Recovery is the only way you will see adaptation,” Marcello said. “Take your easy days easy, make sure you take adequate days off for your level of training or cross train to make sure you are recovering properly. But most of all sleep.”

What is the best training approach if you want to become a long-distance runner?

With attention to proper training and injury prevention, you can rack up the miles and work on your time and speed over long distances. At the PPC, runners receive individualized training for strength and conditioning, as well as training tips that improve performance.

The PPC also offers a Run Strong program, a customized group exercise program for recreational and competitive runners at SHU and the surrounding community. Participants gain an understanding of their musculoskeletal strengths and weaknesses, as well as knowledge about their running form. For information about registration and fees, contact Matt Moran at moranm@sacredheart.edu.