For those that run, or did run how much did you think about your overall form?

I experienced a striking epiphanic moment around this years ago when I was running every day. One morning I was jogging on a school track a few yards behind a guy whose running style I thought looked spare and effortless compared to mine, which felt labored and awkward. I changed my stride to emulate his and immediately took a nasty fall, skinning myself up pretty good – and in the instant I was falling I realized how futile it was to try to copy someone else rather than to be (or at least try to be) my own man. I don’t jog anymore and haven’t always been successful at following that lesson in other areas of my life, but I’ve never forgotten it.

When I first started running in middle school, I didn’t think anything of it. Then in high school I started focusing more on the form because I felt I was straining myself. For some reason, I can never have the right form on a treadmill, so ever since then I have used the elliptical machine instead.
I was clumping my feet on the ground and my upper body was bent forward. Not to mention my flailing arms. Now that I am a bit more physically fit, I can run better. Too bad I don’t do it as much anymore.

You could benefit a lot by joining a local running club. There are very experienced runners there who I’m sure would be happy to suggest how you may improve your running as well as suggest solutions to your particular foot problem. You are sure to get good pointers as well as develop strong friendships over time.

Good health

The only lesson I ever got was from my cousin, who grew up next door to me, was 2 years older, and ended up 6’ 6” (1.98 m) tall. He was on the track team, and he said to move your arms while you run as if there were two imaginary ropes running parallel to the ground and at either side of your body about waist level. Imagine that with each arm move, you are reaching forward, grasping one of those ropes, and pulling on it to help propel yourself forward. This keeps you from flailing around with your arms, giving you a smooth, effortless swing that preserves balance with minimal wasted motion. That’s for distance running, BTW. Arm motion for sprinting is quite different, with arms remaining bent at a 90 degree angle and rotation around the shoulder only.

Of course, elegant arm motion has nothing to do with your foot and shin problems. FOr that, you might do interval training alternating sprinting, where you land on the front part of the foot, plantarflexion. Dorsiflexion when the foot goes up, plantarflexion when it comes down. Between sprints, just walk a good 15-minute mile pace. If that doesn’t do it, go inside and hit the elliptical machine. Use it to stay in cardiovascular shape and keep the legs strong for running, and save real running for when some loony with a knife lights out after you.

@CuriousLoner BTW, here’s a good video showing the difference between plantarflexion and dorsiflexion—and also proving that while good shoes can add cushion, they may lead to more dorsiflexion.

@ETpro Yes, that is similar if not almost same explanations to other videos and things I have looked into. I plan to buy another pair of running shoes one that is more for cushion, but can allow for a barefoot like feel. Then I have my current pair that help fix my overpronation. Especially for longer runs.

A fast long distance runner once told me, “There are no secrets to fast running. You just need bold determination and blind defiance”.