Feet Are Not Fists
Instead of running as if your feet were fists punching the ground, try running defensively. The ground is punching you, so use your feet and legs and hips and arms and torso to roll with the punches. Unlike boxing, you control when the punches come at you and how fast. Much easier.
Let’s say you got yourself in a bit of trouble at a saloon and someone decides it’s time to punch you in the jaw. Don’t look at me, you must have done something to get the dude riled up. So the punch is coming at you, you realize there’s no way you’re going to dodge or block the blow. It’s going to connect. do you
a. try to knock the punch away with your face
b. start turning away from the punch as it’s coming in
If you say a, congrats! You just graduated the Josh School of Boxing. Avoid entering a ring at all costs. If you say b, you have a couple of functioning brain cells left after years of whatever it was you were doing.
So if b is the smart answer, why do we run like a? Why do the experts seem to assume that a is the default way to run? Maybe because if you can’t feel the ground defense seems pointless. I suppose of you had headgear that absorbed impact as much as running shoes protect feet, a boxer wouldn’t mind taking some shots. But even if his face is protected, his back will eventually give out from all the blows. He could still get knocked out, without feeling any pain on his face.
It’s not that far-fetched of an analogy. We’re talking about the process of absorbing impact. A boxer that feels the punches learns to roll with the punches. A runner that feels the ground learns to roll with the ground.
Don’t hit the road – it can take a punch much better than you.
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Its like how Douglas Adams taught us to fly. Hurl yourself at the ground and miss
I like your analogy by the way. GO with the flow.