Podium Talk

When we observe runners, there are just so many variations in running technique and patterns. The length of the stride, body lean, amount of bending at each joint, the first point of foot contact and the arm swing are just a few of the places where we can notice the differences. Heel striking is one of the most criticised biomechanical variations in running. It is said that a heel to toe pattern impedes the forward motion of the runner and wastes more energy than landing on the forefoot. The first thing to get out of the way is that it’s not necessary that everyone who lands on their heel places it ahead of the body and that everyone who lands on the forefoot does so right under the body, which makes it invalid to connect the two factors. Forefoot Strike Technically there are three types of foot strike patterns: forefoot, rearfoot, and midfoot strike. The mechanics of the midfoot strike have more common features to the rearfoot strike and hence both of them will be considered under the...

Caffeine is originally obtained from coffee, which seemed to be discovered and put to use in Ethiopia in the 15th century. Coffee beans made their way around the globe through mysterious trade routes and a treasury of interesting stories. At this point, this super drug is commonly found in kitchens all around the world and enjoyed as a beverage by a large number of people. Caffeine was first extracted from coffee in 1819 and has opened up many possibilities by which it can be consumed. The cultural history is just amazing, but I wouldn’t attempt to explain the history for the sake of relevance. What we are concerned about is how the contents of this bean is critical to the performance of professional and recreational endurance athletes. At first glance, knowing caffeine’s effect on the heart rate, one would assume that it would not be beneficial to begin a long run with your heart racing before your feet get a chance to catch wind. However, this cannot be further from the truth. Caffei...

We can all agree on the importance of water in our bodies. Having an adequate level of hydration ensures optimum operation of the various systems of the body. Water content is also important for physical and mental performance in sports. Excessive water loss through sweat is very common in athletes, especially in endurance sports. Hence, every athlete, professional and recreational should be aware of this aspect of sports physiology. A dehydration of even 2% has been shown to significantly compromise physical performance and work capacity. This applies not only for endurance events like the marathon, but also for activities requiring strength, power, and high-intensity endurance. Dehydration has also been linked with impairing mental functions like attention, working memory capacity, reaction time, coordination, decision-making, and mood. The effects are experienced differently based on ethnicity, level of fitness, gender, previous hydration levels, and individual adaptation to environ...

Urbanisation comes at a cost. With the development of infrastructure, we have lost many dirt roads and trails. We humans have been running since the beginning of our evolution, but the surfaces on which we run have drastically changed in a short span of time. Dirt trails, natural gravel and grass have been replaced with concrete and tarmac. It is needless to say that we still have access to dedicated mud and (synthetic) tracks. You might also find a hilly trail near your house. What is undeniable is the fact that it’s not as easy as it was. We will talk about treadmill running in another article. Let’s focus on grass, synthetic track and concrete for now. Another noteworthy point is that the injury risk depends on various other factors like the running technique, type and intensity of running, the distance covered per week, the stride length and frequency, type and material of shoes, landing patterns, amongst others. So for now, we will be strictly looking at the surfaces to see which ...