In fact, for many of us, our best running years are yet to come. Knee pain accounts for about 42 per cent of running injuries, followed by problems with the foot or ankle (17 per cent), lower leg (13 per cent) and hip (11 per cent). This causes many people to stop running altogether, blaming the rickety way their bodies feel when they run. Williams says that when we go out for a run, we should remain in the aerobic zone (about 70 per cent of our maximum heart rate) for four out of five kilometres or eight out of 10 kilometres. Breathe When we lose our breath, we are also losing form. In fact, recent research shows that while the average cadence among a group of world class athletes is 182, they ranged individually from about 160 to over 200.Д¤. Height, for instance, plays a role in cadence вЂ“ itвЂ™s a lot easier for someone with shorter legs to have a faster cadence, while taller people typically take longer, slower strides. Not everyone agrees that 180 is right for all runners. Increasing the cadence higher than 180-185 however is too fast for most people to maintain for any prolonged period. The magic of 180, Stanley says, is that there is 13 per cent less ground contact time than a slower cadence of 160.

ItвЂ™s for this reason that Stanley encourages new runners, and runners who have experienced injuries to aim for a cadence (step rate) of about 180 per minute. Cadence Increasing cadence, by taking shorter, faster steps, is another way to combat over-striding and helps us stabilise, says Stanley. Rachel Stanley recommends considering your cadence when running.ДЈ. You can go on about arms, you can go on about rotation of the body but as long as people donвЂ™t bring their foot forward but rather under their hips, that will help them.вЂќ

вЂњI see people take off, only a few centimetres off the ground, and reach way out. вЂњWhen your foot lands in front of your body when youвЂ™re running it acts as a brake,вЂќ he says. Stride The biggest mistake Williams sees in runners is over-striding, often the result of reaching forward with the feet rather than lifting them up. Usain Bolt and all the best runners in the world, вЂњthey all have that beautiful forward tiltвЂќ, Sean Williams adds: вЂњItвЂ™s far more efficient.вЂќДў. вЂњBut if the whole body has a slight lean forward from the ankle, when the foot lands it lands directly underneath the centre of gravity.вЂќДЄ forward tilt also helps to propel us forward and helps us to control each step, stabilising our bodies as we move. вЂњIf weвЂ™re too bolt upright the foot lands in front too much,вЂќ she explains. Stanley tells people to run as lightly as possible and she suggests they lean slightly forward, from the ankle not the waist. Forward tilt When we get technique right, the likelihood of injury diminishes. However, according to Williams, an Olympic level coach, and Rachel Stanley, a physiotherapist and founder of the Run180 app, technique comes down to four key factors.ДЎ. вЂњEverybody has to adapt to a certain degree with what theyвЂ™ve got,вЂќ Williams explains.

The long dark sprinting