Marathon Handbook: Running Form Rules May Not Apply to All Runners — image accompanying Marathon Handbook's report. Image accompanying Marathon Handbook’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Marathon Handbook reports that running-form advice often turns observations into rigid rules. Many elite runners do not heel strike, yet it is often deemed negative. Similarly, a cadence of 180 steps per minute is seen as ideal, despite variations among successful runners.
A narrative review examined these beliefs and found the evidence less clear-cut. Healthy, comfortable, and performing runners may not need to correct heel striking or low cadence. Form changes should target specific issues, introduced gradually and assessed by pain, tolerance, function, and performance. Read more everyday miles coverage.
The review emphasizes that running form should not be dictated by arbitrary numbers but by individual needs and responses. Runners should focus on their unique conditions and goals rather than conforming to generalized advice. Related: KICKR RUN: Ideal for Winter Training, Say Elite Runners.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about Marathon Handbook: Running Form Rules May Not Apply to All Runners?
A narrative review challenges common running-form beliefs, suggesting they may not be universally applicable. Marathon Handbook reports that running-form advice often turns observations into rigid rules. Many elite runners do not heel strike, yet it is often deemed negative. Similarly, a cadence of 180 steps per minute is seen as ideal, despite variations among successful runners.
When did Runner World publish this everyday miles brief?
Runner World published this brief on October 9, 2026. The underlying Marathon Handbook report was dated October 9, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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