Running 
Most recreational runners try to get faster by running harder. Coaches know the cheaper path: run better. Small technique fixes — practiced for ten minutes, twice a week — routinely take minutes off a 10K without a single extra mile of training.
Cadence: quick feet, light landing
Aim for 170–180 steps per minute. Shorter, quicker steps land your foot beneath your hips instead of out in front, which cuts braking forces and spares your knees. Use a metronome app for one easy run a week until quick turnover feels normal.
Posture: tall from the ankles
Imagine a string pulling the crown of your head toward the sky. Lean comes from the ankles, not the waist — a slight forward tilt of the whole body, never a bend at the hips. Shoulders stay low and relaxed, as if you are holding a potato chip between each thumb and forefinger: firm enough not to drop, gentle enough not to crush.
Arms: the forgotten engine
Your arms set the rhythm your legs follow. Drive elbows straight back, hands swinging hip to chest, never crossing the midline of your body. On hills, exaggerate the arm drive and your legs will follow uphill on their own.
Two drills that fix everything
- Strides (2× weekly): 6 × 20 seconds fast-but-relaxed with full recovery. Teaches speed without fatigue.
- High knees + butt kicks: 2 × 30 meters of each before hard sessions. Wakes up the hip flexors and hamstrings.
Film yourself from the side once a month — a phone propped on a park bench is enough. Compare the footage over a season and you will see the transformation: same runner, smoother machine. Then bring that machine to the Marigold Mile start line.
