“Dave, buddy, you gotta get those knees up.”

The ambitious freshmen (ambitious because this was a tempo run and he was chasing varsity) looked exhausted. He had been running fast, and his terrible form was beginning to tax him. He didn’t bend his knees, like he was sweeping the sidewalk with his feet.

He smiled bashfully and did as he was told. Meanwhile, one of my cheekier seniors turned to me with a knowing look. He appreciated the irony of the situation.

“Do as I say, not as I do,” I added, mostly for the senior’s benefit. I, too, had grasped the irony of my criticisms.

I have heard several times that I run with a jogger’s form– in slow motion. I take small, strangely energy-efficient steps like Cliff Young. And, while I don’t sweep my feet like brooms, I don’t lift my knees as high as good form dictates.

Dave managed to finish the workout with varsity– for the first time ever. His form improved briefly, and then he returned to sweeping duty. I didn’t bother to correct him the second time. form, after all, isn’t everything.

Anyone running at this time of year will have ice on his mind; however I didn’t really start thinking about it until I watched my high school runners’ misadventures. Most slip around like the sidewalk is coated in marbles instead of frozen water. They don’t fall too often, but they end their runs extra sore and tired. A few have accomplished grand, but entirely unintentional, ballet moves for the rest of us; they usually end up on the injured bench.

Whilst trying to help my poor young runners, it only seems fair to share my tips with the wider running world. Certain changes in your form can help you run injury free (and much faster) across the ice. These may seem instinctual to you; if so, congratulations. My high schoolers have proven that to some, this form is a learned thing.

Some tips:

Keep your feet low: Don’t lift your feet as high as you normally do; this forces you to lean forward and raises the chances that you’ll end up eating snow.

Take short steps: If following the above tip makes you sweep your feet like brooms, don’t. Short, quick steps minimize your loss in speed- and keep you from falling on your butt.

Land on the midfoot: Landing on your toes or heel can allow you to slip before your foot makes solid contact with the ground. In short, do neither.

Don’t swing your arms too hard: Doing so twists the opposite foot. This normally isn’t a problem, but on ice it can do anything from leaving the ankle a little extra sore to spilling you on the ground.

Hope these are helpful!