Went out for a jog today, just down one of the back country roads. Although it is November and I live in the mountains, I was in a tank top an capri pants. Realizing this, I started thinking about all the snow we just got and how excited I am to ride my snowboard and skis, when I started to hear my feet pounding on the pavement.
One of the things about living in the mountains is you almost always have to go up hills, which usually results in having to go down them. Running down hill can be really hard on your body. Gravity is pulling you down, making you feel like you can go really fast, but in the mean time making you forget about your form. Hearing people carelessly pound their feet down paved hills makes my knees hurt, whether I am the one doing it or not. Sometimes you don't even realize you are going down hill, but like I always say, it's important to think about what your body is doing. As you pound the ground the force has no where to go but back up your leg. Landing on the middle or ball of your foot offers some absorption of that impact, taking a lot of stress off your knees. If hills are inevitable, try to land as softly and quietly as you can. Its OK to start off slow to practice, and just like anything, it will start to come naturally and you knees will thank you!!
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