The Coach Amy and Coach Liz Show
Promoting a healthy and positive experience for endurance athletes.
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The Coach Amy and Coach Liz Show

Created with endurance athletes in mind

Created with endurance athletes in mind. Coaches Amy and Liz have a combined thirty years of coaching and seven decades of competing in endurance sports. They cover topics relevant to athletes at various levels of participation: those training for a personal challenge to those competing for an age group placement or race qualification.

 

How, Why and When Runners Should Work on Ground Contact Time

What is this episode about?

INTRO 0-2:35

Sweater insanity!

What is Ground Contact Time in Running and Why does it Matter?

Ground Contact Time is the amount of time your foot is on the ground while running.  It is measured in milliseconds. It is an Indication of efficiency; the less time on the ground, the more efficient.  Additionally, the longer the foot is on the ground, the higher the injury risk.

Data from the HRM-1 run heart rate strap from Garmin is one of the more accurate means to gather data for average runners.  It's most important to know your own number ranges and then look for a change or improvement

Ranges:. 

155 milliseconds is very little ground contact time (elite)

Less than 210 millisecond is great

210-240 milliseconds descent

241-270 milliseconds may be worth working on 

271-300 milliseconds need for improvement

300+ room for improvement and less injury!  

If you feel good, you are happy with your run, and you are injury free, then don't let the numbers lead down an unnecessary path of fixing something that's not broken! 

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