Top 2 Running Research Articles 2020

If you had to pick the two most influential articles that you read this year (could be from any year, you just have to have read them this year), what would they be?

One of my favorite parts about working with runners is that there is endless learning opportunities. I have a list of articles to read that would take me a month to get through, but these two below rose to the top of my list this year!

Below are the articles with brief summary and link. Please leave a comment here or in the Facebook group with your top 2 articles you read in 2020!

1. Moving Beyond Weekly “Distance”: Optimizing Quantification of Training Load in Runners Paquette et al 2020 (Think this is a free JOSPT article)
   • This clinical commentary discuss the enormous challenge in quantifying training load and why weekly miles is probably not the key. The articles discusses alternative methods including Session RPE and Acute to Chronic Workload ratios. Future research may look to more advanced wearables, but beware that they measure what actually has an impact on the runner! They key is finding more universally accepted measures and educating clinicians (education is key!). 
2. Running Technique is an Important Component of Running Economy and Performance Folland et al 2017 (Free Article)
   • Geek alert! This really dives into how kinematics (running form) contribute to Running Economy (think MPG on a car) and running performance. Large article to summarize, but findings suggest that vertical oscillation of the pelvis, braking, shin angle, knee and hip excursions can all correlate to performance related variables. Essentially, running form matters for performance! This is stuff I live and breathe every day doing 3D, but can be great for those doing 2D to be aware of as well. Running form matters!!!

Let me know your top two articles (or even just one!) that impacted your practice this year. It is important for us to strive to use evidence to inform our decisions, and it takes time to keep up with it. Hopefully this post can help everyone keep up with the top literature out there!