Gait Analysis Through Race Photos

Have you ever checked your running form through photos. I have been running long enough that I no longer buy all of my race photos, I save the purchases for momentous occasions. I always go back and take a peak at my photos though and give myself a little gait analysis.
Why?
Well I  believe race photos are the best place to look at how your running form is moving along. The great thing about races is there are usually photographers all along the course. You can see your form at the beginning and then toward the end when things start to fall apart.

Things I always look for:

• how my arms are swinging
• how my feet are landing
• am I over striding
• what the rest of my posture looks like
• and any other cooky things in how I look running

Fixing your form, I will say isn't the easiest thing, but it is doable. I believe the goal is to tackle the issues one at a time. If you try to do them all at once it won't work.
My form usually has a few things wrong with it.

Let me show you:

Licett (besty) and I running in the most humid race ever - Gulf Coast Half Marathon!

Running at the Sarasota Half Marathon

What's up with my hand?!

Recent photo at Best Damn Race

Can you see some of the issues I see? First I swing my arms side to side, instead of front to back. Your arms shouldn't cross your body. This is what I have been working on lately. The more difficult problem I have is with my right foot. My foot sort of waddles out. Based on the BDR photo it looks like I have improved a bit. However it's still there. If you look at my left side in the Sarasota photo my landing is straighter. 

It should come as no surprise that my right side has given me the most issues. That's where I twisted my ankle, have had IT issues and where I think I had a stress fracture. During my coaching certification everyone also pointed out that my left side looks significantly stronger than my right. 

Go figure I have to be different then everyone else, right?!

Once you identify these issues how do you start to correct? Well, I usually research my little heart out and then make a conscious effort to use good form. When I run track, I attempt to put my form in check for every interval. 

I believe that has helped immensely  As for the foot flair, sadly that will be harder to correct. I am sure that has something to do with a muscle imbalance. This week, I started some exercises with a band that should help with shin splints. I hope this will inadvertently help my funky right waddle. 

Did you notice any other issues in my form? What issues have you noticed from your own photos? How did you fix it?