How changing my arm swing helped my calves....

           I always knew that form was important. It only makes 120% sense that form can make or break a run, can cause injuries or help prevent them. A few days back I had to actually stop running because my calves were so painful I was afraid I'd have an injury if I did not stop, so I shamefully walked twice during what should have been an easy 5 miles. I came back home and on one of my running podcasts that I listen to every morning, The Natural Running Network, I heard the show titled, "If It Ain't Broke' and Richard Diaz, the host of the podcast, mentioned something about arm swing. I thought I was doing an effective arm swing this whole time. I have read CHI running and from that was aware that arms are to be at your sides, etc...But what I was doing wrong was that my shoulders were going back and forth more than my arm. I mindfully paid attention to my arms the whole run and surprisingly had no calf pain. I think in some ways they are related. The fact that my arms were not pumping sideways at the elbows made me less able to navigate easily thorough space, making my legs do more work. Once I added the correct form for my arm swing, my legs did not have to struggle so much, and therefore I felt fine the entire 4 miles.