You Can’t Outrun Physics: Fix Your Run from the Top Down with The Balanced Runner (Paul MacKinnon)

Running technique coach Paul MacKinnon (The Balanced Runner) unpacks why most runners “force outcomes” (cadence, foot strike, knee drive) instead of changing the inputs that actually reshape movement. Paul explains his top-down approach—starting at the arms and torso to influence what happens below—so athletes can reduce ground contact time, improve rhythm, and shift along the continuum from rehab to performance.

Across an engaging conversation in episode 374 of The Physical Performance Show, with hosts Brad Beer and Huw Darnell, Paul challenges the idea that “technique doesn’t matter,” arguing that how you move determines how you load. He distinguishes economy from efficiency, shows why arm swing and thoracic control set the timing for the legs, and shares practical cues to build self-awareness, symmetry, and lift—without derailing training volume. Clinicians and athletes alike will gain a clearer roadmap for translating S&C work to the road, coaching more effectively, and making durable technique change.

To Follow Paul McKinnon (The Balanced Runner) -
Website: TBrunner.com
Instagram: @thebalancedrunner

TIMELINE
00:00 Forcing outcomes: the #1 running mistake
03:19 Inputs over outcomes; changing the whole system without losing training
04:32 Knee drive, ground time, and why top-down coaching works
07:28 Midline crossover: finding the true driver of the pattern
09:35 Physics → biomechanics → the individual: three coaching silos
11:11 Do mechanics matter? Why the debate misses the point
14:11 Lessons from swimming: skill, workload, and injury risk
16:27 Breaking-2 insight: efficiency beating raw physiology
18:09 Economy vs efficiency; cost per step explained
21:07 Two paths to change: full-pattern reset vs detailed top-down
23:05 New-way/old-way contrasts to build self-awareness
26:06 Feel, timing, rhythm: enlarging the athlete’s “sweet spot”
32:29 What good running looks like: rhythm, symmetry, flight
36:37 Coaching language, listening, and athlete buy-in
43:22 Mental health: running as a lifeline
44:43 Humerus–femur coupling: why arms and thighs must sync
49:17 Simple buy-in: reduce ground time & ground reaction force
50:18 Paul’s top three: Awareness • Symmetry • Lift
52:50 Why S&C often doesn’t transfer—and how to fix it
59:35 One piece of advice: self-awareness—know where you are now
1:00:27 Listener Challenge: film your running, build your baseline

LISTEN IN AS WE DELVE INTO THE FOLLOWING::
The #1 mistake runners make: forcing outcomes vs changing inputs
Why technique, capacity, and rehab are independent—but interlinked—puzzle pieces
The injury ↔ performance continuum and coaching before athletes break
Top-down mechanics: how arms/torso shape leg action and knee drive
Midline “tight-rope” running: finding the driver (ribcage, arms, rotation)
Physics → biomechanics → individual: the three silos that govern change
“You can’t outrun physics”: mechanics as applied physics, not opinion
Efficiency vs economy: cost per step, flight time, ground contact time
Why research lags coaching—and what to change (and not change) first
Translating S&C and plyos to running: when good gym work fails to show up
Coaching language, storytelling, and athlete-led awareness (new vs old way)
Rhythm vs being rhythmic: symmetry, timing, and longer flight
Mental health, identity, and why running is a lifeline for many athletes
Three practical cues: Awareness • Symmetry • Get off the ground
The week’s challenge: Film your running and build an honest baseline
Quotes
“You can’t outrun physics.”
“How you move determines how you load.”
“Stop forcing outcomes—change the inputs.”
“Awareness, symmetry, get off the ground. Every step costs—know what you’re paying for.”

PEOPLE MENTIONED:
Ellie Salthouse – Triathlete
Enda King – Hip & groin specialist (Aspetar)
Rich Willy – Running biomechanics researcher
Alec McKenzie, Stephen Doohig – Swimming biomechanics researchers
Jenny Alcorn – Triathlon coach (historical reference)

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Your Hosts:
🏃 Brad Beer - Instagram & X @Bradbeer and YouTube on @PogophysioAu
💪 Huw Darnell - Exercise Physiologist & Performance Coach
: YouTube: ⁨@huwdarnell⁩ & Instagram @huwdarnell

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