What does running on toes mean?

Question

at my running club i usaully run spirnts aka 400m but when i start to sprint at the end of 400m my coach always tells me to keep on my toes. btw i am about 4ft 11in and my best time i think is 1.28, i don't think this is a good time for 400m but some people tell me, because im small i have shorter strides than taller kids and they said when im taller i should be a better sprinter.

Answer 1

He doesn't really mean to run on your toes....he means to stay on the balls of your feet not on your heels.

Answer 2

Your coach doesn't really mean for you to run on your toes ... thats nearly impossible. What he means is that you need to run on the balls of your feet instead of landing flat footed or on your heels. If you were spikes then you can focus on the balls of your feet because thats where the spikes are so the will kinda force you.

Answer 3

You're being told to land on the ball of the foot, you know that area just behind you toes.  Don't ever entertain the though of landing on any other part of your foot while sprinting.  The Ball of the Foot is were you're going to make your best form and gain the best shock absorbtion and energy return.  Also keep in mind that the less amount of contact time you have with the ground the faster you will be going.

Answer 4

running on your toes is when you run and you put all the weight on the front part of your feet, so when you run your heels should not touch the ground. another way to put it is to run on your tip-toes.