Name: Running
Overview
The ultimate in terrestrial locomotion! As ancient as breathing itself! Running is the art and craft of moving very rapidly on foot, and often including moments where all feet are off the ground while continuing momentum (contrasted to walking where one foot is often kept on the ground).
Running involves techniques and even styles of combination with other skills, but only to those who take it on. Most people think of running as what their body naturally does when trying to get away from danger, but running can be a lot more than a way to escape! It can be used to win a chase, or deliver an urgent message, or to find someone or something in good time, or to reach a location before missing some event, or to make it to civilization after a mount perishes and before rations expire, or to clear the mind and meditate while in motion, or... the applications go on.
Techniques of Running
Speed
Running can range from a nice, gentle jog around a city block to an all-out sprint across the twisted terrain of a forest. Footspeed, or sprint speed, is the maximum speed of a mundane humanoid runner.
Stance and Swing
Force absorption, propulsion, initial swing and terminal swing are all determined through the footstrike, midstance, propulsion phase, and swing phase.
Posture
An upright or equally firm posture is absolutely mandatory for accomplished running. In addition, leaning forward avoids landing on the heel and facilitates the spring mechanisms of the foot to make it easier to avoid a loss of momentum. A relaxed frame with a stable core is best, as a body that is too rigid or tense can lead to injury to the runner. A common mistake of novice runners is tilting the chin up and scrunching the shoulders.
For the upper body, each leg's movement through the various swing follows a paired stance with the opposite arm to counterbalance the body. Most effective is when the elbow joint is at approximately 90 degrees or less, hands swing from hips up to mid-chest level with the opposite leg. The torso should remain stable to avoid wasted energy and to increase potential speed of momentum.
Footstrike
When a plantar portion of the foot makes contact with the ground. Common footstrike types include forefoot (ball of the foot), midfoot (ball and heel) and heel strike types. The knee should be flexed on footstrike with the ankle slightly in front of the body. Between many expert and masterful runners, there will be debate about the best footstrikes for various swings and to accomplish different speeds of running for various terrains.
Stride Length and Rate
The length of stride impacts the force propulsion and thus, the momentum of the swing while running. This comes down to the flexibility of the hip and knee joints of the runner and usually where their skill in [[:Category:Acrobatics | Acrobatics]] resides. The better the flexibility, the greater potential for acceleration and velocity despite great stride lengths. Using the hip is preferable over the knee, as using knee extension to increase stride length results in a slowing of momentum while a hip extension results in an increase in speed.
Stride rates for expert and masterful runners tend to be between 185 and 200 steps per minute, with the difference being in the length of stride rather than the rate of stride for long- and short-distance runners. This is called cadence (steps per second).
Types of Running
Short distance
Sprinting
Sprinting and dashing is running as fast as the individual possible can, over a short distance in a limited period of time.
Hurdling
This is basically running with the use of obstacles to get in the way. It is essential to have Acrobatics as a skill for this, and involves leaping over objects such as roots, fallen trees, large rocks, wagons, crates, etc. without slowing momentum of the run down.
Relay
Relay can be long-distance overall, but essentially it involves a team of runners that each take turns in completing part of the journey or course. Couriers without mounts, or messengers between units/armies, frequently make use of this technique to deliver packages or urgent information.
Long distance
Cross-Country Running
A long course often over natural terrain that varies over the distance of the run. This often involves weather conditions, running through things such as rain, sleet, and snow. This sometimes can also require Navigational skills so one does not become lost while running in nature.
Trail Running
Can include level or incline paths, but trail running often includes steep gradients and includes anything that isn't cobblestones or brick-laid surfaces.
Mountain Running
A specific branch of cross-country running, this often also includes hiking and field craft, as it can take many trials to run a mountain - either up, down, or around. It is one of the more dangerous challenges for a runner to take on.
Tower Running
This is an unique branch that utilizes Acrobatics and sometimes Climbing to run up man-made structures, either through stairs or even on the outside of the buildings.
Terrains
Terrain can range from natural to man-made. Examples of man-made terrains are inner city grounds such as cobblestones, paved bricks, flattened dirt, gravel, stone, hardened mud, etc. Examples of natural terrains are hills, woodlands, meadows, dry grasses, deserts, snow, ice, sand, short grasses, long grasses, thickets, steep gradients, gradual slopes, rocky terrain, etc.
Related Skills
Essential Skills
[[:Category:Acrobatics | Acrobatics]]
[[:Category:Detection | Detection]]
[[:Category:Discipline | Discipline]]
[[:Category:Endurance | Endurance]]
[[:Category:Navigation | Navigation]]
Novice: 0-25
For the novice runner, style and technique barely come into the equation. These individuals run because they have either been driven to run by circumstances, as a goal to supplement other ambitions, or due to an inherent enjoyment of the activity. These are soldiers who just signed up to training, these are the youth of cities who find that speed grants opportunity, the ranger who just realized they don't want to rely on their mount when far away from civilization, and so on. For novice runners, the most important thing is to avoid injury. As they try to progress in their skill, they will likely deal with chafing, high-impact stress injuries and issues like shin splints or blisters on the feet.
Competent: 26-75
Now the runner has progressed from the novice mindset. They've dealt with a few vexing injuries and realized that technique can be the difference between sore hamstrings or running more the next day. An additional advantage of this level of skill is that they are able to carry packs and wear heavier clothing/armor while running without becoming too exhausted to continue past a short distance. Blisters may still continue, but depending on the training regiment, the feet might have become calloused enough to ignore such injury from repetition. Runners at this level can proficiently work as foot-couriers within reason, often opting for sprints and short distances. Long distance and more extreme terrains remain a challenge.
Expert: 76-150
An expert runner finds themselves able to narrow their focus on technique. Injuries are a thing of the past while they trained. It is starting to become more than mere practicality, but also that the runner wants to improve and aims to increase their speed, distances, and abilities. They can easily carry packs and run while adorned in heavier attire. Long distances have become easier and short distances are a breeze. There is still the danger of a particularly tricky terrain, a steep incline, or an unexpected hurdle. Expert runners are best suited to train their mental endurance as well as physical stamina, to strengthen their capability of running for longer distances. These are the veteran soldiers, the professional couriers, and sport athletes.
Master: 151-250
The master runner is an exceptionally rare type. Very few in Idalos bother to study the techniques of running to this degree of proficiency and/or understanding. Running has become more of a fine-tuned art than practical craft to them. To watch a master runner is often to witness a feat of immense ability. Short distances are nothing to them, and sprints can go so fast that the ordinary person may be baffled by how a humanoid could move so far, so quickly. With Expert or higher in Acrobatics combined, most hurdles are as simple as running over a pebble or branch and flourishes can be included in these leaps, bounds, flips, and more. Long distances are as easy, though not as startling to witnesses, and the master runner with Expert or Higher in Endurance can keep a steady jogging to running pace for trials at a time with bursts of sprints included now and then.
Overview
The ultimate in terrestrial locomotion! As ancient as breathing itself! Running is the art and craft of moving very rapidly on foot, and often including moments where all feet are off the ground while continuing momentum (contrasted to walking where one foot is often kept on the ground).
Running involves techniques and even styles of combination with other skills, but only to those who take it on. Most people think of running as what their body naturally does when trying to get away from danger, but running can be a lot more than a way to escape! It can be used to win a chase, or deliver an urgent message, or to find someone or something in good time, or to reach a location before missing some event, or to make it to civilization after a mount perishes and before rations expire, or to clear the mind and meditate while in motion, or... the applications go on.
Techniques of Running
Speed
Running can range from a nice, gentle jog around a city block to an all-out sprint across the twisted terrain of a forest. Footspeed, or sprint speed, is the maximum speed of a mundane humanoid runner.
Stance and Swing
Force absorption, propulsion, initial swing and terminal swing are all determined through the footstrike, midstance, propulsion phase, and swing phase.
Posture
An upright or equally firm posture is absolutely mandatory for accomplished running. In addition, leaning forward avoids landing on the heel and facilitates the spring mechanisms of the foot to make it easier to avoid a loss of momentum. A relaxed frame with a stable core is best, as a body that is too rigid or tense can lead to injury to the runner. A common mistake of novice runners is tilting the chin up and scrunching the shoulders.
For the upper body, each leg's movement through the various swing follows a paired stance with the opposite arm to counterbalance the body. Most effective is when the elbow joint is at approximately 90 degrees or less, hands swing from hips up to mid-chest level with the opposite leg. The torso should remain stable to avoid wasted energy and to increase potential speed of momentum.
Footstrike
When a plantar portion of the foot makes contact with the ground. Common footstrike types include forefoot (ball of the foot), midfoot (ball and heel) and heel strike types. The knee should be flexed on footstrike with the ankle slightly in front of the body. Between many expert and masterful runners, there will be debate about the best footstrikes for various swings and to accomplish different speeds of running for various terrains.
Stride Length and Rate
The length of stride impacts the force propulsion and thus, the momentum of the swing while running. This comes down to the flexibility of the hip and knee joints of the runner and usually where their skill in [[:Category:Acrobatics | Acrobatics]] resides. The better the flexibility, the greater potential for acceleration and velocity despite great stride lengths. Using the hip is preferable over the knee, as using knee extension to increase stride length results in a slowing of momentum while a hip extension results in an increase in speed.
Stride rates for expert and masterful runners tend to be between 185 and 200 steps per minute, with the difference being in the length of stride rather than the rate of stride for long- and short-distance runners. This is called cadence (steps per second).
Types of Running
Short distance
Sprinting
Sprinting and dashing is running as fast as the individual possible can, over a short distance in a limited period of time.
Hurdling
This is basically running with the use of obstacles to get in the way. It is essential to have Acrobatics as a skill for this, and involves leaping over objects such as roots, fallen trees, large rocks, wagons, crates, etc. without slowing momentum of the run down.
Relay
Relay can be long-distance overall, but essentially it involves a team of runners that each take turns in completing part of the journey or course. Couriers without mounts, or messengers between units/armies, frequently make use of this technique to deliver packages or urgent information.
Long distance
Cross-Country Running
A long course often over natural terrain that varies over the distance of the run. This often involves weather conditions, running through things such as rain, sleet, and snow. This sometimes can also require Navigational skills so one does not become lost while running in nature.
Trail Running
Can include level or incline paths, but trail running often includes steep gradients and includes anything that isn't cobblestones or brick-laid surfaces.
Mountain Running
A specific branch of cross-country running, this often also includes hiking and field craft, as it can take many trials to run a mountain - either up, down, or around. It is one of the more dangerous challenges for a runner to take on.
Tower Running
This is an unique branch that utilizes Acrobatics and sometimes Climbing to run up man-made structures, either through stairs or even on the outside of the buildings.
Terrains
Terrain can range from natural to man-made. Examples of man-made terrains are inner city grounds such as cobblestones, paved bricks, flattened dirt, gravel, stone, hardened mud, etc. Examples of natural terrains are hills, woodlands, meadows, dry grasses, deserts, snow, ice, sand, short grasses, long grasses, thickets, steep gradients, gradual slopes, rocky terrain, etc.
Related Skills
Essential Skills
[[:Category:Acrobatics | Acrobatics]]
[[:Category:Detection | Detection]]
[[:Category:Discipline | Discipline]]
[[:Category:Endurance | Endurance]]
[[:Category:Navigation | Navigation]]
Novice: 0-25
For the novice runner, style and technique barely come into the equation. These individuals run because they have either been driven to run by circumstances, as a goal to supplement other ambitions, or due to an inherent enjoyment of the activity. These are soldiers who just signed up to training, these are the youth of cities who find that speed grants opportunity, the ranger who just realized they don't want to rely on their mount when far away from civilization, and so on. For novice runners, the most important thing is to avoid injury. As they try to progress in their skill, they will likely deal with chafing, high-impact stress injuries and issues like shin splints or blisters on the feet.
Competent: 26-75
Now the runner has progressed from the novice mindset. They've dealt with a few vexing injuries and realized that technique can be the difference between sore hamstrings or running more the next day. An additional advantage of this level of skill is that they are able to carry packs and wear heavier clothing/armor while running without becoming too exhausted to continue past a short distance. Blisters may still continue, but depending on the training regiment, the feet might have become calloused enough to ignore such injury from repetition. Runners at this level can proficiently work as foot-couriers within reason, often opting for sprints and short distances. Long distance and more extreme terrains remain a challenge.
Expert: 76-150
An expert runner finds themselves able to narrow their focus on technique. Injuries are a thing of the past while they trained. It is starting to become more than mere practicality, but also that the runner wants to improve and aims to increase their speed, distances, and abilities. They can easily carry packs and run while adorned in heavier attire. Long distances have become easier and short distances are a breeze. There is still the danger of a particularly tricky terrain, a steep incline, or an unexpected hurdle. Expert runners are best suited to train their mental endurance as well as physical stamina, to strengthen their capability of running for longer distances. These are the veteran soldiers, the professional couriers, and sport athletes.
Master: 151-250
The master runner is an exceptionally rare type. Very few in Idalos bother to study the techniques of running to this degree of proficiency and/or understanding. Running has become more of a fine-tuned art than practical craft to them. To watch a master runner is often to witness a feat of immense ability. Short distances are nothing to them, and sprints can go so fast that the ordinary person may be baffled by how a humanoid could move so far, so quickly. With Expert or higher in Acrobatics combined, most hurdles are as simple as running over a pebble or branch and flourishes can be included in these leaps, bounds, flips, and more. Long distances are as easy, though not as startling to witnesses, and the master runner with Expert or Higher in Endurance can keep a steady jogging to running pace for trials at a time with bursts of sprints included now and then.