About The Balanced Runner

Wow - I am blown away! I've been running for 20+ years and never knew the proper arm swing for distance running or that I landed differently on each side. That also solves other mysteries such as why my left heel gets calloused but my right heel does not. Haha!
I'm eager to apply what I'm learning in your assessment and videos. Thank you SO MUCH!

Paul, I just wanted to say thank you. I looked at this video and tried the walking pattern you described. I tore my ACL 23 years ago and have always thought something was of with my gait. I run a fair amount and broke 3h at Boston this year, but suffered severe tibialis posterior pain after. When I tried the armswing hand-to-foot walking gait it was a like a switch suddenly I could land my right foot the proper way. The compensations I had for 20+ years was bypassed and it felt sooo smooth!

Curious and wanting to develop more I enrolled your online membership and the cues there has been just as transformational. Can't wait to see how fast I will be able to run not leaking a lot of power to compensations going.

I've been a monthly subscriber to your online modules. I can't even begin to tell you how it has organized my approach to optimizing form and effort. So, thank you!

Your program is by far the best one I've utilized. I also appreciate the final wrap up that ties it in together - with Galen, no less.

The Balanced Runner has been revolutionary for my running. Hyped to see the platform launch to help benefit a lot more runners in the future.

I've been fortunate enough to work with some of the best triathlon coaches in the world. None of them helped my run form like The Balanced Runner. Their drill progression is perfect. The approach to tactile cues empower the athlete to self-correct during a run or race, which is so powerful. If you take a long term approach, and really commit to one step at a time, you'll be an unrecognizable runner within a year.

TBRunner benefits has been immediate and huge for me. Even by implementing the first cue, and then the subsequent ones soon after – I have seen my pace come down by over 40 seconds. This happened in just a week! Paul’s help has made me competitive virtually overnight. I’m blown away. Thank you.

I know the arm swing cue is the most openly known cue for those who follow Paul, but until the way it was articulated in the online series, I never truly grasped it. After watching and doing one focused session, and then on my first run, there is already a legitimate change in my arm swing, and I can feel that things below are working better without even thinking about them.

Just finished your program over the last 4 months.  Super happy and money well spent. Thank you for putting your knowledge out to the masses.  I’m almost 50yo and feel like I have just learnt how to run properly for the first time.  Have been recommending you to anyone who will listen.

I have been following you for a while on Instagram, and I can't believe I waited this long to become a member of your program. It's been about a week, and I have already found it to be extremely beneficial. It is well thought-out, the cues are easy to follow, and it seems to build upon itself in a very rational manner. Thank you for developing it!

I just wanted to say thanks for putting the online program together. After completing the program I couldn’t be happier with my running. My self awareness is greatly increased and I’m firing on all cylinders. I used the pause feature so I can quickly come back a few months a year or any time in case I take a wrong turn. Thanks again.

Every week I feel more and more like a runner. With each week I feel like I am unlocking some kind of hidden skillset I never knew I had. When I look at video of myself over the last few months the transformation is evident and substantial.

With all the insane money I spend on Ironman races, the money spent for my sessions with Paul is by far the best investment I have made in my athletic life for years. I can’t thank Paul enough and I can’t wait to keep working with him. Running is fun again and I feel like I am just scratching the surface!

I signed up for your online members tutorials following a friend’s recommendation. I’ve always been hampered in my running with tightness and pain in my traps causing me so much trouble I have to stop and frustration sets in. Just three runs in following the arm swing and open scapula cues and I am getting through without pain, and my breathing is noticeably more natural and relaxed too. I’m looking forward to continuing through the other cue videos.

I know you work with lots of experienced runners but your program has made such a difference to this weekend warrior, so thank you!

Thank you so much. It is so valuable. I will certainly be signing up again in a few months when I have more time to go through the videos. 🙂

I've been following your subscription drills - made some immense gains and finally running pain free for the first time ever.

Racing again in two weeks, hopefully can knock those times down.

I just wanted to say thanks for putting the online program together. After completing the program I couldn't be happier with my running. My self awareness is greatly increased and I'm firing on all cylinders.

I used the pause feature so I can quickly come back a few months a year or any time in case I take a wrong turn. Thanks again.

I signed up after reading some of your posts I was really keen to get involved. 

I think the videos are amazing. Felt a considerable benefit already, as soon as I did the arm drive was insane really. Also feeling that the large upper muscles in my leg are really starting to work now. I think my stride length has improved without even thinking of that, whereas before I was forcing it to see if it would lengthen. The points you speak about really made a lot of sense to me.

I've come to you once in person and am now an online member. Just wanted to say a huge thank you. The ribs down cue did miracles today. Something to hone in on late in reps and felt myself able to hold strong form for longer. Also my lower back hasn't felt this nice in a while.

Love your work👏

Congratulations on how well you’re doing with your running program. I wish I’d signed up 2 years ago. Your cues are absolute magic and way better than all of the other stuff out there.
Already within a week of trying out the arm swing cue my running feels a lot more balanced and efficient, and I’ve reduced but not eliminated some of the asymmetry.

First of all, a huge, sincere "thank you" from Italy - this program re-balanced me after 10 years of running "on just one leg" after a double surgery - you really gave me hope and joy for going out running every day.

Again, thank you guys, excellent job, really.

I've truly benefited from your program and review the "Cues" before every run.

Your top down method and the way you explain works for me and I've tried them all, Chi, Diaz, Romanov, etc.

Thank you!

I really loved the course & appreciated every aspect of it. I knocked a couple of minutes off my half marathon PB after just a couple of cues, so really did learn and grow from it. I will definitely be back for more after a little break over the warmer weather.

Thanks again.

First month as an online member. Just about to move on from arm swing. I use a stryd pod and I feel more efficient hitting power number. In fact I took 15 seconds off my 5k PB at a lower power. Looking forward to continuing through the cues.

You are a saint. I have had dysfunction in my running for 10 out of the 14 years. I could barely run for 20 minutes without my legs locking up. I couldn't afford your one on one sessions and left the sport of triathlon for 2 years. I'm getting ready for an Ironman now and the change of your first cue video changed my stride in my first run. It was an easy frequency run but I felt strong and natural!! Thank you so much.

I first heard about Paul MacKinnon through an interview he did on the Inside Running Podcast. I thought it would be a good idea to tweak my running style so I reached out for a consultation.

My first coaching session was on March 5th, 2020 and I couldn’t believe the difference it made to my running.

Before the session I would feel pain in my legs and muscles within 200m of starting my run (especially on hard surfaces) and would have to grind out the rest of the run until I finished or was exhausted and had to walk.

I had put this pain down to my age (53) and the extra weight I had put on (23kg) since I stopped seriously competing 28 years ago. I had no idea it was all due to poor running form.

I started to see a difference of ease in my running during the coaching session and when Paul asked me to run again like I did before, the pain immediately came back to my legs.

The next day while implementing the new technique, I effortlessly ran 25 seconds per kilometer faster than I had done previously over 10km (over 4 minutes faster). During the next week I was also running up to 10km on road and concrete surfaces with no pain at all. This improvement has since stayed with me. I continued to use Paul’s technique until it became 2nd nature to me and still no pain in my legs.

I have since had 2 more sessions with Paul to further improve my running form, each time seeing improvements.Thanks Paul for the great work you do to help us become better runners.

I have been a “runner” since 1999 when I decided I did not want to get out of shape during the off seasons of my collegiate swimming career. Over time I developed a real love for running which grew stronger as I transitioned into triathlon and then into long distance triathlon. I never ran as a kid and certainly never had any coaching on form.

Running has always been my biggest limiter as a triathlete and I have always felt like the proverbial fish out of water while running. I always had the sense that I was “forcing” it and expending more energy than I should. During Summer 2018 I heard “The Balanced Runner” on the Triathlon Taren Podcast and loved what he had to say and his methodology. After seeing Taren’s successful run at Challenge Roth I decided to contact Paul and see if he could take me to the next level.

From the jump, Paul broke down running form in a way that is easily digestible and fun. His method of focusing incremental change has resulted in steady improvements over the last few months. I visit with Paul via WhatsApp video chat every 4-5 weeks and we focus on one or two small cues to focus on for the next few weeks. I honestly can’t believe the results. Every week I feel more and more like a runner. With each week I feel like I am unlocking some kind of hidden skillset I never knew I had. When I look at video of myself over the last few months the transformation is evident and substantial.

With all the insane money I spend on Ironman races, the money spent for my sessions with Paul is by far the best investment I have made in my athletic life for years. I can’t thank Paul enough and I can’t wait to keep working with him. Running is fun again and I feel like I am just scratching the surface!

I've always thought of myself as a "slow-twitch" runner - great for long distances, but zero speed. But today, Paul tweaked my running form, and it felt like someone flipped a power switch inside me. Suddenly, I was flying. It was wild... I was actually running fast. Really fast.

One very happy runner right here. Thanks again 🏃‍♀️💨

I just did my first sprint workout back today, and just wanted to say that after the form session I was a little skeptical of how it would feel when sprinting, but honestly have never felt so relaxed and smooth. It definitely helped when I was running at camp past few weeks when jogging, but I was really surprised today when speeding things up!! I just wanted to thank you and let you know that you have been so helpful to many even a 400 hurdler

The Balanced Runner has been revolutionary for my running. Hyped to see the platform launch to help benefit a lot more runners in the future.

Amazing coach. Really corrected my technique and made me enjoy running again. Highly recommend Paul to anyone interested in improving their running form!

Since we last had a session (which I think is almost a year ago), I've not experienced a single instance of shin splints bad enough to stop me from running for any period of time. My running has gone from strength to strength, where I now feel confident enough to enter events.

I've gone from being able to run a half marathon and immediately breaking down for multiple months, to running two in the last six months. I ran sub 2:00 in December, then sub 1:50 in March. I can cruise at around 4:25/km and not feel any ill effect afterwards; I could even back up the next day if I like.

I'm looking at entering more trail runs to build up distance and resilience. I am having more fun running now than I think I ever have and the freedom to do this with no pain and no long term issues is extraordinary for my mental health.

I've recommended you to anyone and everyone I know who is experiencing issues with running or is starting for the first time. I know you must get emails like this all the time but what you did for me in basically three sessions has changed how I run and by extension has changed my life.

I can't thank you enough. I remember you saying before our first session that if your techniques didn't work you'd give me my money back because you were that confident in them. No bull**. Worth the money I paid and twice that again.

For 20 years I thought I had tried everything to be able to run again. I had back surgery, gained knowledge as an exercise physiologist and had the selfless support of amazing professionals in the injury prevention space. I couldn’t find a solution until I met Paul. At 36, I embarrassingly had teary eyes of disbelief in my first session with him.

It was during one of Paul’s approaches where the impact forces I felt had almost completely dissolved when comparing old and new techniques. I am so privileged to have had his genuine, positive support and the support of an incredible running coach who referred me to him - Collis from Pulse. While every runner is different, I can’t assure that Paul’s techniques will fix everyone, but I highly recommend that if you have persistent injuries, please do yourself a favour and tee up with Paul and give him a try.

Paul (technique) and Collis (programming/sessions) have been incredibly complimentary to someone like me with injuries. I hope this message helps someone like me, so you don’t spend 20 wasted years looking elsewhere. That was a mission!

Thanks so much Paul, you are a legend man and deserve massive success!!

Paul was brilliant to work with, he pushed me to my limits and made valuable improvements to my running technique that I felt immediately.

I had the pleasure of doing Paul’s workshops over a number of months and saw huge tangible results. After some 1-on-1 consults and group work, I was not only constantly beating my split times, but running became easier and more efficient. Paul is very committed to each athlete’s requirements and was even able to free up some of my back pain. Definitely worth checking out if you want to get the most out of your running.

I had always endured pain through my hips and knees when I ran for as long as a remembered. After one session with Paul, not only was I running pain free, I was also running CONSIDERABLY faster.

I can’t recommend him highly enough!

I had a great training session with Paul. He’s an amazing coach and really individualises his coaching for the runner he’s working with. I’ve seen massive improvement in my running technique and pace since starting weekly sessions with Paul. He’s the kind of coach who gets the most out of his athletes by guiding them to finding the answer themselves so it really sticks. Melbourne, we’re lucky to have him.

I have been a “runner” since 1999 when I decided I did not want to get out of shape during the off seasons of my collegiate swimming career. Over time I developed a real love for running which grew stronger as I transitioned into triathlon and then into long distance triathlon. I never ran as a kid and certainly never had any coaching on form.

Running has always been my biggest limiter as a triathlete and I have always felt like the proverbial fish out of water while running. I always had the sense that I was “forcing” it and expending more energy than I should. During Summer 2018 I heard “The Balanced Runner” on the Triathlon Taren Podcast and loved what he had to say and his methodology. After seeing Taren’s successful run at Challenge Roth I decided to contact Paul and see if he could take me to the next level.

From the jump, Paul broke down running form in a way that is easily digestible and fun. His method of focusing incremental change has resulted in steady improvements over the last few months. I visit with Paul via WhatsApp video chat every 4-5 weeks and we focus on one or two small cues to focus on for the next few weeks. I honestly can’t believe the results. Every week I feel more and more like a runner. With each week I feel like I am unlocking some kind of hidden skillset I never knew I had. When I look at video of myself over the last few months the transformation is evident and substantial.

With all the insane money I spend on Ironman races, the money spent for my sessions with Paul is by far the best investment I have made in my athletic life for years. I can’t thank Paul enough and I can’t wait to keep working with him. Running is fun again and I feel like I am just scratching the surface!

As a former NCAA Division I runner, I used to believe that running form was something you were simply born with and something you couldn’t really change. I could handle the training load for a while, but I ended up injured at the end of many of my training cycles. Throughout my career, I dealt with multiple stress injuries, and as I got older, I found myself battling years of persistent Achilles tendonitis.
Leading up to my first World Marathon Major in Chicago, I suffered a slight hamstring tear that limited my ability to chase my goal, even though I was in great shape. I was frustrated and knew something needed to change. That’s when I discovered Paul’s Balanced Runner approach while searching for answers.
Since starting the program, my everyday runs feel easier, and my injuries have noticeably calmed down. Running has become enjoyable again, and I’m able to live my life outside of training with far less pain. As a father of two young girls, it’s been especially meaningful to be able to chase them around and play freely with them without pain.
I can’t recommend Paul’s program highly enough. Whether you’re pursuing big running goals or simply hoping to move and live more comfortably throughout your day, it will help you to be a better version of yourself.

10 days in and I’m still obsessed. I imagine everyone has elements to our stride that they lament, mine has always been pain in my hips. That’s been my weakness.

A week after working with The Balanced Runner maintaining proper cues still takes focus, but when my arms are up and forward my momentum swings past my hips, saving them from the “slamming” of my momentum wash stride.

It’s exciting to have a strategy to feel fast and smooth even late in each run.

This man did more for me in 20 minutes in a parking lot and some cones than any drill or form session in my 27 years on earth.

Paul has been an amazing guide for helping me break down the movements that my upper and lower body have been doing in my running. From the first session his unique cues immediately reduced my upper shoulder rotation which helped me take pressure off my Achilles injury. Each session Paul has helped me build on the previous cues which has balanced up my arm swing and reduced my hip rotation. These new simple cues are saving me energy and time in each run and will prevent me from future injuries as well.