With Jae Gruenke of The Balanced Runner
Is running actually hard on our bodies? Or have we just come to believe that it is?
In this episode of Here & Human, I sit down with Jae Gruenke, running form expert, Feldenkrais practitioner, and founder of The Balanced Runner, to explore how we can move with greater ease, efficiency, and confidence.
Jae has worked with everyone from beginner runners to Olympians, and she challenges the common belief that running is inherently hard on the body. We talk about how understanding our movement patterns can help reduce pain, improve performance, and allow us to keep doing the activities we love for years to come.
We also get into the Feldenkrais Method (which was new to me!), how our footwear affects the way we run, and some surprisingly common habits that may be making running harder than it needs to be. From allowing our pelvis to move more freely to paying attention to what our arms are doing, Jae offers a different way of thinking about movement.
What I especially appreciated about this conversation was the idea that we don’t always need to push harder or work against our bodies to improve. Sometimes it’s about becoming more aware of how we’re moving and learning to work with our bodies instead.
Whether you’re a longtime runner, hoping to return to running, or simply interested in staying active and mobile as you age, I think you’ll find something useful in this conversation.
A little more about Jae
Jae Gruenke is a running form expert, Feldenkrais practitioner, and founder of The Balanced Runner. For more than 20 years, she has helped runners of all levels, from beginners to Olympians, discover more comfortable and natural ways to run. Through The Balanced Runner System, she combines movement education with practical running guidance to help people build body awareness and enjoy running for years to come.
A few things Jae said that stayed with me:
“The more you can feel, the better you regulate your movement.”
“When problems crop up, you need to know how to address them by working with your body instead of fighting it.”
“Arms are actually super important. They should not be an afterthought.”
Resources mentioned
You can find more conversations on the Here & Human podcast, and connect with me on Instagram.
