The Balanced

Runner Reviews

Read the success stories of runners who have worked with Paul both in-person and online. Athletes from all different levels who have reviewed The Balanced Runner based on their results from working with a running technique coach to make real changes to their technique and the way they move.

Follow along on Instagram for all of the latest Success Stories or share your own – @thebalancedrunner.

Hear from Kiran about what improvements he was able to make to his running technique and how it helped him achieve his goals.

Hear from other runners

'Obsessed'

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.

Peter Bromka, 2.19 Marathoner

'On Just One Leg'

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.

Giuseppe, Online TBR Member

'Tried them all'

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!

David, Online TBR Member

'In the parking lot'

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.

Julian Heninger, BTC Athlete

'New Half-Marathon PB'

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.

Marcia, Online TBR Member

'Considerable Benefit'

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 larger 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.

James, Online TBR Member

'Immediate benefits'

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.

David H, Online TBR Member

'Controlled and stable'

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.

John, Online TBR Member

'400m Olympian'

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.

Monica Brennan, Australia Representative

'Firing on all cylinders'

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.

Josh Galicia, Online TBR Member

'Finally Pain Free'

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

Josh Smith, Online TBR Member

'You are a saint'

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.

Online TBR Member

'Shin Splints'

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.

Jordan, In-Person Sessions

'Weekend Warrior'

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!

Eugenia, Online TBR Member

'I thought I had tried everything'

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!!

Sam P, In-Person Sessions

‘Amazing coach’

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

Anna Weatherlake, In-Person Sessions

‘CrossFit Competitor’

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

Denae Brown, In-Person Sessions

‘Running became easier’

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.

Daniel, In-Person Sessions

‘Couldn’t believe the difference’

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.

Kim White, Online Balanced Runner

‘Transformation is evident’

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!

Danny Royce, Online Balanced Runner

‘Considerably faster’

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!

Jordan B, In-Person Sessions

‘Gets the most out of his athletes’

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.

Imogen, In-Person Sessions

ONLINE Athlete Joelle from Washington DC had left knee surgery to repair articular cartilage a couple of years ago and told she should never run again. As a result she developed a hitch in her gait trying to protect the damaged knee. What is shown here in the left video is how the body has tried to protect the knee through movement, which increases the likelihood of injury elsewhere! Joelle had zero pain in her knee when running, runs a lot and loves running but had no idea how exaggerated her uneven and damaging movements had become.
The comparison of new way on the right after one session shows how quickly you can start the change process. This is by no means the finished product but instead a work in progress to allow Joelle to move freely and enjoy her running so much more.
View on Instagram

Old way/New way.
Old on the top. Wes has been having persistent lower legs injuries for a while now, he came to see if we could reduce some of the load going through them.
AT NO POINT do we focus on foot landing/strike throughout the session. These changes are all made from one cue focusing on the stimulus that is creating the movement patterns of the legs.
View on Instagram

Old on the top. New on the bottom. This is one cue, not focusing on landing but movement. Movement and position creates your landing. This is the third session Nathan and I have done together however this change was made yesterday with just one cue.
Things to note outside of landing: – Left hip drop in old compared to stable hips in new (without doing clams nor glute exercises)
– Hip extension
– Height of foot through recovery due to additional flight time
View on Instagram

Courtesy of ashcowen94: After 10 years of running competitively I’ve never been able to build to more than 30km a week without having shin pain, I’ve had 6 operations in total and I was convinced I’d never run again only 12 months ago. After all of this I’ve finally figured out that I was a massive overstrider/heel striker (pic 2) Been working with @thebalancedrunner for a month now and can’t believe the difference, can’t wait to be back racing next month 🏃🏼

Old way – Top split screen
NEW Way – Bottom split screen
Break down and highlight of leg position upon landing. Also highlight of landing plays recovery phase leg position.
Kiran has been working towards this over the course of 6 months. This was in our most recent session.
View on Instagram
NEW WAY – OLD WAY:

Shown here is the improvement in one session with Genevieve.

❌ At no point did we focus on landing
❌ Cue has no focus on knee lift/drive.

Old way on top and new way on bottom you see how much more extension and therefore flexion is occurring at the hip. This all effects the movements and patterns below. Whilst there is still room for improvement, after one session Genevieve couldn’t feel the load going into her shins anywhere near as much anymore. Slow motion in this video.

View on Instagram

Alex talks about his experience first working with Paul on his running technique quite a number of years ago, and working on the online program.

Ready to join the community?

Explore Membership Options
The Balanced Runner - Online Program
About The Balanced Runner | Running Technique Coach
Book Now

Articles, podcast appearances and running technique tips

See all of the latest from the Balanced Runner including interviews and podcasts featuring Paul, video appearances, feature articles and running technique tips.

Running Technique Coaching vs Strength & Conditioning

Running Technique Coaching vs Strength & Conditioning

Jul 22, 2022

If you have followed Paul for a while, you will know that he likes to have a bit of fun at the expense of the idea of a strength program improving your running technique. In this discussion with Exercise Scientist Nick Jankovskis we take the chance to explore where strength training does improve running and where it does not.

read more
An example of Stride & Cadence with Paul Chelimo and Luis Orta

An example of Stride & Cadence with Paul Chelimo and Luis Orta

May 9, 2022

I saw this video recently and thought it was a great opportunity to highlight the difference movement can make to running at top speed.
If you’ve been following for a while you’ll know I don’t use cadence as a cue, but it is a good indicator. In this case Paul Chelimo is 204 and Luis Orta is 240.

read more
Timing of your movement when running

Timing of your movement when running

May 8, 2022

The timing of your movement is critical when running. This article outlines how to think about this and the affect it can have on injury. Running in time on your left and right side is a vital aspect of becoming a balanced runner.

read more
Paul joins the Effortless Swimming Podcast

Paul joins the Effortless Swimming Podcast

Apr 26, 2022

Paul and Brenton connected a little while ago over the similarities of their methodology and disruption of technique coaching, hence Brenton’s name for this podcast is ‘The Effortless Swimming of Running’, or as we might call it, Paul joined ‘The Balanced Runner of Swimming’!

read more
How do you hold your shoulders when running?

How do you hold your shoulders when running?

Apr 14, 2022

How do you hold your shoulders when you are running? In this summary, we outline the common issues with tension in shoulders that many runners exhibit and how to switch off or open up your shoulders and the impact it can have.

read more
How Do You Identify Your Running Technique?

How Do You Identify Your Running Technique?

Feb 12, 2022

A lot of people don’t take the time to be fully aware of what their body is doing while they are running. This article explains how to work through each part of your body and feel what is doing while you are running, and how to feel your own movement pattern.

read more
The Inside Running Podcast Featuring Paul Mackinnon

The Inside Running Podcast Featuring Paul Mackinnon

Jan 28, 2020

The Inside Running Podcast Featuring Paul Mackinnon Article | 28/1/2020 | Category: PodcastAfter working with Julian Spence on his technique over the last few months, Paul joins him for a chat about running, life and his philosophy of running technique coaching. The...

read more
Who Taught You to Run? With METS Performance Consulting

Who Taught You to Run? With METS Performance Consulting

Oct 8, 2019

Who Taught You to Run? With METS Performance ConsultingPaul joins the team from METS Performance Consulting on the Physiology Secrets podcast to discuss running technique and the potential impact it has on performance for all athletes.Have you ever stopped to think...

read more
Triathlon Taren Podcast Interview

Triathlon Taren Podcast Interview

Aug 5, 2019

Triathlon Taren Podcast InterviewPaul  joined Triathlon Taren for a video based session to review his technique and then an interview on his Podcast. You can listen below and check out more of Taren’s work at https://mymottiv.com/ or on YouTube at...

read more
Runner Chats with Paul Mackinnon

Runner Chats with Paul Mackinnon

Apr 16, 2019

Runner Chats with Paul Mackinnon A laid back chat about life and running with Pete and Nathan from Runner Chats. Ranging from everything from hockey to Run the Bay Relay and a little bit of technique. Check out the podcast below or the rest of their great work...

read more
Zero to Half-Marathon in 4 Months

Zero to Half-Marathon in 4 Months

May 3, 2018

Zero to Half-Marathon in 4 Months 3 May 2018 | Category: Running Technique AdviceThis article was first featured in Men’s Fitness Magazine. Paul MacKinnon, aka the balanced runner, gives us some simple tips on how to get from the couch to a half marathon in a few...

read more
5 Ways to Improve Your 10km Time

5 Ways to Improve Your 10km Time

May 16, 2017

5 Ways to Improve Your 10km Time 16 May 2017 | Category: Running Technique AdviceThis article was originally featured in Body + Soul as part of the lead up to Run Melbourne. Check out the article here. To a non-runner, the thought of running 10 kilometres is pretty...

read more