Today, Wetall invites you to discover everything you need to know about running when you’re tall! To do that, who better than an expert in the field: Guillaume Adam.
Guillaume is a high-level runner. He runs the marathon in 2:23, won the Maxi Race d’Annecy (a 68-mile trail race) and holds 10 French national championship titles. He also created, with his brother, a running coaching app called RunMotion. And as if that weren’t enough, he just released a book on running titled “My Running, Trail and Marathon Bible.”
1. Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
I’m 33 years old and I live in Chambéry in the Alps. I’ve been running since I was 10, and at 23 I joined the French national athletics team in the 1500 meters. In 2017, I founded RunMotion Coach, a running coaching app, with the goal of helping all runners, whatever their level, reach their goals. Those goals might be weight loss or races like the Paris Marathon, where over 2,000 runners prepared with our app in 2023. Now I run mostly for the enjoyment of it, whether marathons or trail races.
And why an interview on Wetall? I’m 6’2″ and I wear a US size 13. Sometimes I have trouble finding certain shoes, but online, 95% of the time it works out!
2. What are your best racing memories?
One of my best memories is when I managed to break the 4-minute mile (1,609 m). It was a feat people thought impossible at the start of the 20th century, but a British runner proved otherwise in 1954. It was in Boston in 2017 that I ran the mile in 3 minutes and 59 seconds for the first time, in a race where I was competing alongside the Rio Olympic champion in the 1500m, American Matthew Centrowitz!
3. Is running recommended for tall people?
Yes, running is recommended for everyone (or at least almost everyone). Humans are built to run (just watch kids running around a playground) but years of a sedentary lifestyle can make the body less adapted to that kind of effort. You have to ease into it gradually, alternating between walking and running.
4. What training adjustments should tall beginners make?
Tall runners can sometimes carry a bit more weight, and in that case it’s even more important to progress gradually. It may be preferable to favor trails over pavement to reduce muscular and joint stress all while watching out for low-hanging branches in the woods.
Running technique matters a lot for an efficient, fluid stride. It’s also a good idea to do drills to work on cadence, since tall runners generally have a long but infrequent stride.
5. What are the specific characteristics of tall runners?
Tall people have a higher center of gravity, which is a disadvantage, especially in trail running on downhill sections. It’s important to anticipate and use your arms to bring your center of gravity closer to the slope, for example when cornering. On top of that, with every footstrike, a runner absorbs roughly 3 times their body weight. The heavier the runner, the greater the muscular and joint stress. Shoes with adequate cushioning are therefore recommended. Shoes like the Asics Nimbus are popular among heavier runners, but if you want more responsiveness and have good technique, you can go for something slightly lighter.
6. Should a tall person eat more than others when training or competing?
Someone with more lean mass (muscle) has a higher basal metabolic rate, as in the amount of energy the body needs each day at rest. With activity added in, it’s not uncommon for a tall person to need 2,500 to 3,000 calories per day. It’s important to consume good-quality fats, especially omega-3 and omega-6, which also contribute calories, whereas vegetables are often low in calories but rich in vitamins and minerals. The recommendation is simply to eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is just the same as anyone, really.
During competition, around 40 to 50g of carbohydrates per hour is recommended for a marathon or any effort lasting between 1 and 5 hours. For taller people, that amount can go up to 60g. Beyond that, the body doesn’t necessarily absorb them. It’s important to test what you consume during training so you know what works on race day. For trail running, whole-food options like Baouw bars and purees are interesting, since industrial products like gels can cause GI discomfort. Some runners tolerate them well, so it’s essential to test everything in advance, whether it be nutrition or gear.
7. Does a tall runner need special equipment?
On hydration: drinking between 13 and 24 fl oz (roughly 1.5 to 3 cups) of water per hour of running is recommended. A tall runner can aim for the higher end of that range. After the race, it’s better to order a pint of beer rather than a half…but I’m kidding! Speaking of which, I have a British friend who’s 6’7″, and he’s the British wife-carrying champion (yes, that’s a real thing!), and that’s one advantage of being tall. The winner gets his wife’s weight in beer, so double advantage for being big.
For trail running, poles can be a bit more fragile, since a longer pole tends to break more easily. In that case, aluminum poles, though slightly heavier than carbon ones, can be more durable.
8. Which running disciplines are most advantageous for tall people?
In the 3,000m steeplechase, France had two athletes who were regulars on the world and Olympic podiums: Bob Tahri (6’3″) and Mahiedine Mekhissi (6’3″), which seems to suggest an advantage given the 3-foot (91 cm) barriers. In trail running, François d’Haène, at 6’4″, is also an ultra-trail champion! However, in both disciplines there are also shorter athletes who excel. As for sprint events like the 100m and 200m, Usain Bolt, at 6’5″, made history in a discipline traditionally dominated by shorter, faster runners. Beyond 6’7″ (2 meters), endurance events often become more difficult, as running economy tends to be less efficient.
9. You wrote a book; can you tell us more about it?
My book, titled “My Running, Trail and Marathon Bible,” came out in March 2023 and is available on Amazon as well as in many bookstores. I cover in detail the topics mentioned above, though I didn’t specifically focus on tall people. This 336-page book can be thought of as a practical guide to improving as a runner and covers every aspect of the sport.
10. You also launched a running coaching app with your twin brother! Can you tell us about it?
RunMotion Coach has been downloaded over 500,000 times and supports runners of all levels. We love reading testimonials from people whose lives have been transformed by reaching their running goals, whether it be physically or mentally, by building greater self-confidence, for example. Knowing that RunMotion Coach played a part in that transformation is a real source of pride for us.
Bonus. What do you think of Wetall?
I was thrilled to discover this community in which at first, with my “modest” height of 6’2″, I wasn’t sure I’d fit in, but my size 13 shoe got me through the door! I really enjoy the blog articles, which share incredible stories and offer practical tips. On top of that, the way tall-friendly products are highlighted makes it so much easier to find things that actually fit our needs.