Cadence and motor while running.

Why was I so slow in high school? No, genetics is not an excuse. Let's analyze.

• I wasn't eating enough. That's self-evident. 
• I wasn't lifting enough. Especially lower body. I tried but my mom kept telling me it was a waste of time, and would stunt my growth (an incorrect myth), and also I couldn't balance it with my AP courses. 
• I raced my recovery runs. 
• My form was bad. I disagree with the school of thought that your natural form is best. No it isn't. I converted to toe-striking for speedwork and races. I will never go back to heel striking. Toe striking is second nature to me now. 
• I wasn't sleeping enough. 5-6 hours a night sucks. 
• Tbh, could've done even more Saturday mileage, like the 14s-16s we do every summer now, but with XC you don't want to keep everyone waiting for you to finish. 
• I didn't run downhills properly because I was scared of falling. 

But above all:

MOTOR. Cadence. When you want to go faster, you don't lurch your entire freaking body forward like you're doing a belly flop into the pool. Instead, you increase your cadence. Move your legs faster. Take smaller steps. The upper body shouldn't be moving much differently. The power comes from below -- I feel like it's the glutes, mostly, kicking you into gear. It's NOT your arms! You should not be windmilling them! I cannot even begin to describe how much this changed my speed. I kept wondering what the secret was, like how even other asthmatic runners were doing 5ks in the 16s and 17s. Well, that's a huge part of it. 

Some of this was told to me by coaches and then I didn't do it for some reason. No idea why. I guess I was afraid of getting slower? Not rational. But at least I know now...