Whether you like running or not, it's a key part of the Air Force's Physical Fitness test.

"Unless you're on a medical profile, you have to do your mile-and-a-half run," said Patrick Conway, 62nd Medical Squadron exercise physiologist and fitness program manager at McChord Field.

So it's best to embrace it or start working on the transition to civilian life.

McChord Field's Health and Wellness Center recently started hosting running clinics to help Airmen - as well as family members and Department of Defense civilians - prevent injuries by taking an up close look at their running form.

On Monday at the base track, Conway shot video of participants running through 15 yards of cones in an effort to identify any bad mechanics that might lead to injuries. After shooting the video, Conway takes loads the film into software, which allows him to view the footage frame by frame and examine each participant's running mechanics.

He then sends out an e-mail to the person with recommendations on how to improve.

"I'm hoping they can take this information and apply things that I'm finding - any problems with their mechanics - and they can fix them so they can prevent injuries," he said.  

However, the tips can also help people enjoy their run more and help build up their endurance, he said.

Senior Airman Bret Konsavage, a member of the 62nd Operations Support Squadron, was participating in PT with his unit and decided to give the clinic a try.

"In all honesty, I try to avoid running," Konsavage said with a laugh. "I hate it. But I'm going to the gym four times a week now, weightlifting, and then I run three times a week. Overall, (I'm) doing whatever I can (to stay in shape)."

Konsavage, who also recently quit smoking in an effort to improve his health, was looking for whatever advice Conway could provide to help him get more out of each stride.  

"Good running form is something that either comes naturally or you really have to push to learn it," he said.  

Airman 1st Class Cassandra MacKay also ran through the cones while being videotaped.

"I've been working on (my running form) lately ... just trying to improve a bit," said MacKay, also a member of the 62nd OSS. "I get shin splints sometimes, but mainly I'm just trying to work on my endurance. I just want to shorten my time by another minute."

Chris Allen, a former military spouse and current civilian contractor who works at Madigan Healthcare System, heard about the clinic and decided to come over and get videotaped.

"I started running last August, and I just never knew if I was doing it right," Allen said. "My shins would always get really tired really quickly."

Allen is hoping the clinic will help him find a remedy to the problem.

"This is a neat thing to come out and have somebody do for you," he said. "I don't know what this would cost you to have somebody do it off base."

Conway said he's been getting a lot of positive feedback from those who have participated. In the last three months, he's analyzed about 100 runners.

Conway and HAWC officials plan on hosting the next running clinic sometime in September after all the summer on-base activities are over.