“He is very technical… but over the top” – Olympian Allyson Felix breaks down Tom Cruise’s running 

Allyson Felix is one of America's most iconic track stars. In her time, Felix was an extremely versatile runner. She dominated the 200-meter sprint for more than a decade and moved on to the 400-meter run later on in her career.

Having won everything there is to win on the track, Felix now focuses on other projects that she has going for her, including her running-shoe brand, Saysh, which she owns alongside her brother.

Felix has a strong voice in the sport, considering her accolades, and is among the most influential athletes in the world. Last year, speaking to GQ Sports, she blessed the audience with her insight on the running style of various actors in popular Hollywood movies. Perhaps the most interesting one was her breakdown of Tom Cruise's sprint in the 2011 hit, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Felix, watching Cruise's sprint, said:

"This form right here is pretty extreme. He [Cruise] is pretty technical but almost over the top. "

Tom Cruise at F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain, 2022

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Allyson Felix breaks down Tom Cruise’s Sprint

The seven-time Olympic gold medalist broke down Cruise's sprint in a very professional manner. Many don't understand the intricate details of professional running. Felix made sure she hit the nail on the head with every single detail.

"His legs are coming up so high that it's too high. You're working against yourself at this point."

A powerful knee drive at the beginning of a sprint can be helpful to increase explosive motion leading to a faster sprint. However, sustaining it over a longer sprint as in the scene can be detrimental to the runner's energy reserve. Making the point that extra movement in sports leads to faster energy loss, Felix said:

"His arms are almost pumping too fast and too quickly, where it's counterproductive... His head was extremely stable ... You can have some movement, but you just don't want to be bobbling all over because it's wasted energy. So you really want to be efficient."

Allyson Felix at World Athletics Championships Oregon22

The sprinting clip from Cruise's movie goes on for a while. The scenery around him changes, but his form does not. Watching this, Allyson Felix said:

"This is also very unrealistic. You wouldn't be able to hold this speed and this form for this long. 100 meters, maybe 200 meters, you could hold this type of speed, but it would've completely broken down and fallen apart."

The former sprinter then reacted to a clip of Cruise running at the same speed with the same form under very extreme conditions with very poor visibility. She took the opportunity to emphasize on the importance of weather in running:

"Weather definitely affects your running. Especially for sprinters. The hotter the weather, the better result you'll have. It's easier for your muscles to warm up. The longer distances you go, athletes really like cooler temperatures, because you're really out in the elements."

Allyson Felix at World Athletics Championships Oregon22

Continuing her monolog on the weather, Felix said:

"But everything affects running. The wind, how much wind is at your back, or if you're running into wind, or if it's raining. All these conditions ... can have an effect on your performance."

Allyson Felix is one of the most respected voices in the sport, thanks to her being the most-decorated female trackstar at the Olympics. In 2022, she announced her retirement, but as we have already experienced: You never know with Felix!