The painful truth about trainers (running shoes)

Krusty_Clown

Interesting article in the Daily Mail, about the evolution of the running shoe, from the early days when Nike first invented the running shoe (and then created a demand for it), right through to Nike's latest creation...'Barefoot running' in Nike Free.

Daily Mail Article

nerraw1111

Interesting but using the liklihood of injury as a barometer to judge the two styles doesn't work.

Those running barefoot are far more likely to be following a strict training regime and look after themselves.

Those in trainers will range from marathon runners to some bloke in a GAA shirt going hell for leather in the first mile of a marathon. It's fairly predictable which group of people will have more injuries.

You would need to be barefoot running all your life for it to be an advantage I think.

Running Bing

Some interesting stuff (especially about the Mexican tribe...even if it did sound highly exaggerated) but I felt it was a pretty poor article tbh which was nothing more than a thinly veiled attack at Nike.

It seems to me the picture painted of an evil Bill Bowerman scheming away to cook up an idea to create an artificial market and then monopolise it are well wide of the mark.


Also it's all well and good talking about Bannister and Lydiards runners and their canvas shoes.....how many average joes went out and did 20+miles a week in such shoes back then?

In the last three decades running has exploded and more and more people are trying it....many of these people rush out to the shop and look for the most expensive shoe they can find (because it must be the best right?) and never even contemplate getting professional advice (I know because I did it myself:D) so its only natural people will get injured.

But the real issue of the article for me comes at the end when it says:

Running barefoot may have some benefit in muscle strengthening as the muscles have to 'tune in' to the vibrations caused by impact loading.

If, like Zola Budd, you grew up running barefoot on a South African farm, your tissue tolerance would adapt over time. But for someone who has grown up wearing shoes and is a natural heel striker (see right), the impact loading will be beyond tissue tolerance level, and injury will occur.

We are all individuals, therefore it is prudent to have your own running technique assessed and work around that.

As for getting out your old worn out trainers and running in them - don't! Based on the individual's size and running surfaces/conditions shoes should be changed between 500-1,000 miles. It's best to seek the advice of a specialist running store.

Ok so if I grew up running barefoot in Kenya strengthening my legs then its likely running barefoot is still the best thing for me.....and for the rest of us? (thats before you even mention the impracticalities of barefoot running in an urban environment)

cfitz

Babybing wrote: »

Ok so if I grew up running barefoot in Kenya strengthening my legs then its likely running barefoot is still the best thing for me.....and for the rest of us? (thats before you even mention the impracticalities of barefoot running in an urban environment)

Think of the children. Will you put them in running shoes or send them out in their bare feet?

Running Bing

cfitz wrote: »

Think of the children. Will you put them in running shoes or send them out in their bare feet?

:DI have a few years yet before I have to make that decision......although if I made my kids run barefoot around here I'd have child services on my case:pac:

T runner

Hi I think it was Lydiard who invented extra rubber on the soles and Jogging (He was originally a cobbler). According to his book "Running with Lydiard" Nike/Bowerman took these ideas.

The last few months I have started to use teh ligtesst runers I possibly can for training. This has indeed strenghtened my feet etc. My Achilles was tender for years: I tried heel wedges before but this isnt a long term solution as then it will shorten the tendon. When I started training in v light trainers racing shoes, these problems dissapeared. Also my cadence increased and I spent less time with my foor on the ground which are desirable developements for running.

Running barefoot would take months of adaption but I think running as minimally as possible for the individual has definate benefits.

little mazungo

alot of top US coaches, (ncaa and pro) are implementing bare foot running back into in warm ups and cool downs, where conditions can allow there athletes to do this ( flat grass infields etc) to strenghten there feet up and prevent injury, over the hard racing seasons,

Running Bing

There's a bit on the radio this morning about this.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/liveplayer_av.html?1,null,200,http://dynamic.rte.ie/av/live/radio/radio1.smil

Click on the Turbridy show and go to 37 minutes.

crosbie

OK so Im trying to get this thread up and going again. I just finished reading 'Born to Run' and am shamelessly suffering from hero envy. So this morning I went out for a 10miler - about 5miles in my Brooks started to rub, as usual and in the same spot, so I thought what the hell I'll give this barefoot running a shot. (I was in the Phoenix Park - nice and soft and muddy!) I ran 3 miles barefoot without any problems at all, even my left knee which usually begins to tighten up a bit seemed to loosen out. When I took my time after the 3 miles I had actually run faster than I thought!! The sensation is a bit weird, squelching in the mud and feeling the ground much more - but on the whole very enjoyable. Go on give it a go - you know you want to - and report back your experiences.

Cerlan

I did five miles barefoot on Inch beach a couple of weeks ago. Similar experiences to you crosbie. Ran faster than usual, and an ache in my arch that is usually troublesome disappeared. It definitely feels a lot more comfortable, even in the wind and rain! I don't knnow about doing it in an urban setting though. I'd worry about cutting myself on rubbish and what not...

eliwallach

crosbie wrote: »

I thought what the hell I'll give this barefoot running a shot.
Go on give it a go - you know you want to - and report back your experiences.

When I did cross-country many, many moons ago (early 80's), I did all of my running barefoot. This may have been neccessitated by the economical climate at the time rather than any decision to do so (in a family of 8 "SPIKES" were well down on the list of priorities).
I was "spiked" more than once but didn't feel it at the time as my feet were numb with the cold.
My feet were often numb with mud caked onto them after a race - most especially in Punchestown after the Leinster cross-country championships in cold November.
In fact when the time did come when spikes were purchased (with my confirmation money) I found that I couldn't run as fast in them. Never took to them at all and as my athletics career dwindled at the tender age of 13 they remained virtually untouched in the shed at home .
Would love to try the barefoot thing again, but all of my races are road races so I wouldn't be in a position to enjoy any possible benefits.

Running Bing

Was just discussing modern running shoes in the gait analysis thread and I definitely think there is a lot of merit in bare foot running as long as it is introduced very gradually and gently.

Of course its not really a practical option in an urban environment so the natural solution is to run in as little shoe as possible. Again I wouldnt fancy trying it now because I believe I just would not be strong enough but eventually I would like to move to running in as little shoe as I can get away with and just run the way I was intended to.

hunnymonster

eliwallach wrote: »

When I did cross-country many, many moons ago (early 80's), I did all of my running barefoot. This may have been neccessitated by the economical climate at the time rather than any decision to do so (in a family of 8 "SPIKES" were well down on the list of priorities).
I was "spiked" more than once but didn't feel it at the time as my feet were numb with the cold.
My feet were often numb with mud caked onto them after a race - most especially in Punchestown after the Leinster cross-country championships in cold November.

Same economics in our house (but with less people to feed). I still have plenty of scars on the tops of my feet which really look dodgy when I have a tan. My mum always put our health (never had colds etc) down to us running cross country barefoot. She reckoned if we could survive that, the bugs didn't stand a chance. Mind you this is the same woman who was known to turn a freezing garden hose on us before letting us into the house when we came home caked in mud:-)

crosbie

Feet were designed by evolution to do this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwbzpyterI
we are all wimps getting gait analysis done and fretting about advances in running technology - the technology is there already; in our feet.

Running Bing

crosbie wrote: »

Feet were designed by evolution to do this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nwbzpyterI
we are all wimps getting gait analysis done and fretting about advances in running technology - the technology is there already; in our feet.

Glad he kept his shorts on:P


Everybody knows Haile runs in a Brooks Beast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAW87NsiGuI

MrJones

What minimalist runners would be recommended? - apart from nike free.

i know for off-road you can wear walshes which i intend to buy - but not sure if these are suitable for training in general, on road, in parks etc,

I did 25 min this eve barefoot in a local park. Felt good. Im injured at them moment. Felt a bit freer although not sure its the root cause of my problem yet :rolleyes:

Running Bing

Id love to try Nike Free but they could well be a pricey gimmick.

There's also the Newtons which look interesting (not the most minimalist though).

Aside from that a lot of people seem to swear by the Asics DS trainers which again are not really minimalist but seem quite light compared to shoes like the Kayano.

Personally Id like to try training in racing flats but it will be a long time before I try that because I imagine you would have to be an experienced runner, light on your feet, very efficient and introduce them very gradually to get away with it. Lots of people do report great success though training in racing flats.

plodder

I noticed that a few people ran barefoot at some of the BHAA cross country series this Winter. You'd want to know the course beforehand though, because some of them wouldn't have been suitable for it imo.