3rd Mile (Minimalist Running)

Up until reading Born to Run I was convinced that I needed to pay top dollar for my running shoes.  Always looking for cushion, stability, support, and the occasional style.  At the sporting goods store I work for we carry Nike, UnderArmour, and Asics shoes.  In high school I was dead set on Nike, because they looked good and they fit my feet well.  In college I switched over to Asics shortly, because I was able to get them 40% off and everyone who knows anything about running knows Asics are the "best."  Almost all the time when somebody comes in to buy a pair of running shoes we always refer them to Asics.  They cost more, they are dependable, they are stylish.  This is my biggest dilemma recently because I am not a fan of any of the shoes we sell.  I will wear them for walking around, but not for running, and here is why.

Take your shoes off at some point and run around barefoot.  I will guarantee you that you will notice your running form changes after a few short strides.  You will start to run on your forefoot, you will stand up straighter, you will feel more fluent when you run.  Now put your shoes back on and run around.  Immediately you will go back to the form you are used to, probably a heel strike, slouched a bit, and looking at yourself you would say you look heavy and awkward when running.  You have never noticed this before, because this is what modern running shoes have taught you to do.  Heel striking is a modern invention and believe it or not is not good for you.  It puts more strain on the knees and forces energy the wrong way.  A midfoot or forefoot strike is ideal because you are not striking the ground very hard, you naturally stand straighter, and it takes the strain away.  Watch this video below.

What happens next?  Ditch your expensive running shoes that offer support, cushion, and stability.  It is not helping you.  Now don't ditch them completely because most people, especially flat footers, will need a transition period to minimalist running shoes.  I run in the New Balance Minimus and I love them.  I have also been running here and there in the Saucony Hattori, a zero drop shoe (no built up heel).  I had knee issues in the past, and those issues disappeared almost immediately when I made the switch.  My calves took a little while to adjust because you are using that muscle so much more.  I feel like a stronger, faster, more fluid runner.  In the short 2 months I have been wearing the shoes I have put about 350 miles on them and I feel so much better.  Injury free is the best part.  After I ran the Dam to Dam in Des Moines in June, I thought my knee was done for, and it was for the summer, until I started training with my minimalist shoes.  The best part is, they are cheap.  I spent 60 dollars on my New Balance shoes, and 30 on my Saucony's.  Asics run anywhere from 100-180 dollars.  Why spend that much money on something that is actually doing more harm.

The Saucony Hattori

One precaution I should state: DO NOT start training the minimalist way all at once.  Switch back and forth.  Slowly build up strength in your feet and calves.  Run 1 mile with your minimalist shoes and run the rest with your normal shoes and slowly build up.  I don't run barefoot because my feet are really sensitive.  I probably will never run barefoot but I am as close as it can get without totally stripping off the shoes.  I swear by this approach.  The other you need to do is research.  Many websites will tell you that minimalist/barefoot running can harm you, and I agree, but so can any running.  It works for me and many others, but that doesn't mean it will work for you.  The statistics are striking, 60-85% of all runners get injured every year, wearing these shoes that offer more cushion, more support, and more stability.  If the injury rate is that high it should raise some red flags: "Maybe these shoes are not the greatest" or "Maybe I don't know how to run."  In Born to Run Christopher McDougall states that running in more cushioned shoes is like putting an egg in an oven mitt and hitting it with a hammer.  You really are not doing much, that egg will still end up smashed.  When you wear a more cushioned shoe your foot naturally accommodates and strikes down harder.  Offering more stability and support provides your feet with a crutch and makes your feet weaker.  When you break your arm and get cast, the purpose is to offer support, and it works because the bone eventually heals, but your arm becomes weaker while having that cast there.  These fancy running shoes do the same, but with even more negative repercussions.  Knee injuries, plantar fasciitis, shin splints are all associated with the conventional approach.  Let your feet do what they were made to do, set them free or at least don't hold them back.

Here is a great article to compare minimalist and traditional running styles: http://www.backcountry.com/sc/minimalist-vs-traditional-running-shoes