"Interest in barefoot running seemed to wane until 2001, when Michael Warburton, an Aussie physical therapist and 2:42 marathoner, published an online paper titled, simply, 'Barefoot Running.' (You can view the paper at the sports science web site sportsci.org.) In his section on running economy, Warburton points out that the extra weight of shoes on your feet is much worse than a pound or two around your middle. Weight on your feet is subject to constant acceleration and deceleration (runners call these movements 'strides'), which have a high energy cost. According to Warburton, research has shown that 100 grams of extra weight on your feet decreases your running economy by one percent. Simple math says that two 10-ounce shoes will make you more than five percent less efficient. That's a big deal. When you add five percent to Paul Tergat's marathon world record 2:04:55, he's a 2:11 guy, which doesn't net him enough for a warm bowl of ugali in the Kenyan highlands.
But we don't think much about running economy when we buy a pair of new running shoes. First we want protection from harmful objects. And then we expect cushioning and/or motion control--the stuff of injury prevention. But this is where things get strange, because scientific studies have had a hard time proving that shoes represent a big step forward from the naked foot."
Link
I am a big guy and I slighty supinate -- mostly when my legs get tired. I don't need "motion control", but cushioning is a key factor in my shoe selection. During college, I played alot of basketball and had problems with the bones in my feet (lots of pain and swelling, but never got as far as a stress fracture). I am wondering how to incorporate feet strengthening into my regimen. Like anything else, slow and listen to my body seems to be the best guide here.
Of course, maybe it is just dreaming about running along the beach in North Carolina that is driving this lark . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment