Running is one of the most common and easiest sports to access for most endurance athletes, whether you are solely a long distance runner or a multisport athlete. It provides us with great cardiovascular benefits, as well as that sometimes sought after solitude we may need to escape the grind of every day. So it isn’t surprising that lots of injuries can arise from running, it is the easiest to get out and do, and is sometimes done too often resulting in problems. Or this was the traditional thought, doing too much or not being built to run causes injuries. I am going to touch on a bit of information that may contradict what you have traditionally been taught about running, running shoes, and technique as well as injury causes.

For as long as you have been running, you have also been bombarded with propaganda regarding footwear. Shoes have evolved so tremendously over the past 20-30 years that you can wonder how we ever survived prior to that. We have also noted an increase in running related injuries over this time period as well. And I don’t think it is much of a coincidence.  Most of you probably have shoes that have all kinds of cushioning in the heel and forefoot, and of course the extra support in your arch because you probably pronate or have flat feet. Most of you have been told this by a 20 year old working at a running store, or a health care professional that hasn’t had the time to research any new information regarding shoes and gait and is going by old school thinking. You may even have orthotics to assist with certain problems, or different shoes even for your longer distances and your speed or track workouts, and you have been taught to replace your shoes after 5-600km because the cushioning wears out. If this sounds familiar, you are in for a surprise. Just keep an open mind. Endurance athletes are one of the toughest people to change a habit, and that includes thoughts regarding training and gear.

Though everyone runs differently, there is in fact a more efficient and natural way to run that is consistent between all people. By running more efficiently you will be less injured, be able to run longer and more often, as well as be faster! Most people that run longer distances tend to heel strike with each step. This is in part because of the shoes having a large and reinforced heel, as well as what lots of people have been taught, well because it is the way we walk. This technique can cause a lot of problems, especially over the thousands of steps you can take depending on the length of your run. Now try an experiment. Take of your shoes and run about 2-5 minutes barefoot. You will notice right away, within a few steps, that you stop heel striking because it is painful! You will instantly shift your weight forward on your feet, move your feet to strike the ground underneath you, and land on the balls of your feet cushioning your body as it hits the ground.  You also will be making more steps per minute as your stride has shortened. This is your body’s natural running stride, the way you were made, before shoes. And will be the most efficient way to run, making you faster.

 And to help reiterate this point, there are many tribes in countries like Africa and Mexico that run many miles daily for their survival. They hunt animals by running behind them until they collapse from exhaustion, and also run well into what we consider old age. Take this as proof that the human body was designed to run long distances. We also are the only animals with Achilles tendons and feet with plantar fascias that was designed to store and release energy together as we move. When we heel strike we stop the flow of energy between these two structures, making our bodies have to pull itself forward, using other parts that weren’t meant to propel ourselves in running.  This is where the overuse injuries involved in running come into play and can be avoided once the body becomes used to running “naturally”.

So we touched on running technique a bit, but where do shoes come in. Well if you are wearing a big shoe with fancy cushioning and support you will see that they aren’t very flexible. This then is not allowing your foot to respond to the ground well and making it very difficult to heel strike. A big shoe like that acts like a cast on your foot, not allowing muscle development or elasticity in the foot. If you’ve ever had a cast on your leg or your arm from a break you know how small that limb looks in only 6 weeks. So imagine how weak the many little muscles of the foot are when you are in a shoe that is basically acting like a cast. This is another reason that foot pain and problems are so common in runners. The best types of running shoes to get into are nice and flat, and really flexible. Some of you may have these for your track or your speed work, but you should be in them all the time. The lightness and flexibility of them allows your feet to respond to the ground and your running almost like they were barefoot. These shoes aren’t at every running store for the reason that there isn’t a profit in a shoe that doesn’t have lots of gadgets. The good thing about that is that they far outlast your big runners because there is no cushioning to break down, you will have trained the muscles in your feet to naturally cushion your body. This is a lot to digest and it is a good idea to get a professional to look at your running and shoes to provide you with some input, especially if you are having injuries or problems while running. And if I haven’t convinced you yet, here is the last kicker. Your VO2max is your magic number when it comes to training, allowing you to work out at a higher intensity without going anaerobic. By changing your shoes alone you can drop 1 or more pounds, which relates to 3% VO2 Max. Just ask your coach how hard you have to train to improve 3%! And how much better your runs will be with that extra punch!!!

Next month I will talk about the injuries that plague runners and some things we can do to help and prevent them, though this information is your first and biggest step!