Anyone who has run has likely
read or at least heard of the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. Born
to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my
foot hurt? Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara
Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury
either barefoot or with minimal support.
During the course of Born to
Run, McDougall highlights the Tarahumara’s ability to run barefoot or with not
so much as a single piece of leather or rubber as pseudo shoes. While trying to identify why is he was prone
to injury while running, McDougall’s book is credited by many as igniting the
“minimalist” running craze.
Minimalist running is running
with minimal cushion and support for the feet. Vibram went so far as to create their five toed running
shoes that were little more than a five toed sock with a piece of rubber for a
sole. While Born to Run was extremely
popular, many people tried to make the move to minimalist running, often times
with injury and frustration.
While I am not a believer in
ultra-minimalist running like the Vibram Five Toed shoes, for me I like a shoe
with some cushion that still allows me to feel the road. At 130 lbs., I am
applying much more pressure and force on my feet, knees and hips than larger
runners and thus the need for less cushioning.
It should also be noted while the Tarahumara and our distance ancestors
did run barefoot, they were also running on softer surfaces and not the
concrete jungle most runners use today.
It’s almost ridiculous how a
hot trend goes cold and another pops up in its place virtually overnight. While good minimalist shoes have their
merits, the fact is most runners shouldn't wear them due to size, conditioning,
form, injury or all of the above. Today
the pendulum has swung from ultra-minimalist to ultra-maximalist shoes – shoes
that are ultra-cushioned, have a wider toe box and provide a very comfortable
and spongy ride, something many runners prefer.
According to Brian Metzler of
Competitor Magazine, thanks to new midsole foam materials that are lighter,
more resilient or more responsive, plus new design configurations – the same
details that spurred the minimalist movement – some of the leading maximalist
shoes are lighter than traditional everyday trainers and also promote natural
gait tendencies. With the added benefits
of less impact and quicker recovery from long runs, many runners are giving
shoes with oversized cushioning a try.
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| Hoka One One Clifton |
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| Altra Paradigm |
Two popular brands to check out
if you are interested in beginning running or want less damage from the
repeated impact running provides are the Altra Paradigm and the Hoka One One
Clifton or Hauka. Both are very light
weight, provide great support and cushion and still give you a good feel for
the road.
HERE’S TO
BEING FIT FOR LIFE!
Chris is a Certified Personal Trainer, USA
Triathlon Level 1 Coach, Group Exercise Instructor, exercise and endurance
enthusiast. He competes yearly in
numerous running races, marathons, ultra marathons, triathlons and other
endurance events.
