The Boston Globe has a good article on what a “fast running shoe” actually means. Surprisingly, a lighter shoe with less cushion can actually mean slower times for a runner in a long race (I.e. marathon).

We need the full shock absorbing benefit of a traditional shoe for a marathon. Studies show that for every 100 grams (just over 3 ounces) of reduced weight in a pair of shoes, a runner will only gain 1 to 2 percent improvement (measured in time and oxygen efficiency).
If you’re an advanced or elite athlete, that
improvement can make all the difference in the world. But if you’re a 4 hour marathoner, you will likely only gain a 2-5 minute improvement in time, while forcing your body to endure 20 percent more stress due to the reduced level of shock absorption.

The fact that a shoe is easier for your leg to lift during a stride does not always mean that it is giving the muscles a break. In order to ensure that a shoe helps you run faster, it is far more important to choose a shoe that that has the appropriate amount of support for your specific biomechanics.

Not necessarily. It is important to note that are talking about speed here, not injuries. For some runners, a heavily cushioned shoe can weaken foot muscles and potentially cause injury. That is one of the main selling points for minimalism.

However, all things being equal, you should not assume that a lighter weight marathon shoe is always faster.

[Boston Globe]

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Instead of the minimalist principles of reducing excess cushioning and stability to make the foot stronger, maximalist shoes are ultra stable and have cushioning that exceeds even the most supportive “regular” shoes on the market.

Maximalist shoes have found an initial market with ultra marathoners who need the extra support for their 100 mile races. However, it is entirely possible that maximalist shoes will also find buyers in the general market who have been unimpressed with the minimalist craze or just want to try something new.

Competitor.com has a good article that breaks down the new maximalist options for runners.

[Competitor.com]

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However many podiatrists caution that minimalist running shoes are not for everyone – especially people who have serious biomechanical issues.

A recent study has put more doubt into whether minimalist running shoes are good idea. The study categorized participants into three groups and gave them a three month training program. The results were interesting.

Of the 23 injuries that happened during the training period, four were among the runners wearing traditional shoes, 12 among those wearing partial-minimalist shoes and seven in the full-minimalist shoe group.

Runners using the full-minimalist shoes also reported higher rates of shin and calf pain than the other participants.

One important caveat to this study is that the minimalist runners did not have an extensive time to break in their shoes and get their feet adjusted to a less supportive shoe.

Therefore, perhaps the real take away here is to ensure that you give yourself plenty of time to adjust to a minimalist shoe when transitioning from a traditional shoe. Maybe take a few weeks to do some very light walking and jogging in your minimalist shoes before using them as your main running shoe.

[Baltimore Sun]

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I realize that I just had a post about minimalist/barefoot running, but there appears to be a sudden increase in the number of studies that have examined this issue. A new offers further support to the theory that overly supportive running shoes might not be the best thing for runners.

According to the Harvard study (partially funded by a minimalist shoe company), runners from Africa who grew up running barefoot land predominately on the front or middle of their feet, while runners who grew up running in supportive shoes land heel first. According to the authors, the human body experiences much less impact force if runners land on the front of their feet. It is theorized that the heel striking caused by running shoes has led to the large number of heel injuries (plantar fasciitis, etc.) that many runners suffer through.

This research is fascinating because it helps to understand how our prehistoric ancestors ran vast distances to capture prey without any modern running shoe technology. It appears that our bodies evolved to handle this running, and that ultra-cushioning and supportive running may not be needed. This topic is explored in the excellent book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

Regardless of this interesting academic area, I still don’t think that these kinds of studies should have much of a practical effect on the running community. As I said in my previous post, I do not think that runners should suddenly dump their stability shoes. The authors themselves caution that switching to minimalist shoes too quickly will cause injuries. My view is that if you are running fine without many injuries, stay with your current shoes. If you are consistently having injury issues, then maybe consider testing a minimalist shoe, but make sure that you ease into it.

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