Going Barefoot to Keep Running

Injuries are the bane of any serious runner, and many not so serious runners. These can both be the acute, like a torn tendon, or chronic like stress fractures. The average runner spends a lot of money on shoes and orthotics that are designed to minimize the chance of injury and keep them running better for longer.

But what if the shoes are the problem?

That’s the question being asked by proponents of barefoot running, who believe that the altered gait that is produced by heavy, shock absorbing shoes isn’t help us avoid injuries, it’s causing them. What if everybody would be a lot better off if they ditched the shoes and started hitting the road barefoot, or something close to it?

It seems like a strange idea, but there is a lot of evidence that the barefoot folks might have a point. Shoes absolutely do change your stride, moving you from a shorter, toe first stride to a longer stride where the impact is on your heels. In fact, this change in stride was the entire point of the original Nikes, which were designed to allow a longer and theoretically faster stride.

The problem with this is that it shifts your weight from something designed to work as a natural shock absorber, the front of your foot and toes, and transfers it to something that is absolutely not designed for that kind of abused. Think about jumping up in the air; you wouldn’t land on your heels, would you? When you do this, the heavy padding we associated with modern running shoes becomes an absolutely necessity.

The idea of barefoot running being superior has been around for decades, at the very least, but the idea got a big boost in 2009 with the publication of Christopher McDougall’s best seller about the lost tribe of ultra runners, the Tarahumara, who run hundreds of miles in nothing but thin sandals made from truck tires.

McDougall, a runner himself, charts the barefoot movement in his book, and eventually overcomes his own running related injuries by using a barefoot program. All of which makes for an interesting story and great anecdotal evidence, but what does the science say about it?

Unfortunately, there haven’t been any long term controlled studies about the issue. A review of the various reports on the issue does indicate that barefoot runners suffer from significantly less chronic and acute injuries to the ankle and lower leg, as well as four percent less energy cost. So the science seems to indicate that the barefoot running group has merit, but more studies are need before conclusions are made.

Although the hardcore in the barefoot running crowd actually do run in their bare feet in all sort of conditions, most people actually use a very thin shoes with out padding to protect their feet from stones, broken glass and the other detritus of modern lift that can be hard on runner’s feet. The most popular shoes for this is weird looking foot glove called the Vibram Five finger, but other options are out there for people who want to try barefoot running with growing a set of hooves.

The Super Simple Guide to Lifting for Running

If you’re running, then you need to be lifting weights. The benefits of resistance training are just too big for any runner to ignore. A good weight lifting program will help prevent injury, help give you more energy, and shave time off your runs, all good stuff.  But you need to go about it in the right way, or you can end up overtrained and injured. Here’s a quick guide to getting started with resistance training.

Pick Exercises That Give The Most Bang For Your Buck

The best exercises are the ones that hit the most muscles at once. You want to spend as little time as possible in the gym while still getting the best result, and working your big muscles is the way to do it. The absolute best exercises for runners are deadlifts, squats, bench press, rows, and the shoulder press. These five exercises will work virtually every muscle in your body from your toes to your neck.

Keep Your Sets and Reps Reasonable

You absolutely do not need to spend hours in the gym doing endless sets of infinite reps. Generally speaking, three sets of five to eight reps is going to be plenty. Always try to do more reps at each work out and when you get beyond eight reps, add enough weight to take you back down to five reps. This way you continue to get stronger without having to spend your whole life in the gym.

Stop Short of Failure

On every set, you always want to leave a little in the tank for next time, so stop a rep or two short of not being able to move the weight anymore. You don’t run until you collapse, and you should lift that way either. You should try to leave a weight session with more energy than you started with.

Try Three Days a Week

Working your whole body, three days a week, works for almost everybody, so long as you’re managing your energy and recovery. If you find that you’re continually dragging during your weight workouts, or that you don’t seem to have the energy you want when you’re running, you can scale it back to twice a week and see how it suits you.

Work Through Soreness

When you first start lifting weights, you are almost certainly going to get sore. This is just one of those unavoidable facts of life. You might be tempted to wait until you’re not sire anymore to lift again. This is a common reaction, and it’s almost always a mistake. You should work through the soreness, and you’ll find that your body will adapt and stop getting sore. Soreness is not a good indicator of recovery, and for the most part, it’s something you should ignore.

Note that we’re talking about soreness and not the kind of pain you get when you’re actually injured. If you do hurt yourself, which is unlikely but still possible on a good weight lifting plan, you need to take time off and recover, just as you would with a running injury.