“Minimalism in Running”
There has been a recent trend towards revisiting the fundamentals of shoe design and its application to improving form while diminishing the incidence of running related injuries. Certain literary works such as the book Born to Run, have really sparked a debate in the running community in regards to barefoot running, types of shoes and proper running “technique” being applied to efficient training. This topic has been discussed by a far reaching range of runners: from the Nike sponsored Oregon Track Club professional coaches and their Olympic athletes- all the way to your average soccer mom that wants to finish their first marathon in under 5 hours.
The Vibram brand has become a household name this year
A lot of attention has been directed towards the Vibram Five Fingers, and other barefoot running products that are promoted as being the solution to negating injuries and essentially improving performance. There seems to be a consensus amongst some very passionate groups, that the shoe companies have created this giant conspiracy and are thwarting your perception of what is needed to effectively run. This “marketing scheme” as they call it, revolves around “tricking” you into thinking that new cushioning technologies are essential to avoid injury. I’m here today to merely discuss a little bit about both sides of the argument- and to let you know that there is a grey area worth exploring between the too sides.
First, lets look into the science and anatomy of the human foot:
If we look at the lower legs in terms of mechanics we’ll see an elaborate system of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscle tissue engineered for efficient, bi-pedal movement that can be sustained for prolonged periods of time.
A look at what nature gave you
The foot itself has 26 bones (28 if you count the sesamoids), which act in unison along with the key tissues of the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon to dissipate impact force, generate tension within the foot and ankle and allow for forward propulsion. For example, the Achilles tendon itself acts much like a spring that transfers energy from initial foot ground contact to toe-off. These parts are all prone to injury and overuse from repetitive strain as well as tearing from high loads of peak force.
Based on this anatomy and the laws of simple physics, we were basically born to run barefoot- however only under certain conditions:
1. We are running on natural, soft surfaces:
Back in the days before pavement and concrete we ran on surfaces like dirt and grass…soft surfaces that allowed our natural foot some protection from the energy return of our body mass striking the ground. You just can’t and shouldn’t expect to run barefoot on an artificially hard surface such as concrete!
2. We are not over-weight with unnecessary fat and/or unevenly distributed muscle mass.
Another condition to being able to run without the aid of a cushioned, supportive shoe is that you can’t be overweight, heavy or “big-boned.” The average American is way t0o heavy for their own feet now! The human foot wasn’t designed to support the extra mass that has accumulated on your stomach and/or thighs! If you have a reasonably light body mass….say a BMI of around 22 or less- your feet will be a lot more accommodating to supporting the impact of each footfall.
The Fallacy of the Five Fingers and the market they attract:
So when a 200lb+ guy who is only 5’10’’ comes along after a couple years of running with supportive shoes and all of a sudden wants to adopt a minimalist approach by switching to the Vibram Five Fingers there is a great risk for injury. His foot is not strong enough to support the sudden changes associated with running barefoot, especially on a hard surface. To make matters worse, this type of individual usually really wants to prove a point by training for a marathon in his new Five Fingered, flimsy footwear. Disaster!
In my opinion the Vibrams are a fad that will eventually be replaced by the disruptive technologies of knock-off products from competing companies seeking to capitalize on a piece of what will then be a diminishing market share.
What you really should be concerned about and do in response:
If you are concerned about being a “heel sticker” don’t be….your body has adapted to protect itself and there is still hope that your stride can adapt as you become faster and stronger from miles and miles of training. The key is to do change gradually so that you don’t get injured.
Studies that the pro-minimalists use profusely to defend their approach and worship of the Vibrams actually come from a Harvard researcher named David Lieberman. The interesting thing about the data in Lieberman’s studies is that they actually have shown that the peak impact force of a heel striker wearing shoes isn’t higher than that of a barefoot, forefoot striker. The amount of force jarring your feet and lower legs is the same. Proponents of Vibrams will say that the unnatural heel strike of shod runners creates a breaking force that is slowing you down, when in reality this “breaking force” is associated with a slow cadence or “over-stride” which occurs from sloppy form or extreme fatigue at the end of a race.
Graphs showing the differences in peak force (both about 2.5) over time of a barefoot foot strike versus a shod, heel stricker. Not much of a difference.
It isn’t the shoe’s fault for a person to be slowly running like this, but rather a lack of natural ability (not everyone was born to run well!) and/or a lack of overall training/fitness. I believe that for some individuals, depending on their muscle fiber characterizes, the angle of their pelvis and the length of their femur relative to their tibia – you can’t and shouldn’t try to force a forefoot strike, but rather improve turn-over and form through the use of neuromuscular training sessions involving dynamic drills, hill sprints and faster track sessions. Some marathoners are almost all slow-twitch and they will probably never be able to sprint very fast on their toes…they just won’t be able to get up high enough and paw back forcefully enough to generate a high velocity.
Essentially, there are no big short-cuts in distance running success- you have to strengthen and change your whole body if you want to transform your biomechanics enough to benefit in terms of efficiency, speed and injury resistance. Just magically changing your shoes isn’t going to cut it!
In thinking about a recent article in the New Yorker about coach Salazar trying to change Ritz’s form- the fact that really resonated with me was the idea that you need to have a strong core not just to stabilize your pelvis, but to be rigid so that you are getting a higher percentage of energy return from foot impact to the act of propelling yourself forward. I mean, everyone knows that core strength is key, but the image of almost all the elite Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners is that they have that “pop” in their stride meaning the energy transfer is high and fast. They have good hip extension, they are forefoot strikers and they are light and efficient- things that result in distance running success and speed. Yes, they had years of running as active youngsters- and many also ran barefoot. BUT it was because they most likely had no choice, the surface they ran on was softer, and their BMI is under 22.
Can the foot be strengthened through “barefoot running”? Certainly, but with individuals that grew up running in shoes the change should occur very very gradually. But again, since you are racing and training on an artificially hard surface such as asphalt, why would you even want to risk injury converting to barefoot running? Economics and fashion statements aside, my view of the Vibrams is that they are inferior to light weight, neutral cushioned shoes or road racing flats.
So a much more practical option that harnesses both sides of the argument: get a road racing flat and start doing more of your training miles and workouts in it!
Why not just make the adjustment to road racing flats which have similar benefits with less of a risk for injury?
Road racing flats are more flexible, lightweight and neutrally supportive so that your foot will pronate and flex in it’s more natural state. There are the advantages of getting a higher range of motion in the ankle joint, and the narrower ratio of heel to forefoot height means even heel strikers will be hitting the ground closer to their mid-foot to forefoot area. Back in the 60s’ 70’s and 80’s nearly all the shoes that marathoners raced and trained in were, essentially minimalist like the road racing flats of today!
Sure, road racing flats don’t have individualized toes and are usually not quite as flexible as the totally minimalist Five Fingers, however, a higher number of training miles, fast workouts and races accumulated in them will result in strengthening the foot, promoting a more fore-word foot strike….real adaptations that will give you a competitive edge and provide more resistance to future injury. It is no wonder that many elites and sub elites have trained exclusively in flats for decades now- just look at marathon runners in countries like Japan, where they are worn exclusively in training.
It is only now, that these real, traditional “minimalists” who wear road racing flats are becoming overshadowed by a new mass market of runners who support and buy-into the Vibram Craze, Chi running, and the Barefoot Ted Ultra Runner types.
“Barefoot Ted” a total Stroke, out to capitalize on his fame from the book “Born to Run”
Barely cracking 5 hours in the marathon in Vibrams
Just check out some of these websites and their associated propaganda- (which are quite a hoot by the way!)
Your decision on how minimal you want to go in shoes (or no shoes!) should at least take into account the variables mentioned above. Just being aware of your own body’s strengths and weaknesses, your running form (have someone videotape you!) and how those factors align with your competitive goals should provide enough guidance to make an educated decision. I’m going to stick with the Brooks Green Silence, as my go-to shoe for faster workouts, racing marathons and for experiencing “natural running” at it’s finest- the rest of my 120 + mile weeks will involve a Brooks training shoe (ie Adrenaline) with more substantial cushioning and support!
The Brooks Green Silence: Minimalist, yet still somewhat supportive and cushioned.
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