The One Best Way to Run
This article from the New York Times Magazine by Christopher McDougall is generating a lot of buzz. The author was also recently interviewed on my favorite sports podcast, Hang Up and Listen. Although I have not read Born to Run, I am assuming that he makes the same central argument: people get injured because running shoes alter their natural stride. Running shoes encourage heel striking and create too much force upon impact.
Barefoot running is a fad and I am not about to jump on the bandwagon. I think the claims of better performance and reduced injuries are almost certainly overstated. Just because something is "natural" doesn't make it inherently better. As long as humans have existed, we have used tools to help us accomplish tasks. Shoes are a tool. However, I agree that more conclusive research should be done to determine how different types of shoes may affect your performance (for better or worse).
McDougall's article did make me recall a short segment from J.D.'s Running Formula: Stride Rate - A Step in the Right Direction (page 93 in the second edition). Long before barefoot running became popular, J.D. was making the case for quicker and lighter steps. He notes that elite runners take around 180 steps per minute as compared to novices who can take as few as 160 steps per minute. A quicker stride rate means less shock and requires less energy.
I know I have a terrible stride rate. So while I'll keep the shoes on, I am going to try and increase my turnover. J.D. offers some visualization techniques that might be worth trying. Also, on my next run I am going to count my steps per minute. I think we should all do it for comparison. I bet Tim's turnover rate is above 200.
Sounds like you need to lay out some tires and do some quick steps through them to work on technique.
ReplyDeleteUpdate: on my run today, I consistently ran about 145-150 steps per minute. Is that even possible? If J.D. is right, that puts me below novice level. One observation: it is really hard to count your steps while running. I had to start over many times. Despite the slow turnover, merely paying active attention to my stride made me feel more efficient (even if I was clomping along like a Clydesdale).
ReplyDeleteNow I really need you guys to count so I can get a larger sample size. Also, do you think stride rate is constant or does it increase with pace?