Barefoot running

It seems almost impossible to look at a running website these days without seeing something about barefoot or minimalist running. There are a lot of strongly-held opinions on both sides of the debate, in fact often it doesn't seem to be a debate at all, but rather an exercise in mudslinging. See this example, and this one, for some of the arguments on both sides.

In a nutshell, the proponents of barefoot running (and here I also include the use of minimal non-cushioned shoes) say some or all of the following:

1. As a species, we evolved to run barefoot, and we have natural cushioning structures in our feet and lower legs that make cushioned running shoes unnecessary.

2. Cushioned shoes encourage us to run with poor form, because they protect us from our mistakes. Eventually, using them leads to inefficient running, weakened feet and chronic injuries like plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis.

3. Shoe manufacturers are well aware of this, but they only make money if we continually update our shoes for the latest hi-tech models, so they deliberately mislead us with tales of overpronation and so forth.

4. Podiatrists are almost as bad - they want to sell us their services, custom orthotics etc. so they support and add credibility to the shoe manufacturers' story.

As evidence for their point of view, proponents of barefoot running point to the many runners who have completed and even won long races in minimal footwear, and to the even greater number of runners who say their chronic injuries cleared up after they started running barefoot. These arguments are raised in the excellent Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall, by the way.

Opponents of barefoot running say that much of the talk about its supposed benefits is wholly unscientific, consisting of new-age claptrap, biased opinion and unsupported assertions rather than actual evidence. Also, they point out that those who buy minimal shoes are being just as misled by manufacturers' marketing ploys as anyone else.

For myself, I have to admit I am quite sympathetic to the barefoot idea, but I admit this is more because I want it to be true than because of any actual hard evidence. I can see how the cushioned shoes I use are indeed very forgiving of bad running form, and since improving my form has led to my running better than I have ever been capable of in the past, this does seem to suggest one possible reason why I should dispense with my Asics and buy something with less protection.

However, I can't quite bring myself to run completely barefoot at this point, or to buy some huaraches or other minimal shoes, as it is taking all my effort to build up my overall fitness at the moment, without having to build up my leg and foot muscles as well.

Also, the cost of the minimalist shoes just seems too high for what you get. If we are being asked to believe that shoe manufacturers like Nike, Asics etc. are conning us by pretending that all the hi-tech features in their latest £90 shoes are necessary when in fact they aren't, then how do the likes of Merrell and Vibram justify charging the same amount for shoes that have less material in them and required less development?

So for the moment I am sticking with my Asics, secure in the knowledge that if the barefoot brigade are right, then as the midsole cushioning starts to break down, the shoes will actually be better for me rather than worse.

Once I have my first race (Mortimer 10K) out of the way, I will have some time to think more about minimal shoes. If I can get hold of a reasonably cheap pair, then maybe I will give them a go and see if I can detect any advantages.

Running form

Looking back over previous times I have tried unsuccesfully to run on a regular basis, I have become convinced that part of my problem lies in my running form. It would be great if what had been holding me back all these years was simply a lack of knowledge of running technique. If so, and if I sorted this out right at the start, it would help me to make better progress and have fewer aches and pains (and fewer injuries). Then I could get down to the real work of increasing distance and pace.

There is quite a lot of information out there on the web about how to run properly. In particular there are quite a few 'branded' systems around, Chi Running, Pose Method, Good Form Running, Evolution Running, and so on. So I looked into these various systems on the web, and came to a couple of conclusions:

1. These competing systems are more similar than they are different (good news, as this implies there is broad agreement on what constitutes a good way to run, and that the differences are more on how to achieve this than anything else).

2. These systems are all rather expensive for what you get (bad news, as I hate paying for anything, especially when I don't feel I am getting value for money).

Similarities of all these systems:

1. Keep your posture tall and your head up when you run
2. Land on your mid/forefoot, not on your heel
3. Bend your knees slightly so your foot lands under your centre of mass
4. Lean forward slightly from the ankles so you are not fighting gravity
5. Use a higher cadence (steps per minute) and a shorter stride to make the most of stored energy.

 So I put these principles into practice when I started running again, and I must admit they did seem to make a difference. I can state categorically that I have never run with less muscle and joint pain before. Whether my recent improvements in pace will continue remains to be seen, but so far it looks good.

In the end I went and bought the Chi Running book by Danny Dreyer. It was on special offer at Amazon ... what can I say?

Some of my fears were realised. At least two-thirds of the book is just not worth having. New age mumbo-jumbo and self-publicity. Nonetheless, the parts of the book that deal with technique are interesting, it is just that you can get much of this information from the web for nothing.

The other day I got hold of Ken Mierke's Evolution Running DVD (for free - I wasn't going to pay the £50 it costs on Amazon UK). Chris McDougall recommends this system and used it himself to great effect. This is much more useful ... no fluff, just solid step-by-step explanations, firstly on what most runners do that is wrong, and then on how to correct it. It is now safely on my iPod where I can watch it any time I need reminding, and as I didn't pay for it, I can hardly complain about value for money ...

Why running?

So after my last visit to the doctor, and determined not to go onto Amlodipine if I could possibly help it, I started looking around for some form of exercise that I thought I might stick to. I mentioned before that I am not too keen on team games, so running seemed a possibility.

After a bit of web research, I began to think that there were a couple of reasons why I had never enjoyed running in the past. Firstly, my joints and muscles always seemed to suffer far more than they ought to for the amount of work I was doing. Secondly, no matter how often I ran or how slowly I tried to build up the miles, I never seemed to improve. Both these facts had always sapped my morale and led eventually to me losing interest.

Looking at others' experiences on the web, it seemed the reason for this might be that I had forgotten, or possibly never learned how to run properly, I had always assumed that running was something we all know how to do, and that if I was suffering I must be down to some physical limitations on my part. I started going on a few short runs - initially walking when I felt tired, and adding a little bit to the distance every few days.

I came across the book 'Born to Run' (by Chris McDougall) at this point. I read it cover-to-cover in two days, and I can honestly say it was truly inspiring stuff. By the end of it I was fully signed up to the idea that we are all of us natural runners (thanks to evolution) and that if this doesn't appear to be the case, it is because years of wearing shoes and travelling in cars has made us forget how to do it. I urge anyone who is thinking of taking up running to buy this book and read it. Chris's blog is worth a look too.

So it has now been about seven weeks, and I am running every other day, adding 1/4 of a mile after every three runs. See the Dailymile panel on the top right for the current totals. I only started recording the runs after I reached 1 mile - it just seemed too embarassing before that.