Moving Towards Flatter Shoes

The 4 mm difference in heel-toe drop between my new shoes (Saucony Guide 5) and my standard (Brooks Adrenaline) took me off guard. My first run was actually quite difficult, as I felt significant stress in my shins and calves as well as - surprisingly - my hips after this run. The main difference, detailed here, is that the incredible cushioning of the shoes pretty much force you to land on your mid to fore-foot so I did some research to determine what exercises and/or stretches would help me transition to a different foot landing.

The best guide I found for determining if you are ready for “minimal” running was this excellent article by Jay Dicharry, a physical therapist and director of the Speed Lab at the University of Virginia. (Here’s a bonus summary of the article.) So I did his test and passed all three (thank you Yoga!):

1. You have to be able to isolate and control the flexor hallucis brevis. This is not an intuitive move for me, but I was was able to do it. 
2. Demonstrate ankle and plantar fascia mobility.
3. Single leg balance. 

(BTW, Jay's book Anatomy for Runners, sounds like a must-read.)

So according to this, I have the ability to run with a reduced heel-toe drop. But it still felt really awkward. What to do? Here’s my plan of attack:

• Foot massage. If you visit me at work, make noise as you arrive because odds are I have my shoes off and am massaging the bottom of my feet with a tennis ball. Doing this has helped my foot strength immeasurably.
• Toe lifts. An exercise typically used to prevent shin splints (I can attest to this!), you can simply stand with your back against a wall, heels a few inches away from the wall. Then slowly lift your toes up as far as you can, 10-15 times. (Just like this, although I typically do it on a flat surface not a platform.) Repeat 2-3 times if you can, but due to time constraints, I usually only get 1-2 cycles in. 
• Calf Stretching. I try to stretch out each calf for at least 20-30 seconds. (I’m sorry, but I’ve tried and failed at holding stretches for three minutes ) 
• The Stick/foam roller. I swear by this. I roll my calves with either the stick or the foam roller after every run – and sometimes both. (The foam roller is also great kid entertainment: I roll my muscles, and then the older ones put it over their arm and play superhero while the infant tries to chew it.) 

So far it’s been working. I ran a decent-paced 5 miler today with no discomfort at all! I'm hoping to wear the Guides for a long run (10 miles) by March, if not sooner. If anyone has some other exercises they recommend, i'm all ears!

Related Posts:
Improve your running form
Foot Strike Fads:
My never final say on barefoot running

Natural Heel Strikers

Just in time for my tentative moves towards minimalism, comes news that not all barefoot runners are created equal. That is, not all native tribes that run around barefoot land on their fore-foot. Quoth Scientific American:

"The findings don’t necessarily mean that a goal of mid- or forefoot striking for recreational (shod or unshod) runners is misplaced—or that those looking for a more minimal or “natural” running form should opt for a rear-foot strike instead. The research simply shows that there appear to be more than one style of running for people who have grown up running without shoes."

Although i'm sure some people will take this as fuel to say "Shove it McDougall!" the reality is that, despite what purists say, I think all of us at RR&RS believe that people should do whatever works for them. For example, part of what's spurred my running renaissance over the last few years has been running in the Brooks Adrenaline (the prototypical stability shoe), which is diametrically opposed to the minimal trend. And that's okay! Having said that, I'm enjoying my experimentation with the Saucony Guide 5, feeling my feet and legs getting stronger, which is a good thing.

Graphical Arch Support

I may not always be the most observant person, but this one takes the cake. As long as i've been running, I never noticed that the arch support of most shoes was represented by the gray coloring on the side. Check out the two shoes I bought this weekend, and see how the arch support on the Brooks Adrenaline 11 extends farther backward into the heel than the Saucony Guide 4:

The Brooks Adrenaline 11

The Saucony Guide 4

Did you know this? Makes me feel foolish that I didn't recognize this before. Regardless, I'll let you know how the difference between the two supports feel once I get them out on the road.

Time For New Shoes

I'm currently running in the Brooks Adrenaline 10 (link is to the updated version). I've been very happy with how they've felt, but it's time for a new pair; i've been feeling the shoe flatten out over the last few weeks. My dilemma is that I have a sweet coupon for Sauconys, and it sounds like the Saucony Omni ProGrid is the equivalent in that brand. I'm heading to my local running store tomorrow to try them on, but wanted to see if either of you had any opinions. I think I prefer a shoe with more stability then either of you, but would welcome any ideas/feedback you might have about the two brands.