In case you missed it, there was an article in last Sunday’s NY Times about how the “barefoot running” trend is effecting the shoe industry. Actually, it’s not so much a barefoot trend as it is a current upsurge in the questioning of the running shoe company’s ability to produce a shoe that actually has any effect on running injuries. ChiRunning was named as one of the organizations helping to promote good running technique and endorsing more of a minimal shoe approach to running.

The big debate is whether or not building more cushioning and structure into running shoes has the advertised effect or if it’s just another case of corporate marketing looking for an effective way to sell shoes to an uneducated populace. Well, in answer to the first part of the debate, as we’ve seen by the percentage of runners who get injured every year, nothing has changed since running shoes for the general public began being produced in the 1970’s. If anything, the injury rate has gone up. And, in answer to the second part of the big debate, yes, it seems to have been a very good marketing ploy that sold gazillions of shoes to people thinking that they’d be safe in their running by buying the right shoe.

I’m so thankful that articles like this are starting to surface in the national media. More attention needs to be paid by the shoe industry to make shoes that fit the needs of an ever-growing population of runners who are working on changing their running form, to prevent injuries, instead of thinking that the right shoe will do the job. For ten years now ChiRunning and ChiWalking classes have been teaching runners and walkers how to run and walk pain-free, injury-free and faster. Check out our schedule of classes if you’re interested. And, while you’re there, check out the results of a West Virginia University poll done with 2500 ChiRunners which reports remarkable findings on the effectiveness of running technique improvement on injury rates.

There are a number of forward thinking shoe companies out there that are working on producing less of a shoe and that’s good news for those of us who are no longer willing to suffer through the over-built “corrective” shoes that have been the norm since the running boom started in the ’70’s. actually almost all of the running shoe companies sell shoes that are perfectly good for the midfoot striker…but many runners are scared away by the model name “racing flat.” Most racing flats have all the great attributes a midfoot runner craves: lots of flexibility in the sole, great ventilation, very minimal lift in the heel and (until the secret gets discovered by the shoe companies) a cheap price. I wear NB-790’s which cost $45 online (while the supply lasts) and which, in the past few years, have been one of the best selling running shoes NB has ever produced. But, as with all great running shoes…they’ve decided to quit producing what I’ve considered the perfect shoe. Go figure. I’m now looking at FiveFingers, Adizeros, La Sportiva, and yes, even the Nike Free for the next “ideal” shoe.

Viva la revolution!
Danny

p.s. Since the article in the NY Times came out it is the 8th most emailed article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/business/30shoe.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

Well, it had to happen. One of the best all-round running shoes has gone the way of the dodo bird. The New Balance 790 is no longer in production. I’ve been touting it’s attributes and urging anyone who would listen, to buy the shoe if they we’re serious about finding a shoe that was truly suited to the midfoot strike. It is without a doubt one of the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn…period. It has a low profile. It’s extremely flexible throughout the length of the shoe. Its light weight makes it feel like little more than an extra layer of skin on my feet, yet there’s just enough cushioning to keep me from feeling the worst that any trail has to offer. What can I say, I love these shoes.

Ironically, it has also been one of NB’s most successful models ever, spanning the range of uses from a colorful, casual/style shoe to an all out trail racing flat. There are lots of other great midfoot strike shoes out there, but for whatever reason, this one hit the nail on the head.

I highly suggest that if we’d like to see NB continue producing this shoe, we should make a lot of noise about its “decommissioning” and email them to express our desire to see it continued. Unfortunately, NB makes it very difficult to give feedback to them directly so I will give you the email address of a friend in their wear test department who is willing to gather your input. Please send your letters to: Ryan.Miller@newbalance.com

I’ll be reviewing other great shoes in future blogs, but I wanted to get the ball rolling on this one first.

BTW, these shoes are still available on most online running shoe sites and they range in price from $49-$79…a great deal.

Danny

Here’s a short addendum to my last blog about winter running.

Better Traction: One of the best ways I’ve ever found to adapt my running shoes for better winter running performance has been to screw a number of 1/4″ sheet metal screws to the bottoms of my running shoes. I usually put 5-6 screws in the forefoot area and another 4 in the heel section. I’d do this to an old pair of shoes and use them only when I was either running on icy streets, or running trails that were covered with snow and/or ice. This rather unconventional approach to improving traction has always worked well for me.

Cold Feet: Another trick you can use if you get cold feet like I do is to wear neoprene socks to keep your toes warm. There are lots of these types of sock available if you “Google” neoprene socks. They work well for those of you refuse to go onto a treadmill when it’s nasty out, and for those who suffer from terminal popsicle toes, like I do.

Protect Your Face and Lungs: This tip doesn’t have anything to do with shoes, but it will save your face if you’re out running in temperatures below 20ºF. Go to your local hardware store and buy a package of particle masks (used for working in dusty environments) and get the kind that are molded to fit your face. They cover most of your face and pre-heat the air coming into your lungs, which could ward off illness.

Running in Unstable Conditions: The last tip for today is how to run in fresh or loose snow. That’s easy, just use the ChiRunning technique of falling forward and picking up your feet instead of pushing off with your legs. This running form works in any type of unstable ground conditions from mud to slush to powder snow.

The only conditions I don’t recommend you run in are refrozen slush. In this case you really are better off on a treadmill… or in some cases, curling up in front of a fire with a good book.

Happy trails,
Danny

Since we’re pretty much smack in the middle of winter I’ve decided to write a blog dealing with the subject what kind of shoes to wear when running under the adverse conditions some of us die-hard outdoor runners come up against during this time of year. For those of you who live in the warmer climates… I guess you’re just going to have to vacation in the North somewhere this winter to try these out.

After spending most of my life in Boulder, Colorado I came up against probably every possible combination of winter running I can imagine. So, here’s the first installment in what I hope to someday publish as the ChiRunning cold weather running guide. For other running articles I suggest you visit the Library of articles on our website which cover many other aspects of ChiRunning and ChiWalking.

Winter running shoes. Where are they, and why haven’t the shoe companies done more to support running in snowy, cold, and wet conditions? The best thing I’ve found are Gore-tex trail shoes. These work much better than most running shoes, for a few reasons. First of all they’re wind-proof, which is a huge advantage over those mesh-toed, well-vented running shoes we wear most of the year. Secondly, they’re pretty much water-proof, unless you go into a frozen puddle that’s deeper than you think. These first two points make them warmer than your basic running shoes. I have two pairs that I use. One pair (my favorite) is made by Asics and my other pair are New Balance.

Both of these shoes work well, but they both have the same downside characteristics. Because they’re designed to be “trail” shoes, they’re stiffer and heavier than most regular running shoes. Since I wear thick wool socks for winter running, I usually buy these shoes a half size larger to make room for the bulky socks and this makes them even heavier still. I haven’t been able to do anything about the weight of the shoes, but I have altered the soles of the shoes to make them more flexible in the forefoot (which is crucial to avoiding plantar fasciitis). I take a sharp knife and cut flex grooves across the forefoot section of the sole of the shoe. Even with molded-in flex grooves, I find most trail shoes to be too thick in the forefoot to allow for enough flex. I cut the grooves deep enough to make a noticeable change in the flexibility. Everyone likes different amounts of flex, so if you do this to your shoes, start with cutting shallow grooves and work your way deeper if you need to.

For those of you who, for whatever reason, decide that Gore-tex shoes aren’t your cup of tea, I’ll write a subsequent blog dealing with how to adapt regular running shoes to winter running.

Bundle up and I’ll see you out there!
Danny