Running barefoot

~ reprint from CNN.com
Terry Chiplin didn’t need a Harvard study to tell him what he’s known for years.

“Barefoot running, for me, is a lot less painful than wearing running shoes,” said the 55-year-old Brit, who competed in high school in thin-soled leather shoes and would run shoeless whenever he could.

After taking a break in early adulthood from the sport, Chiplin returned to it by buying a fancy pair of running shoes.
“I’d come home with blisters, my feet killing me,” he said. “So one day, I just said to myself, ‘Who cares what anybody thinks? I’m putting sole to earth.’ ”

Chiplin now teaches running and outdoor fitness in Estes Park, Colorado, and does it shoeless as often as possible. He’s among many runners on blogs and list-servs who’ve been debating new studies about the most efficient running form. Should you go barefoot ? Land heel-first or on the balls of your feet? Are those fancy shoes hurting more than helping you?

The study stirring the most buzz was led by Harvard evolutionary biologist Dr. Daniel Lieberman. It’s the first to compare how much impact the body takes when a runner is wearing shoes or is barefoot. Using high-speed video, the study revealed barefoot runners strike with their forefoot and suffer less jarring to their bodies. When you’re barefoot, you’re going to land with the portion of your foot that is most springy. And think of the barefoot run as a game of hot potato — if you know you have rocks and glass on that surface, you’re going to move more carefully and pick your feet up quicker.

Shoe wearers strike with their heel and deliver a shock to their overall body that is two to three times their body weight. Lieberman’s test subjects were Kenyan runners who had spent their lives running barefoot and the Harvard track team, which runs in shoes.

“Runners are responding because they are always interested in the latest science of their sport, and they have a personal reaction to being told that they’re shoes are going to be taken away,” said D. Leif Rustvold, a Portland, Oregon, runner with a masters in anthropological biology who works for a health care provider. Though he switched to barefooting a few years ago and saw an improvement in his efficiency, he predicts barefooting will remain a practice of a minority.

“Runners are concerned first about injuries, and barefoot running can seem, at first, like it’s going to lead to injury,” he said. “Besides, we’ve been wearing shoes for years. No one is going to roll that back.” The other study, focusing on walking form, comes from University of Utah biology professor David Carrier. Carrier is well-known among distance runners for trying to run down a herd of antelope a few years ago to prove that humans were built to run great distances, their survival dependent on their ability to persistence hunt. He found that while humans have evolved to run great distances, we’ve also evolved to become more efficient walkers than our ape ancestors by doing the very thing Lieberman’s study warns again — landing heel first. His test subjects were volunteers who were triathletes, runners and soccer players.

Most mammals — dogs, cats, raccoons — walk and run around on the balls of their feet, the study says, Few species land on their heel: bears, humans and great apes — chimps, gorillas, orangutans. ”Our study shows that the heel-down posture increases the economy of walking but not the economy of running,” says Carrier. “You consume more energy when you walk on the balls of your feet or your toes than when you walk heels first.”

So, run on your forefeet and walk on your heels? ”It can be complicated, but I don’t think what Lieberman concluded and what our study found conflicts at all with each other,” Carrier told CNN. “If anything it shows how complex our feet are, and how much we’re learning about the mechanics of movement.” Lieberman said his study is not meant to be an argument for barefoot running.
“I’m afraid people have misunderstood me,” he said. “I’m not in the business of telling people what to do, what shoes to wear or whether to wear shoes at all.”

Amanda Musacchio, 35, of Wheaton, Illinois, is a member of one of the biggest running list-servs in the country. She and many other runners have interpreted the story as a round-about way to cheer barefoot running. Musacchio wore thin-soled shoes when she was a sprinter in high school without injury. But when she started running longer distances in adulthood, she thought wearing a heavy-cushioned shoe would help. Instead, she racked up injuries. So she went bare again. ”I started barefoot running five minutes at a time,” she said. “I feel almost as good now as when I did 20 years ago when I was a sprinter. My feet seem to remember how to land properly, on my forefoot, and that improved form has changed my running tremendously.”

Among the skeptics is self-described “proud shoe wearer” runner Spurgeon Hendrick, who regularly hits the trails outside Atlanta, Georgia, for long runs. He points out that Lieberman’s study was partly sponsored by Vibram USA, information that is clearly disclosed on every page. The company makes Vibram 5 Fingers, a thin latex shoe with individual toes that mimics barefoot running. The shoe has sold like hot cakes this past year after they and Lieberman’s work were featured in the 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run.” ”I couldn’t run barefooted, or in Vibrams, even if I wanted to,” Hendrick said. “I stub my toes on roots and rocks too much, and at my age, I don’t have time to wait on a broken toe to heal.” Lieberman is adamant that Vibram sponsorship had nothing to do with the outcome of the study, which was also funded by the American School of Prehistoric Research, the Goelet Fund and Harvard University. But many runners are saying that apart from the nitpicking about whether the studies are on the money is one basic lesson: Be more aware of your unique movement. ”I think it’s very hard, if not impossible, to change body mechanics,” said Dr. Perry Julien, a podiatrist who has treated Olympic runners and serves as the co-medical director of the world’s biggest 10K, the Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race. “And people who try, or try too quickly and without care, are going to wind up in my office.”

If you’re a walker, being more conscious of how your feet hit the ground may make you more efficient. If you’re a 200-pound guy who hits the treadmill a couple times a week, barefoot running might not be worth the work necessary to build up the calf and Achilles strength to prevent injury, he said. Stress fractures, tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, a hard-to-heel tissue inflammation that feels like needles driven into your foot, are likely to result for runners who dash out the gate barefoot without gradually working up to it. The podiatrist pointed out that there are many examples of people who heel strike without problems, most famously Joan Benoit. Benoit won the first women’s Olympics in 1984, the same era of record breaking sprinter South African Zola Budd, who ran barefoot.

Fleet Feet Distance Training Program

Distance Training Program

Join the hundreds of runners Fleet Feet Sports has trained towards a half or full marathon. Whether its your first one or 100th, this program has helped many Rochestarians towards their long distance goals.

This Distance Training Program is for anyone who is currently a runner who has already completed a half or full marathon or is currently at the 5K/10K level and wants to jump up to the next level by completing a half or full marathon. Fleet Feet Sports is now hosting the training program for the Rochester Flower City Half Marathon to be held on April 25th in Rochester, NY. This program is the Official Training Program for the Rochester Flower City Half Marathon.

Our next session begins January 18th through April 25th for the 1/2 marathon Program. For training towards a full marathon in Spring the Program will end May 16th/23rd.

Find out more -> click here

How To Hurdle

So…you’ve seen Renna and the gang cruising over the hurdles and you’re thinkin’ of telling coach you’d like to give it a try? Well, first, you first have to learn how. These guys can show you…

If you’re thinking hey, that doesn’t look too hard….you might want to watch the video clip below. These guys show you how NOT to hurdle. Enjoy!

The Long Jump

The Perfect Jump

The weather is overcast, with periodic rain, at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Seventeen athletes have made it here to the finals of the Olympic long jump. Three athletes have fouled their first jumps as the official calls out, “Beamon, United States.”

All eyes in the packed stands are focused on the favorite – Bob Beamon – who has won 22 of 23 meets he’s entered this season. Yesterday, the American almost missed making the finals, fouling on his first two attempts during the trials. A final attempt “safety jump” brings him to this point in time.

Long and lanky, Beamon strides over to his mark and begins his typical pre-jump ritual. Head down and motionless, he stands on the runway visualizing a perfect jump. Over to the side, mentor and coach Ralph Boston shouts out, “Come on, make it a good one.”

Motionless for twenty seconds, Beamon replays the approach and take-off, watching himself soar through the air. He is confident he will jump far and continually reminds himself, “Don’t foul. Don’t foul. Don’t foul.”

Left foot to his mark, the right foot drops back, pushes off, and his approach begins. What follows are four seconds of controlled acceleration to the board, nine strides of the left foot at world-class speed — little different from his opponents – until he hits the board. Beamon’s eyes focus to the sky, he is instantly over the heads of the officials sitting on both sides of the pit. Mid-flight, Beamon’s face takes on the expression of surprise — or is it shock? Landing, he bounds out of the pit half hopping, half galloping.

Beamon is sure that he has broken the world record.  <continue reading…>

The Winner’s Creed

If you think you are beaten, You are;

If you think you dare not, You don’t;

If you’d like to win but think you can’t, It’s almost a cinch you won’t;

If you think you’ll lose, You’ve Lost;

For out in the world we find: Success begins with a person’s will. It’s all in the state of mind;

Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster hand;

But sooner or later the person who wins is the one who thinks ‘I Can’.

Author Unknown

Learn To Run

New York! New Year! How about a New YOU?

Want to learn to run? Now sure how? Whether you don’t know how to run or can run 2-3 miles and want to go farther, Fleet Feet’s No Boundaries: Learn to Run Program is for you.

Want to run a Spring Half or Full Marathon? Whether you’ve done a 1/2 or full or can run at least 15-20 miles/week and want to up your game – Fleet Feet’s Distance Training Program is for you.

Fleet Feet’s No Boundaries Learn To Run program is a beginning 5K or 10K running program designed to guide you safely and effectively into becoming a runner while learning valuable information on healthy living.

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Shin pain – 3 common causes

My basketball-playing teen has sore legs. They told him at his school that it is shin splints. My husband says this is common, and that my son can play through the pain. This boy never complains about anything. He is complaining about his legs.

The complaint: having lower leg pain in the shin-bone area. The shin is the lower leg bone, the bone between the ankle and the knee. Its real name is the tibia. Shin splints is just another way of saying that there is pain the region of that bone. It’s not a diagnosis.

The precise cause of shin pain ought to be determined. Howev3r, most of the causes result from overuse, and their treatment involves rest and taking anti-inflammatory medicines, like Aleve, Advil and Motrin. Moist heat also helps. And often a change of shoes is required. The boy should definitely not “play through the pain.”

Medial, tibial-stress syndrome is one big cause of shin pain. Leg muscles adjacent to the shin pull on the bone’s covering, the periosteum. That inflames the periosteum and produces pain. If your son bends his foot upward [dorsal flexion] and that increases the pain, that’s a sign of periosteal inflammation. People with this syndrome often have a foot that rotates too much to the big-toe side when the foot hits the ground. A change to a shoe that prevents this rolling over prevents inflammation.

Stress fractures of the shin bone are another cause of shin pain. Again, this situation comes from too much use with too little rest for repair. The pain of stress fractures is usually limited to a single point on the bone. Rest is important. If the bone doesn’t have a chance to heal, a true break can result.

A third common cause of shin pain is compartmental syndrome. The muscles of the lower leg are sheathed by tight tissue, like sausage covering. Overused muscles swell. Too much swelling compresses the muscles’ arteries and leads to leg pain. Pronounced swelling is an emergency that calls for surgical intervention.

by Dr. Paul Donohue

Section V Track Unveils New Web Site

Coach Yen has been busy building a new web site for Section V Track & Field. Much easier on the eyes, and a much easier web address to remember! Enjoy!

7 Tips for the High School Track Athlete

Note: Although this article is written by a runner and is directed towards runners on race day, the same thoughts apply to throwers and jumpers on meet day. Put these 7 tips to work for you and focus-in on improvement and success!

1) For morning races, always eat something on race day. Some toast or a bagel with some peanut butter is an excellent race day breakfast. A POWERBAR is another good choice. Be sure to drink 8-10oz of water with breakfast 2-3 hours before race time.

2) Try to avoid soda or sugary drinks on days when you have races – they will NOT help your performance. Water works best. Even Gatorade should be diluted with water. Did you know that Gatorade isn’t helpful unless the race is longer than 1 hour?

3) Runners have worries. Every runner on the starting line usually asks “does my ankle hurt?”, “is my knee aching?” or “am I getting a cold?” Don’t worry – when you out-sprint another runner to the finish, somehow, that all seems to go away.
Even when you don’t feel your best, you must still give your best!

4) Before your races try to relax (relax??). Yes, Relax. Repeat to your self, “I’m strong, I’m fast, I’m well trained” – repeat this in your head again and again. Pretty soon you’ll start to feel better. If that doesn’t work, scream real loud and start to wave your arms. You won’t run any faster, but you’ll definitely feel better.

5) The 1st half of a race, most run poorly. Some go out too fast, some too slow, and some are skilled enough to get it just right. Understand – the success of your race isn’t determined by how you start, but how you finish. It’s the 2nd half that counts. The track season is a race itself, so finish strong.

6) After your performance, assess what you did well. Under-achieving athletes ALWAYS focus on what they did wrong. High achieving athletes often focus on what went right and can’t wait to repeat it. Even in a less than optimal performance, always find what you did correct, and focus on that!

7) If you choose to focus on what went wrong, here is what you can do: Make 2 lists, the 1st list is of the things that you can control, while the 2nd list is of the things you can’t control. Throw the 2nd list out. Now take a look at what you’re left with. That’s where your work lies!
I’ve never finished a run and thought, “that was a waste of time.”

by Coach Frank Pucher
Frank Pucher is a former 2x All-Conference Distance Runner and NCAA XC Qualifier for East Stroudsburg University. A 6x Boston Marathon Qualifier, he owns a Sub-3hr PR in the Marathon and a ½ Marathon best of 1:15. In addition to being the personal coach to many outstanding athletes, Frank is also the owner of Fitness 121 Personal Training in Livingston. He is one of the few Coaches/Trainers to receive certification as an Endurance Performance Specialist from The National Endurance Sports Trainers Association (NESTA). Frank is also certified by The American Council on Exercise and The Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research in Dallas, TX. Visit his websites: TheRunCoach.com and Fitness121Online.com.

How to prevent stress fractures

Stress fractures are one of the more pernicious injuries in sports, afflicting the experienced and the aspiring, with no regard for competitive timing. Last year, Tiger Woods managed to win the U.S. Open despite suffering from stress fractures in his left leg (as well as other leg and knee injuries), while the great British marathoner Paula Radcliffe struggled through the Beijing Olympics Marathon on a leg barely recovered from a stress fracture, one of several she’s suffered. The International Association of Athletics Federations, the world governing body for track and field, recently described stress fractures, with a kind of grim resignation, as “the curse of athletes.”

But studies published in this month’s issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise offer hope that, at least for runners, simple alterations in their stride or in the strength of their legs might reduce their risk for the most common type of stress fracture.

In one of the studies, undertaken at the University of Minnesota, researchers recruited 39 competitive women runners, ages 18 to 35, and started measuring them. In particular, the scientists wanted to examine the size and shape of their shinbones, or tibias. About half of all stress fractures occur in the tibia, studies show. When you run or jump, that bone is pulled and bent. Sometimes, microscopic fissures form. In most cases, these tiny cracks heal quickly. But, sometimes, continued activity overwhelms the bone’s capacity to recover. The cracks grow and combine into a fracture.

The Minnesota researchers wanted to see whether the shinbones of the runners with a history of stress fractures were weaker than those without. Earlier studies suggested that this would be the case. But few studies have examined the size of the runners’ calf muscles. Bones tend to adapt to the muscles around them; puny muscles can mean puny bones. The Minnesota scientists, using a new machine that examines bone in three dimensions and measuring the runners’ leg muscles, found that, surprisingly, the injured runners’ bones were as strong, in relation to their muscle size as the bones in the uninjured runners. But the injured runners had significantly smaller calf muscles and therefore also slighter bones. The primary difference, the researchers concluded, between the women who suffered stress fractures and those who hadn’t was the size (and presumably strength) of their calf muscles.

This finding should be encouraging to anyone who has had a tibial stress fracture or would prefer not to. “It does seem as if strengthening the calf muscles may be a very easy way” to reduce fracture risk, says Moira Petit, an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Minnesota and an author of the study. In addition, she said, “our data suggest that you don’t have to strengthen the muscle by much.” A small increase of bulk, achievable by, for instance, rising up on to your toes and sinking back to the floor 10 or 12 times every day, might be enough. Adding even a small amount of calf muscle “serves two purposes,” Ms. Petit says. First, “the strength of the bone will usually increase” in response to the added muscle. And, as a bonus, the new muscle “can absorb more” of the forces generated when you run. So even as the tibia strengthens in response to the new muscle, it also is subjected to less shock. “Really, there’s no downside to this,” Ms. Petit says.

Her results, though, may apply primarily to women; she’s studying male runners, but so far, she says, isn’t seeing the same relationship between their calf-muscle size and bone strength. The other study in the current Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, however, did focus on men and their stress fractures, although, in this case, the lead researcher suggests that the findings would be true in women as well. In the work, from Iowa State University in Ames, computer modeling was used to predict what would happen to stress fracture risk if runners changed their strides. The researchers attached reflective markers to the bodies of 10 former or current collegiate-level cross-country runners and had them run repeatedly down a runway nearly 30 meters long, making sure to step onto a force plate that measured how hard they were striking the ground. During successive runs, the men were asked to shorten their natural strides, while maintaining their pace. The scientists entered the data into computer programs that calculated just how much force was being applied to the shinbone under different striding conditions. The researchers determined that reducing stride length by about 10 percent seemed to reduce the stress on the tibia enough to lower the risk of a stress fracture.

Why, though, should shortening your stride affect your tibia at all? “Think of it this way,” says Brent Edwards, lead author of the study and now a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition at the University of Illinois, in Chicago. “If you spend less time in the flight phase of running” — meaning in the air — “you’ll hit the ground with less force.” On the other hand, you’ll hit the ground more often. But in Mr. Edwards’s models, the reduction in pounding from an abbreviated stride outweighed the shock from a few additional strides per mile.

Even for those of us without a biomechanical expert in the house, gauging a 10 percent reduction in stride is not difficult, Mr. Edwards says. “Ten percent is about as much as you can shorten your stride without it beginning to feel quite uncomfortable,” he says. And absolute precision isn’t necessary. “Seven or eight or nine percent is fine,” he says.

Neither Ms. Petit nor Mr. Edwards suggests, of course, that any, single prevention approach will end all tibial stress fractures. “There are so many elements involved,” Ms. Petit says. Training, hormones, genetics, diet and shoe choice probably all play a role. “But if there’s something easy and benign that you can do to lessen the risk,” she asks, “why not?”

~written by Gretchen Reynolds