Two things have surprised me in the last year:
- I asked a friend of mine who has been running for 5+ years, first in Nike Free Run, then Virbram Five Fingers, then Saucony Hattory.... What is your gait? Do you over pronate? He had no clue what so ever.
- I've spent most of the last year trying to better my running form, to help with constant cases of shin splints.There seemed to be many ways of running, I just had to find the correct way. During this journey I read that to help strengthen the lower legs, I should try running barefoot on the treadmill. After trying that, it was a revelation to me that when running barefoot, there was only 1 way my legs, body and feet wanted to run. There was very little option in it. And it didn't hurt or feel bad in any way. I got off the treadmill after just that first run/walk session feeling better in my lower legs than any previous session in my shoes.
I'm not going to start saying that barefoot running is the thing everyone should be doing. But I do believe it has it's place in training and points the direction in which running shoes should be made. In my Running Shoe Try-Outs article, the clear winners are the pair that best mimic my barefoot gait.
Although not a medical term, everybody understands what over-pronation is, believes it's not a good thing and something to be corrected. I only come from personal experience with everything I've talked about here and I've changed my opinion of over pronation. It's my ankles way of helping absorb the shock of impact and by letting it happen, all the correct muscles in my lower leg are engaged in the correct way.
I've come to realise that my gait is to be protected at all costs. Doesn't matter what the shoes look like (well ok, within reason) or whether there is a little to much toe room. If your feet are happy and you run naturally, that's what counts.
Although not a medical term, everybody understands what over-pronation is, believes it's not a good thing and something to be corrected. I only come from personal experience with everything I've talked about here and I've changed my opinion of over pronation. It's my ankles way of helping absorb the shock of impact and by letting it happen, all the correct muscles in my lower leg are engaged in the correct way.
I've come to realise that my gait is to be protected at all costs. Doesn't matter what the shoes look like (well ok, within reason) or whether there is a little to much toe room. If your feet are happy and you run naturally, that's what counts.
http://www.podiatrytoday.com/tackling-10-myths-barefoot-running
