Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

The Barefoot Revolution: Why It's Hot and Why It's Not

I know I am opening up a can of worms with this topic. And I am completely okay with that! I have not read Born to Run though I hear it is a great read. I have however read a lot of articles and done a lot of personal research on the biomechanics of running and why barefoot is good/bad for you. Also, in this post I will probably use the words "barefoot" and "minimalist" running interchangeable. Yes, I do understand that some people run completely barefoot while others consider themselves barefoot runners but still wear shoes that are very light or zero drop. But for all intents and purposes of this post, I will use them as one and the same.

So, with that garbage out of the way, here is my take on whether or not you should ditch your shoes for a pair of those frog-toed Vibram Five Fingers....

Men's Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove (10.5 M in Olympia)Vibram Fivefingers Bikila (45 Mens, Light Grey/Palm/Dark Grey) - M345Women's Merrell Barefoot Pace Glove (8.5 M in Chili Pepper)Saucony Womens Progrid Kinvara - Discontinued Style Blue/Black Running shoe Sz: 10
Running barefoot or in minimalistic type shoes can be incredibly beneficial. I believe there are two main benefits to barefoot/minimalist running. The first being that it greatly reduces a heel strike type running form. I personally believe, as do many research studies, that heel striking is one of the biggest factors in causing injury.







A barefoot/minimalist shoe reduces the amount of cushion in the heel area. Without that cushion you realize how painful it is to land directly on your heel. This forces you to start landing with a mid-foot strike. Mid-foot strike running is much easier on your joints, especially knees and shins. Also, look at the lean of the girl pictured in the GOOD running form above. See how she is automatically leaning more forward? This will help you run faster with less effort. When you land on your heel, not only are you sending that shock force up through your shins and knees, you are also causing yourself to brake with every step. Your body has to work much harder to overcome that braking force than it does when you are leaning forward and landing mid-foot. Side note about form: When you lean forward make sure you are not breaking at the waist and bending over. As in the stick people pictured above, your whole body should be included in the lean. Its more from your pelvis and not from your waist.

Another awesome benefit from running in minimalist shoes or barefoot is how it strengthens your feet and legs. Think of it like a baby chicken. If you break away its shell for the chick and don't let it do it on its own, it will never be strong enough to fly. Same with all the cushion special pronator shoes. When you baby your body its whole life, it will never get strong. Your body learns to rely on the cushiony supportive feel of shoes. However, since your body's mechanics are not made for this (and the type of running it generally supports) you are likely to get injured. 

This video is AWESOME for explaining good form and a mid-foot strike. Hopefully it will better explain what I am trying to show with my lovely drawings above :)
I believe many runners would benefit from doing one completely barefoot run a week around a grassy area. Hopefully you have heard that you need to ease into barefoot/minimalist running. If your body is not accustomed to it, you are going to be sore at first. You will use different muscles and place more strain on certain parts of your body than it is used to. But you will be strengthening your body in a good way. As you run barefoot you should notice how your form changes. When you go back to wearing shoes, try to remember that feeling and recreate it. Whenever I am at a park, whether for speed work or for a recovery run, I run barefoot. You need to be careful though when dealing with pine cones, rocks, unidentified objects, etc.

With all those benefits to the minimalist movement are you feeling convinced you should try it? Sure, if you want. But I am not a believer that it suits everyone. In fact, I disagree that every runner should join the "revolution". If you are happy and comfortable with what you are running in now, why switch? Not everyone will benefit from it. If you don't make the switch safely, or if you don't fix your running form with the switch you could actually increase your risk for injury. Also, running barefoot can be dangerous in the fact that you could step on something sharp/hard/poisonous. It takes a long time for your feet to become callused enough to run completely barefoot.

I love running in light-weight shoes. Not necessarily because they are generally more of a minimalist type shoe but because I don't want to lug the extra weight around. Also, I don't like a lot of squishy cushion when I run. I feel like it takes away my spring and makes me feel sluggish or sticky. But that is my preference. I do enjoy a more cushioned shoe when doing trail than when doing speed work or tempo on road and grass. I have two pairs of running shoes. A lighter more "barefoot" shoe and a heavier (though still light) more "cushioned" shoe.

When buying shoes, if you want a true minimalist/barefoot shoe you have to get what is called a "zero drop" shoe. That means there is no change in height from the heel to the toe. Many light-weight shoes that claim to be minimalist are not zero-drop. They are usually still less of a drop than other normal shoes though. But shoes such as the Nike Free, Nike LunarElite, Saucony Kinvara and Asics Gel Speedstar are technically not true barefoot shoes. That being said, it is okay. You don't have to get a true barefoot shoe to still get the benefits of running barefoot. The LunarElite and the Kinvaras are my favorite running shoes ever I think. I can definitely tell a difference in my form and in the strength of my feet and legs from running in these lightweight less of a drop shoes. 

I hope this has provided a different perspective on running barefoot and the minimalist movement. While there are many benefits, I don't think everyone needs to chuck their favorite pair of shoes. Do what you like best. Experiment. Try running barefoot. Try fixing your form! That is the message I hope you get from this article. Form is more important than what shoe or lack of shoe you are wearing. Read more on how to fix your form here.


These are some good resources if you want to check out more on barefoot running:
Barefoot Running: How to Run Light and Free by Getting in Touch with the Earth Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen (Vintage)Barefoot Running Step by Step: Barefoot Ken Bob, the Guru of Shoeless Running, Shares His Personal Technique for Running with More Speed, Less Impact, Fewer Injuries and More FunThe Barefoot Running Book Second Edition: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe RunningThe Barefoot Running Book Second Edition: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe RunningThe Barefoot Running Book Second Edition: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe RunningThe Minimalist Runner: Transitioning From Traditional Running Shoes To Minimalist Running Shoes (Volume 1)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Kendall Gel Orthotics

**Disclaimer: Although I did receive a free pair of orthotics to try, I was not paid or co-erced in any way; all opinion expressed are completely my own and not influenced in any way by Kendall GelThotics**

First of all I want to start out by saying I am not usually an advocate of orthotics. I believe they can be a good help sometimes, but I also believe they can cause more problems than necessary. That being said, when I saw the Kendall GelThotics online I thought they looked different enough from a usual orthotic that I wanted to give them a try.

They are designed to fit under your insole in any shoe. They are made of silicone which means they will not break down or retain odors. They claim to provide years of support and comfort, which after having for only a month, I can say I do believe. Here is a video from their website explaining more about the technology and science



The first thing I noticed about the GelThotics is how easy they are to put in your shoes. They are sticky on the bottom and are made of gel so they are very malleable. Their malleability makes them very easy to place in your shoe and gives you a little bit of freedom to mold them to fit your foot. They are also easy to take out and switch to other shoes which is awesome. The sticky bottom keeps them from slipping....most of the time. I first wore them in my trail shoes. They were pretty good, but when I ran down hills they started to slip after a while. This is one of the few things I did not like.


I then switched them to my road shoes. They work great. No slipping at all. They stay in place for short downhills, but I think the heat and sweat from running causes them to slip when running down steep or long hills. I had gotten a blister from running with them in my trail shoes, so I took a break from them for a while. However, I did like that you did not have to get used to them or break them in. They also will not give you blisters, I only got one because I was running a lot of downhill and didn't place it well enough in my shoe.

I decided to try the orthotics in my normal shoes because although they felt good in my running shoes and were comfortable, I still prefer running without them...I like to be as light on my feet as I can. I tried them in ballet flats, high heels and walking shoes. This is where I think they really shine; at least for my preferences. They are comfortable and soft unlike most hard orthotics. They adapt to your foot as you walk, which is awesome and something I think really makes them stand out from other orthotics. I had to stand for 5 hours one day and I put the GelThotics in my shoes which was really incredible. They helped with my lower back pain and my feet didn't hurt nearly as bad as they usually would. One other downside to them though is that they get sticky and sweaty when not worn with socks or put under an insole. So in ballet flats and high heels they are extremely comfortable, but they are kinda sticky and can be annoying when they get sweaty.

Overall, would I recommend these orthotics? Yes. I would definitely wear these in my running shoes if I was getting shin splints due to collapsing arches. I do believe they would be very beneficial in helping to fix that problem. However, I decided I do not like wearing them in my running shoes all the time. But I do like wearing these in my everyday shoes. They make high heels, ballet flats and Converse much more comfortable. I have not tried them in my cycling shoes yet, but I think they would be great there.

Now, the best part. I received not only one pair of these great GelThotics, but TWO pair. And that means a GIVEAWAY! I have a pair that fits in Women's shoe sizes 7-9 and Men's sizes 5 1/2-7. Men and women feel free to enter :) The rules for the giveaway include leaving a comment on this post saying why you want to win and you must tweet the following "I want to win @GelThotics #giveaway from @xc_runnergirl! Read her review and enter at runnerchicks.blogspot.com" I know I have some Facebook followers and people who do not have a Twitter. For those of you without a Twitter account, post the link to Facebook or Google Plus (+ me at +Kalina Clegg). If you are social media inept (meaning you do not have a Twitter/Facebook/Google Plus, leave a comment telling me so and I will pardon you :) Good luck! Giveaway ends on Friday August 19th at midnight. Winner will be announced Sunday morning.

Feel free to check out these other reviews by a fellow blogger at The Pace of My Life. Also, Kimberly Bogin @RunWrite from Twitter tweeted this on July 14th "Thank you My cycling shoes have never fit better or been more comfortable. Love my new inserts." Remember, all opinions expressed in this post are completely my own. You may agree or disagree with my thoughts.