Middle Pack

This is the 2nd part of my series into changing running style. It will focus on the research around footwear, barefoot and minimal shoes vs motion control and cushioned fancy shoes. I will go into actual running technique in another post.

On delving round the internet I was quite amazed at the amount of peer reviewed articles out there in the public domain discussing this area. Most of it was not on the side of the big shoe companies.Much of this current interest can be traced to the book, Born to run by Christopher Mcdougall and recent research by Dr Craig Richards however this research has been in the public domain for many years and it is only with the publishing of a book with a good story i.e. Born to run that we the running public are catching up.

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At the weekend I took part in my first ever proper trail race. The Leeds Country way is a relay race for teams of 12 to run as pairs round the long distance footpath round Leeds. It is nicer than it sounds as most of it is woodland, fields, and tracks with the odd bit of road chucked in there.

I was in to run leg 3 of the race which was apparently the hilly section. 9.8 miles from Morley to Pudsey

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I have been reading loads about running barefoot recently. Every way I turn someone seems to be saying that we are all running wrong. Heel strike is out and midfoot/forefoot is the new black. This is the magic cure to chronic foot and ankle injuries. So on that basis I thought I would try it to see what it is all about.

To make it a bit more interesting I thought I would do a series of posts about changing my running style. This was a huge long rambling post till I cut it down.  Hopefully I will make it an interesting resource for others who may be thinking about changing styles.