One of my most memorable runs took place in Costa Rica when I was wearing sandals, board shorts, and a bathing suit after river rafting, and I couldn鈥檛 resist the opportunity to run through a rainforest full of birdsong and howler monkeys.听

My watch couldn鈥檛 find the GPS signal to measure distance, but I didn鈥檛 let that, or the lack of running shoes, stop me. I ran for 30 minutes, energized and entranced by the surroundings. That joy-filled run is a powerful reminder that we don鈥檛 always need a planned workout or gear to reap the benefits of a run.

We might just need to break into a run and go.

Having run trails and ultras for two decades, I sense that runners are overthinking and overcomplicating the relatively simple act of running more than ever before. We have way more access now to information and commentary about ultra-distance running, and more biofeedback due to sensors on smartwatches, phones, and gadgets. We follow elite runners online and try to train like them. It鈥檚 easier than ever to fall into the comparison trap, feeling that our training is inadequate compared to the others we follow on Strava and social media.

I鈥檇 encourage you to tune out those messages and tune into the reasons you chose running in the first place: because it鈥檚 healthy, beautiful, adventurous, and it makes you feel better. It鈥檚 motivating and rewarding to train for an ultramarathon. And it鈥檚 relatively cheap and simple, especially compared to gear-intensive sports like skiing or cycling. Just lace up your shoes, find your way to some dirt path somewhere, then go.

Don鈥檛 Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good

During the many years I coached runners, the most difficult-to-coach clients tended to share a perfectionist streak that made them research the heck out of the sport and ask all sorts of questions, ranging from foot strike to electrolytes. Paradoxically, they often skipped workouts, or on race day, they DNFed.

I suspect these high-achievers spread themselves too thin to fit in their training, plus they wanted each workout and race to be planned and executed to an extremely high standard. They couldn鈥檛 adapt to a 鈥済ood enough鈥� or 鈥渟ome is better than none鈥� mindset to just get out and get 鈥檈r done, and their seriousness sucked much of the joy out of the process.

Coach Liza Howard, a highly accomplished ultrarunner, told me she had a similar experience with some of her athletes. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a lot of 鈥榗ome to Jesus鈥� talks where I say, 鈥榊ou just need to get out and run.鈥欌�� She says they鈥檒l send her articles about certain hill workouts to add to their training, or ask what their stride length should be, and she鈥檒l reply, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to talk to you about any doodad unless you start getting at least six hours of sleep.鈥澨�

Three Golden Rules

The food writer and journalist famously distilled all his research into a single line of nutrition advice composed of three short phrases that are rules to follow: 鈥淓at food. Not too much. Mostly plants.鈥澨�

Could we come up with a similar line of basic advice for our sport? How about this: Run regularly. Not too fast. Mostly trails.

1. Run Regularly.听

鈥淩egularly鈥� means consistently and frequently, following a sensible pattern that gradually increases the amount you run over weeks and months, depending on your goals. Carve out time to run at least three, preferably more, times a week, even if it鈥檚 only for 20 minutes on some days. Sometimes, generally once a week, push the duration of a run to a point that feels challenging and fatiguing. Prioritize a good night鈥檚 sleep to recover, and make sure you don鈥檛 stack too many extra-long or hard-effort runs on top of each other so that you can adequately recover from the stress.

RELATED: 鈥淐apacity Training鈥� Is the Key to Long-Term Running Endurance

鈥淭raining is not always exciting, and in some cases, it may even be boring,鈥� says competitive ultrarunner Jade Belzburg, who coaches with her partner Nick de la Rosa at . 鈥淗ow many easy eight-mile runs have I done in the last eight years? Too many to count. And yet, I find these simple, consistent runs are what have made the biggest impact over time.鈥�

We don鈥檛 always need a planned workout or gear to reap the benefits of a run. We just need to break into a run and go.

鈥淩egularly鈥� also suggests naturally and normally. This can be accomplished by paying attention to your internal cues鈥攂reath rate, fatigue, and sweating鈥攖o determine how hard you鈥檙e running and to find a sustainable effort level that allows you to keep going for the duration of your run, ideally with more joy than stress.听

Howard advises the athletes she coaches to focus on their breathing to determine an appropriate pace and to ignore their watch mid-run, then review the watch鈥檚 data afterward rather than while running.听

RELATED: The 30 Best Running Tips of All Time

2. Not Too Fast.听

This brings us to the next rule: 鈥渘ot too fast.鈥� Most of your runs should be at a steady 鈥渢ortoise鈥� pace that feels sustainable and allows you to talk in full sentences. Running in the aerobic zone (less than 80 percent of your max heart rate, or, put simply, at an effort level that allows you to talk) has numerous benefits and develops your aerobic energy system for long-distance running. If you get so winded running up a hill that you gasp while trying to speak, then downshift to hiking.听

鈥淟earn the rate of perceived exertion鈥濃�攁 scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being maximum unsustainable effort and speed鈥斺�渁nd keep most runs at what feels like an easy pace of 4 to 6,鈥� advises de la Rosa. The beauty of the rate of perceived exertion is that you follow your body鈥檚 cues, not your watch鈥檚 pace or heart rate reading.听

Some high-intensity workouts with bursts of faster running are beneficial for any runner, to boost cardiovascular fitness and develop quicker leg turnover for speed. Hence, most runners fit some form of speedwork into their weekly routine. But most running should feel relatively slow and easy.

3. Mostly Trails.听

OK, so why the final rule, “mostly trails,” you ask? The inherent variability and enjoyment of trail terrain can help you accomplish the first two points鈥攖o run more regularly and intuitively, and not too fast. If you鈥檙e an urban dweller in a flat region who can only get to a trailhead occasionally, don鈥檛 despair. Run wherever is most convenient and motivating, and try getting creative using stairways or a treadmill鈥檚 incline to simulate hills.

Additional Essentials

Stay Safe.听After you purchase the most basic and essential piece of gear鈥攜our running shoes鈥攜ou鈥檒l face decisions about clothing, gear, hydration, and fueling. These aspects of trail running quickly become expensive and complex. To simplify, ask yourself, what do I need to stay safe?听

The riskiest, most potentially life-threatening scenarios of trail running involve getting too hot (heat stroke) or too cold (hypothermia), dehydration or overhydration without adequate sodium (hyponatremia), getting lost, or getting hurt and not being able to get help. Start by planning your clothing, gear, and hydration now to avoid those scenarios in the future.听

Use layers of clothing to regulate your body temperature and to provide sun and wind protection. A lightweight, breathable wind shell that repels rain can be a trail runner鈥檚 best friend. Investing in gear such as a headlamp and a GPS tracker with an SOS button (in case you鈥檙e out after dark or in the backcountry out of cell range) are wise investments for mountain runners, as is a basic first aid kit.

Carry plenty of water, along with some form of electrolytes such as salty snacks or tabs that dissolve in fluid, to replace fluids and salt you lose through sweating. Drink to thirst and do 鈥渢he spit test鈥� to determine if you鈥檙e hydrating adequately. Is your mouth too dry to easily form spit? Then you need to drink.听

You鈥檒l need something to carry your gear and hydration. As with shoes, a comfortable hydration vest or waist pack is a highly individualized choice. Try some on, read reviews, and look for bargains such as sales on last year鈥檚 models.

Fill Your Tank.听Eating before, during, and after a longer run is vital, too, but it鈥檚 more of a performance matter and rarely a safety issue. If you bonk from low blood sugar or puke, you鈥檒l still have enough stored energy in the form of fat to keep slogging through your run. As long as you鈥檙e adequately hydrated, you鈥檒l be OK when you get home, or to the next aid station in a race, where you can regain some calories. You just won鈥檛 run well or feel good, so let鈥檚 avoid that scenario with proper fueling.听

The amount and type of food you should consume mid-run depends on your fitness, body size, and the intensity and duration of your outing, so you鈥檒l need to experiment to find what works for you.

Generally speaking, you don鈥檛 need to consume calories during everyday lower-intensity runs that are shorter than about 90 minutes, as long as you start your run with a 鈥渇ull tank鈥� from healthy and satisfying eating throughout the day. Don鈥檛 forget to refuel post-run, to restore the burned energy. Nonetheless, it鈥檚 wise to carry a simple snack such as an energy gel on any run, and use it if you feel weak, or in case you end up on the trail longer than expected.

For runs and races that go from several hours to a full day, aim to eat around 200 calories per hour after the first hour. Don鈥檛 demonize carbs, as they鈥檙e your best energy source mid-run. Whether simple sugars from gels and sports drinks or a picnic-like buffet of sweet and starchy snacks, what works best for you during a long run can depend on many factors, including your stomach and palate. The best advice I got for parenting my two kids also applies to mid-ultra fueling: 鈥淒o what works!鈥�

In addition to trying specialized gels and powders on the market, I also encourage you to experiment with everyday options on longer trail runs that are available from any grocery store, including potato chips, trail mix, a banana, or a good ol鈥� PB&J. For sugar, try a cookie or some candy.听

Most of all, try to remember that food is an athlete鈥檚 fuel and friend, and it鈥檚 best to eat a variety of food in quantities that leave you feeling truly satisfied. Runners who develop an adversarial or overly controlling relationship with food are doomed to suffer negative consequences in the long run, literally and figuratively. Ultimately: don鈥檛 overthink it, and do what works best for you.听

Sarah Lavender Smith lives and runs near Telluride, Colorado, and about mountain running and midlife grit.听

The post Three Golden Rules to Keep Your Running Simple appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The post 国产吃瓜黑料’s Guide to Minimalist Running appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 been 13 years since Chris McDougall turned the running world on its head with his writing of Born to Run, a seminal ode to minimalist running style that became a New York Times bestselling book and, for a moment, greatly reshaped the entire running industry.

In what seems like a lifetime ago, McDougal was the pied piper of barefoot-style running. No, he wasn鈥檛 ever about actually running barefoot 鈥� because he recognized early on that was largely impractical and painful, especially for those living in a modern mostly paved world 鈥� but instead about running in minimalist, 鈥渂arely there鈥� footwear that allowed a runner to move with natural running form that could, in theory, reduce overuse injuries and enhanced performance.

Even now, as McDougall鈥檚 Born to Run 2 is about to be released on December 6, the influence of the original book is still reverberating in the running industry in the way of advanced running shoes that are lighter, more energetic and built from a function-first design ethos.

Read an exclusive excerpt from Born to Run 2听

But in the interim between his running books, as McDougall was hard at work at both preaching the gospel of minimalist running and working on numerous other writing projects鈥攊ncluding Natural Born Heroes (2015) and Running with Sherman (2019)鈥攖he running world moved on, even though McDougall did not and apparently never will.

The Born to Run Revolution

When it was published in 2009, Born to Run served as the cannon blast that would become the rallying call for a running revolution centered on minimalist shoe design, the quest for optimal running form and, to some extent, a spartan lifestyle that embraced doing what was practical over doing what was comfortable.

There had been plenty of counterculture insurgents on a path to running revolt already鈥攅veryone from Pose Method founder Dr. Nicholas S. Romanov, Chi Running guru Danny Dreyer, Newton Running cofounder Danny Abshire, Harvard anthropology professor Daniel Lieberman and even those behind Nike鈥檚 barefoot-style line of Free shoes and Vibram鈥檚 odd-but-interesting FiveFingers toe shoes. Plus, there were dozens of professional physiologists, biomechanists, running coaches and athletes assailing the poor design of early 2000s shoes as a leading contributor to extraordinarily high injury rates among both novice and avid runners.

But it was McDougall鈥檚 epic tale about mysterious ultrarunning adventurer Caballo Blanco (a.k.a. Micah True) running with the native Rar谩muri tribe (a.k.a. the Tarahumara people) wearing sandals fashioned out of old tires in Mexico鈥檚 Copper Canyons that really ignited the rebellion.

Almost overnight, a huge throng quietly fell in line and joined the fray鈥攍ifelong runners seeking a new inspiration, new runners seeking a new path in life, injured runners seeking rehabilitative guidance, hobby joggers seeking inclusion and, yes, even large corporate running shoe brands seeking a new stream of revenue鈥攅ither because they truly believed in the empirical science or the poetic beauty behind the movement or just because it was the latest fad that seemed to be here for good and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

But even as the echoes of those original canon blasts were still audible in the distance and McDougall was on an extended book tour connecting with a passionate band of merry pranksters, the revolution fizzled out as the vast majority of the ever-impressionable running world quickly joined the next revolution centered on new and improved midsole materials that were more shock-absorbing and responsive鈥攏ot to mention divinely cushy鈥攖han traditional foams of the past.

The beginning of the end came quickly as Hoka famously launched its oversized cushioning that and Adidas introduced its hyper-bouncy Boost midsole foam. Just about the time True suffered an untimely fatal heart incident while returning from his latest trip to the Copper Canyons to organize the 50K race he created to benefit the impoverished Rar谩muri people, runners were already galloping to a different beat.

Whereas wafer-thin 鈥渂arely there鈥� shoes briefly defined the zeitgeist of the revolution, running shoes that more resembled Oreo Double Stuf sandwich cookies鈥攁nd the feel-good sensations that could be felt in every stride鈥攂ecame the icon of a new maximalist movement that quickly left minimalism in its wake. For a while, runners sought to understand the science of maximalism, but with soft cushioning there was nothing to explain. It just felt good.

The dramatic shift wasn鈥檛 lost on McDougall, who nonetheless has continued to wave the revolutionary flag for minimalist footwear and better running form. He understands human nature veers toward comfort, fashion and fads, but, he argues, it shouldn鈥檛 overlook scientific studies or eliminate the quest for better running form鈥攏o matter if that鈥檚 for injury prevention, performance enhancement or an earnest desire just to improve.

RELATED: Best Minimalist Running Shoes 2022

鈥淟et鈥檚 just agree there are better ways to run and there are ways to get there,鈥� he said recently. 鈥淓very run doesn鈥檛 have to be a lesson in perfection. I tend to get all militant about it, but I think there are ways to make this experience so much more pleasurable. Unfortunately, I just think so many people have said, 鈥極h well, we鈥檙e just going to follow the trends and forget everything else.鈥欌��

After working for nearly two years on Born to Run 2 with longtime coach and coconspirator Eric Orton, he has a clear idea of why multitudes of runners were drawn to soft, cushy shoes. But that wasn鈥檛 a detractor in getting his book ready for the world. If anything, it was an inspiration. And that was evident when I visited with each of them as they mingled with fans and followers at a pre-launch party at Denver鈥檚 Berkeley Park Running Company.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 eat everything we鈥檙e supposed to eat all the time because we want to eat foods that are delicious and bring us joy and that are different than what we ate the day before, and running shoes are the same way,鈥� McDougall says. 鈥淚f your feet are really sensitive and you put on a different shoe, you have the pleasure of experiencing that difference. We all really enjoy that sensual pleasure, but where we are led astray is that we keep accepting whatever fatty meal is put in front of us as the thing we want instead of evaluating if that鈥檚 what is really needed.鈥�

RELATED: A Moderate Approach to Minimalist Shoes

Born to Run 2

What McDougall and Orton offer up in Born to Run 2 is somewhat of a how-to guide full of practical information for new and novice runners who might have missed the first revolution. But it鈥檚 also a renewed call to action of the original sentiments behind Born to Run and an invitation for any curious, pragmatic, lapsed or broken-down runners to start anew with an opportunity for physical, mental and/or emotional rejuvenation.

In the new book, they鈥檝e blended really good storytelling with loads of practical information to cover a wide variety of situations, challenges and dilemmas that all runners face or are curious about. It covers everything from running form and running shoes to optimal nutrition for a runner鈥檚 lifestyle, how to get more joy out of running and even how to run with your dog. It鈥檚 smartly written, colorfully illustrated and definitely worth a read for anyone inspired by the original book or curious about making changes in their approach to running.

When McDougall talks about the new book, he speaks with a light tone of excitement, partially from the good experience he and Orton had going through the collaborative process but also because he knows it will be an opportunity once again to connect with runners who are on an exploratory path to something different, something better. But as a professional journalist, he鈥檚 always been a realistic and a skeptic, so he鈥檚 not expecting the new book to have the same profound impact as the original.

鈥淒o people really want to be told what to do?鈥� he asks rhetorically. 鈥淒o they want to be led toward change? Or is it more than just, 鈥業 want to go out and enjoy my 45 minutes a day and I鈥檒l deal with their problems when they show up. I鈥檓 not going to worry about it now.鈥� I don鈥檛 know the answer to that. But at the end of the day, you have to be happy knowing you did the best you could. You wouldn鈥檛 write an article or a book if you knew the outcome. You write it to spread the message and then see what the reactions are that come from it.鈥�

The new book isn鈥檛 as much of an indictment of the running shoe industry as the first, but it does come with heavy-handed suggestions about what kinds of shoes runners should be wearing. McDougall famously embraced FiveFingers and Luna Sandals back in the day and has since run in a variety of brands ranging from VivoBarefoot to Altra. Next spring, Xero Shoes will launch new versions of its Zelen and Mesa Trail shoes with Born to Run logos.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 even blame the brands. They鈥檙e in the business of selling products. That鈥檚 their job, that鈥檚 their mission,鈥� McDougall says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not in the job of educating people or taking them to school. The big disappointment to me is the people who I feel should know better because I don鈥檛 understand why they don鈥檛.鈥�

McDougall admits he hasn鈥檛 returned to the Copper Canyons since the initial trips that connected him with the cast of characters鈥攊ncluding True, Scott Jurek, Jenn Shelton, Billy 鈥淏onehead鈥� Barnett, Barefoot Ted and Arnulfo Quimare鈥攚ho became the star characters of Born to Run. But it seems like he might have a latent urge to go back. Not to promote his new book, but just to re-immerse with the movement.

The original 50K race that True developed has morphed into several events organized by a variety of people. Mike Miller, one of the original followers of the 鈥淢as Loco鈥� tribe that took to True鈥檚 minimalist dogma, has re-envisioned a weeklong event that will include hiking, exploring, connecting with locals and old friends alike, and an experiential and inclusive race that has no time cutoffs, and McDougall is intrigued enough to consider being a part of it.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 say from a distance that it鈥檚 a bad thing,鈥� McDougall says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e highlighting the culture. You鈥檙e pumping money into a neglected area. You鈥檙e getting people excited about training for a unique experience. So maybe it鈥檚 a good thing, but at the same time maybe the throwback to what Caballo originally intended is taking place somewhere else at a different time.

鈥淚 kind of wonder whether Born to Run鈥檚 day has come and gone,鈥� he adds without remorse. 鈥淚鈥檓 curious to see if there is still an interest in it or if it鈥檚 more about nostalgia. We鈥檒l see which way the pendulum swings. But I think what we鈥檙e pushing is not an easy message, and that is that you have to learn first and buy second. I think with the first go-round was that people tended to buy first and maybe I鈥檒l learn after that.鈥�

The post Long After the Minimalist Revolution, Chris McDougall Returns with 鈥楤orn to Run 2鈥� appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In January 2022, Zach Zenteno began training for his first Ironman. By March, the 22-year-old from Seattle was dealing with a string of overuse injuries that kept him off his feet.

鈥淪evere back pain and shin splints led me to the chiropractor,鈥� he said.听

There, he learned that the elevated heel of his running shoes might be contributing to a non-natural running gait, possibly leading to his injuries.听

鈥淲ith an approaching August race deadline, I was incredibly eager to do anything possible to heal up and get back in the saddle,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o I heeded his recommendations and looked into [minimal shoes].鈥�

This recommendation doesn鈥檛 surprise , MPT, SCS. He鈥檚 a physical therapist, professor and researcher at Oregon State University, author of Running Rewired, consultant, and coach, and he believes that runners should have a minimal shoe in their collection.听

However, that comes with some caveats 鈥� the first of which is that there鈥檚 no industry standard on what 鈥渕inimal鈥� means regarding a shoe.听

鈥淪ome people think it鈥檚 a wide toe box, some people think it鈥檚 zero-cushion, some people think it only refers to [Vibram] FiveFingers,鈥� he said.听

(For the purposes of this article, we鈥檒l consider any shoes with a toe box that allows the toes to spread naturally, does not have an excessive amount of cushion, and has a low- to zero-drop sole to be minimal.)听

Still, his advice remains the same across definitions. 鈥淪hould they wear [minimal shoes] a lot when not running? Yes,鈥� Dicharry said.听

When it comes to wearing them for running and racing, his answer is far less emphatic.听

鈥淪hould they wear them when running? Sometimes,鈥� he said. 鈥淪hould they wear them while racing? They can, but it is going to make their engine work a bit harder, and that costs seconds on the clock, so most people turn away as soon as you mention that.鈥澨�

His wholehearted recommendation of a minimal shoe for runners during non-running activities has to do with the most common issues he sees in the types of traditional footwear they鈥檇 normally wear, such as:

• Symmetry. 听Shoes are generally pretty darn symmetrical, but, Dicharry said, 鈥淔eet are anything but symmetric.鈥�
• Shape. Fashion has influenced shoes to be narrower in the forefoot than the ball of the foot. 鈥淔eet are not shaped that way,鈥� Dicharry said. And then, there鈥檚 the fact that a narrower base isn鈥檛 as stable as a wide one. 鈥淚f toe boxes were wider, every person on the planet would be able to stabilize听their body better,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just simple engineering.鈥�
• Cushion. 鈥淪hoes have evolved to have thick cushions underfoot, and every single study on cushioned surfaces [shoes and otherwise] show that cushioned surfaces impair a person’s ability to feel and sense where their foot is,鈥� he said. That proprioception (or the body鈥檚 ability to sense position) may be even more closely tied to the problems people tend to experience with their bodies than the strength of the feet.听
• Drop. 鈥淭he majority of dress, recreational, and sport shoes have a heel that鈥檚 higher than the forefoot,鈥� he said, and this throws off stability, posture, and more, since instead of our body adapting to the way our feet land on the ground, it鈥檚 adapting to that heel drop.

Incorporating minimal footwear into your daily routine of low-impact activities helps your feet 鈥� and the rest of your body 鈥� adapt to a natural stance and posture without the impact of running.

The Benefits of a Minimal Shoe for Daily Wear听

While wearing a minimal shoe for daily, non-running activities likely means you鈥檙e wearing them while recovering from your running workouts, Dicharry is quick to point out that they are not a magical recovery tool that makes the wearer immune to injury. In fact, he said, 鈥淢inimal shoes do not prevent injury. That has never been shown.鈥澨�

What has been shown, however, is that they shift loads within the foot, which also creates a shift for the knees, hips, and even the spine. This ties into , which states that tissues adapt based on the stresses you give. 鈥淚f you gradually load the foot, ankle, and all the parts upstream properly, then they develop properly and strong, and you sync these good parts with good connection to your nervous system, so you get better stability, balance, and control,鈥� Dicharry said.听

So, with this understanding, stress is a good thing 鈥� and regular wear of a minimal shoe demands slightly more stress, or 鈥渕icro-training,鈥� as he calls it, from the body than a traditional shoe. That鈥檚 exactly what helps improve the body鈥檚 longevity and durability.听

And while there鈥檚 a lot of talk about , he argues that strength may not be the biggest draw. Foot strength should be directly measurable, he said, and, 鈥淭he reality is that some studies show this happens, and others don鈥檛. .鈥�

In Dicharry鈥檚 experience, the bigger benefit is actually a boost to , or the body鈥檚 ability to sense its position. 鈥�Gains in proprioception听stem from improving听the mind-body connection,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are neural adaptations, not muscle capacity adaptations.鈥� Think of it like wearing gloves to tie your shoes. 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 any weaker with gloves, but it鈥檚 harder to feel what you鈥檙e doing; therefore, we lose precision, coordination, and do a poor job tying our shoes,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ess between you and your task is better.鈥�

How a Good Thing Goes Wrong

That feeling of connection is what people tend to love right away about a minimal shoe, said Dicharry; and proprioception can get better quickly, even though tissue adaptations take much longer.

And that鈥檚 precisely what occurred with Zenteno. He went down the minimal footwear rabbit hole, devouring Born to Run and learning everything he could about the concept. 鈥淚 figured that nature can design a much better shoe than Nike or Adidas ever could, so I ditched my old running shoes and picked up a pair of听,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he feedback was immediate when I gave it a try.鈥� Zenteno absolutely loved that feeling 鈥� so much so that, despite the warnings he鈥檇 read, he didn鈥檛 take the transition period as seriously as he should and ramped up his mileage. By May, he was injured 鈥� again.

Fortunately, Zenteno understood where he鈥檇 gone wrong, and although he remained sold on the barefoot concept, he realized he simply didn鈥檛 have enough time to allow his body to adjust to that type of shoe before his race. He switched to a shoe with a bit more padding and, once he鈥檇 healed, those shoes carried him through his training and race day without further injury. He walks and runs errands in the barefoot shoes, though, and is building up to short runs in them 鈥� safely, this time.听

RELATED: Long After the Minimalist Revolution, Chris McDougall Returns with “Born to Run 2”

The Importance of the Right Approach to Minimalist Shoes

Of course, not every athlete is willing to own up to their mistakes like Zenteno. Dicharry has seen plenty of athletes who show up with poor coordination in their feet, which their traditional shoes have been masking. 鈥淭hen, you got a brand new pair of minimal shoes and claim that they hurt you? It鈥檚 time to stop blaming your equipment and start taking responsibility for your foot health,鈥� he said. Sure, a minimal shoe can play a role in these injuries, but people experience injuries in all kinds of shoes, and at the end of the day, 鈥淭argeted training always wins. Period,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have yet to have an athlete with really great foot stability and strength that couldn鈥檛 run in pretty much anything they鈥檇 like with zero issues.鈥澨�

That brings us back to why wearing a minimal shoe for daily activities can be so helpful 鈥� it makes it easy to incorporate them gradually, with low impact. 鈥淲ear them in the yard first, then play with the kids,鈥� Dicharry said. 鈥淭hen wear them to the gym, then on short runs where pace is not an issue.鈥� From there, you can continue to slowly increase your use of them on different surfaces and at different paces, taking note of what works (and what doesn鈥檛).听

Whether your goal is to train and race in a minimal shoe, or you simply want to incorporate a minimal shoe into your life as a way to improve your foot health, the most important thing is to be patient. As tempting as it may be to embrace a minimal approach for every aspect of your life, remember, you鈥檝e probably spent years training your tissues, tendons, and bones to respond to a traditional shoe. It will take a long time for it to adapt.听

Just be warned that, once you get used to a minimal shoe, you might have a hard time going back. 鈥淚鈥檝e grown accustomed to feeling the ground and not having my toes smashed together,鈥� Zenteno said. 鈥淚t genuinely makes it difficult to return to regular shoes.鈥�

RELATED: The Best Minimalist Running Shoes

The post A Moderate Approach to Minimalist Shoes appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.