Back in the summer of 2009, the Vibram Fivefingers KSO was my first ever barefoot-style running shoe. Vibrams played a big role in my transition to minimalism, but to be honest it’s been a long time since I’ve run regularly in VFFs. The main reason for me is that I’ve had a really hard time […]
Archives for October 2012
Vibram Fivefingers SeeYa LS Review: Fit, Feel, and First Run Thoughts
October 31, 2012 By 27 Comments
Mizuno Be: Show Us the Data
October 30, 2012 By 14 Comments
I came across the video below via a Twitter post by Ian Griffiths: Now Mizuno are at it: bit.ly/UCSmuqSome bold claims here about performance improvement and muscle activation… Evidence please…? — Ian Griffiths (@Sports_Pod) October 10, 2012 In the video, Mizuno claims that the new Mizuno Be shoe is designed to “increase activation” of the […]
Jay Dicharry on Choosing a Running Shoe
October 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Great post by my buddy Jay Dicharry on choosing soft vs. firm running shoes: “…the marketing research is clear. People buy shoes b/c of 1) color, and 2) “first feel”. First feel is that first step you take. You know that sense of walking on a cloud…..the same feeling that made you think you could […]
Posterior Views of My Running Form in Vibram SeeYa LS, Merrell Flux Glove, Altra Instinct 1.5, and Saucony Ride 5
October 28, 2012 By 14 Comments
After posting videos of my running form in several shoes on Thursday, I was curious to see what things looked like in a few other options, particularly some zero drop shoes and a shoe with a higher drop. Yesterday I took my camera out to the street in front of my house and shot posterior-view […]
Critique Me!: Posterior Views of My Form When Running Barefoot, in Newton Distance Racers, and in the Skechers GoRun
October 26, 2012 By 46 Comments
I spent some time this afternoon with a group of my research students who are designing a senior project that they’ll hopefully conduct on running form. The goal for today was to familiarize them with the cameras that I have, and get some video from different angles so they have an idea of what they […]
Inov-8 Bare-X 180 Review: A Top Choice Among Ultraminimal, Barefoot-Style Shoes
October 25, 2012 By 41 Comments
I have to admit that I’ve been very impressed by Inov-8 lately. So far I have only reviewed one of their shoes (Road-X 233), but I now own 4 additional pairs of Inov-8’s – the F-Lite 195, Bare-X Lite 150, Trailroc 135, and the Bare-X 180 (most purchased at steep discount via The Clymb). Of […]
Shoes Matter: Running Shoes Can Contribute to Injury
October 23, 2012 By 29 Comments
Damn you injuries! (Photo credit: aaipodpics) I’ve been part of an interesting email thread over the past few days. I’m not going to discuss any specifics, but the gist of the discussion has revolved around the question of whether shoes can cause running injuries. The refrain lately in the running community has been that “form […]
Barefoot Shoes: More Than Just an Oxymoron
October 22, 2012 By 21 Comments
Awhile ago I read a great post by Jason Robillard on the relative merits of using the phrase “barefoot shoes” to describe minimalist footwear. Here’s how he opened it up: “I’ve been trying to fight this trend for years now, but the masses have spoken. In a battle that would rival BetaMax v. VHS, the […]
The Influence of Minimalism on Trail Running Shoes: Interesting Article in Footwear Insight Magazine
October 22, 2012 By 1 Comment
Quick post to direct you to an interesting article in the Sept/Oct 2012 issue of Footwear Insight.The article interviews reps from a variety of shoe companies on recent trends in trail running footwear. Among the topics covered are the rise of bright colors, the influence of minimalism on trail shoe design, and whether there market […]
Underfoot Pressure Tracings of Forefoot, Midfoot, and Heel Strikes in Barefoot Runners: We All Supinate!
October 20, 2012 By 6 Comments
There is a lot of misinformation out there regarding how the foot initially contacts the ground during running. For example, some people like to refer to themselves as “supinators,” as if it’s a diagnosis of something unique and bad. Some think that a midfoot landing involves the entire bottom of the foot contacting the ground […]
Running Form in My Son at 18 and 30 Months of Age
October 19, 2012 By 12 Comments
In a comment to a post I wrote earlier today someone suggested that I should take a video of my son running every six months to track how his form changes over time. This is a great idea, and my kids are used to being guinea pigs for me, so I thought I’d start by […]
Panasonic FZ200 Video – 2 year-old Child Running in Slow Motion at 120fps
October 18, 2012 By 16 Comments
Yesterday I was playing around with a new camera (Panasonic FZ200) that I recently purchased for gait filming that will shoot 120 frames per second in 720p high definition (a first in a sub-$1,000.00 consumer grade camera as I’m aware; it also shoots 240fps in VGA which is solid). So far I’m really impressed with […]
Altra Superior Trail Running Shoe: First Look Video
October 17, 2012 By 19 Comments
I just received a pair of Altra Superior trails shoes in the mail (I purchased them at Running Warehouse – they are now in-stock). My plan was to run in them today and write a first impression report tonight, but it turns out they run small so I need to send them back for a […]
New York Times on the “Myths” of Running: Is There a Best Way to Run
Gina Kolata of the New York Times wrote an article that appeared in the paper today. The title is “Myths of Running: Forefoot, Barefoot, and Otherwise,” and the article opens with the following question: “Is there a best way to run, so that you use the least energy and go the fastest?” Kolata goes on […]