I met Sarah Canney back in August 2012 at a running workshop that I taught along with my friend and co-worker Brett Coapland. At the time, Sarah was 8-months pregnant with her second child, and she’s the first and only near full-term pregnant runner I have ever captured in a slow motion gait video. Sarah had a goal of running a 3:30 marathon the Spring following the birth of her son, but she revised her plans and opted to run the Big Lake Half Marathon in Alton, NH instead due to setbacks encountered in her return to running (she discusses her regrets about her approach to returning to running below).

Sarah left her job teaching high-school English to be a full-time stay-at-home mom in 2012, and she now coaches runners and writes about running and life on her blog, Run Far Girl. She’s also written extensively on her experience of running during pregnancy and post-partum. I’ve long been wanting to publish a post on the topic of running during pregnancy (and for obvious reasons I can’t speak from experience on this one!), and Sarah was thus the first person I thought of to ask about tackling the subject.

Here goes!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your running history.

I started running shortly after my freshman year of college. I was looking for a way to be active and find a competitive outlet; I had played basketball in high school and at the AAU level. The first race I trained for was the Maine Marathon in 2003. It was a “bucket list” thing. I thought I’d do one and be done (we all know how that goes). In preparation I ran a local 5K and 10K and placed first in my age group in each race. At that point I was hooked.

I didn’t really race or run seriously for about three years from 2007-2010, then re-entered the running scene in 2010 after my daughter Sophia was a year old. I PR’d in every distance in 2010-11 and then ran through my pregnancy with Jack in 2012. Last year and this spring have been my most successful running seasons to date and I have a few overall wins under my belt now.

You have two children – did you run through both pregnancies?

I do have two little ones, Sophia is 4 and Jack is 22 months.

During my first pregnancy I ran very little. I was just coming off a time (two years) of not racing or running more than three or four miles at a time. During my pregnancy I mostly used the elliptical and did weight training. I ran up until about seven months, while pregnant with Sophia, but never more than three miles.

With Jack things were different. The year prior to my pregnancy with him I had started training more seriously and had just PR’d in the marathon with a time of 3:48. Nothing stellar, but after a few disappointing races I was pleased with my time and was eager to train for a Boston qualifying time (Sarah earned her BQ in May of this year). When I found out I was pregnant with Jack I was running about 40-45 miles a week. My mileage immediately dropped to about 25-30 miles a week as I battled nausea and general fatigue that comes with early pregnancy.

For most of my pregnancy with Jack my mileage hovered around 25-30 miles a week. I also ran a few races while pregnant: a 5K at 16 weeks, a half marathon at 21 weeks, a 5 miler at 26 weeks and another 5K at 28 weeks. My last run was a four mile run three days before Jack’s due date.

I will add though, that after my pregnancy with Sophia I noticed that I leaked on occasion while I ran–something I’d never experienced before. This slowly went away after about a year. But it immediately returned when I started running during my pregnancy with Jack. The incontinence was due to a weakened pelvic floor (which I didn’t know about at the time) and laxity in the muscles due to hormonal changes.

In your personal experience, what was the hardest part about running during pregnancy?

I think the hardest part of running through pregnancy is learning to listen to and adapt to your bodies’ limitations. One of the first things I noticed early on in pregnancy was an increased shortness of breath. It can feel frustrating early on in pregnancy, especially in the first few weeks when nothing else has really changed, to feel completely out of breath at a pace that would normally be easy.

As pregnancy progresses running becomes more uncomfortable. And probably the biggest annoyance is that feeling of constantly having to use the bathroom. But that’s pretty much par for the course for every pregnant woman, not just those who run.

You wrote a post titled “I wish I hadn’t run during pregnancy.” Can you explain why?

I was very eager to return to running after Jack’s birth in September, 2012. My goal was to run a spring marathon and BQ. I ran during my pregnancy with him in hopes of maintaining some sort of fitness (also because running is an outlet for stress and is really my “me” time), so that a return to training postpartum would be (in theory) less difficult.

My first run after having Jack was at three weeks postpartum. I felt good and had been given the OK by my midwife to go for a run. The run was a success (and by that I mean there was no leaking). I ran the next day and continued to run the remainder of the week. By the fourth or fifth day I had a feeling of laxity in the pelvic area and was experiencing leaking/incontinence. At that point I realized I’d done too much too soon.

When I returned to my midwife she recommended I see a women’s health physical therapist. After my initial assessment I realized that if I hadn’t stopped when I did, I could have done quite a bit of damage (possibly a prolapsed bladder requiring surgery). I took four weeks completely off from running and spent those weeks in physical therapy. I didn’t really return to running until about 12 weeks postpartum. And at that point my physical therapist advised me against marathon training.

My pelvic floor wasn’t strong enough or recovered enough to run in the way that I wanted to run–which was frustrating. But after that initial assessment and conversation with the physical therapist I realized that I really had been uneducated about the risk of prolapse and the importance of pelvic floor, hip and core strength when it comes to running during pregnancy. I think that often runners assume that we are in great shape because we can bang out a ten mile run. What I realized is that there were areas of weakness and imbalance in my body that had been severely strained as I ran through pregnancy.

For a pregnant woman (especially one who already has children) time and energy are limited; I wish I had focused more of my time and energy on strengthening my body and using pregnancy as a chance to focus on correcting weakness and imbalance rather than simply running.

If you had to give advice on running to other women who are pregnant or are planning on trying to have children, what would be the key things you would suggest they consider?

I think the most important thing is to be assessed by a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health. In many instances (at least this is my personal experience and the feedback I’ve received from many readers) doctors and midwives aren’t always up to date on the latest information regarding pelvic floor health as it relates to running during pregnancy. An assessment by a PT can yield a lot of helpful information regarding weakness and imbalance that may be exacerbated by running during pregnancy. The more you can prevent the better.

I’ve had hundreds of comments on my post; a large majority are from women who have not been able to return to running after pregnancy–and this is after physical therapy and often surgery. It seems to me that there is a growing trend of the “uber fit” pregnancy. It’s a trend that can lead to women feeling pressure to stay active even if their body or doctor is telling them otherwise. I would encourage women to be informed about their own bodies and to not buy-in to fear of losing fitness. Yes, there will be fitness loss, but ultimately you want to be in a place postpartum where you can solidly begin building your fitness. You don’t want to have to deal with setbacks where you’re in PT because you did too much too late into your pregnancy or too much too soon after your delivery.

How about post-partum running? What were the biggest challenges, and what advice do you have for others?

I think the biggest challenge is holding back.

In my opinion it is important to wait the six weeks that doctors traditionally advise. After speaking with my physical therapist she outlined what happens with the muscles, fascia and tissue during that time. That six week recommendation is not antiquated – it is necessary to allow your body to recover. It can be frustrating to feel “ready” to run; but know that on a cellular level things still need time to strengthen and rebuild.

I would advise not setting any time sensitive running goals until after that six week period. And even then I’ve noticed that I don’t fully feel myself until about 9 to 12 months postpartum. And of course every woman is different, be aware of what your needs are and don’t compare yourself with what others have done.

Anything else you’d like to share?

If I were to go through it all again, I probably would run during pregnancy. As most runners know, it’s hard to live without running. I would say even more so now as a mom than before: I need that me-time. However, I would approach it very differently.

I think I’d approach running during pregnancy as a chance to work on areas where I was weak. I’d maybe focus on form drills, core and hip strength and other elements that can still improve my running without me actually running. And maybe I’d run less often and try to incorporate complementary activities like spinning. And I’d probably stop when running became uncomfortable, rather than pushing through later and later into the pregnancy.

My return to running would also look very different. It would probably start with a postpartum PT assessment, that way I’d be informed of my bodies’ current weaknesses and be able to plan my return to running accordingly. And I’d try not to feel like I had something to prove, bringing life into this world is a pretty substantial feat in and of itself.

For more from Sarah Canney, check out her blog Run Far Girl.

Well, the summer turned out to be far busier than I had anticipated, and Jennifer moved her blog to University Affairs, which is like a Canadian version of the Chronicle of Higher Education. I finally found some time to respond to her questions a few weeks ago, and the interview is now live.

For those of you who might be interested in reading a bit more about why I left academia and what I am doing now, head on over to University Affairs and check it out!

Here’s a snippet:

What are your favourite parts of your job?

I love the freedom of being my own boss and not having to worry about decisions made by those in positions above me. As a blogger, I can write about whatever I want, whenever I want.

What would you change about it if you could?

The hardest part about being a full-time blogger is managing email. I love interacting with readers, and try my best to answer questions when they arrive. Unfortunately, as the blog has grown the volume of email has increased as well, and it’s been very hard to keep up with it all.

So, I think the thing I’d most like to change is that I’d love to be able to keep up with my email!

I’d also recommend checking out the #altac and #postac content on Twitter if you are interested in topics related to post-academic life!

If you need something to listen to on your long run this weekend, head over to Cesar’s site and download the show – he has it available in a variety of formats.

To download the episode direct from Itunes, click here.

Enjoy!

One of the things that has impressed me the most about the approach that Kurt and David have taken is that they have sought out advice from runners directly and have brought a number of us in as a core feedback group. Their goal is to make technical performance shoes for runners, and to gain a toehold in the performance running market. This has understandably been a challenge given the Skechers’ reputation of making mostly casual, fashion, and kids shoes (not to mention Shape-Ups!). But, they have been given a great deal of autonomy to do what they think is right, and in my opinion they’re off to a very strong start. For example, the GoBionic is a top option among zero drop, cushioned shoes, and the GoRun 2is a very solid improvement over the original GoRun. I spent a lot of time running in iterations of the GR2 this past summer, and hopefully will get a review up soon, as well as some discussion of the various iterations that were produced and how things were changed. I’m also now running in the trail version of the GoBioinic, and it may be the best shoe they have produced to date. A commercial version of Meb Keflezghi’s Olympic marathon shoe should also be out next year.

About a month ago my buddy Thomas Neuberger at Believe in the Run suggested the idea of collaborating on an interview with Kurt and David (and by collaboration I mean that Thomas did most of the work). Thomas wrote up a bunch of questions, I added a few of my own, and he has now posted the full interview on his blog. To get an inside scoop on what is going on over at Skechers, read the interview with Kurt Stockbridge and David Raysse at Believe in the Run.

Given this, I thought it only appropriate to start the ball rolling on the Ultra front by featuring a local ultra runner who has put his long distance skills to good use by running across the state of New Hampshire each Fall for the past few years in support of some very good causes. Sherpa John Lacroix is a veteran of numerous ultras, and has now completed his annual Run Across New Hampshire (RANH) twice, with his third attempt schedule to occur on October 23-24, 2010. I had the honor to run about 10 miles of the RANH with John last year, and if my schedule permits, I may try to get out there again this year. He’s running the RANH this year in order to promote getting people active outdoors, and in keeping with the theme, this year he aims to run the entire way from to on trails. I sent John a series of questions about ultra running and the RANH – here’s what he had to say:

ME: How did you get into the sport of Ultrarunning?

SHERPA: In 2004 I was making a documentary film about hiking New Hampshire’s 4000 Footers. As I was nearing the completion of the list and film, I was in need of a new hobby, and wondered if anyone had ever hiked the mountains the fastest. What I found was a “mountain” of information and stories about folks as early as the 1970s who had indeed hiked the mountains the fastest. I went and met Tim Seaver who is the current record holder at 3 Days 15 Hour 51 Minutes (187 Miles), and he told me about this thing called Ultra-Running. I asked what someone needed to do to become an ultra runner and his response was, “Basically you have to be stubborn and able to put up with a little, well actually a lot, of discomfort.” I was hooked on the idea and started running. I couldn’t run a mile without walking back in 2004 when is started, so I’ve come a long way since then. (You can read more about how Sherpa got into ultras here: http://sherpajohn.blogspot.com/2007/10/ultra-running-how-i-got-into-it.html)

ME: Do you ever run shorter distances?

SHERPA: Yes I do, all the time. I tend to run shorter distances during the week which are anywhere from 5K to 10 miles or so. These shorter distance training runs are what I use to keep loose, go through the motions and refine a lot of my posture, speed and hill techniques. In terms of racing shorter distances… no. I can’t see paying $20+ to run a local 5K when I could pay $50 to run a 50 Miler in most cases. I like to look at signing up for races as a pay for value type system. I could pay $80 to run 26.2 or pay $175 to run a 100 Miler in some amazing place. I’ll take the 100 any day.

ME: Aside from the Run Across New Hampshire, what is your most memorable running moment?

SHERPA: Man… there are so many to choose from. I’ve been extremely lucky to have the various adventures I’ve had over the last 5 or so years. I’ve been from coast to coast, north to south.. it’s been great. But if I had to choose one I’d say it would be my finish at the 2009 Massanutten Mountain Trails 100. I had run the race the year before and finished a battered and broken man… but I was better for it. I always try to find ways to make things tougher, so the following year (2009) I signed up for the race in their new “Stonewall Jackson Division” where you are required to run from start to finish without a pacer or crew. You’re on your own for 102 miles through some of the rockiest terrain east of the Mississippi. It was one of the toughest and most painful things I’ve ever done. I think I crawled at under a mile per hour for the last 13 miles of that race just to finish. I had horrendous chafe, trench foot, you name it. But I did it.. and I’ll never forget the effort it took and how I felt after.

ME: I’ll be running my first Ultra next March (HAT Run 50K) – what advice can you give to a first time ultrarunner?

SHERPA: Ditch the watch. When training, it’s more about time on your feet, the speed will come the more you do it. It’s all about the journey in getting from A to B and looking good when you get to B. The watch is more of a nuisance and brain buster then anything else.. so ditch it. Left, Right, Repeat.

ME: What is the Run Across New Hampshire?

SHERPA: The Run Across New Hampshire is an annual run that I started as a way to try to get folks in the local area outside. Over the years I really feel like we’ve failed on this front so this year we’re really taking a hard stab at it. We’ve teamed up with Conservation New Hampshire and it’s our goal to get as many people outside as possible. This year’s run is being held on October 23-24, 2010 and is a trail run taking place on the Sunapee-Kearsarge-Ragged Greenway and the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway. The run totals 128.8 Miles with over 54,000 feet of elevation change – basically I’m going to climb Everest, around the clock, day and night, for two days. It all ends on Mount Monadnock, the worlds second most climbed mountain, and we really hope folks will join us for the final climb.

ME: How many years have you been doing the RANH?

SHERPA: This is the third year of the run. We started in 2008 by running across the state at it’s widest point which started in the West on the Route 9 bridge connecting Brattleboro, VT and Chesterfield, NH; and then continued East along routes 9, 4 and 1A to Odiorne State Park in Rye, NH which is the Eastern-most point. In 2008 we ran 125 miles from point to point to make it an even 100K, we did it to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation of NH. We repeated the run in 2009 with a shorter version of 120 miles and we did it for funding for The Seacoast Science Center. This year’s run is more of a North to South lollipop and explores a section of our state that remains pretty rural and unused.

ME: Why the switch from roads to trails?

SHERPA: While planning the 2008 Edition of the run, my running buddy Nate Sanel and I had a long talk about how much the roads were going to hurt and thought about ways to run the width of the state on trail. We thought about how much more time that would take and wondered if it was even possible. After much debate, we stuck to the busier roads of Routes 9 and 4 for fundraising purposes. But the last two years, one of our aid stops out in Nelson, NH is the parking lot for a Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway trailhead. We’ve always kind of looked at the trail while sitting there resting, and wished we had done a trail adventure instead. Trails are a lot less punishing on your body and a lot more fun… no doubt about it. So the switch was an easy decision, besides, I’ve seen enough of Routes 9 and 4 to last a lifetime.

ME: What’s the hardest part about completing an event like this?

SHERPA: I’d say the mentality of it all. I’m a firm believer that the human body is a most resilient and amazing thing. We all can accomplish so many things that we think are impossible and far from reach. Truth is, your body is designed in such a way that physical accomplishments are actually closer to reality than most people realize. That’s the hard part right there, believing that you can do it and then actually keeping that thought in your mind from beginning to end. There is no doubt in my mind that there’s going to be a few points while out on the adventure where I doubt my ability to complete the task. To keep moving forward when I’m losing hope, and getting out of that funk and back to believing in myself, that’s a tough task that’s going to happen quite a bit. But hey… I want people to get outside and I’ll do whatever I can to convince folks that they too can do anything they put their mind to.

ME: What’s the best part about completing an event like this?

SHERPA: There are really so many facets to an event like this but I’d have to say the people. I have a great crew that comes out to support me. Seeing them have such a great time, outside, as dedicated to the run as I am is really something else. In the end, everyone feels the same sense of accomplishment. It’s a team effort. If we get some new faces to come out and join in that with us, it’ll be perfect. But that’s definitely the best part, the people.

ME: How should people go about getting in touch with you if they’d like to join you for part of the RANH (do you have a website with details?).

SHERPA: If you want to get involved There’s actually two ways you can you do so. We want to encourage folks to get outside and enjoy a section of our state that isn’t typically used or known about for recreational purposes. You can sign up to run or crew by contacting Leah Belanger. She’ll provide you with all the details. Runners: In the coming weeks, we’ll post a list of segments you are welcome to run as well as their level of difficulty based on the perception of a mid to back of the pack runner. Crew: Crewing is a hard job. It requires patience in that you do very little driving and a LOT of waiting around for the runner(s) to appear. Once they’re there, you spring into action for all of 5 minutes, rinse and repeat. For more info visit: http://sherpajohn.blogspot.com/2010/09/2010-run-across-new-hampshire.html

Over the past few months I have been corresponding via e-mail with Dr. Mark Cucuzzella on the topics of running form and running shoes. Mark has a very interesting background in that he is a family physician at Harpers Ferry Family Medicine in WV, an Associate Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine, and the owner of Two Rivers (TR) Treads, the nation’s first minimalist-only running store. If the above wasn’t enough to keep Mark busy, he’s also a highly accomplished runner, having completed over 60 marathons and ultras. Mark’s marathon PR is 2:24, and according to his bio on the TR Treads website, he has “run under 2:35 for a marathon 22 of the last 24 years including a 2:34 in the 2010 Boston Marathon at age 43.” Pretty impressive resume to say the least!

I asked Mark if he would be willing to answer a few questions about his background, his store, and his running life here on Runblogger, and he graciously agreed. Hopefully you’ll find what he has to say both informative and insightful.

You have a long and accomplished history as a runner. What are some of the moments in your running history that mean the most to you?

What gives me the most meaning is being able to teach basic principles through my own running performance now that I am in my 40’s. Still running marathons at under 2:35 with a crazy busy life is a testament to what we teach at our store- good form, aerobic development, functional strength, and above all fun. Moving into the ultra distances and accepting new challenges and learning new things is what it is all about. Edmund Hillary once said “”If you set out on an adventure, and you are absolutely convinced you’re going to be successful, why bother starting.“.

Having run under 2:35 for 22 of last 24 years (including 2010) is a something I feel good about. I’ve run under this time in 4 decades. Missed during my medical intern year and in 2009 when I ran 2:37.

What prompted your move to a more minimalist style of running shoe?

I had surgery on my feet in 2000 and needed to develop a low impact running style. At that time I knew little about shoes, but always felt better when I trained in racing flats. I could run with a quick, light cadence with more minimal footwear. My work with an innovator in the shoe design industry, Trip Allen, led me to discover the benefits of a zero drop shoe (i.e., no heel lift). I sawed off a centimeter of heel to level my training shoes. This was an epiphany…my body felt the efficiency and comfort immediately.

I subsequently evolved into doing education work with Newton Running, who are all about zero drop shoes and barefoot function. I have also learned a ton from Danny and Katherine Dreyer of ChiRunning. They are great teachers and everyone can learn from their methods. We have done 2 research trials on their methods too: http://www.chirunning.com/shop/pages.php?pageid=63.

What are the key design flaws that you most commonly observe in most modern running shoes?

Our website is loaded with information on the footwear education page titled “The World is Flat….if You are a Foot.”

There are several design flaws but the most important are:

• heel elevation: almost every shoe available today has some sort of heel lift – this affects posture, natural gait, and eleastic recoil.
• too much soft foam: the paradox of cushion is that foam interferes with proprioception and increase impact forces in the upstream joints, especially if you heel strike.
• toe spring: shoes curve upwards from the ball of the foot to the toes, incorrectly lifting the toes off the ground. This denies the foot use of the windlass mechanism.
• tapered toebox: (narrow toe area) nearly every shoe narrows from the ball of the foot to the toes. However, the shape of the foot is widest at the toes and tapering can lead to a deformed and inwardly turning large toe. This affects support of the arch in a critical way.
• curved last with cutout under 5th ray: the midfoot area of the sole is often cutout denying use of the 5th metatarsal ray, which is naturally a weight-bearing bone.
• Children’s shoes: any child shoe exhibiting the above defects and employing support and heavy cushion interferes with natural foot function and development.

Which shoes do you currently use in your own training?

I have 2 primary shoes for 2 different purposes. Both with zero to 2mm drop.

For fast runs on the roads where performance is focus the Newton Distance (see below) is a great shoe for employing barefoot running mechanics with some give back to natural elastic recoil. One can really feel this at the end of a marathon when the legs are pretty toasted and you move forward by relaxing. This shoe works with you if you employ the strong core and relaxed limb approach to running. With the insole removed (no foam needed) and some heel counter cut out (also not needed for barefoot style) the shoe weighs in at a mere 7oz. This is NOT a soft foam shoe. A firm TPU top plate and firm rebound chambers in the forefoot make this shoe a completely different feel from most and an addictive one when you start to use it.

For trail and mixed surfaces I run in the Terra Plana EVO. I take the soft insoles out of all my shoes and with this shoe it is 3mm of tough Duratex between my foot and the Earth. I run up and down mountains in this shoe which forces one to use very good barefoot running style.

Do you see a strong link between running shoes and proper running form?

Yes and no. You can run with really bad form in any shoe. Good form must come first (check out Mark’s running form in the video below from the 2010 Boston Marathon). Running true barefoot on hard surfaces will reinforce better form, as only then will you experience the immediate and negative feedback of a heel strike. Elevated heels feel horrible when you have learned good form. You cannot get natural elastic recoil from the Achilles and Plantar Fascia with your heels elevated.

Video clip of Mark Cucuzzella (blue shirt/white hat) near mile 17.5 in the 2010 Boston Marathon. Filmed at 300 fps with a Casio Exilim EX-F1 digital camera. Video courtesy of runblogger.com from Runblogger on Vimeo.

People often debate the relative merits of heel, midfoot and forefoot striking – based on your combined medical and running experience, do you see one of these as superior to the others?

I think people are really talking about a similar thing. The important point is landing gently under your center of mass. Eliminate the word strike from the vocabulary. A runner is not striking anything. Picture the lunar lander coming onto the moon surface….something will touch first but the entire platform settles down. This is the key to landing…let your full foot settle down under your center of mass, trigger/load the elastic recoil, and lift back off quickly.

How does your medical background influence your thoughts on footwear?

I take a basic science approach to anatomy, biomechanics, evidence based practice, and research. Although none of this has given definitive proof that there is a perfect shoe, there is great validity to the concept that your foot is the smartest design and that elevating the heels with crash pad cushioning will not prevent injury or lead to better foot function.

We have an extensive reference section on our site for some deeper reading.
http://www.trtreads.org/Articles_OWCO.html

Like almost everything in health, from nutrition to all aspects of longevity, the best interventions are the least. Natural food, healthy daily activity, and letting the body function as it is designed always come back to being the best answer.

You already have a successful career as a doctor, what prompted you to open a running store?

Runners come to running stores to get opinions on injury. Doctors get no training in running injury prevention. Most running store employees are not highly trained in this either. So what better place to educate and help runners stay healthy? Plus we eliminate the waste of unneeded medical costs and tests. We have free injury clinics in our store. My desire is to teach.

 The other important reason is we are a band of volunteers hosting large races here and we needed a headquarters. Freedom’s Run will be the largest event in out state in only its second year www.freedomsrun.org . This is an amazing run through 4 National Parks and the outcome is building trails and gardens at local schools. We are also a model for Park Prescriptions. See the video on this link…we are 5 minutes in http://www.parksconservancy.org/our-work/igg/events/park-prescriptions.html. Come join us for Freedom’s Run on October 2!

What makes TR Treads unique?

We are the first store to completely abandon elevated heel running and walking shoes. Our focus is to educate first and then see if a shoe can help you get into better function. We encourage folks to be barefoot as much as possible. We give back in a huge way to the community through sponsorship and literally 1000’s of volunteer hours from our lead staff Tom Shantz and James Munnis, both of whom are reformed heel strikers.

Is there any thing else you’d like to add?

Our goal is nothing short of being the first town to eliminate running injuries….we are getting there. Shoot for the big goals and you can achieve them. We also want to see every child learn to run for fun, mostly in their bare feet, and stay in soft functional footwear for life. We need to un-teach parents and clinicians that children need stiff supportive shoes.

Jason Fitzgerald (Fitz) over at Strength Running recently contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in conducting an on-line interview for his blog. Fitz came up with some great questions about running shoes, injuries, and my quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon – I did my best to answer all of them, and I think the interview does a great job encapsulating my thoughts at this moment (though these thoughts seem to be in a near constant state of flux!).

To check out the interview, visit Strength Running at: http://strengthrunning.com/2010/09/minimalist-running-shoes-injuries-and-qualifying-for-boston-an-interview-with-runblogger%E2%80%99s-pete-larson/