Friday, May 22, 2009

Thinking of Newtons and Running Form

Usually, that means fig newtons, but what I really mean are the Newton running shoes. Since my plantar fasciitis bout 3 yrs ago, I changed my running style to mid-to-forefoot striking. I don't have any quantifiable performance measurements, but I know I've managed to avoid sidelining injuries since even when running very high mileage (for me, 60-70 mi/wk) during NYC marathon training last yr. It would seem that these shoes would be a perfect match for my run form.

Speaking of run form, check out Newton's optimal run form page. They also have a bunch of YouTube videos about run form. I started practicing the principles in those videos when I learned about the Pose method to rehab my foot. Check out this page of Pose videos on Google. Both Newton and Pose running forms share the ball-of-foot strike. BTW, I'm not saying these will work for you as they did for me, but if you're after efficiency and injury-free running, you might want to give it a try. Word of warning - your calves will hurt (badly?) the first couple of weeks.

Here's a bullet list of benefits from the Pose running page:

WHAT CAN IT DO?
Pose Running technique will dramatically change your entire perception of running. It makes running easier and better.

Thoughts?

No comments: