Sacramento Running News

If you read this website regularly, you’ll know that while I do like to make fun of barefoot running zealots, I’m actually supportive of some amount of barefoot running.

What I’m nervous about is the lack of solid science about what it’s good for and what it’s not going to help.

Thankfully, in large part due to the enthusiasm engendered by Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run, there is a growing body of science regarding the ins and outs of barefoot versus shod running.

There is also a growing body of medical anecdotes about injury rates and barefoot running zombies who are ready to shout down any nay-sayers. (Of course, there are also anti-barefoot running zealots, too.)

The New York Times Well blog has a nice wrap-up of current science. Here’s the money quote: (more…)

Running may protect that knee

As you know by now, I am always happy to write about scientific studies that support my existing bias.

Here is more science finding that, regardless of what my mother believes, running is actually beneficial to your knees.

Money quote:

In one study, Swedish researchers found that exercise, including jogging, may even be beneficial. Felson describes how researchers took one group of people at risk of osteoarthritis and had them engage in exercise, including jogging. The other group didn’t exercise. After imaging the joints of the participants in both study groups, they found that the biochemistry of cartilage actually appeared to improve in those participants who were running. Felson says that suggests that “running is actually healthy for the joint.”

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Hopefully, we’ve all had the experience of buying running shoes at a real running store. If you are a new runner, or asking for help, the salesperson will have you stand with your shoes off and look at your feet and advise you about a shoe that will best fit your needs. (The better shoe stores will put you in the shoes and actually watch you run in them.)

In the US Military, the most typical injuries for new recruits are running related. To address this, they decided to evaluate the feet of recruits and supply them with shoes that shoe companies promote for the recruits’ foot shape.

Normally, the story would stop there.  However, this time the Marine Corps decided to actually test the results and see how these recruits fared.  It turns out the results were about the opposite of what the shoe companies would have liked. The New York Times reports: (more…)

Is there a footwear fad that American can’t get behind?  A couple of months ago, I started seeing them everywhere: those funny sneakers with the rounded bottoms.  They were otherwise normal looking people wearing some really odd looking shoes. Even Chuck Norris was getting into the act, hawking these shoes on television. (Okay.  Maybe Chuck’s not the best example of “normal” but bear with me here.)

Like so many fitness fads that have come before, the reports of danger come following after.  The Boston Globe reports: